The Infinix Zero Ultra 5G: A Premium Phone With Room to Grow
The Indian smartphone market is bursting with new launches, especially in the coveted premium mid-range segment, where devices priced around ₹30,000 are increasingly seen as the entry point for high-end features. Enter Infinix, a brand known for its budget-friendly offerings, making its foray into this competitive space with its first premium smartphone, the Infinix Zero Ultra 5G. Sporting impressive numbers on paper, the device aims to justify its ₹36,999 price tag. But can it stand toe-to-toe with established players and offer real-world value? Let’s dive deep into its performance, features, and shortcomings to see if the Infinix Zero Ultra 5G is worth your hard-earned money.
Infinix Zero Ultra 5G: Price and Availability in India
The Infinix Zero Ultra 5G has been launched as a single variant in India, boasting 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage, priced at ₹36,999 exclusively on Flipkart. It’s available in two stylish color options: Genesis Noir and Coslight Silver.
Design and Display: A Blend of Premium and Quirky
The Genesis Noir color of the Infinix Zero Ultra 5G stands out with its unique dual-tone and dual-texture design. The majority of the rear panel features glossy glass, attracting fingerprints, while the right section boasts a rubberized plastic that feels like vegan leather, offering a better grip. Though aesthetically subjective, the Coslight Silver option might appeal more to those seeking a truly premium look.
The device is slightly bulky, weighing 213g and measuring 9.16mm thick. The curved plastic frame, reminiscent of Vivo X-series phones, houses power and volume buttons on the right side. At the bottom, you’ll find the primary speaker grille, a dual-SIM tray, and a USB Type-C port.
The Infinix Zero Ultra 5G’s display is undoubtedly a highlight, featuring a 6.8-inch curved-edge AMOLED panel. The narrow bezels at the top and bottom contribute to an immersive multimedia experience, further enhanced by WideVine L1 certification for HD video playback. However, the lack of HDR10 support is a disappointment. The full-HD+ screen is bright enough for outdoor use, and the curved display doesn’t pose any issues with accidental touches due to the thick frame.
The device supports a 120Hz refresh rate for smoother scrolling, providing three refresh rate options: the standard 60Hz for battery saving, 120Hz for a buttery-smooth experience, and an adaptive mode that switches between the two based on content.
Despite the impressive display, the Infinix Zero Ultra 5G lacks an IP rating and any mention of scratch-resistant glass over the display.
Specifications and Software: Powerful Hardware Meets Unpolished Software
Under the hood, the Infinix Zero Ultra 5G is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 920 SoC, a precursor to the widely used MediaTek Dimensity 1080 SoC, found in phones like the Realme 10 Pro+ 5G and the Redmi Note 12 Pro+ 5G. The device packs a 4,500mAh battery with 180W fast charging capabilities and boasts 12 5G bands in India. Connectivity options include Wi-Fi 6, USB Type-C 2.0, Bluetooth, and FM radio.
However, the device falls behind its competition in the software department. It runs Android 12-based XOS 12.0 with a promised but unconfirmed update to Android 13. The limited software support, with only two years of updates, is disappointing. Moreover, at the time of review, the phone was still on the November 2022 Android security patch.
Adding to the software woes, the overall user experience isn’t very smooth. You’ll be bombarded with frequent notifications from Palm Store, the company’s native app store. The user interface doesn’t feel premium and is cluttered with Infinix apps like Visha Player, XArena, XClub, XShare Mini, and more.
While XOS 12.0 offers features like floating windows, sidebar shortcuts, and customization options, the overall approach to the user interface feels unpolished. The non-standard naming scheme for common parameters like the battery in the settings app (called Power Marathon) and the gallery app (AI Gallery) can be confusing for users accustomed to other Android devices.
Performance and Battery: A Solid Performer with Mixed Results
The Infinix Zero Ultra 5G delivers solid performance for everyday tasks like switching between apps, loading content, and playing casual games. No significant lag or stuttering was experienced while playing Call of Duty: Mobile with high graphics and very high framerate settings.
