Infinix has been on a spree of launches recently. The Chinese tech giant unveiled around four smartphones and a few laptops. Last month, it launched the Infinix Hot 30i – its first and cheapest phone in the new Hot 30 lineup.
The smartphone brings some notable features that can easily entice the customers such as the 90Hz display, 8GB in-built RAM, and the shiny premium looking design.
I used the device for several days and here is my review of the Infinix Hot 30i. As always, before we clench our teeth into the review let’s take a look at the specs.
Infinix Hot 30i: Price and Specifications
| Sample | infinix hot 30i |
| Model No. | Inxinix X669C |
| Price and Variants | Rs 8,199 (4GB/64GB), Rs 9,999 (8GB/128GB) |
| colour’s | Glacier Blue, Mirror Black |
| availability | Flipkart |
| Display Size | 6.6-inch water-drop notch display |
| display glasses | IPS LCD panel, 90Hz RR, 180Hz TSR, HD+ (720 x 1612 pixels), 500 nits peak |
| Security | Panda Glass (MN228) |
| Security | Side-mounted FPS, Facial Unlock |
| camera setup | Rear – Dual Camera, Front – Single Camera |
| camera glasses | 50MP AI Dual Camera, Macro Mode Available |
| video max | Rear – 1080p at 30fps,| Front – 1080p at 30fs |
| chipset | 12nm MediaTek Helio G37, IMG PowerVR GE8320 GPU |
| RAM and Storage | 4GB/8GB LPDDR4x, 64GB/128GB eMMC |
| Battery and Charging | 5,000mAh + 10W Wired |
| Operating System | Android 12 OS, XOS 12 |
| software support | , |
| IP Rating | no ip rating |
| sensor | Accelerometer, Ambient Light Sensor, Proximity Sensor, Compass, Gyroscope, Fingerprint |
| Network and Connectivity | dual nano sim 4g | Wi-Fi 5, Bluetooth |
Infinix Hot 30i: Design and Display
On the design front, Infinix has taken a stylish approach. Whether you choose the Mirror Black shade or the Glacier Blue colour, you will get a premium looking design at the back. It is shiny, reflective and eye-catching.
It reminds me of the glossy back of the Realme 2 from 2018. This means that it is a polycarbonate back, but it does not feel sticky in any way, as you can see in the pictures.
However, the story is different when it comes to unfolding. It boasts a water-drop notch panel with noticeable bezels, especially at the bottom. The front hints that it is a basic phone unlike the back.
The power button and volume rocker are on the right spine, and the SIM/MicroSD card tray on the left. The power key doubles up as a fingerprint scanner and the tray on the left is not a hybrid slot, but a full triple slot to hold two nano SIMs and a dedicated microSD card.
The device has a 3.5mm headphone jack, a microphone, a USB Type-C port, and a single speaker at the bottom. There is nothing above.
The smartphone flaunts a 6.6-inch HD+ display that refreshes at 90Hz, making the scrolling experience even smoother. There is plenty of light indoors but I did encounter some issues while browsing in daylight.
My one concern about the phone’s display is that it is a bit less vibrant. Now, it is not just about the Hot 30i, but also some other Infinix phones that I tested had slightly sluggish performance.
I love the slightly vibrant panels, something Motorola offers in most phones. But may not be same for all.
Overall, the phone looks premium from the rear but the front lacks modern design and vibrancy.
Infinix Hot 30i: Cameras
There isn’t much to see on the camera front. The device is equipped with dual cameras at the back and a single camera at the front. It all clicks pictures and videos.
There is a 50MP main lens and an auxiliary sensor. The main lens along with the AI ​​Cam mode, which is the default camera mode, helps in processing shots better, but only when you control the exposure level. Meaning, you have to adjust the exposure to make the final shot acceptable.
Also, sometimes the camera struggled to focus when there were multiple objects in the frame. But that said, once you get the focus and lighting right, the image can be well worth the price.
There’s Portrait Mode, Beauty Mode, and AR Shot Mode, which is basically Memoji or AR filters, similar to Snapchat and Instagram. The 5MP selfie camera is average.
Videography is limited to 1080p at 30fps and there’s no stabilisation, as you’d expect from an entry-level offering. The final video is again acceptable when you’re stationary, but it becomes very shaky if you’re recording on the move.
The Hot 30i is not a camera phone, but manages to deliver decent footage and portraits.
Infinix Hot 30i: Performance
The Infinix Hot 30i is more of an entry-level all-rounder than a performance-focused phone. The chip it comes with—the MediaTek Helio G37—isn’t meant for gaming or powerful tasks, but paired with 8GB of LPDDR4X RAM, it keeps the device running. Additionally, there is 8GB of virtual RAM support, taking the total RAM on the phone up to 16GB, which is great for the price.
It can handle a few apps simultaneously and can help you play titles like Subway Surfers, CoC and Asphalt at low settings.
The device scored 1,34,238 on AnTuTu and maintained a stable 85 percent in the CPU Throttle test.
In my daily use, jumping from one app to another was a smooth experience, but there are some minor lags. For example, scrolling is a bit difficult in the Youtube app.
Overall it is a good device for basic tasks like calling, WhatsApp messaging, internet browsing, watching videos and more.
While I’m on the performance bit, I want to highlight the software as well. The device boots on the older Android 12 OS with XOS 12 on top. I wish it would come with Android 13 as many manufacturers are now offering the latest software.
Still, the XOS is, as ever, feature-rich. You will find many useful features like Peek Proof, Eye-Care, Focus Mode and Kids Mode.
However, I found some lag when swiping down from the top to open the quick action panel or the notification panel. But this happens when you do not use the device for some time, say for a day or two. In constant use, it’s less but it’s still there.
The phone has bloatware just like other Infinix phones, but again all of them can be disabled and some can be uninstalled.
Still, I wish Infinix would tone it down further and focus more on the speed of the UI.
Coming to the battery, Infinix has packed a 5,000mAh cell which should easily last a day. Charging the battery from 0 percent to 100 percent took over 2 hours 45 minutes, which is very slow.
Motorola’s Moto G13 with the same battery and charging speed gets to 100 percent in less than 2 hours 30 minutes.
Infinix Hot 30i: Connectivity and Extras
The Hot 30i comes with a triple slot that allows you to accommodate two Nano SIMs and a microSD card slot. Call quality on the phone was decent and there was no issue with 4G connectivity.
It has Wi-Fi 5 and supports 2.4GHz as well as 5GHz bands. The device was quick to connect to my home Wi-Fi and it never automatically disconnected.
As for the fingerprint scanner, it works most of the time, unlike the Infinix Smart 7 that I reviewed a while ago. Facial unlock also works as it should.
The device has a single speaker setup at the bottom. It’s loud but can be muffled. Offering a stereo speaker could have been better. There’s also a 3.5mm headphone jack as well, which is great for wired earphones.
Infinix Hot 30i: Verdict
The Infinix Hot 30i gets you a nicer-looking rear design, a higher refresh rate display, extra RAM, all-day battery life, and additional software features.
It is worth noting that you do not get the dual-speaker setup, modern front look and clean interface in the device. Also, it boots on the older Android 12 OS out-of-the-box.
Priced at Rs 8,199 for the 4GB + 64GB variant and Rs 9,999 for the 8GB + 128GB variant, the Infinix Hot 30i is worth your money if you are looking for a good-looking phone that is feature-packed and offers above-the-range specs. OK with .
If you want a phone with latest software and features like stereo speaker setup, then you can take a look at Moto G13. For a premium of Rs 1,000, the Realme C55 offers faster 33W charging.
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