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

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

Infinix Hot 40i review: Does this budget smartphone by Infinix cater to exactly what the market needs? Check out the Infinix Hot 40i review.

By: AISHWARYA PANDA
| Updated on: Mar 22 2024, 16:29 IST
Infinix Smart 8 first impressions: A flashy phone with mind-grabbing specs
 Infinix Hot 40i
1/4 The Infinix Smart 8 features a 6.6-inch HD+ punch-hole display with up to 90Hz refresh rate and 500nits peak brightness. It features a new Magic ring which enables users to get an intuitive smartphone experience. In terms of design, it features a shiny plastic back, giving it a more premium-like appearance. (Aishwarya Panda/ HT Tech)
 Infinix Hot 40i
2/4 The Infinix Smart 8 is powered by MediaTek Helio G36 paired with an Octa-Core Gaming Engine and a 12nm advanced production process. For storage, it offers 4 GB + 4 GB Virtual RAM and 64 GB of storage. The smartphone runs on the latest XOS 13, based on Android 13GO. Additionally, it features DTS Processing Sound for immersive audio performance. (Aishwarya Panda/ HT Tech)
 Infinix Hot 40i
3/4 On the back, the Infinix Smart 8 sports a dual AI camera with an attractive Quad-LED Ring Flash. The camera sensor includes a 50 MP main camera and an 8MP front camera, making it the main attraction in the budget segment. (Aishwarya Panda/ HT Tech)
 Infinix Hot 40i
4/4 For long lasting performance, the Infinix Smart 8 is equipped with a 5000 mAh battery which supports 10W fast charging. The company claims to offer 50 hours of music playback time and 36 hours of video viewing.  (Aishwarya Panda/ HT Tech)
 Infinix Hot 40i
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The Infinix Hot 40i is priced at just Rs. 9999 (Aishwarya Panda/HT Tech)

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.

More about Infinix Hot 40i
Infinix Hot 40i
  • Starlit Black
  • 4 GB RAM
  • 128 GB Storage
See full Specifications

Infinix Hot 40i review: Design and display

 

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Infinix Hot 40i
The Infinix Hot 40i features a 6.56-inch IPS LCD display (Aishwarya Panda/HT Tech)
image caption
The Infinix Hot 40i features a 6.56-inch IPS LCD display (Aishwarya Panda/HT Tech)

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

 

Infinix Hot 40i
Infinix Hot 40i sports a dual-camera setup which consists of a 50MP main camera. (Aishwarya Panda/ HT Tech)
image caption
Infinix Hot 40i sports a dual-camera setup which consists of a 50MP main camera. (Aishwarya Panda/ HT Tech)

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
Infinix Hot 40i is powered by an Octa-core Unisoc T606 chipset. (Aishwarya Panda/ HT Tech)
Infinix Hot 40i is powered by an Octa-core Unisoc T606 chipset. (Aishwarya Panda/ HT Tech)

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

 

Infinix Hot 40i
Infinix Hot 40i is backed by a 5000mAh battery. (Aishwarya Panda/ HT Tech)
Infinix Hot 40i is backed by a 5000mAh battery. (Aishwarya Panda/ HT Tech)

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

Infinix Hot 40i
Infinix Hot 40i (Aishwarya Panda/ HT Tech)
image caption
Infinix Hot 40i (Aishwarya Panda/ HT Tech)
Rating
3.5 out of 5
Price
INR 9,999/-
Product Name
Infinix
Brand Name
Hot 40i
Pros
  • Attractive design
  • Magic Ring
  • Lasting battery life
Cons
  • Average camera performance
  • Not for heavy usage
  • 18W charging support
Specifications
  • Display
    6.56-inch
  • Battery
    5000mAh
  • Processor
    Unisoc T606
  • Rear camera
    50MP

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First Published Date: 28 Feb, 12:25 IST
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