itel Mobile has officially kicked off its all-new CITY Series with the launch of the itel CITY 100—a bold, youth-focused device that tries to punch above its UGX350,000 price tag. With a mix of AI smarts, decent specs, and an attention-grabbing design, the CITY 100 positions itself as an everyday phone that doesn’t feel like a compromise.
Design: Eye-Catching, Youth-Ready
The CITY 100 comes in three expressive colours—Navy Blue, Pure Titanium, and the more playful Fairy Purple. It’s clear the design was meant to speak to style-conscious youth. It looks and feels far better than what you’d expect at this price point. The finish is sleek, and the build holds up surprisingly well for a phone marketed as budget-friendly. Plus, itel claims it’s both dust and water-resistant and drop-tested up to 1.5 meters, which is a real win in this range.
Display: Big, Bright, and Fluid
On the front, you get a 6.75-inch IPS LCD display with a 90Hz refresh rate and a peak brightness of 700 nits. For a phone in this category, that’s a solid viewing experience, even under Kampala’s midday sun. Colors are reasonably punchy with an 83% wide color gamut, and the screen feels snappy whether you’re scrolling socials or watching short videos.
Performance: Budget Doesn’t Mean Basic
Inside, the CITY 100 is powered by a 12nm Unisoc Octa-core chipset, backed by 8GB RAM and 128GB of storage—not typical numbers in this price tier. It runs on Android 14 with itel’s lightweight Pure 14.5 OS, free of bloatware. Day-to-day tasks like browsing, messaging, light gaming, and streaming run smoothly. You’re not going to be pushing high-end graphics, but for the average user, it does what you need it to do—and fast.
AI Features: Not Just Gimmicks
itel makes a big deal out of DeepSeek AI, and for once, the hype isn’t empty. The CITY 100 lets you:
- Turn text into wallpapers
- Stylize images with AI
- Use AI voice assistants for translation, writing, and even noise-reduced calls
- One-press AI Search for shopping or quick info
- AI gesture controls and image-to-text conversion
These are features typically reserved for mid- to high-end devices, and they work surprisingly well here.
Camera: Basic, but Boosted by AI
The rear houses a 13MP AI-enhanced camera, while the front has an 8MP selfie cam. Both are modest, but with the AI filters and enhancements, you’ll squeeze out decent shots for social media. Video tops out at 720p@30fps, which won’t blow anyone away, but gets the job done for casual use.
Battery Life: Built to Last
With a 5,200mAh battery and 18W fast charging, the CITY 100 is built for long days. Whether you’re commuting, studying, or endlessly scrolling, it holds up. itel promises a 4-year battery health guarantee, which is a bold claim—but if true, it means fewer worries about degradation over time.
Extra Goodies & Flexible Payments
Early buyers (first 500) get a 20,000mAh power bank and a MagSpeaker in the box—a nice touch for a phone in this price range. Add in 9GB of Airtel data and it’s clear itel is targeting a value-hungry crowd.
Need to buy it on credit? itel’s partnership with MOGO means you can pay in installments with just a national ID and a registered mobile money SIM. No income proof, no collateral.
The itel CITY 100 is a budget phone that tries hard—and largely succeeds—at delivering more than you’d expect. It’s not here to compete with flagship devices, but that’s not the point. It’s built for students, first-time smartphone users, and anyone who wants reliable performance, a few smart extras, and a price that won’t break the bank.
If you’re young, connected, and looking for value without the usual compromises, the CITY 100 is worth a serious look.
Price: UGX 350,000
Available at: itel shops, Airtel service centres, and authorized retailers across Uganda.
