Count a number of years back and budget smartphones were indeed, budget in every aspect. They had inferior displays, slow chipsets, and cameras that can only be okay at most. In short, you get what you pay for.
Fast forward to today though, and things have changed quite a lot. Thanks to improvements in technology, smartphones in the same segment have become so much more capable. The Infinix HOT 40 Pro is a perfect use case.
So what exactly does this phone offer that makes it such an enticing choice? It’s not just the affordable PHP 6,999 price tag (which by the way, is already a huge plus on its own), it’s what the device offers for that price that really rings the bell.
Premium Design
The Infinix HOT 40 Pro does not look like a budget smartphone at all. The brushed metallic finish on the rear panel offers a good contrast with the glossy camera island, and the silver band that surrounds it and the phone itself adds a layer of separation.
The device is equipped with what Infinix calls a Metamaterial Antenna, which is three times larger than the standard ones you’ll find in other devices.
This delivers up to 36% less latency, up to 68% improvement in download speeds, improved Bluetooth range, and signal strength.
A Display that Wows
Upfront, you’re greeted with a 6.78-inch IPS display with Full HD+ resolution, and a 120Hz refresh rate – something that’s not common in this price range. That means you get smooth and fluid transitions and animations when scrolling through the menus, and when using compatible apps. To ensure that your touch inputs register as quickly as possible, it also boasts a 1200Hz touch sampling rate for 8 times more precision.
One unique feature of this display is the Magic Ring, which offers various functions that include telling you when the front camera is trying to detect your face for unlocking, when you have a call in the background, when the phone is charging and when charging is complete, and when the phone is low on battery.
It’s a refreshing new way of notifying the user of certain events.
A Proven and Tested Processing Package
At the core of this phone is a 6nm Helio G99 processor. Yes, I’m sure you’ve seen the name of this chip in many other devices, some even in the mid-range category, which testifies to its proven and tested capabilities.
So imagine all that, in a device that costs less than PHP 7,000. Combine that with 8GB of RAM, and up an additional 8GB with Extended RAM technology, and you get a phone that should be able to deliver excellent gameplay for lighter games, and at the very least, decent gameplay for heavier games.
To make things even better, there’s also 256GB of storage, which should be more than enough for a lot of users. These are things that were never expected from a budget phone many years back, but now, it’s possible.
Just to give you an idea of how this phone performs, FreeFire, the game in the special packaging of this phone, will run well on Ultra Graphics settings with shadows enabled and High FPS set to High with no issues.
Asphalt 9, which is known to be a demanding game, also runs surprisingly great on its default settings without any major lag or dips in performance.
Lastly, Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, which is probably one of the most popular mobile games here in the Philippines, will also run smoothly at Super Frame Rate and Ultra Graphics settings with no problems.
The XBOOST Gaming Engine allows you to quickly switch between Power-Saving, Balanced, and Performance modes depending on the situation. This quick access panel also gives you the option to take screenshots, do a screen recording, and free up resources, among other things.
Definitely Not Budget Cameras
As good as this phone is in gaming and daily tasks, one of the things that we spend a lot of time on using our phones is for taking pictures.
As such, Infinix has equipped the HOT 40 Pro with a 108MP main camera that uses an HM6 sensor. That is something that’s usually reserved for mid-range and even flagship devices. You also get a macro sensor, and an AI camera.
This gives you the confidence to just shoot photos as you want, and the results are excellent, especially when you consider the cost of this phone.
Oh, and that 32MP front camera also takes good quality selfies too with a good level of detail and texture without overprocessing.
A Battery to Last
What good is a capable phone with good cameras if it won’t even last your day, right? So the Infinix HOT 40 Pro has a 5,000mAh battery that promises up to 34 days of standby, up to 45 hours of calling, up to 30 hours of video streaming and up to 9 hours of gaming. All estimates of course.
To make sure that your downtime is minimized, the phone can also do 33W wired fast-charging using the in-box charger, so you can go back to whatever you’re doing without having to wait for too long.
Special Package, Theme
In line with its partnership with FreeFire, the Inifnix HOT 40 Pro that was sent to us came in a special package which also includes a cooling fan that you can attach to the phone, and a lanyard, for upping your spirits while playing the game in case you need that boost by style. Do note that this PR Box will not be sold to the public.
The phone also comes pre-installed with a FreeFire Theme, which includes icons, wallpapers, all inspired by the action-packed game.
Infinix HOT 40 Pro Price and Availability
For those looking for a budget smartphone that delivers more than its price, the Infinix HOT 40 Pro should be at that top section of your list. You get a premium looking phone that can handle most of today’s popular games and deliver decent to excellent gameplay, depending on what you’re playing.
Add to that, you also get good cameras that can capture those essential moments when you need to, and a long-lasting battery should be able to keep up with your on-the-go grind, and charge quickly as well.
The Infinix HOT 40 Pro is priced PHP 6,999, and is available for purchase via Lazada, Shopee, and TikTok Shop.
Emman has been writing technical and feature articles since 2010. Prior to this, he became one of the instructors at Asia Pacific College in 2008, and eventually landed a job as Business Analyst and Technical Writer at Integrated Open Source Solutions for almost 3 years.
