Infinix as a brand has been on the receiving end of some criticism for equipping it’s devices with the same Helio P22 chipset for a long long time. (Anybody remember Xiaomi and Snapdragon 636 love story). Well, the brand seems to have listened to the criticism and has launched the Infinix Hot 10, which is equipped with the Helio G70 chip, something much more powerful than the likes of the P22 and the G35 chipsets from Mediatek. Well, we have been using the device for around a week and we have some thoughts. Let us discuss the same in the review of the Infinix Hot 10.
In 2020, the time of simple, subtle looking phones is long gone. While the design of the Infinix Hot 10 is not poor, the design is far from subtle. The device features a gradient finish, with three colours available. We were provided with the Ocean Wave color variant of the Infinix Hot 10 and this color is for those who wish to flaunt their devices, while the other color, the Obsidian Black being a little bit subtle.
The design in general is quite similar to what is offered in devices of the same range, with the entire device being made of Polycarbonate. This does feel slightly cheap, but, considering almost every single device in the 10k segment features a similar design in terms of materials used, we are not complaining.
One thing to note though, to the ordinary consumer, the camera module might seem to be similar to the modules found on Samsung M series of devices, but, upon close inspection, the flash seems to be differently placed. Thankfully, the brand has retained a fingerprint sensor to the back, which is fast and responsive.
There is also the old 3.5mm headphone jack (What’s a headphone jack?). In terms of the battery, the device features a massive 5200 mAh battery, with 18W charging support, but, due to the polycarbonate build, the device does not feel as heavy as it should feel.
The Display of the Infinix Hot 10 is one of the most talked-about feature of the device, considering the fact that upon a quick preview, one might be excited to see that the device has a massive 6.78-inch display, which is of the LCD variety. This is coupled with a tiny punch-hole style cut out, which also results in a 91.5% screen to body ratio. But, upon closer inspection, one can find one major flaw with the display, which is in the form of the HD+ resolution for this display. Wait, don’t most devices under or around 10k have HD+ displays? Well, you’re right, but, keep in mind, the lack of resolution is more evident on a larger panel. This will not be a problem for the regular user, but, if you are a heavy user in terms of multimedia content, and if you are expecting a great display, it may not meet your expectations.
That said, if you are a light user and want a big display with a punch-hole, this is one of the cheapest options, considering most devices feature a smaller display with a waterdrop notch in the same price range. Also, other devices in this range have an HD+ display, so we ought not complain.
The biggest difference with this device in comparison to devices of the past from the brand is in the form of the SoC. This is because, the device comes with the Helio G70, which is a stark departure from something like a Helio P22 (A common sight in Infinix phones). If you are a gamer and are looking for a budget gaming device, your two best options would be the Redmi 9 Prime (featuring the Helio G80) and the Infinix Hot 10.
The device does not heat up, unless used for multiple hours playing PUBG (Oh that got banned) Call of Duty or any other graphically intensive game or doing similar tasks. To sum up the performance, it will not disappoint.
The Infinix Hot 10 features a triple camera setup, with a 16-megapixel primary sensor coupled with two 2-megapixel sensors for depth and macro sensors. The selfie snapper is an 8-megapixel sensor. The cameras are good, with adequate dynamic range. The colors are slightly boosted, but that is the case with almost every device in this price range.
In terms of the night time performance, it is advisable not to do so, because the results are usually full of grain and have ample noise. But, do note, this again is similar to other devices in this range and frankly, you will not get an excellent pixel grade camera for the 10k price. The selfies are good though, with adequate detail and some AI smoothening, but, that is expected. One can tone that down via the settings though, so that’s great.
The macro sensor does what it says, but do not expect much from the same, as it is at the end of the day a 2-megapixel sensor. In adequate lighting, one can produce usable results though, which is good to know. The depth sensor meanwhile is basically a placeholder to give the device the triple camera setup moniker, with not very good portrait shots, with the edge detection being a little wonky. Overall though, the cameras are at par with most if not all devices in the 8-10K segment, and the cameras of the Infinix Hot 10 won’t disappoint.
The Infinix Hot 10 is priced at Rs 9999 for the lone 6 GB RAM and 128GB variant and, considering the specifications, display (Pros and Cons both) with the previous portfolio of the Infinix brand, this is a massive change. But, we would like to point out that, even though the storage is less, the Redmi 9 Prime is still a better device, in terms of the cameras, price, and the software. The MIUI is much more refined and performs much better than the XOS which seems full of un-necessary bloatware.
If one adds 1k extra to the 10k budget, they can even get the Poco M2, which is basically a Redmi 9 Prime with higher storage. All that said, the Infinix Hot 10 is a good device, and more importantly, it is certainly much better than what the brand has been offering for some time.
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Disclaimer: This product was thoroughly tested by the editor, whose thoughts regarding the product are being portrayed in the article. The Author did not test the product himself, but, has been briefed regarding the experience of the Editor post usage.
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