Itel have never been a company that sticks to tradition. The S series consisting of phones like the Itel S23 and the Itel S23+ was once considered their flagship lineup. Then out of nowhere comes a device that makes those two look like toys. This is the Itel P55 5G Review.
So I don’t need to say much about Itel, we know them very well. They’ve been with us for over a decade now. They specialize in making entry level devices for the general public.
However it seems as though that doctrine has been adjusted in recent times. With the release of the Itel A70, S23 and S23+, Itel has begun targeting the Midrange. But no device has typified their commitment to breaking into the Midrange market like the Itel P55 5G.
The Itel P series for a long time was Itel’s battery centric lineup of phones with huge batteries. This is where the P55 5G hails from. The P55 5G is a lower midrange device that is 5G capable. This is a first from Itel. They’re starting to show some serious ambition.
Itel P55 5G Key Specs
The key specifications of the Itel P55 5G includes:
| Specs | |
|---|---|
| Body | Plastic frame and back, rounded edges |
| SoC | MediaTek Dimensity 6080 |
| GPU | ARM Mali G57 MP2 |
| Software | Android 13, Itel OS 13 |
| Benchmarks | AnTuTu 10: 387,857 |
| RAM | LPDDR4X, 4GB, 6GB |
| Storage | UFS 2.2 (64GB/128GB) |
| Display | 6.6″ 720p IPS-LCD, 90Hz |
| Camera (Rear) | 50MP main + 0.08MP depth, 1080p@30fps |
| Selfie | 8MP |
| Battery | 5,000mAh, 18W |
| Connectivity | 4G, 5G, WiFi 5, Bluetooth 5.2, USB-C (2.0) port, 3.5mm audio in/out, side mounted Fingerprint reader |
So from the specs above, this is not your typical Itel phone. Everything here (on paper) is actually very decent. So let’s go through all of them, section by section.
Body
The body is what you should expect from any low end phone. The frame and back are made of plastic. There’s no IP rating of any sort so prospective users should be careful with dust and moisture of any sort. This is especially true for those who hold 30-mins concerts in the bathroom when taking hot showers. Steam can go places that you really don’t want it to go.
Performance
So when we are discussing performance, we’re looking at all of the factors that helps a phone perform tasks such as general use, opening and handling apps, gaming etc.
The key parts of the device that helps to tackle these are the CPU cores, GPU and RAM.
CPU Performance
This device is well equipped with a MediaTek Dimensity 6080. The Dimensity 6080 is essentially a MediaTek Helio G99 with 5G. It is a very solid lower midrange SoC that is on the level of SoCs like the Helio G95, G96, G99, Snapdragon 720G, Snapdragon 732G etc.
We have already compared the Dimensity 6080 with the Snapdragon 685 here on this channel and the Dimensity 6080 comfortably spanked it. So there’s that.
GPU performance
The Mali G57 MP2 is also an old name and is well known to many game and app developers so it should still enjoy some level of optimization.
OS performance
The issue now is that optimization of the Itel OS and how it is going to interact with apps, games and other software.
Multitasking
For the RAM, there’s 4 or 6GB of LPDDR4x RAM which is enough for moderate to heavy use.
General performance
This phone should easily handle games like eFootball Mobile, Genshin Impact, Call of Duty Mobile, PUBG Mobile, Asphalt 9 etc. However, I’m yet to confirm if it can run games like Call of Duty Warzone, Apex Legends, NBA 2K, Grid Auto Sports etc.
Phones with a similar performance to the Itel P55 5G includes household names such as:
- Redmi Note 13 5G
- Tecno Pova 5 Pro
- Tecno Pova 6 Pro
- Poco X6 Neo
- Infinix Note 30 5G
- Honor Play 8T
Display
This is one of the areas that could be considered a massive let down for this device. It’s got a 6.6-inch 720p IPS-LCD. These are displays that are best left to the budget and entry-level smartphones. It is not fit for a smartphone of this quality but it is what it is. It looks decent enough and supports a 90Hz refresh rate.
Cameras
These are three cameras here. At the rear, we’ve got a 50MP main camera and a depth sensor. The main camera is good enough in decent lighting conditions but the depth sensor is a fad which died in 2021. It shouldn’t be on smartphones anymore.
The Dimensity 6080 is very well capable of doing 1080p@60fps video but Itel in all their wisdom have decided to limit it to 30fps. Weird choice if you ask me.
At the front, there’s an 8MP selfie for selfies. It’s got all the bells and whistles that a lot of people like such as face smoothening and brightening, emojis and whatnots.
Battery
I was honestly expecting them to go with a bigger battery but they instead chose to stick with a 5000mAh unit. On top of that, there is only support for 18W of fast charge.
I have no problems with the battery capacity, but 33W fast charge is dirt cheap now and is supported by many new midrange SoCs. This is another puzzling decision.
Connectivity
To finish up our specs review let’s look at the connectivity options available to this device. The Itel P55 5G supports all networks from 2G to 5G. It also supports Bluetooth 5.1 and WiFi 5. Its got a USB-C port that supports OTG (for plugging peripherals) and a 3.5mm jack for audio in and out.
Itel P55 5G Remarks
The Itel P55 5G is a very solid phone in terms of performance, battery and connectivity but it scores very low points in other areas such as the body, display and charging.
So if you’re a gamer, heavy user and interested in using 5G, this device is definitely for you. I’ll gladly recommend.
The camera should not be an issue for a skilled photographer but most point and shoot folks may struggle to get the best out of it. If you are looking for camera performance, the cameras are average and you’ll need adopt a rather hands on approach instead of point and shoot.
The display is not it. It should have been a 1080p LCD at least. 1080p panels are now affordable so there’s no excuse whatsoever. The charging speed could also be better. 25W to 30W is the sweet spot that they should have aimed for.
Conclusion
The Itel P55 5G is a phone with clear strengths and weaknesses. It shines in terms of performance, battery life, and connectivity, making it a good option for gamers and heavy users who prioritize these aspects and are looking to experience 5G for the first time. However, the display resolution, average cameras, and slow charging hold it back.
Who Should Consider This Phone? Gamers and heavy users who prioritize performance, battery life, and 5G at a budget-friendly price will find the Itel P55 5G appealing.
Who Should Look Elsewhere? Users who prioritize camera quality, a high-resolution display, or fast charging speeds may want to consider other options in the mid-range segment.
This device is a mixed bag but despite its shortcomings, it’s a very good step in the right direction for Itel.
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