The itel S26 Ultra was launched recently in the country, priced at Ksh 20,499, with expectations beyond its price range. And this momentum comes from last month’s TechTrends AI-powered Business Transformation Forum, where the smartphone was named the No.1 Recommended Curved Display Phone under $175. Oftentimes, awards are detached from day-to-day reality, but this recognition stands different as it highlights traits you’ll observe as soon as you pick up the phone.
What’s in the box
Inside the box, you get an 18-watt charger, a USB-C cable, a SIM ejector tool, a MagSafe-style plastic case and a free screen protector, which I really appreciated as getting after-market protectors for curved screens is a hassle, especially for budget devices.
See also – itel Super 26 Ultra Redefines Affordable Smartphone Design
Design
The itel S26 Ultra’s design theme was focused on lightness and polish. The back curves gently into the frame, and you’ll notice the red-accented power button and the volume keys. At the bottom, you get a dual nano-SIM tray with no microSD card slot, microphone, USB-C port and a single speaker which gets loud but loses depth at high volume. The in-display fingerprint reader responds quickly.
The device is remarkably slim at 6.8mm with a frame that weighs 168g at which makes it light in the hand, especially with the fact that it has a 6000mAh battery. You get a 1P65 ingress protection rating for dust and low-pressure water jets, which are part of the phone’s tolerance levels, which also include its drop resistance up to 1.5 m. It’s worth noting that the screen is responsive even when wet, thanks to AI Rainproof Touch, so you can use the phone with wet or oily fingers
These choices give the S26 Ultra a sense of readiness rather than fragility.
Curved AMOLED Screen
The phone steps into a territory usually reserved for more expensive devices with its 6.8-inch curved AMOLED screen that features 1.5K level clarity, 144Hz high refresh rate, HDR support, and a peak brightness of 4500 nits. The screen’s colours are rich without looking exaggerated, and the curved edges create a subtle illusion of immersion when watching multimedia content.
For the screen’s protection against small knocks and scratches, the phone has Gorilla Glass 7i on top of its panel.
When you’re out and about, the screen retains a level of readability that budget smartphones rarely achieve. The curve works well when scrolling social media feeds or reading. However, it will occasionally register accidental edge touches when the grip is tight.
Overall, for most users, the visual quality will outweigh these small quirks.
Peformance
Under the hood of the S26 Ultra is a 6nm Unisoc T7300 processor paired with a Mali G57 GPU, which both handle everyday use comfortably. Powering the phone is Android 15 layered with itel OS 15, which looks restrained and avoids unnecessary flourishes.
The experience of using this phone across a normal day reveals how the performance ceiling behaves. App switching benefits from the 8GB RAM and the 256GB storage, kept loading times short. Streaming, calls, and social media run predictably. Once gaming enters the picture, the limits appear. Titles with heavy graphics have to be played at medium settings for consistent performance.
Causal use isn’t interrupted, but this signals the boundary of the chipset.
The device comes with inbuilt AI tools like Solar AI assistant, Circle to Search, AI Eraser, AI sharpness and more.
Cameras
The rear setup is led by a 50MP f/1.6 main camera with autofocus. It is supported by an additional macro and auxiliary sensor. The focus locks quickly in natural light. The phone handles mixed lighting with reasonable composure, with highlights staying controlled and shadows leaning soft. Portraits looked nice with warm skin tones, perfect for sharing directly on social media.
When the sun sets, noise gets introduced, but not to a degree that makes shots unusable. Hand-held night photos still carry enough detail for social media. Video recording is capped at 1440p at 30fps for both main and front-facing cameras with support for 2K with Ultra Steady mode on. The 2K footage looks sharp, although the dynamic range could be better. Still, for a budget smartphone, it’s acceptable.
The S26 Ultra has a 32MP selfie camera and performed better than I expected in mixed indoor lighting, as it retains detail without pushing sharpening too far. All in all, the selfies are solid.
These results support the smartphone’s positioning at the TechTrends award ceremony, where its camera system was cited for practical reliability rather than gimmicks.
Battery life
The 6000mAh battery on the itel S26 Ultra anchors the whole smartphone experience. It holds up through extended browsing, long video recording sessions, and routine photography. The phone can push into a second day with steady use. Charging it at 18W is modest and will require planning. For me and a lot of other users, the endurance outweighs the charging speed.
Its slim profile makes the endurance even more notable, creating a combination that competitors in this price range rarely achieve.
Verdict
The itel S26 Ultra handled my everyday commuting, endless social media scrolling, shooting video and photos without faltering. The curved screen and slim build created a presence that feels unusual for a phone priced under Ksh 21,000. The hardware does not chase extremes, and it settles into a role where consistency matters more than performance peaks.
The itel S26 Ultra fits a specific user group – someone who values a sharp display, steady battery life, and a durable build will find it appealing. As the smartphone has been designed with intent rather than compromise. It stands out as one of the more confident entries in itels’s lineup, and its recognition at the TechTrends Forum reflects that direction.
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