Infinix Hot 40i review: Budget-friendly smartphone that does the basics right

Infinix Hot 40i review: Infinix has gained popularity in the budget smartphone market with its striking designs and camera performance. While other brands such as Redmi, Lava, and Motorola are in the same league, Infinix has managed to stay relevant with its unique offering in the market. After gaining a name in the gaming smartphone market, it has started rolling out budget smartphones that cater to relatively light users' needs. And now, the company has launched Infinix Hot 40i in the sub-Rs. 10000 segment. The Hot 40i features an intuitive design and a bigger display which makes the device look unique, but does it check all the boxes for budget users? Is it really one of the best budget-friendly smartphones out there?

I have been using the Infinix Hot 40i for some time now and let me say this at the outset, if you are looking for a budget smartphone, then read the review to fully understand what the Infinix Hot 40i is all about.

Infinix Hot 40i review: Design and display

 

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The Infinix Hot 40i has received the same design as the company’s Smart 8 device with a square camera matrix housing a dual-camera setup and an LED ring flash. However, it features a new glow line design with a matte finish which gives it a unique look and feel. While the plastic back of the phone does not attract dust or fingerprints, the shiny sides catch and hold prints and this requires frequent cleaning. As mentioned in the Infinix Smart 4 review, I am not a fan of big-size smartphones with a boxy look as they restrict various functionalities such as taking selfies with ease, typing with one hand, and others. However, the build and feel of this smartphone is quite comfortable and lightweight.

For display, the Infinix Hot 40i features a 6.56-inch IPS LCD display with up to 90hz screen refresh rate. It also has a noticeable amount of bezels, especially on the lower side of the display. It provides 480nit peak brightness which struggles in daylight hours. Keeping the price of the device in mind, it provided a satisfactory viewing experience and watching videos on the phone was a breeze. I streamed “One Day” the new Netflix web series on the device and I liked watching it on the bigger screen with crisp colors. Additionally, the display is quite responsive to touch and I did not face any lag while switching between apps unlike with the Infinix Smart 8 device.

I have said it before and I will say it again that Infinix including the Dynamic Island-like feature to their devices is a great move, especially in the budget market. The Magic Ring in the Infinix Hot 40i enables users to view battery percentage, charge reminder, face unlock animation and call duration.

Infinix Hot 40i review: Camera

 

The Infinix Hot 40i sports a dual-camera setup which consists of a 50MP main camera paired with an AI lens. The device captures satisfactory images with detailed clarity. However, it still falls short of providing high-resolution images and it fades the color of the scene or object. Additionally, the device also comes with a photo moe with recognizes the scene and adjusts the camera accordingly, but the purpose was not exactly clear to me except it showed the scene icon on the screen.

In terms of selfies, the Infinix Hot 40i features a 32MP front camera which surprisingly performed quite well and the colors it generated were punchy. You can also take advantage of the beautify feature as it sets the skin tone of selfies, enabling users to hide their spots in the face, making it perfect for social media purposes.

Overall, the Infinix Hot 40i camera was average, but that was not really a disappointment as I did not have very high hopes to start with from a smartphone in this market segment. Also, note that the camera extremely struggles with night photography so, I will not recommend the smartphone if you are looking for camera purposes.

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Infinix Hot 40i review: Performance

 

The Infinix Hot 40i is powered by an Octa-core Unisoc T606 chipset paired with XBOOST Gaming Engine. The smartphone swiftly performs medium tasks such as social media, calling, light gaming, video streaming, etc. Keeping in mind that it is a sub-Rs.10000 device, you cannot multitask and play graphic-intensive games. During an hour of playing BGMI on the Infinix Hot 40i, I experienced occasional frame rate drops and slight stutters as I played quite long. Therefore, this device might not be ideal for frequent gamers, but the phone's performance seemed adequate for casual gaming sessions.

However, it performed other basic functionalities with a breeze, here you will not encounter any lag or stutter. For storage, Infinix Hot 40i offers 8GB and 4GB RAM with 128GB and 256GB internal storage which is adequate to store multiple apps, games, files, photos, and more.

As I have mentioned earlier, I am not a very big fan of Infinix’s XOS 13 operating system, so I did not like how the smartphone operates in terms of user experience and features. However, with Infinix Hot 40i, the company has provided the gesture navigation feature which was an add-on as it was missing in the Smart 8 device. Additionally, the device also supports some extra features such as Xclone and more customization features which some users may like.

While the company offers a maximum volume of 200 percent volume, which is significantly higher than the standard 100 percent, the sound becomes rough and unpleasant. Even at a normal 80 percent volume, it provides a grainy sound, which is not really music to the ears.

Infinix Hot 40i review: Battery

 

The Infinix Hot 40i is backed by a 5000mAh battery which provides a great long-day battery life in a single charge. Infinix never disappoints in this department, however, the 18W charger could have been a little higher as it takes about more than 2 hours to fully charge the device. But, keeping the price point in mind, it should not come as a surprise to the buyers. Therefore, the device can be used the entire day without worrying about it to get discharged quickly.

Infinix Hot 40i review: Verdict

The Infinix Hot 40i offers various new features in comparison to the company’s other budget devices. Features like Magic Ring, XClone, Xboost and others can come as a unique offering in the budget market. Additionally, the performance was satisfactory when it came to the most basic requirements for users. The design and massive display are also something that may be to buyers liking as many prefer bigger devices for gaming and streaming purposes.

While the Infinix Hot 40i offers great value for basic tasks, for buyers who want to frequently multitask between demanding apps, play graphics-intensive games, or need powerful processing this smartphone's performance is challenging. In such cases, you can explore other devices which match your requirements.