In terms of form factor, both phones occupy a similar footprint in hand, but the Itel City 100 is meaningfully more compact overall. It is thinner at 7.65 mm versus 8.3 mm for the Redmi A5 4G, and its total volume of 99.38 cm³ is noticeably smaller than the Redmi A5's 110.87 cm³ — a difference that translates into a sleeker, less bulky feel in the pocket. The Redmi A5 4G does edge it out slightly in weight, coming in at 193 g versus the City 100's 200 g, though a 7-gram gap is unlikely to be perceptible in daily use.
The more meaningful design differentiator is water resistance. Both phones carry an IP rating, but the Itel City 100's IP64 certification is significantly stronger than the Redmi A5 4G's IP52. The first digit — 6 versus 5 — refers to dust protection: IP6x means fully dust-tight, while IP5x only means partial dust resistance. The second digit covers water: x4 protects against splashing from any direction, while x2 only guards against vertically dripping water. In practical terms, the City 100 can handle being splashed from the side or used in light rain with much greater confidence, while the Redmi A5 4G is better suited to controlled, minimal moisture exposure.
Overall, the Itel City 100 holds a clear design advantage in this group. Its superior IP64 rating offers meaningfully better environmental durability, and its slimmer, more compact chassis makes it the more pocketable device. The Redmi A5 4G's marginal weight saving does not offset these differences.