Itel’s Super 26 Ultra made its global debut back in September, and after a bit of a wait, it’s finally landed in Pakistan. Advance Telecom is handling distribution here, and they’re bringing in the 8GB/256GB version for PKR 49,999.
A Phone That’s Actually Thin
At 6.8mm thick, this thing is genuinely slim. Pick up most phones with big batteries and they feel like bricks. Not this one. Itel somehow squeezed a 6000mAh battery into that thin frame, which sounds almost too good to be true. Most manufacturers tell you it’s impossible to have both – you either get a thin phone with mediocre battery life, or a chunky phone that lasts forever.
The curved edges aren’t just for show either. They make the phone comfortable to hold for extended periods. It’s got that premium feel you’d expect from phones like the Infinix Hot 60 Pro+ or Tecno Pova Slim, even though it costs significantly less.
Protection-wise, there’s IP65 certification. That’s actually better than the IP64 rating most budget phones claim. IP65 means the phone is completely sealed against dust, and it can handle water jets sprayed at it from any angle. Caught in heavy rain? Probably fine. Accidental splash at the sink? No problem. Just don’t go swimming with it.
Gorilla Glass 7i covers the screen. Your keys and coins won’t scratch it when everything’s jumbled together in your pocket or bag. There’s also this “AI rainproof touch” feature – basically, the screen stays responsive when it’s wet. Anyone who’s tried using a regular phone in the rain knows how frustrating it is when the touchscreen just… stops working.
That Display Though
Here’s where things get interesting. This isn’t your typical budget phone screen. Itel put in a 6.8-inch AMOLED panel with 1.5K resolution and – get this – 144Hz refresh rate.
Let’s break down why that matters. AMOLED means each pixel lights itself up independently. When something on screen is supposed to be black, those pixels just turn off completely. You get actual black, not the washed-out gray-black of LCD screens. Colors pop more. Contrast is dramatically better. Videos look richer.
The 1.5K resolution (roughly 1620×2400 pixels) is sharper than standard 1080p. Text looks crisper. Photos show more detail. It’s not quite 2K, but it’s definitely a step up from what you usually see at this price.
Now, about that 144Hz refresh rate. Most phones refresh their screens 60 times per second. Gaming phones might do 90Hz or 120Hz. But 144Hz? That’s rare, even on expensive devices.
What’s the practical difference? Scroll through Instagram or Twitter – everything glides like butter. No stuttering, no choppiness. Swipe between home screens and the animation flows smoothly. Play games that support high refresh rates and you’ll notice the difference immediately. Everything feels more responsive. In fast-paced games, you can track movement better because there’s less motion blur.
Here’s the catch: pushing all those pixels at 144Hz is demanding. It requires serious processing power, which brings us to what’s inside.
The Processor Situation
Itel went with the Unisoc T7300 chip, manufactured using a 6nm process. Smaller numbers generally mean better efficiency – more performance per watt, less heat generation.
Itel claims this chip hits around 513,000 on AnTuTu benchmarks. For comparison, the MediaTek Helio G99 – which has been the budget gaming chip for the past couple years – scores around 400,000-450,000. So on paper, the T7300 outperforms it.
What does that mean for you? Games run better. Apps launch faster. Multitasking feels smoother. You can play PUBG Mobile or CODM without major issues, though you’ll probably want to tweak graphics settings depending on how competitive you are.
There’s something else worth mentioning: this is a 4G-only chip. No 5G here. Itel claims it’s the first LTE chip to hit these performance numbers, which tracks. Most chip makers stopped pushing 4G technology hard once 5G became the focus. But 5G coverage in Pakistan is still limited, and 5G chips add cost. For most people, 4G is perfectly adequate.
The phone uses a 10-layer cooling system called IceCool. That’s a lot of layers for heat management. When you game for extended periods, chips generate heat. Too much heat and performance drops because the processor slows itself down to prevent damage. Multiple cooling layers spread that heat out and dissipate it faster, keeping performance consistent.
Itel’s bold claim: six years of smooth performance. That’s ambitious. Most budget phones start lagging after 18-24 months. Whether this actually delivers on that promise depends on software optimization and how Itel handles updates over time. But making the claim at all suggests they’ve done something different with how the hardware and software work together.
Memory You Won’t Outgrow Fast
8GB RAM and 256GB storage. That’s the configuration Pakistan gets.
