itel Zeno 10 Review: In the world of budget smartphones, the Itel Zeno 10 is gaining momentum. Despite its accessible price of ₹5,999, it hopes to compete by offering a solid phone. But how does it perform? After spending a few days fiddling with it, I have no regrets about how well-rounded this phone is for its price. Let’s understand how reliable the Zeno 10 is through this review which encompasses its design, performance, cameras, battery life, and software.
Design and Build: Modern, Yet Affordable
After unboxing the Itel Zeno 10, I struggled to believe that it cost ₹5,999. Starting with its design, the phone has a reflective back which along with its flat edges gives it a modern and elegant look. Offered in Phantom Crystal and Opal Purple, the Zeno 10 has some color options that will be able to appeal to a wide market range. The phone surpasses its price category and adds an element of sophistication to it.
With a weight of 186g and a thickness of 8.99mm, the Zeno 10 is a bit heavier than average. This has its advantages as it allows the phone to feel more solid and bouyant, making it easier to use one handed.
Also, there is a side-mounted fingerprint sensor, which looks great. It is quickly and easily unlocks. The sensor operates more quickly than anticipated, a stipulation that is typically operated on high-tier phone units.
Key Design Highlights:
- Premium reflective back finish
- Comfortable for one-handed use
- Two attractive color options: Phantom Crystal and Opal Purple
- Side-mounted fingerprint sensor for easy unlocking
Image Credit: Youtube
Display: A Balanced, Crisp Experience
The itel Zeno 10 has a 6.6 inch display with HD+ IPS LCD and the resolution is set to 720 x 1612. This is exceptionally large for a phone display which results in its lack of sharpness compared to other devices on the market. But the handheld increases balance with nit level and color presets making it easy for social media, videos, and newsfeed scrolling.
Although the screen is bright enough for indoor usage, it might face challenges in direct sunlight due to low brightness level. Nevertheless, the phone is economically friendly as the adequate screen perfectly suited for watching Youtube and images.
Display Highlights:
- 6.6 inch IPS LCD with a brightness range perfect for indoors.
- Sharp and bright display, great for casual usage but not usable in direct sunlight.
Performance: A Smooth, Budget Friendly Experience
Inside, the itel Zeno 10 contains an octa-core processor alongside 3 GB or 4GB RAM expandable virtual RAM reaching 8GB.
This configuration is more than sufficient for simple tasks like web surfing, chatting, and mild social media activity.
While it does its job quite alright given the pricing, the phone unfortunately has signs of getting sluggish while using heavy applications or during multitasking. Casual gaming is doable, but do not expect to play resource intensive games like high end BGMI. Otherwise, the Zeno 10 excels during mundane tasks like lighter games.
Performance Insights:
- Has an octa core processor with 3 to 4 GB expandable RAM up to 8 GB virtual RAM.
- Does social media and other basic functions effortlessly.
- Finds difficulty with complex applications and multitasking.
- Can manage mild forms of gaming, but not games that need heavier graphics.
Cameras
Daily Shots Admissible Quality In the term of cameras, the itel Zeno 10 has an 8 MP dual rear camera configuration that is good enough. During a day light, the camera does take average photos however as the light gets dimmed, the performance gets worse significantly where more noise is visible. This is a norm in budget gadgets and the Zeno 10 does not differ.
The 5MP front facing camera is practical and can be used for video conferencing or for normal selfies.
The photo quality might not be outstanding in each case, but the device manages the task effectively while being cheaper than the higher-end models.
Camera Capability:
- An 8MP dual rear camera captures a fair amount of detail with decent shots in good lighting.
- There is a lack of noise in low light settings which helps with the picture quality greatly.
- Enjoy your selfies and participate in video calls without worry, as the 5MP front camera has you covered.
Image Credit: X
Battery Life: Exceptional Shooting Life for an Economical Phone
With a 5000mAh battery paired with this product, getting through an entire day is more than achievable. While mixed charging and light gaming alongside social media and video streaming, the phone has proven itself to last a multiple of uses on a singular charge. This is where the budget smartphone shine, the problem with numerous brands at this price point Zeno 10 tends to excel, on battery endurance this place breaks across a cheap barrier.
Through this mobile’s 10W charging offer, the phone itself is not the fastest charger out there. Combining this point with outstanding battery life, it can be said that users don’t need to consistently look for their charger throughout the day.
Battery Endurance:
With mixed tasks on hand, the 5000mAh battery is able to last and offer its services throughout the day.
The 10W charging may be slower than usual, but the inability to frequently charge makes this battery last for a longer period of time.
Software: A Clean and Rich Experience
The itel Zeno 10 is powered by Android 14, and it appears to be really smooth with a few modifications on the software side and a custom skin. One of the customizations is the Dynamic Bar, which flaunts notifications next to the notch and auto mimics Apple’s Dynamic Island.
There are some applications that may be marked as bloatware which come pre-installed, but they can be removed or disabled to have the true streamlined experience of Android.
Software Highlights:
- Android 14 has an intuitive simple interface.
- Dynamic Bar feature adds a fun interactive element.
- Most of the already installed apps can be uninstalled.
Verdict: Is The Itel Zeno 10 Worth It?
The Itel Zeno 10 is rich in value for money as it easily beats the competition for under ross 7,000. It has a fully functional design, a decent camera, solid performance, and impressive battery life. It will not appeal to power users and photography lovers, but it more than satisfies first time smartphone buyers or users looking for a trustworthy backup.
If you are looking for a smartphone that offers an attractive design, performs basic functions well, and has decent battery life, the itel Zeno 10 may be an option you will want to consider given its price and your budget restriction.
Conclusion:
For individuals with a limited budget, the itel Zeno 10 is a great option. Stylish design, decent performance, solid battery life, and powerful camera make it a good all-rounder. Great for casual users and first time smartphone users.