Itel Mobile has launched the Itel P36 in its first-ever virtual launch. Itel Mobile is part of the Transsion Holding family, meaning it is a sister company to Infinix, Tecno, and Oriamo.
The Itel P36 is a 3G device in the Itel Power series, which focuses on long battery life. Let’s take a look at this device and what it offers.
Itel P36 Specifications Summary
| OS | Android 9 Pie Go |
| Display | 6.5 inch IPS HD+ Infinity U Water Drop Notch Display, 720 x 16o0p resolution, 20:9 aspect ratio. |
| Camera | 8 MP main + QVGA, 8 MP Waterdrop Notch selfie |
| RAM | 1GB RAM |
| Storage | 16GB, Expandable to 128 GB |
| Processor | UNISOC SC7731E, 1.3GHz |
| Battery | 5000 mAh |
| Security | Fingerprint ID (rear mounted), Face Unlock |
Design and Display
Itel has never been a company that keeps up with most design trends. It chose the Water drop notch for the display panel but didn’t incorporate the LED flash feature found on other Transsion phones. The phone is not entirely bezel-less, as the frame can be seen on the device.
The shin is also slim enough as it does not intrude and provides the structural integrity it was placed there for. The receiver speaker grille is placed on the top of the frame over the selfie camera.
The phone’s back has a dual rear camera and LED flashlight cutout. Itel chose the squircle cutout, with the two cameras placed vertically on one row and the flash on another.
The fingerprint sensor is in the center, followed by the ITEL brand name. The external speaker, 3.5m audio jack, dedicated mic, and USB 2.0 port are at the phone’s base.
Itel chose a 6.5-inch HD+ display panel for this device. While the display material was not made known at the time of release (Information not available on the website as of 3 AM, June 8th, 2020), I suspect it must be an IPS LCD. The display resolution of the P36 is 720 x 1600 pixels.
The device has a 20:9 aspect ratio and matte glass protection. The body is made of polycarbonate, and the frame is made of plastic. Color options available are Gradation Purple, Gradation Blue, and Deep Blue.
Camera Specifications
The Itel P36 features an 8MP selfie camera. This lens is almost a standard for Transsion phones, as there are a host of other phones with it. The rear camera features an 8MP lens with a QVGA lens that has unknown functionality.
Hardware Specifications and Battery
Sigh. The hardware specifications are disappointing, and I don’t see how Itel can boast that this device can be used for gameplay.
The Itel P36 uses the UNISOC SC7731E, a 3G chip, meaning the Itel P36 does not have 4G in an era when the world is already adopting 5G.
Also, the smartphone uses a quad-core Cortex-A7 clocked at 1.3GHz. If you are getting this device, please get ready to use the Lite version of social media apps to avoid stressing the phone.
There is 1GB of RAM space and 16GB of storage available. The OS will occupy some space, so the available space may range between 11GB and 13 GB.
OS and Battery
The Itel P36 runs on Android 9 Pie (yeah) under Itel UI (they haven’t named it). The OS is another drawback, though many users may not complain.
The phone has a 5000 mAh battery. It charges in about 7 hours, and there is no fast charge available. The battery is big enough to last days.
Should You Buy the Itel P36?
Well, that depends on you. I wouldn’t buy a 3G smartphone in 2020. Another drawback is the Processor (1.3GHz). The old Tecno Pouvior 3 Air has a better processor and is 4G enabled. Heck, I will pick the Umidigi A3X over this device.
Is the Itel P36 good for gaming?
No. It doesn’t mean it can’t play games, though. Smartphones with 2.0GHz quad-core chips have struggled in the gaming world, so a 1.3GHz device may not fare better.
How Much is the Itel P36
Prices start from N33,500
Itel P36 Pro Overall Specification
Network
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / LTE |
| 2G | B2/B3/B5/B8 |
| 3G | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 |
| 4G | Not Available |
| SIM Type | Dual nano-SIM slot |
| WIFI | 2.4G |
Design and Display
| Dimensions | 165.5 x 76 x 8.6 mm |
| Height | 165.5mm |
| Width | 76 mm |
| Thickness | 8.6 mm |
| Weight | information Not Available |
| Display Size | 6.5 inch |
| Display Resolution | 720p HD+ (720 x 1600 pixels) |
| Display Technology | IPS LCD |
| Build | Plastic Frame, Plastic Back, Glass Front |
| Protection | 2.5D glass |
| Colors | Gradation Purple, Gradation Blue, and Black. |
Platform and Hardware
| OS | Android 9 Pie Go |
| Processor Name/Technology | UNISOC SC7731E |
| Number of Processor Cores | 4 Cores, Cortex A7 Chips |
| Processor Speed | 1.3 GHz (4 Cortex A7 x 1.3 GHz) |
| Graphics Chipset | Information Not Available |
| RAM | 1GB |
| Internal Storage | 16GB |
| External Storage | Yes, Up to 128GB |
| Sensors | Fingerprint Sensor, G-Sensor, E Sensor, Gyro, Electronic Compass |
Camera
| Front | 8 MP, Camera 1080 Video @30 fps |
| Rear | 8 MP main + QVGA, LED Flash, 1080p Video@30fps |
| Features | Information Not Available |
Multimedia
| Video | FLV, MP4, MKV, AVI, 3GP |
| Audio | WAV, MP3, MP2, ACC, AMR-NB, AMR-WB, MIDI |
| Image | Jpeg, Png, Gif, Bmp |
| Speaker Chipset | No |
| Audio Jack | Yes, 3.5mm |
Connectivity
| Bluetooth | Bluetooth 4.2 |
| Wifi | 802.11a/b/g/n 2.4 |
| USB | Yes, USB 2.0. |
| NFC | No |
| GPS | GPS |
Battery
| Battery Capacity | 5000 mAh |
| Battery Technology | LiPo |
| Fast Charging | No |
| Removable | No |
Extra Features
| Security Features | Finger Print Sensor, Face Recognition |
Price
Starts Around N33,500