8GB RAM means you can jump between apps without them constantly reloading. Have Chrome open with multiple tabs, switch to Instagram, check WhatsApp, go back to Chrome – your tabs are still there. Not always guaranteed with less RAM, where apps aggressively close in the background to free up memory.
256GB storage is genuinely generous. Most phones at this price give you 128GB at best. What can you do with 256GB?
- Store thousands of photos without worry
- Keep multiple large games installed (some games are 3-5GB each now)
- Download Netflix or YouTube videos for offline viewing
- Maintain extensive music libraries
- Install as many apps as you want
You won’t be playing the “what can I delete to install this new app” game every few weeks.
No mention of microSD expansion in the specs, so assume 256GB is your limit. But honestly, that’s plenty for most people.
Battery Life and Charging
6000mAh in a 6.8mm body. Still seems impossible. But that’s what Itel managed here.
Real-world battery life? If you’re constantly gaming, streaming, and doom-scrolling, you’ll get through a full day easily, maybe into day two. Normal users – some social media, regular calls, occasional videos – will comfortably hit two days. Light users might push three.
Itel says the battery stays healthy for four years. Batteries naturally degrade. After a year, most phones hold maybe 85-90% of their original capacity. After two years, it’s worse. Four-year longevity suggests Itel built in battery management features that slow this degradation. Maybe they optimize charging patterns to avoid keeping the battery at 100% constantly, or manage temperature during charging cycles.
Charging speed is 18W. Not impressive by 2024 standards. Flagship phones charge at 65W, 100W, even higher. Mid-rangers often do 33W or 45W. At 18W, you’re looking at roughly 3 to 3.5 hours for a full charge from dead.
That’s slow. No getting around it. But with a 6000mAh battery, you’re not charging every day anyway. Plug it in overnight. Or top up for 30 minutes during lunch, which gives you enough juice for the rest of the day. For 50K, 18W charging is acceptable, even if not exciting.
Software and Updates
Ships with Android 15 and itel OS 15 out of the box. That’s Google’s latest Android version, which is good news. Budget phones often launch with older Android versions, which means you’re already behind on security updates and features.
Starting with Android 15 means:
- Current security patches
- Latest Android features
- Better long-term app compatibility
- Potentially longer software support
Itel OS 15 is Itel’s custom interface. It adds features and customization beyond stock Android. Some people love this stuff – extra themes, gestures, features. Others prefer clean, simple Android. Your mileage will vary.
The specs don’t mention how many OS updates or years of security patches Itel promises. That’s important for longevity but unfortunately not specified.
Camera Capabilities
50MP main camera on the back. It’s described as “conventional,” which probably means don’t expect miracles. Megapixels aren’t everything – sensor quality, processing, and optics matter more.
What should you expect? Good photos in daylight. Decent shots indoors with reasonable lighting. Weaker performance at night or in dim conditions. That’s standard for budget phone cameras. The 50MP resolution means you can crop images significantly and still retain detail, and photos look sharp when viewed on large screens.
Front camera is 32MP with AI features. That’s higher resolution than most budget phones offer for selfies. The AI bit means beauty modes, portrait effects, scene optimization – software tricks to make selfies look better. Should give you detailed, sharp self-portraits.
No mention of multiple rear cameras, so assume it’s just the single 50MP sensor. No ultra-wide, no macro, no depth sensor.
Worth the Money?
PKR 49,999 for what you’re getting is competitive. Let’s be real about what makes this interesting:
The 144Hz AMOLED display alone is rare under 50K. Most budget phones with AMOLED use 60Hz or 90Hz at best. The combination of high refresh rate and sharp resolution is almost unheard of at this price.
The 6000mAh battery in a genuinely slim body is unique. Most big battery phones are thick and heavy.
Performance exceeding Helio G99 for under 50K makes this viable for mobile gaming.
256GB storage is double what most competitors offer.
IP65 and Gorilla Glass protection add durability.
The trade-offs? Slow 18W charging and a basic camera setup. If you’re a mobile photography enthusiast, this probably isn’t your phone. If fast charging is a must-have, you’ll find it frustrating.
But if your priorities are display quality, battery life, gaming performance, and having enough storage to never worry about space – this is legitimately good value. Phones with similar display specs typically cost 60K-70K or more.
Available now through Advance Telecom and authorized retailers across Pakistan.
