itel S25 Ultra: They Aren’t Trying to Hide It Anymore

itel is at it again, and this time, they’re not even trying to hide it. Introducing the itel S25 Ultra, a phone that literally screams “Hey, we know where we got this from,” the only difference being they’re not asking you to break the bank to enjoy it, understandable. So with a name that could easily be Samsung’s next S-series flagship, the S25 Ultra might leave you thinking if imitation truly is the sincerest form of flattery.

Let’s start by addressing the obvious: itel has fully embraced its identity as the unabashed copycat of the smartphone world, and honestly, I can’t even be mad about it anymore. I mean, the specs aren’t bad for the price, but this whole borrowing thing isn’t something new for them.

Specifications Overview

Feature	Details
Display	6.78-inch FHD+ 3D-Curved AMOLED, 120Hz refresh rate, 1400-nit peak brightness
Processor	UNISOC T620 SoC
RAM & Storage	8GB RAM (+8GB Virtual RAM), 256GB UFS 2.2 Storage
Rear Cameras	50MP main + macro lens + unspecified third lens
Front Camera	32MP (hole-punch notch)
Battery	5000mAh with 18W fast charging
Operating System	Android 14 (Upgradeable to Android 15)
Build	6.9mm slim, 163g weight, Corning Gorilla Glass 7i, IP64-rated
Extras	NFC, under-display fingerprint scanner, DTS Sound, IR blaster
Colors	Meteor Titanium, Bromo Black, Komodo Ocean
Price (Philippines)	PHP 7,999 (approx. $140 / £115) via TikTok Shop; PHP 10,999 ($195 / £160) retail

itel’s Design “Inspiration”

Now, let’s start with the design. Itel doesn’t just borrow design cues, they run a whole “buy one, get five” sale on other brands’ ideas, I’m not being rude but we’ve seen this multiple times. As I previously said about the itel P65, they didn’t just take one or two cues:

they went on a full shopping spree and stuffed their cart with all the popular guys have to offer.

One thing I can downright praise is the S25 Ultra’s curved AMOLED display and under-display fingerprint sensor which are straight out of the premium playbook and hard to achieve at this price point.

Performance

Now, let’s talk about that UNISOC T620 processor, I have an ugly history with these. I’ve had my beef with UNISOC chips in past itel devices, like the itel S23 and P40 Plus, where I noted the “enthusiastic” performance of their processors.

Need a translation for that?

They often sound better than they perform. Without actually testing the S25 Ultra firsthand, I can’t confirm whether this chipset will shine or fizzle out like its predecessors so I won’t be a hater without any physical evidence. But if history is any indicator, slightly demanding games and multitasking might not be this phone’s strong suit.

For example, in my review of the P40 Plus, I noted how:

the Unisoc T606 is simply too weak to handle these(FC Mobile and PUBG Mobile) games, even on the lowest settings.

While the T620 is technically an upgrade, I wouldn’t expect miracles here.

Cameras

The 50MP main camera sounds promising, as does the 32MP selfie one, but again, we’ve heard this story before. On previous models like the S24, the camera hardware delivered decent results, but it was clear that “it won’t compete with the Pixel 7a or the Nothing Phone 2a.”, I also noted that those phones are 3x the S24’s price though. So if you’re looking for budget-friendly cameras that can handle everyday shots, this should suffice but don’t expect DSLR-level quality which is quite obvious to be fair.

Battery Life and Software

If there’s one area itel consistently delivers, it’s battery life, this one needs no introduction. The 5000mAh battery paired with 18W charging should easily get you through a day or more of moderate use. However, I wish they’d pushed for faster charging speeds in 2024, it’s starting to feel dated at this point, but slower charging means better battery life so that’s nice of them to do that.

As for the software, itel OS 14.5 (based on Android 14) will come with its fair share of pre-installed apps, gimmicky features and a whole load of bloatware. While I’ve previously highlighted itel’s AI assistant as

eager to help but not quite measuring up to Google Assistant

t’s these quirky extras that sometimes add charm to their phones.

Conclusion

Finally here’s the thing, I’m not in a position to judge the S25 Ultra’s actual performance or value for money since I don’t actually have the device in hand. But based on these specs and my previous experiences with itel devices, the phone seems like a solid budget option for casual users.

However, the same issues that plagued their older models might still linger here:

borrowed design, mediocre processors, and hit-or-miss execution.

But for PHP 7,999 ($140 USD / £115 GBP), it’s a tempting deal and I don’t think anyone would even care about that. Although at the higher price of PHP 10,999 ($195 USD / £160 GBP), you might find better alternatives in brands like Xiaomi or Infinix.