The Infinix Note 30 5G has arrived at a time when 5G connectivity is becoming increasingly prevalent in India. Infinix appears to have made a shrewd move by equipping this device with 5G capabilities, as its absence would have left it lagging behind competitors like the Realme C55. But beyond 5G, this new Note phone from Infinix boasts several enticing features, including a fresh MediaTek SoC and other enhancements rarely seen at this price point. However, Infinix has historically struggled with software, leaving many users frustrated. Has the new Note 30 5G finally addressed these concerns? Let’s delve into the details.
Infinix Note 30 5G Price in India
Infinix offers the Note 30 5G in two configurations within India. The base model, featuring 4GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, is priced at Rs. 14,999. A higher-end variant, boasting 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage, is available for Rs. 15,999. Paying the extra Rs. 1,000 for the top-tier model seems like a wise investment, as it doubles both RAM and storage for a slight price increase.
The phone comes in three eye-catching colorways: Magic Black, Interstellar Blue, and Magic Gold. The latter features an orange hue with a soft-finish vegan leather back panel. My review unit was the Magic Black variant, adorned with a matte finish.
Infinix Note 30 5G Design
The Infinix Note 30 5G remains true to the brand’s Note series ethos, not replacing or succeeding any previous models in the lineup. Infinix has achieved a commendable design, opting for a practical matte finish on the rear panel while adding a reflective finish to the frame. This design choice effectively prevents smudges on the back but does attract them to the frame. While a necessary compromise, it provides a commendable grip for comfortable handling of this sizable device.
The Magic Black finish of the Infinix Note 30 5G features a matte-finished polycarbonate rear panel
The phone is undeniably large, potentially posing a challenge for users with medium or small hands. To illustrate, it possesses a footprint comparable to Samsung’s Galaxy S23 Ultra, though fortunately, it is lighter at 204g. Infinix wisely utilized polycarbonate for the phone’s frame and rear panel, as the hefty 5,000mAh battery contributes to the weight, giving the phone a somewhat chunky appearance.
Surprisingly, the Note 30 5G holds an IP53 rating for dust and water resistance. Although not a particularly high rating, it’s still reassuring to know that the phone offers some degree of protection.
The phone’s slightly boxy design results in noticeable bezels around the display, particularly the thicker one at the bottom edge. The display features a hole-punch cutout for the selfie camera and employs NEG glass to shield against scratches. During my review period, I did not encounter any smudge or dust issues. Infinix thoughtfully includes a tempered glass screen protector in the box for users who crave extra protection.
Infinix Note 30 5G Specifications and Software
The Infinix Note 30 5G runs on the MediaTek Dimensity 6080 SoC, a newly launched chipset introduced in March of this year. While its name and numbering scheme might seem to suggest a premium component, it’s still a budget-oriented SoC. The good news is that it incorporates 5G connectivity with support for 14 5G bands. Additional communication standards include Wi-Fi ac, Bluetooth, NFC, and support for the usual satellite systems.
The Infinix Note 30 5G’s design exudes a modern aesthetic but also feels quite large and chunky
The Infinix Note 30 5G boasts stereo speakers (tuned by JBL) and a 3.5mm headphone jack. The SIM card tray accommodates three slots: two nano-SIM cards and a microSD card (up to 2TB). The substantial 5,000mAh battery can be charged using the included 45W charger. The packaging also includes a TPU case and a Type-A to Type-C cable.
While the above hardware specifications present a solid impression, the phone falters somewhat in terms of software. It runs XOS version 13, based on Android 13, but its appearance and feel deviate significantly from the familiar Android experience.
You’ll find a homescreen and an app drawer with an array of widgets to choose from. A Suggestions widget conveniently displays frequently used apps. However, the overall look is heavily themed, potentially unfamiliar to users accustomed to leaner skins or near-stock Android software.
Swiping to the right to access the Google Discover feed reveals a Zero Screen, which displays details like workout data and phone usage instead. The only way to reach the Discover feed from the homescreen is to tap the ‘G’ logo within the Google Search widget, effectively launching the Google app. In the Settings app, the Battery section is curiously labeled Marathon Power.
Infinix’s XOS 13 software comes preloaded with numerous bloatware apps and third-party applications
Launching the camera app, you’ll encounter an interface best described as overwhelming, as the carousel is brimming with options. The standard camera mode is dubbed AI Cam, while an AI button on the left side enables AI scene recognition features. There are separate Beauty and Portrait shooting modes, which I found helpful as I didn’t need to disable beautification effects within Portrait mode, a preference held by many. There’s also a video mode (thankfully simply named "video"), accompanied by a Film mode (for adding effects to videos). Swiping up from the carousel reveals even more modes!
Infinix also offers its AI-powered assistant Folax, useful for basic commands like switching on Bluetooth or weather-related inquiries. However, it primarily relies on Google searches (via a browser page) to provide results for more complex queries. Regrettably, I was unable to find or enable the highly publicized ChatGPT-style conversation mode on my review unit.
Beyond these features, the Infinix Note 30 5G is packed with bloatware apps such as XClub, WeZone, XShare Mini, Visha Player, Carlcare, and Aha Games, all of which are non-removable. Then there’s a collection of third-party apps like Instagram, Facebook, Messenger, WPS Office, Spotify, Snapchat, JioCinema, and Nojoto— thankfully, these can be uninstalled if deemed unnecessary. Considering the sheer number of apps, I was surprised by the lack of any spam notifications during the review period.
