What are the parameters that measure the success of a brand? For Infinix, it could be how when people hear their name, the first thing that comes to mind are budget smartphones.
In an era of consumer technology where being pocket-friendly alone doesn’t make the cut anymore, Infinix found a way to still win the hearts of the budget savvy Filipino techie. A solid proof of this is the INFINIX HOT 40. Read on and find out what we loved about this new device.
DESIGN:
Carry the Infinix HOT 40 anywhere you go and chances are someone will ask you if you’re using an iPhone. That’s because the rear design of the Infinix HOT 40 looks a lot like a Pro model of an iPhone, especially the positioning of the three cameras at the back.
There’s a striking contrast on the texture of the entirety of the rear cover of the Infinix HOT 40 and the camera panel. The former has a matte, rough slate that’s good in deflecting fingerprint marks and smudges while the latter comes in a shiny board that adds a premium touch to the overall aesthetics of the device.
The usual buttons and ports are found on the Infinix Hot 40. These include a power button that doubles as a fingerprint scanner for phone unlocking alongside the volume rockers on the right. On the opposite side is a tray that can hold two nano SIMs and a microSD card for storage expansion. At the bottom are the device’s 3.5 mm headphone port, main microphone, USB-C port, and a speaker grille. The top part of the Infinix HOT 40 has a lone secondary microphone.
Overall, the Infinix HOT 40 is a good-looking smartphone especially considering its price. It comes in beautiful colorways of Palm Blue, Horizon Gold, Starlit Black, and Starfall Green. Its body is made mostly of plastic but one good thing about this is the smartphone is light and easy to grip.
DISPLAY:
Upfront, the Infinix HOT 40 sports a generous 6.78-inch FHD+ LCD in 2460 x 1080 resolution. Its screen refresh rate can be adjusted between 90 Hz or 60 Hz and it offers color temperature adjustment from cool, default, and warm.
Screen quality is decent on the Infinix HOT 40. The smartphone offers just the right amount of color saturation and detail sharpness. Our least favorite thing about the Infinix HOT 40’s display, though, are its prominent bezels, especially on the chin. However, these do not really affect the viewing experience on the smartphone. Besides, it’s common for budget devices to carry bigger bezels than pricier smartphones.
To lessen eye strain due to prolonged smartphone use, Infinix thoughtfully included an Eye Care mode on the screen of the Infinix HOT 40. Another cool feature on the display of the device is the Inadvertently Mode which prevents pocket-dials as it automatically shuts off the smartphone screen when in the pocket or in close contact with a surface.
Complementing the decent display of the Infinix HOT 40 is a stereo speaker that also gives off a mediocre audio quality. What we appreciate about it though is that it’s loud enough to enjoy watching movies or videos without sound cracks even when set on a higher volume level.
PERFORMANCE:
Under the hood, the Infinix HOT 40 runs on a MediaTek Helio G88 octa-core processor, a Mali-G52 MC2 GPU, and a combination of 8GB RAM and 256GB onboard storage.
As expected from an entry-level device, the Infinix HOT 40 is able to handle multitasking on its own terms with a few stutters and hiccups here and there. It still gets the job done, though. With a huge RAM, it has a lot of breathing room to allow multiple apps running in the background simultaneously.
Gaming experience on the Infinix HOT 40 is also acceptable, as long as graphics settings are tweaked on the basic levels.
For its user interface, the Infinix HOT 40 has the XOS 13.5 software based on Android 13. Upon powering up the device, the default skin is the special Free Fire edition which you can easily change to other themes if that’s not your vibe. As always, there’s bloatware present but these can be quickly uninstalled.
CAMERAS:
Leading the triple camera pack of the Infinix HOT 40 is a 50-megapixel main shooter, alongside a 2-megapixel macro lens and an 0.08-megapixel auxiliary lens. For selfies, the device has a 32-megapixel wide camera with dual-LED flash.
Surprisingly, the Infinix HOT 40 produces social media-decent photos, even when shot from indoors or low-light environments. Images look better when taken in well-lit areas. Color saturation and detail sharpness are present.
The device comes with a Super Night mode, which, although not the best, evidently makes a difference on night shots.
Selfies look good, too. We liked that the Infinix HOT 40 doesn’t apply filters on selfies by default and instead showcases natural colors.
BATTERY:
With a 5,000mAh battery, the Infinix HOT 40 is a trusty companion that can last a whole day of moderate to heavy usage. Its free 33W charger is also impressive, equating a 30-minute charge to 54% of battery life. To get back to 100%, we had to wait an hour and 18 minutes.
CONCLUSION:
So, should you buy the Infinix HOT 40? If you’re looking for a budget smartphone that can cover the basics while having an eye-catching design and long-lasting battery life, then your P6,499 won’t be a waste on this device.
The Infinix HOT 40 is available through Infinix physical stores all over the Philippines and online via Lazada, Shopee, and TikTok Shop.
