The RS4 gaming phone and itel Mobile’s rise

I am an unashamed fan of the itel Mobile brand. I have not hidden this but repeated it at every opportunity. But it isn’t a random thing without a valid reason.

In my very first review of an itel smartphone, back in 2016, I found that device crippled by memory issues. Anyone who knows the history of itel Mobile cannot be surprised by that. The brand makes entry-level Android phones, meaning low memory and basic processors, among other things. And many of the first generation of itel phones had low memory issues.

What made me fall in love with the brand is how much they listened and acted on all of the negative feedback they got from consumers and reviewers like myself. And there is nothing in 2024 that proves it better than the new itel RS4 gaming smartphone.

If anyone had told you that itel would make a smartphone that had a 120Hz refresh rate display, had 12GB RAM (and I’m not talking about virtual/extended RAM here), 45W fast charging (that’s at the same level as the most expensive Samsung smartphone), and a solid processor that makes it possible to game on the phone, would you believe?

I would. After I reviewed the itel S23 Plus last year (also see my video review of the phone on YouTube), I was ready for anything itel did to top that up. And the company has just done it. I was looking forward to an itel S24 Plus. That hasn’t materialised (yet?). But the itel RS4 is better than what I had hoped the S24 Plus would be. So, I cannot complain.

Making affordable entry-level phones is hard, which is why most phone brands keep away from it. Some brands have one or two models in that segment; itel is dedicated to it. And they have turned it into an art. The best designed entry-level smartphones are by itel. They also have the widest number of options available for buyers to choose from. And now, they have a gaming phone for gamers who are on a budget. I think that is cool.

To be sure, the itel RS4 gaming phone is the most expensive itel smartphone yet. That shouldn’t be a surprise. Bumping up the specs to make a phone that you can play some of the most demanding games on, means that costs will go up, no matter how you slice it. And so, the phone is priced between ₦200,000 and ₦230,000, depending on the variant you opt for. There is an 8GB RAM base variant, a mid variant, and a 12GB top variant. You can check out the full prices on the specifications page.

It is safe to say that the RS4 gaming phone will do well in the market. There has been a void for affordable gaming smartphones, for years, and now that void is being addressed. It is the most powerful itel smartphone, by far – far more powerful than the S23 Plus is, and more powerful than the itel S24 is.

If itel does not release an S24 Plus, the RS4 gaming smartphone is effectively the brand’s 2024 flagship product. I do suspect that the S24+ is on the way, and that it will be powered by the same Helio G99 chipset that we have inside the RS4. I have no source for this; it is me suspecting. Allow me to suspect. I really do want to see an S24+ and I am hoping it will be a camera-centric phone. itel has the gaming crowd sorted; they need to fill another void for shutterbugs on a budget. Nothing less than the Helio G99 chipset will do.

The one niggle that I have with the RS4 gaming smartphone, for me, is the HD+ Display. A 720p display is on the low side. I wish itel had made it 1080p, but it is what it is. There are always compromises to be made in bringing certain level of performance and features to lower price points and itel decided the display resolution was it for this model. It is a bummer, but I don’t think that it takes away from the overall value of the RS4.

itel Mobile has done a solid job with the RS4 and I am here for it. If you have ever sworn not to use an itel phone, go back to the shrine where you did the swearing and ask the dibia to undo what you swore. Sooner or later, you will buy and use an itel smartphone, and you will be impressed.

Author: Mister Mobility

Master storyteller and founder of Mobility Nigeria, Mister Mobility, has used and reviewed hundreds of mobile phones since 2001.