The S24 Ultra Max immediately catches the eye with its refined aesthetic. Moving away from the plastic builds common in iTel’s previous lineups, the device sports a glass sandwich design with an aluminum frame. The back panel features a subtle gradient finish that shifts colors depending on how light hits it, giving the phone a premium look that belies its price point.
Measuring 163.4 × 75.8 × 8.2mm and weighing 198g, the S24 Ultra Max strikes a good balance between screen real estate and one-handed usability. The phone feels substantial without being unwieldy, and the weight distribution has been carefully considered to prevent the top-heavy feeling that plagues many large smartphones.
The right side houses the power button and volume rocker, both offering satisfying tactile feedback. Along the bottom edge, you’ll find the USB-C port, speaker grille, and SIM tray. Notably, iTel has managed to retain the increasingly rare 3.5mm headphone jack, positioned at the top edge—a welcome feature for those not ready to fully embrace wireless audio.
iTel S24 Ultra Max Display Excellence
The centerpiece of the S24 Ultra Max is undoubtedly its impressive 6.8-inch AMOLED display. With a resolution of 2400 × 1080 pixels and a 120Hz refresh rate, the screen provides a smooth, vibrant viewing experience that competes with devices costing twice as much. The display supports HDR10+ content, bringing enhanced color and contrast to compatible media.
Peak brightness reaches 1200 nits, ensuring good visibility even under direct sunlight. The display is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass Victus, offering improved drop and scratch resistance compared to previous generations. An under-display fingerprint sensor is embedded within the screen, offering quick and reliable biometric authentication.
Perhaps most impressive is the minimal bezels surrounding the display, with a screen-to-body ratio of approximately 91%. A small punch-hole cutout for the front-facing camera is the only interruption to an otherwise immersive viewing canvas.
iTel S24 Ultra Max Performance That Punches Above Its Weight
Under the hood, the S24 Ultra Max is powered by MediaTek’s Dimensity 8200 chipset, built on a 4nm process. This octa-core processor features four Cortex-A78 performance cores clocked at 2.8GHz and four efficiency-focused Cortex-A55 cores running at 2.0GHz. Graphics are handled by the Mali-G610 MC6 GPU.
The chipset is paired with either 8GB or 12GB of LPDDR5 RAM and 128GB or 256GB of UFS 3.1 storage. A microSD card slot allows for storage expansion up to an additional 1TB, a feature that has become increasingly rare in the smartphone landscape.
Day-to-day performance is snappy and responsive, with apps launching quickly and multitasking handled with ease. Gaming performance is particularly impressive for a device in this price bracket. Titles like PUBG Mobile and Call of Duty Mobile run smoothly at high settings, though the most demanding games might require some graphical compromises for the best experience.
iTel S24 Ultra Max Versatility Meets Quality
iTel has made significant strides in the camera department with the S24 Ultra Max. The quad-camera system is headlined by a 108MP primary sensor with an f/1.8 aperture and optical image stabilization. This is complemented by a 12MP ultrawide lens with a 120-degree field of view, an 8MP telephoto camera offering 3x optical zoom, and a 2MP macro lens for close-up photography.
The main camera captures detailed, vibrant images in good lighting conditions, with the large sensor allowing for natural background blur in close-up shots. Night mode has seen substantial improvements compared to previous iTel devices, producing usable shots even in challenging low-light environments, though noise becomes more apparent in very dark scenes.
The ultrawide lens maintains good color consistency with the main camera and suffers from minimal distortion around the edges. The telephoto lens performs admirably up to its native 3x zoom, though quality degrades noticeably when pushing beyond to digital zoom ranges.
Video recording capabilities include 4K at 30fps or 1080p at up to 60fps, with electronic image stabilization helping to smooth out handheld footage. A new “Action Cam” mode offers enhanced stabilization for more dynamic recording scenarios, though this is limited to 1080p resolution.
The front-facing 32MP camera delivers sharp, detailed selfies and handles video calls with aplomb. A suite of AI-powered beauty filters and portrait effects are available for those who wish to enhance their self-portraits.
iTel S24 Ultra Max Endurance Meets Speed
The S24 Ultra Max houses a substantial 5,500mAh battery that easily powers through a full day of intensive use. More moderate users might even stretch to a day and a half between charges. This impressive endurance can be attributed not only to the large capacity but also to the efficient processor and software optimizations.
When it comes time to recharge, the included 67W fast charger can take the phone from empty to 50% in approximately 20 minutes, with a full charge taking around 50 minutes. Wireless charging is supported at up to 15W, and reverse wireless charging at 5W allows the S24 Ultra Max to top up accessories like wireless earbuds in a pinch.
iTel S24 Ultra Max Clean and Customizable
The S24 Ultra Max ships with iTel’s IUI 5.0, based on Android 13. The company has promised two major Android version updates and three years of security patches, a commitment that’s becoming increasingly important for value-conscious consumers looking to maximize the lifespan of their devices.
IUI offers a relatively clean Android experience with thoughtful additions rather than overwhelming users with bloatware. The interface is highly customizable, with various themes, icon packs, and always-on display options available through the theme store.
Productivity features include a robust split-screen implementation, floating windows for multitasking, and a comprehensive screenshot editor. Privacy-focused additions include a secure folder for sensitive apps and files, app permission monitoring, and a privacy dashboard that provides transparency into how your data is being used.
iTel S24 Ultra Max Connectivity and Additional Features
The S24 Ultra Max is equipped with 5G capabilities, ensuring future-proof connectivity as networks continue to expand. Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.3, and NFC round out the wireless connectivity options. The dual stereo speakers produce surprisingly rich sound with good stereo separation, though bass response is predictably limited by the form factor.
An IP68 rating for dust and water resistance provides peace of mind against accidental spills or brief submersion. The haptic feedback system has seen significant improvements, with precise, satisfying vibrations that enhance the tactile experience of using the device.
iTel S24 Ultra Max Value Proposition and Market Position
Priced competitively in the mid-range segment, the iTel S24 Ultra Max offers an impressive feature set that challenges devices from more established brands. By focusing on the core smartphone experience—display quality, camera versatility, battery life, and performance—iTel has created a device that feels premium in the areas that matter most to consumers.
While it may not match the absolute bleeding edge of smartphone technology found in flagship devices costing twice as much, the S24 Ultra Max represents thoughtful compromise and prioritization. The result is a device that feels premium in daily use without the premium price tag.
iTel S24 Ultra Max A New Contender Emerges
The iTel S24 Ultra Max represents a coming-of-age for the brand, demonstrating that they can compete beyond the entry-level segment. With its combination of sleek design, vibrant display, capable cameras, and long-lasting battery, the S24 Ultra Max deserves consideration from anyone shopping in the mid-range smartphone market.
While established players like Samsung, Xiaomi, and Realme offer compelling alternatives, the S24 Ultra Max carves out its own identity through a balanced approach to features and value. In a market where diminishing returns are increasingly evident at the high end, iTel has positioned the S24 Ultra Max as a sensible choice for discerning consumers who want a premium experience without the premium price tag.