Itel A90
Xiaomi Poco C71

Itel A90 Xiaomi Poco C71

Overview

Welcome to our in-depth comparison of the Itel A90 and the Xiaomi Poco C71, two budget-friendly Android smartphones competing for attention in the entry-level market. While both devices share a surprising number of features, they diverge in meaningful ways across areas like camera performance, display refresh rate, and everyday connectivity. Whether storage capacity or processing power matters most to you, this side-by-side breakdown will help you decide which phone fits your needs best.

Common Features

  • Both phones are water resistant.
  • Neither phone has a rugged build.
  • Neither phone can be folded.
  • Both phones use an LCD IPS display type.
  • Neither phone has branded damage-resistant glass.
  • Neither phone supports HDR10, HDR10+, or Dolby Vision.
  • Neither phone has an Always-On Display or a secondary screen.
  • Both phones have a touchscreen.
  • Both phones have integrated LTE.
  • Both phones are built on a 12 nm semiconductor process.
  • Both phones support 64-bit processing and use big.LITTLE technology with 8 CPU threads.
  • Both phones use eMMC 5.1 storage.
  • Neither phone has a dual-lens main camera or optical image stabilization.
  • Both phones record video at 1080p 30fps on the main camera.
  • Both phones have a CMOS sensor and support continuous autofocus during video recording.
  • Both phones include privacy features such as clipboard warnings, location privacy options, camera and microphone privacy options, theme customization, on-device machine learning, and app tracking blocking.
  • Neither phone supports wireless charging, but both support 15W fast charging and come with a charger included.
  • Neither phone has a removable battery, and both have a battery level indicator.
  • Both phones have a 3.5 mm audio jack but lack stereo speakers and high-quality audio codecs such as aptX, LDAC, or aptX HD.
  • Neither phone supports 5G, and both have dual SIM slots, USB Type-C (USB 2.0), no NFC, and a fingerprint scanner.
  • Neither phone has emergency SOS via satellite or crash detection.
  • Both phones have a video light, no sapphire glass display, no curved display, and no e-paper display.

Main Differences

  • Weight is 213 g on Itel A90 and 193 g on Xiaomi Poco C71.
  • Thickness is 8.55 mm on Itel A90 and 8.3 mm on Xiaomi Poco C71.
  • Width is 76.2 mm on Itel A90 and 77.8 mm on Xiaomi Poco C71.
  • Height is 168.4 mm on Itel A90 and 171.8 mm on Xiaomi Poco C71.
  • IP rating is IP54 on Itel A90 and IP52 on Xiaomi Poco C71.
  • Screen size is 6.6″ on Itel A90 and 6.88″ on Xiaomi Poco C71.
  • Pixel density is 267 ppi on Itel A90 and 260 ppi on Xiaomi Poco C71.
  • Resolution is 720 x 1612 px on Itel A90 and 720 x 1640 px on Xiaomi Poco C71.
  • Refresh rate is 90Hz on Itel A90 and 120Hz on Xiaomi Poco C71.
  • Internal storage is 256GB on Itel A90 and 128GB on Xiaomi Poco C71.
  • RAM is 4GB on Itel A90 and 6GB on Xiaomi Poco C71.
  • The chipset is Unisoc T700 on Itel A90 and Unisoc T7250 on Xiaomi Poco C71.
  • CPU speed is 2 x 1.8 & 6 x 1.8 GHz on Itel A90 and 2 x 1.8 & 6 x 1.6 GHz on Xiaomi Poco C71.
  • Main camera resolution is 13 MP on Itel A90 and 32 MP on Xiaomi Poco C71.
  • Front camera resolution is 5 MP on Itel A90 and 8 MP on Xiaomi Poco C71.
  • Android version is Android 14 on Itel A90 and Android 15 on Xiaomi Poco C71.
  • Battery capacity is 5000 mAh on Itel A90 and 5200 mAh on Xiaomi Poco C71.
  • FM radio is not available on Itel A90 but is present on Xiaomi Poco C71.
  • Wi-Fi support is limited to Wi-Fi 4 on Itel A90, while Xiaomi Poco C71 supports both Wi-Fi 4 and Wi-Fi 5.
  • Bluetooth version is 4.2 on Itel A90 and 5.2 on Xiaomi Poco C71.
  • External memory card slot is not available on Itel A90 but is present on Xiaomi Poco C71.
  • A compass is not available on Itel A90 but is present on Xiaomi Poco C71.
Specs Comparison
Itel A90

