The itel A50, released in May 2024, is designed to be an entry-level smartphone that offers essential features at an incredibly accessible price point, making it a popular choice in budget-conscious markets like Nigeria. It prioritizes core functionality and a modern Android experience without unnecessary frills.
Design and Display: Simple and Functional
The itel A50 features a straightforward, utilitarian design, typically with a plastic body. It’s available in several colors, including Misty Black, Blue, Golden, and Lime Green. It’s a lightweight device, comfortable for everyday handling. As expected at this price point, it doesn’t carry an official IP rating for water or dust resistance, so care is advised. It includes a side-mounted fingerprint sensor for basic security, which is a welcome addition in this segment.
The phone sports a 6.6-inch HD+ IPS LCD display with a resolution of 720 x 1612 pixels. While the resolution is HD+, it offers a large viewing area suitable for casual media consumption, Browse, and messaging. The refresh rate is a standard 60Hz, typical for budget smartphones, meaning animations and scrolling won’t be as smooth as on higher refresh rate displays. Some sources indicate a peak brightness of around 480 nits, which is adequate for indoor use but may struggle in direct sunlight.
Performance: Optimized for Basic Tasks
Under the hood, the itel A50 is powered by an Octa-core Unisoc T603 processor. This chipset is designed for efficiency and handling basic smartphone tasks. It’s perfectly capable of managing messaging apps, social media, web Browse, and very light games.
A significant advantage for the itel A50 is that it runs on Android 14 (Go Edition). The “Go Edition” is a lighter version of Android optimized for devices with limited RAM and storage, ensuring a smoother user experience on budget hardware. This provides access to the latest Android features and security updates.
Camera: Essentials for Casual Photography
The itel A50 features a basic camera setup suitable for casual photography:
- Rear Camera: An 8MP AI Dual Rear Camera with an LED flash. Some sources confusingly mention a 50MP camera, but the actual effective main sensor is 8MP, with the secondary lens likely being an AI or depth sensor for minor enhancements. It can record videos at 1080p.
- Front Camera: A 5MP selfie camera for video calls and basic selfies.
These cameras are designed for capturing everyday moments in good lighting conditions and sharing them on social media. They won’t offer advanced features or strong low-light performance.
Battery and Other Features: All-Day Power
A key selling point for the itel A50 is its robust 5000mAh battery. This large capacity, combined with the power-efficient Unisoc T603 processor and Android Go Edition, ensures excellent battery life, often lasting a full day or more on a single charge for typical usage. It supports 10W wired charging via a USB Type-C port, which is standard for its class.
Other features include:
- Dual SIM support (Nano-SIM).
- 4G LTE connectivity, ensuring decent internet speeds for Browse and streaming.
- 3.5mm headphone jack for wired audio.
- Wi-Fi (802.11 a/b/g/n/ac) and Bluetooth 5.0.
Price in Nigeria (May 2025): Exceptionally Affordable
As of May 2025, the itel A50 is one of the most affordable Android 14 smartphones available in Nigeria. Prices can vary slightly depending on the RAM/storage configuration and the retailer:
- itel A50 (2GB RAM + 64GB storage): Approximately ₦85,000 to ₦95,000
- itel A50 (3GB RAM + 64GB storage): Approximately ₦95,000 to ₦105,000
- itel A50 (4GB RAM + 64GB storage): Approximately ₦100,000 to ₦115,000
- itel A50 (4GB RAM + 128GB storage): Approximately ₦110,000 to ₦130,000
These prices are estimates and can fluctuate based on market conditions, promotions, and individual vendors.
Verdict
The itel A50 is a testament to how much smartphone you can get for very little money. It’s an ideal choice for first-time smartphone users, students, or anyone who needs a reliable, basic device for communication, social media, and light entertainment without spending much. Its combination of Android 14 (Go Edition), a large battery, and expandable storage makes it a highly practical option for its ultra-budget segment in Nigeria. However, users expecting snappy performance, high-quality cameras, or a premium build should consider devices in a higher price bracket.