The itel CITY 100 is making waves in Uganda’s budget smartphone market, offering a compelling blend of affordability, style, and modern features at just UGX 350,000. Launched as the first device in itel’s CITY Series, this smartphone is designed for young, tech-savvy users who want reliable performance without breaking the bank.
From its sleek design to its innovative AI capabilities, the CITY 100 has plenty to love. In this article, we highlight the standout features that make this budget powerhouse a favorite among Ugandan users.
Sleek and durable design
The itel CITY 100’s design is a standout in the budget segment. At just 7.65mm thick and 185g, it feels lightweight yet premium, with a unibody frame that’s both stylish and practical. Available in vibrant colors like Navy Blue, Pure Titanium, and Fairy Purple, it appeals to younger users who value aesthetics.
The IP64 rating for dust and water resistance, paired with drop resistance up to 1.5 meters, ensures it can handle daily wear and tear, making it ideal for students and professionals on the go. The fingerprint-resistant plastic back and ergonomic button placement add to its practicality and charm.
Vibrant 90Hz display
The 6.75-inch HD+ IPS LCD display with a 90Hz refresh rate is a joy to use. Whether you’re scrolling through social media, streaming videos, or playing light games, the smooth visuals and vibrant colors (with an 83% wide color gamut) enhance the experience.
With 700 nits of peak brightness, it’s readable in most lighting conditions, and the ultra-flat design with Dynamic Bar 2.0 (a notification feature around the front camera) adds a modern, premium touch rarely seen in budget phones.
Long-lasting battery life
The 5,200mAh battery is a major highlight, delivering 1.5 to 2 days of moderate use, perfect for Uganda’s fast-paced lifestyle. Whether you’re making calls, browsing TikTok, or using navigation apps, the battery keeps up effortlessly.
The 18W fast charging ensures a full charge in under two hours, and the reverse wired charging feature lets you power other devices, adding versatility. itel’s 4-year battery health guarantee further reassures users of its longevity, making it a reliable companion.
Innovative AI features
The DeepSeek R1 AI sets the CITY 100 apart in its price range. Accessible with a single press, it offers instant translation (e.g., Luganda to English), image-to-text conversion, AI writing for emails or posts, and gesture-based controls.
These features are surprisingly intuitive, making tasks like translating local languages or extracting text from images seamless. For students and young professionals, this AI integration adds a layer of sophistication, enhancing productivity and creativity.
Clean and smooth software
Running on Android 14 with itel’s Pure 14.5 OS, the CITY 100 offers a bloatware-free experience that’s fast and user-friendly. The clean interface is easy to navigate, even for first-time smartphone users, and the 8GB RAM (extendable to 12GB via Memory Fusion) paired with the Unisoc T7250 chipset ensures smooth performance for daily tasks like WhatsApp, browsing, and light gaming. The 128GB storage (expandable via microSD) provides ample space for apps, photos, and videos.
Affordable price and launch perks
At UGX 350,000, the CITY 100 delivers exceptional value, rivaling competitors like the Tecno Spark 20C or Infinix Smart 8. The launch promotion, offering a free 20,000mAh power bank, magnetic speaker, and 9GB of Airtel data for three months, sweetens the deal for early buyers.
itel’s partnership with MOGO for flexible installment plans (28% deposit, balance over 52 weeks) makes it accessible to a wide audience, requiring only a national ID and a mobile-money-registered SIM card.
Practical extras
The CITY 100 includes thoughtful features like an infrared remote control for appliances, dual SIM support for Uganda’s Airtel and MTN networks, and a side-mounted fingerprint scanner for quick, secure unlocking. The included 3.5mm earphones and transparent silicone case add value, while the 13MP rear and 8MP front cameras, both with LED flash, deliver decent photos for casual users, enhanced by AI for vibrant colors and portrait effects.
Conclusion
The itel CITY 100 is a budget smartphone that exceeds expectations, combining a stylish design, vibrant display, long-lasting battery, and innovative AI features at an unbeatable price. Its durability, clean software, and thoughtful extras make it a top choice for students, young professionals, and first-time smartphone users in Uganda.
Available at itel shops, Airtel service centers, and authorized vendors like the new Akamwesi Mall store, the CITY 100 is a testament to itel’s commitment to delivering value-driven technology. If you’re looking for an affordable yet feature-packed device, the CITY 100 is hard to beat.