Itel A90

Xiaomi Poco C71

Xiaomi Poco C71

Design:
water resistance Water resistant Water resistant
weight 213 g 193 g
thickness 8.55 mm 8.3 mm
width 76.2 mm 77.8 mm
height 168.4 mm 171.8 mm
Ingress Protection (IP) rating IP54 IP52
has a rugged build
can be folded

Both the Itel A90 and the Xiaomi Poco C71 share a number of design fundamentals: neither is foldable, neither claims a rugged build, and both carry water resistance ratings. However, the differences in their physical profiles and protection levels are worth unpacking. The Poco C71 is noticeably lighter at 193 g versus the A90's 213 g — a 20 g gap that may seem small on paper but translates to a meaningfully less fatiguing feel during extended one-handed use or long browsing sessions.

In terms of dimensions, the two phones are close but not identical. The Poco C71 is slightly taller (171.8 mm vs. 168.4 mm) and wider (77.8 mm vs. 76.2 mm), yet marginally thinner at 8.3 mm compared to the A90's 8.55 mm. This means the Poco C71 occupies a larger footprint but with a slimmer profile — a trade-off that tends to feel more premium in hand despite the bigger surface area.

On water resistance, both phones are rated for protection against splashes, but the Itel A90 holds a slight edge with an IP54 rating versus the Poco C71's IP52. The difference is that IP54 adds protection against water sprayed from any direction, while IP52 only covers dripping water at an angle — a real-world distinction if the device is ever caught in light rain or splashed at a sink. Overall, the Poco C71 has the design advantage due to its significantly lower weight and slimmer build, though the A90 edges ahead on water resistance.

Display:
Display type LCD, IPS LCD, IPS
screen size 6.6" 6.88"
pixel density 267 ppi 260 ppi
resolution 720 x 1612 px 720 x 1640 px
refresh rate 90Hz 120Hz
has branded damage-resistant glass
supports HDR10
supports HDR10+
Always-On Display
supports Dolby Vision
Has a secondary screen
has a touch screen

Both phones use an LCD IPS panel, so neither offers the deep blacks or vibrant contrast of AMOLED technology — and neither supports HDR10, HDR10+, or Dolby Vision. Within this shared baseline, though, the key differentiator is the refresh rate: the Poco C71 runs at 120Hz versus the A90's 90Hz. That 30Hz gap is perceptible in everyday use — scrolling through social feeds, navigating menus, and playing casual games all feel noticeably smoother on a 120Hz display, making it one of the more tangible upgrades at this price tier.

Screen size also sets these two apart. The Poco C71 sports a larger 6.88″ panel compared to the A90's 6.6″, which benefits media consumption and productivity. Interestingly, despite the bigger screen, the Poco C71's pixel density comes in at 260 ppi versus the A90's 267 ppi — a negligible difference that is virtually invisible to the naked eye at typical viewing distances. Both panels resolve at 720p, so sharpness is comparable in practice.

Neither device features branded damage-resistant glass, which is a shared limitation worth noting for durability-conscious buyers. On balance, the Poco C71 holds a clear display advantage: its larger screen and faster 120Hz refresh rate deliver a more immersive and fluid experience, while the A90's marginally higher pixel density does not meaningfully compensate for those gaps.

