The Itel P32 vs the competition: bigger battery, smaller price tag

In 2018 you don’t have to spend a fortune to get a decent smartphone. There are more budget smartphone choices than ever before. But what exactly does budget mean? $400, $300, $200, even less? Unfortunately, many of today’s so-called “budget” phones still cost hundreds of dollars.

Looking for something that’s sub-$100, yet still offers compelling features? You might think that’s impossible, but that’s exactly what the up and coming brand Itel aims to deliver.

For many consumers, especially those in emerging markets, paying $150 or more for a smartphone just isn’t an option. Thankfully, you don’t have to drop that kind of cash. The Itel P32 comes in at just $73 and boasts the title of best big battery smartphone on the continent of Africa.

Despite the low price tag, this phone offers many features you’d expect in phones priced for hundreds more. That’s why we have seen Itel’s phone sales rise significantly in markets such as Africa, where the company had the highest total phone sales for the second quarter of 2018.

In the above charts we highlight some of the most compelling features found on the P32 and its competitors. You’ll immediately notice a lot of similarities in the spec sheet between the Itel and its rivals, despite the fact the cheapest competitor highlighted above costs $150 and some go as high as $320.

Some of the more impressive features that you will find in the Itel P32 include a 5.5-inch 18:9 display, two rear 5MP cameras, a fingerprint scanner and most importantly a huge 4,000mAh battery. While other “budget” phones might have features like faster processors, the fact is that the Itel P32 has plenty of excellent features that are found in phones that cost two or three times more.

One area where the Itel P32 falls short – on paper – is when it comes to the processor and RAM. Don’t let this fool you, the P32 actually holds its own against these phones much better than you’d expect. The secret is in the software.

Android Go makes the P32 run faster

The itel P32 has a quad-core processor with a 1.3Ghz clock speed, along with 1GB of RAM and 8GB of onboard storage. On the surface, those hardware specs are pretty low, but the P32 actually performs significantly faster thanks to special software optimization.

In partnership with Google, the Itel P32 offers the Android Go version of Android 8.1 Oreo.

In case you are unfamiliar with Android Go, it’s a version of Google’s operating system that’s been optimized to work with phones with lower powered processors, and small amounts of RAM and storage. Itel has worked directly with Google to incorporate the Android Go version of the OS into the P32.

In addition to the OS, the P32 also has special Android Go versions of Google’s most popular apps that are designed to use less memory and storage, but still have most of the features of their full counterparts. That includes Google Go for search, YouTube Go, and the Go version of Google Assistant. All of this means that the performance of the P32 is much more in line with what you’d expect from more expensive budget phones that run “standard” Android software, while also conserving the use of your monthly data allotment.

A battery that keeps going and going

As we said, the Itel P32 comes with a 4,000mAh battery, which is larger than many batteries found on high-end flagship phones that can cost close to $1,000. Not only that, but the P32’s processor and RAM are low enough so that the battery uses even less power. Even with heavier than normal use, you should be able to use the P32 for up to two days on a single charge. With normal use, you might be able to extend that battery life to up to three days before you will need to make your way to the power outlet.

Two cameras are better than one

In the past couple of years, we have seen more and more flagship phones, and even some “budget” smartphones, include two rear cameras. However, for just $73, the Itel P32 also has two rear camera sensors, which should allow anyone to take excellent photos. One has a 5MP sensor, while the other has a smaller 0.3MP sensor. The rear cameras also come with dual LED soft flash lights, which should allow you to take images even in low light conditions.

In addition, the P32 includes a 5MP front-facing camera with a 85 degree wide angle. This should let you take impressive lookie selfie photos that match or exceed photos taken with phones that costs hundreds more.

Much more bang for your buck

The Itel P32 may not have the faster processor, or have some of the high-end gaming features than other smartphones have, but the truth is that for just $73, it offers you a lot more than what other phones provide at a much higher price point. Indeed, you might be able to purchase the P32 for all of the members of your family for the price of just one “budget” phone from some of Itel’s competitors. The Itel P32 , without a doubt, packs in a lot for a super-low cost.

To stay abreast of Itel’s products and developments, be sure to follow them on social!

This content brought to you by our friends at Itel.