Itel A80 review: a budget-friendly choice for everyday use

In a matter of a month, Itel has introduced two budget-friendly smartphones. Recently, we reviewed the Itel Zeno 10, a moderately featured-packed handset with an aggressive starting sticker price of Rs 5,699. In this review, we are checking out the Itel A80, which offers relatively better cameras, more storage, and a bigger display, starting at Rs 7,099. But is it worth considering, especially if you consider rivals like the Redmi A4 5G (review) that even offer 5G connectivity in the same sub-Rs 10K segment? Let’s find out.

Verdict

The Itel A80 is a decent smartphone for entry-level customers who want a reliable smartphone with a tall display for reading and watching content. The phone also has decent cameras, though it’s best to manage expectations. However, no 5G support might draw customers to rivals, such as the Redmi A4 5G. If that’s not a dealbreaker, the Itel A80 is a good starting point.

Design and display

Unlike the Itel Zeno 10’s flashy colourway, the Itel A80 features a more subtle and minimalist appearance. The phone is available in three colour options, which is uncommon in this price range. I reviewed the Wave Blue variant, featuring a brushed pattern on the back that adds a touch of elegance. The other options – Glacier White and Sandstone Black – each showcase a distinct pattern, catering to diverse user preferences.

All three colour variants share the same design language, with two cutouts on the back housing the dual camera sensors. The camera module design draws inspiration from the latest iPhone 16 (review), though the LED flash is awkwardly big to create an impression of a third sensor. Even the rounded corners and flat edges resemble that of the latest iPhones.

The build is plastic, which doesn’t feel cheap by any standards. The sides include the usual port and button selection, such as the USB-C and headphones jack at the bottom, while power buttons and volume rockers rest on the right side. The left spine of the smartphone includes the SIM tray (dual SIM cards supported).

The weight and size are ergonomic for my grip, especially since I prefer smartphones with larger displays. The Itel A80 boasts a 6.67-inch IPS display with HD+ resolution (1,600×720 pixels) and a 120Hz refresh, a common hardware choice for smartphones in this range. That also means the new Itel smartphone does not break any ground based on the viewing experience. The display offers adequate brightness, with decent colours but not as vibrant as those found on AMOLED screens.

I tested the display by playing several videos on YouTube, and the picture quality was decent for the price. However, the phone only supports L3 Widevine playback, meaning you cannot stream online videos in full HD resolution. This limitation is common among smartphones in this segment and does not distinguish the Itel A80.

Notably, the Itel A80 features a tiny LED light discreetly tucked under the black bezel at the top of the display. It lights up while charging or when the front flash is enabled for selfies. Though not highly versatile, it’s a quirky (read: fun) addition to a smartphone in the sub-Rs 10K segment.

Cameras

Like most budget smartphones in the segment, the Itel A80 offers a modest camera setup, headlined by a 50MP sensor. The rear panel also includes a secondary camera lens, though that’s more about style over substance. The 8MP selfie camera is housed within a hole-punch cutout, offering a refreshing change from the outdated waterdrop notch commonly used by many brands. The hole-punch design provides a more modern aesthetic and helps create a cleaner, more immersive display by reducing the appearance of thick bezels.

Based on the performance, the Itel A80 was decent at best. While the smartphone offers several features to play with, its images generally lack colours and details. You can manage some crisp shots under ample lighting conditions, though the low-light photography struggles a lot. Moreover, the phone also struggles with human subjects, occasionally capturing inconsistent skin complexions. Even the portrait mode needs improvement, as you’ll notice in my comparison below.

In contrast, the Redmi A4 5G delivered better results – at least in daylight conditions. Here’s a quick side-by-side comparison of the two smartphones’ cameras.

Daylight

As I mentioned, the Itel A80 takes decent shots in daylight, which stands true here. Its image looks more vibrant and aesthetically pleasing, though Redmi’s image is more true-to-life. Both smartphones even capture similar levels of detail.

Portrait

Itel’s portrait mode needs improvements, as the phone struggles to balance excessive light and capture the accurate complexion. The edge detection around the subject is also inconsistent.

The portrait shot with Redmi A4 5G is relatively better, though it’s also far from perfect.

Selfie

Similarly, the Itel A80 again struggles with the subject’s skin complexion and facial details. It also added a strange pink hue across his face.

The Redmi A4 5G’s selfie performance remains consistent as the portrait shot. However, it also softens facial details, which may appeal to some users.

Low-light (with night mode)

During my review, the Itel A80 struggled to focus on subjects without night mode, likely due to a software bug. However, this issue was not present when night mode was enabled.

In low-light conditions, the Itel A80’s photos feature prominent shadows, and details appear sketchy. On the other hand, the Redmi A4 5G captures ample light and offers better overall visibility, although its detail retention is not as strong.

Performance and software

The Itel A80 draws power from the Unisoc T603 chipset, similar to the Itel Zeno 10, but offers a higher RAM capacity of 4GB. Its base variant includes 128GB of eMMC 5.1 storage, which may sound impressive on paper. However, this memory standard is slower compared to UFS 2.2 in both sequential read and write performance tests. Additionally, the phone skips 5G support, which could be a dealbreaker for customers.

For day-to-day work, such as basic browsing, texting, calling, and mild gaming, the Itel A80 is sufficient, though you may notice some lags and stutters occasionally. I did not face significant performance issues, though the phone occasionally takes a long time to boot, which can become annoying over time.

Since the smartphone is utilising the “Go” edition of Android 14, you don’t get many third-party apps, but there are a lot of proprietary applications that may or may not serve any purpose. In my brief usage, I was drawn towards the regular Google apps rather than using Itel’s solutions for browsing the internet or downloading apps.

Similarly, its gaming experience is average since the brand wants to reach entry-level users. It’s best to manage expectations to play titles like BGMI and COD Mobile on this device. On the other hand, if you enjoy some popular feel-good titles, like Ludo or Subway Surfers, you can expect a decent performance.

Otherwise, the Itel A80’s performance is quite modest based on benchmarks. The Unisoc T603 didn’t fare well against rival devices powered by Qualcomm and MediaTek chipsets in all synthetic benchmarks.

Battery

The Itel A80 packs a standard 5,000mAh battery with 10W charging support. Battery backup is reliable, thanks to the phone’s power-efficient LCD screen with an HD+ resolution.

Given the modest hardware, users can expect a full day of usage with basic tasks. Another positive is the addition of a USB-C port for charging, which is a welcome upgrade over the outdated micro-USB port commonly found in budget devices.

However, the slow 10W charging speed could be a drawback, especially when competing smartphones in the same price range offer faster 18W charging solutions. It took nearly 2.5 hours to charge the phone from 20 to 100 percent.

Final verdict

Overall, the Itel A80 is a decent buy for entry-level customers seeking a smartphone with a tall screen for watching YouTube shorts, reading, and texting/ calling. Its cameras are also decent, but it’s best to manage expectations. As mentioned, Itel skips 5G support, which helps reduce the cost of this device. If that’s a dealbreaker, the Redmi A4 5G is a better choice, if only you use a Jio SIM card.

If you’re not concerned about 5G and are looking for a simple, easy-to-use phone for yourself or your parents, the Itel A80 serves as a decent entry-level option with its relatively more affordable price tag.

Editor’s rating: 7.5 / 10

Reasons to buy

• The Itel A80 offers a tall, bright display for reading and browsing.
• The phone provides decent battery backup.
• The Android 14 Go edition feels light with fewer third-party apps.
• It also boasts an IP54 rating for protection against dust and water.

Reasons to not buy

• The cameras on the Itel A80 need improvements.
• The Itel A80 takes a very long time to charge fully.

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