Performance:
internal storage 256GB 128GB
RAM 4GB 6GB
Chipset (SoC) name Unisoc T700 Unisoc T7250
GPU name Mali-G57 Mali G57
CPU speed 2 x 1.8 & 6 x 1.8 GHz 2 x 1.8 & 6 x 1.6 GHz
Has integrated LTE
semiconductor size 12 nm 12 nm
Supports 64-bit
Has integrated graphics
Uses big.LITTLE technology
CPU threads 8 threads 8 threads
Has TrustZone
eMMC version 5.1 5.1

At the silicon level, both phones are built on the same 12nm manufacturing process and share the Mali G57 GPU, eMMC 5.1 storage, and an 8-thread big.LITTLE CPU architecture — so their day-to-day computational character is broadly similar. The chipsets do differ, however: the Itel A90 runs on the Unisoc T700 while the Poco C71 uses the Unisoc T7250. Within that distinction, the A90's efficiency cores clock in slightly higher at 6 x 1.8 GHz compared to the Poco C71's 6 x 1.6 GHz, a marginal edge in sustained background workloads, though the real-world impact at this performance tier is unlikely to be dramatic.

Where the two diverge more meaningfully is in the RAM-versus-storage trade-off. The Poco C71 offers 6GB of RAM against the A90's 4GB — a difference that genuinely matters for multitasking, keeping more apps alive in the background, and maintaining smoother performance under memory pressure. Conversely, the A90 doubles down on local storage with 256GB versus the Poco C71's 128GB, which is a significant advantage for users who store large media libraries or prefer not to rely on cloud services.

Ultimately, this group comes down to a clear priority split. If multitasking fluidity and app responsiveness matter most, the Poco C71's 6GB RAM gives it the performance edge. If on-device storage capacity is the priority, the A90's 256GB pulls ahead decisively. Neither phone dominates outright, but for raw day-to-day performance, the extra RAM of the Poco C71 is likely to be felt more consistently than the A90's slight CPU clock advantage.

Cameras:
megapixels (main camera) 13 MP 32 MP
Has a dual-lens (or multi-lens) main camera
megapixels (front camera) 5MP 8MP
has built-in optical image stabilization
video recording (main camera) 1080 x 30 fps 1080 x 30 fps
Has a dual-tone LED flash
number of flash LEDs 1 1
has a BSI sensor
has a CMOS sensor
has continuous autofocus when recording movies
Has phase-detection autofocus for photos
supports slow-motion video recording
has a built-in HDR mode
has manual exposure
has a flash
optical zoom 0x 0x
has manual ISO
has a serial shot mode
has manual focus
has a front camera
Has laser autofocus
Shoots 360° panorama
has manual white balance
shoots raw
has touch autofocus
has manual shutter speed
can create panoramas in-camera
Has a front-facing LED flash
has a dual-lens (or multi-lens) front camera
supports HDR10 recording
supports Dolby Vision recording
has a front-facing camera under the display
Has a RGB LED flash
has 3D photo/video recording capabilities

The camera systems on these two phones share an identical feature set — single-lens rear cameras, phase-detection autofocus, continuous autofocus during video, HDR mode, slow-motion recording, and the same 1080p at 30fps video ceiling. Where they diverge sharply is in resolution. The Poco C71 packs a 32MP main sensor against the A90's 13MP, and an 8MP front camera versus the A90's 5MP. Higher megapixel counts allow for more detail in well-lit shots and greater flexibility to crop into an image without losing clarity — a tangible advantage for anyone who shoots stills regularly.

It is worth noting that megapixels alone do not tell the full story — sensor size, aperture, and image processing all contribute to final output quality, and none of those variables are provided here. That said, based strictly on the available specs, the Poco C71's resolution advantage is substantial enough across both cameras to represent a meaningful step up, particularly for selfie-focused users where the 3MP gap on the front camera is proportionally significant.