However, for hardcore gamers seeking prolonged intense gaming sessions, the device might not be the best choice. Even at its price point, phones like the OnePlus 10R 5G and iQoo Neo 6 offer superior gaming capabilities. In terms of raw performance, even the cheaper Redmi Note 12 Pro+ and Realme 10 Pro+ offer better value.
Benchmark scores reflect this performance trend. In AnTuTu, the Infinix Zero Ultra 5G scored 4,76,451 points. In Geekbench, it scored 773 and 2204 points in single-core and multi-core tests, outperforming the Redmi Note 12 Pro+ 5G, but lagging behind the Realme 10 Pro+ 5G.
Battery life is another area where the device struggles. The average screen-on time (SoT) was just over seven hours, possibly due to software optimization issues or the large display. In our HD video loop test, the device lasted for 12 hours and 26 minutes, significantly lower than the 19 hours and 43 minutes achieved by the Realme 10 Pro+ 5G and the 15 hours and 23 minutes achieved by the Redmi Note 12 Pro+ 5G.
Despite the relatively underwhelming battery life, the Infinix Zero Ultra 5G makes up for it with its blazing-fast charging experience. Thanks to the included 180W charger, the device charges from 1 to 50 percent in just 5 minutes and reaches a full charge in 15 minutes. The company claims that with Furious Mode enabled in the battery settings, users can charge the battery in just 12 minutes. Even without Furious Mode, the phone charged from 1 to 100 percent in 23 minutes, still impressive and remarkably fast.
Camera: A 200-Megapixel Sensor with Room for Improvement
The Infinix Zero Ultra 5G joins the growing club of phones sporting a 200-megapixel primary sensor with optical stabilisation (OIS), making it the third smartphone in India to do so. The camera setup also includes a 13-megapixel ultra-wide camera and a 2-megapixel depth sensor. For selfies, the phone has a 32-megapixel front camera.
While the camera setup looks promising on paper, there’s definitely room for improvement in real-world usage. In HDR shots, colors tend to be excessively boosted to retain details, leading to noticeable color fringing in some areas.
In scenarios with less harsh lighting, the primary camera delivers a good balance of colors and details. However, in night mode, the 1/1.22-inch sensor struggles to expose shadows adequately. The night sky often appears bluish instead of the expected grayish-black, and the phone takes a bit longer to capture and process images in both the "200MP" mode and night mode.
The ultra-wide camera captures photos with a warmer tone and distorted edges. While the dynamic range is decent, it lacks details, especially around image edges.
Selfies captured with the front camera in the standard AI Cam mode are closest to real-life appearance. However, selfies clicked using the Beauty and Portrait modes smooth out skin excessively and make it appear overly fair. Portrait mode, in particular, should avoid artificial skin smoothing by default. Edge detection also requires improvement as the software tends to blur out ears and hair in Portrait mode shots.
Video recording capabilities allow for 4K 30fps capturing using the rear camera and 1080p 30fps recording using the front camera. While capturing decent details and colors, the dynamic range performance needs improvement.
Verdict: A Compelling Offer With Room for Growth
The Infinix Zero Ultra 5G, while boasting some compelling features, also has its fair share of flaws. The device excels in design, display size, and fast charging experience. The 200-megapixel camera, although promising, requires optimization to deliver consistently good results. While the 180W fast charging is incredibly fast, the overall battery life is disappointing. The lack of Android 13 and the limited software support further detract from the user experience.
Ultimately, the Infinix Zero Ultra 5G faces tough competition at its price point. Alternatives like the Redmi Note 12 Pro+ 5G and iQoo Neo 6 provide a more polished overall experience at a lower cost. Unless you prioritize a ridiculously fast charging experience, there are better value options available in the market.
The Infinix Zero Ultra 5G shows promise, particularly for its innovative charging technology. However, to truly become a competitor in the premium mid-range segment, it needs to address its shortcomings in software optimization, overall battery life, and camera performance. Only then can it truly challenge established players in the market and offer a compelling value proposition for consumers.