Since neither phone offers optical image stabilization, telephoto capability, or a multi-lens array, the overall camera ambition of both devices is comparable in scope. The Poco C71 holds a clear edge in this category, with its higher-resolution sensors on both front and rear representing the only meaningful differentiator in an otherwise identical feature profile.

Operating system:
Android version Android 14 Android 15
has clipboard warnings
has location privacy options
has camera/microphone privacy options
has Mail Privacy Protection
has theme customization
can block app tracking
blocks cross-site tracking
has on-device machine learning
has notification permissions
has media picker
Can play games while they download
has dark mode
has Wi-Fi password sharing
has battery health check
has an extra dim mode
has focus modes
has dynamic theming
can offload apps
Has customizable notifications
has Live Text
has full-page screenshots
supports split screen
gets direct OS updates
has PiP
Can be used as a PC
Has sharing intents
has a child lock
Supports widgets
Is free and open source
Has offline voice recognition
has voice commands
Tracks the current position of a mobile device
is a multi-user system
has Quick Start

Across the entire operating system feature set provided, these two phones are essentially identical — every privacy control, productivity feature, and UI capability listed is shared by both. The one and only differentiator is the Android version: the Poco C71 ships with Android 15 while the Itel A90 runs Android 14. That single generation gap is worth noting, as a newer Android version generally brings incremental improvements to privacy controls, performance optimizations, and security patches out of the box.

The practical significance of that gap is tempered by one shared limitation: neither phone receives direct OS updates. This means neither device is positioned to close or widen that one-version gap through an official upgrade path, making the starting Android version the definitive software baseline for the life of each device.

Given that every other listed feature — from split-screen and dark mode to on-device machine learning and dynamic theming — is present on both phones, the Poco C71 holds a narrow but concrete software edge by virtue of launching on the more current Android release. For buyers who value having the latest platform security and features from day one, that distinction is meaningful, even if the day-to-day software experience of both phones will feel largely equivalent.

Battery:
battery power 5000 mAh 5200 mAh
has wireless charging
Supports fast charging
charging speed 15W 15W
comes with a charger
has a removable battery
has a battery level indicator
has a rechargeable battery

Battery-wise, these two phones are near-twins. Both charge at 15W, both include a charger in the box, and neither offers wireless charging or a removable battery. The only numerical difference is capacity: the Poco C71 carries a 5200 mAh cell versus the A90's 5000 mAh — a 200 mAh gap that, in practice, translates to a marginal difference in endurance, likely amounting to no more than 15–20 minutes of additional screen-on time under typical usage conditions.

The shared 15W charging speed is worth contextualizing: at this wattage, topping up a 5000+ mAh battery from empty will take roughly two hours or more, which is adequate but unremarkable by current standards. Neither phone compensates for this with faster charging, so both users are in the same position when it comes to replenishment time.

Ultimately, this category is effectively a tie. The Poco C71's 200 mAh capacity advantage is too slim to constitute a meaningful real-world difference, and every other battery-related feature is identical across both devices. Buyers should not let battery specs be a deciding factor between these two phones.

Audio:
has a socket for a 3.5 mm audio jack
has stereo speakers
has aptX
has LDAC
has aptX HD
has aptX Adaptive
has aptX Lossless
Has a radio

The audio profiles of these two phones share the same foundation: both retain a 3.5mm headphone jack — a welcome inclusion for users who prefer wired listening without adapters — and neither offers stereo speakers or high-resolution Bluetooth codecs like aptX, LDAC, or any of their variants. At this price tier, mono speakers and standard Bluetooth audio are expected, so those shared absences are not surprising.

The single differentiator in this category is the Poco C71's built-in FM radio, which the Itel A90 lacks entirely. For users in regions where FM radio remains a practical tool — for news, local broadcasts, or entertainment without consuming mobile data — this is a genuinely useful feature that adds real-world value at no extra cost.

Given how closely matched everything else is, the Poco C71 takes a narrow edge in audio purely on the strength of its FM radio inclusion. It is a modest advantage, but for the right user it is a meaningful one, particularly in markets where terrestrial radio remains part of everyday life.

Connectivity & Features:
release date April 2025 April 2025
has 5G support
Wi-Fi version Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n) Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n), Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac)
SIM cards 2 SIM 2 SIM
Bluetooth version 4.2 5.2
has an external memory slot
Has USB Type-C
USB version 2 2
has NFC
Has a fingerprint scanner
has emergency SOS via satellite
has crash detection
is DLNA-certified
has a gyroscope
supports ANT+
Has a heart rate monitor
has GPS
has a compass
supports Wi-Fi
Has an infrared sensor
has an accelerometer
has a cellular module
Has a barometer
has an HDMI output
Uses 3D facial recognition
Has an iris scanner
Stylus included
supports Galileo
Has motion tracking
Has optical tracking
Has a built-in projector

Connectivity is where the Poco C71 builds its most comprehensive advantage over the A90. Starting with wireless networking, the Poco C71 supports both Wi-Fi 4 and Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac), while the A90 is limited to Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n) only. Wi-Fi 5 delivers faster throughput and better performance in congested network environments — a tangible upgrade for users who stream high-quality video or live in densely populated areas with many competing networks. Similarly, the Poco C71's Bluetooth 5.2 versus the A90's 4.2 represents a meaningful generational jump, bringing improved range, more stable connections, and better support for multiple simultaneous Bluetooth devices.

Two further differentiators compound the Poco C71's lead. It includes an external memory card slot — absent on the A90 — which is especially significant given that the Poco C71 ships with less internal storage than the A90. The ability to expand storage via a microSD card effectively neutralizes that disadvantage. Additionally, the Poco C71 has a built-in compass, a sensor the A90 lacks, which enables proper map orientation in navigation apps without needing to rely solely on GPS directional estimates.

Both phones share USB Type-C 2.0, dual SIM support, a fingerprint scanner, GPS with Galileo, and an accelerometer, so the foundational connectivity and sensor baseline is solid on each. But the cumulative weight of Wi-Fi 5, Bluetooth 5.2, expandable storage, and a compass gives the Poco C71 a clear and decisive advantage in this category — these are not superficial additions but features with direct, everyday utility.

Miscellaneous:
has a video light
Has sapphire glass display
Has a curved display
Has an e-paper display

The miscellaneous feature set for both the Itel A90 and the Xiaomi Poco C71 is completely identical across every listed specification. Both include a video light, and neither features a sapphire glass display, a curved screen, or an e-paper panel — all of which are premium or niche characteristics rarely found at this price tier anyway.

This category is an unambiguous tie. There is no differentiating data point here that favors either device, and the shared features present are modest in scope. Buyers should look to the other specification groups to inform their decision, as miscellaneous specs offer no basis for distinction between these two phones.

Comparison Summary & Verdict

After examining every specification, it is clear that these two phones serve slightly different types of users. The Itel A90 stands out with its larger 256GB internal storage and a stronger IP54 water resistance rating, making it a solid pick for users who store a lot of content locally and want slightly better splash protection. The Xiaomi Poco C71, on the other hand, pulls ahead with a 32MP main camera, a smoother 120Hz display, more RAM at 6GB, Android 15, Bluetooth 5.2, Wi-Fi 5 support, and an expandable memory slot. If photography, fluidity, and modern connectivity are your priorities, the Poco C71 delivers considerably more for the money. Choose the Itel A90 if raw local storage and a compact weight are what matter most to you.

Itel A90
Buy Itel A90 if...

Buy the Itel A90 if you need more built-in storage at 256GB and prefer a lighter handset with a slightly higher IP54 water resistance rating.

Xiaomi Poco C71
Buy Xiaomi Poco C71 if...

Buy the Xiaomi Poco C71 if you want a superior 32MP camera, a smoother 120Hz display, more RAM, expandable storage, and the latest Android 15 out of the box.