XOS also boasts some commendable features, including the ability to reply to notifications within floating windows, a notification sound for completed battery charging, bypass charging during gaming, and a game anti-addiction mode. You can also adjust the swipe and motion speeds within the software interface.
Infinix Note 30 5G Performance
The Infinix Note 30 5G’s 6.78-inch 120Hz full-HD+ IPS LCD displays vibrant colours at its default settings, shifting to a bluish tone with Original colour style enabled. While brightness proves sufficient indoors, it falls short outdoors, appearing rather dim under direct sunlight, making it challenging to use for snapping photos or viewing content. Viewing content indoors is a pleasurable experience, as the phone holds a Widevine L1 certification, enabling full-HD+ playback when streaming video.
The display’s refresh rate is adaptive, switching between 120Hz and 60Hz when set to auto. However, I preferred manually setting it to 120Hz, as many apps exhibited broken or stuttering scrolling, and forcing the display to 120Hz resulted in a visibly smoother experience. This stuttering was primarily noticeable in various third-party apps.
Turning to benchmarks, the Infinix Note 30 5G achieved 4,01,814 points in AnTuTu (v10), along with 767 and 2,061 in Geekbench’s single and multi-score tests, respectively. In terms of graphics, the phone attained 12fps, 22fps, and 55fps in GFXBench’s Car Chase, Manhattan 3.1, and T-Rex test suites. These scores are slightly lower than the OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite, powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon SoC and priced higher than the Note 30 5G.
The Infinix Note 30 5G boasts three rear cameras, but only one is accessible to the user
Regarding gaming, the Infinix Note 30 5G performed admirably and didn’t heat up significantly, even during extended gaming sessions. I tried Asphalt 9: Legends, which ran smoothly (sans a 60fps mode) at the High Quality graphics setting. Call of Duty: Mobile was playable but maxed out at Medium graphics and High framerate settings. The 240Hz touch sampling rate while playing Call of Duty: Mobile felt inadequate and couldn’t keep up with quick swipes. Audio quality through the JBL-tuned speakers was surprisingly good, delivering sufficiently loud and clear audio.
Battery life with the large 5,000mAh battery typically lasted me a little over a day with casual usage when the display was set to 120Hz. Our standard battery life test yielded average results, running for approximately 13 hours and 5 minutes. Frankly, I expected better battery life from the Note 30 5G.
Charging, on the other hand, was impressive for a budget smartphone. Using the bundled charger, the phone went from dead to 68 percent in 30 minutes and completed the charge in just 53 minutes, a commendable feat. The phone also features a bypass charging feature that directly supplies power to the phone without charging the battery when plugged in, minimizing heat production and keeping the phone cooler, proving beneficial during gaming sessions.
Infinix Note 30 5G Cameras
The Infinix Note 30 5G houses three rear-facing cameras, but only one is accessible to the user. There’s a 108-megapixel primary camera, a 2-megapixel camera for depth data, and a third AI camera. Selfies are handled by a 16-megapixel front-facing camera.
In daylight, the main camera captured sharp-looking photos with impressive details. Dynamic range was decent but not exceptional, as I observed some clipped highlights in the brighter areas of several photos. Colours exhibited a slightly saturated appearance, leading me to prefer keeping the AI scene recognition feature disabled. While lacking a dedicated macro mode or camera, close-ups of objects displayed good details and vibrant colours.
Infinix Note 30 5G daylight camera samples (Top to bottom: Selfie Portrait mode, Main camera close-up, Main camera landscape)
In low light, the primary camera delivered average-quality photos with decent dynamic range and similar colour saturation noted in daylight shots. Details were on the lower side, and I observed clipped highlights near bright light sources and dark patches in shadows.
Enabling the dedicated Night mode showcased an improvement in image quality with good dynamic range, details, and sharpness. However, this primarily applied to street-lit scenes or those with sufficient lighting. Employing Night mode in dimly lit areas yielded unimpressive results, with flat textures that resembled paintings upon closer inspection.
Selfies captured in daylight appeared decent at best, with limited details and dynamic range. Edge detection in Portrait mode was far from accurate, resulting in uninspiring overall outcomes. In low light, photos exhibited average details and appeared rather soft. Selfies could be captured using Night mode, but it seemed to oversharpen the images, adding no extra detail.
Infinix Note 30 5G low light camera samples (Top: Auto mode, bottom: Night mode)
Videos recorded at 1080p 30fps displayed average details but were quite shaky. Turning on Ultra-video stabilisation mode yielded significantly better quality. Sadly, the camera maxes out at an unconventional 2K resolution for video recording, and the electronic stabilisation feature is limited to 1080p 30fps, regardless of the phone’s capability to shoot at 1080p 60fps. As a result, 1080p 30fps remains the highest attainable quality. Videos captured at 1080p 30fps in low light appeared quite shaky and offered average quality.
Verdict
Infinix has achieved a commendable balance between the Note 30 5G’s hardware specs, performance, and compelling value. However, it falls short of expectations in certain aspects. Although the display’s slightly weak legibility outdoors might not be a deal-breaker, the messy software experience could be a deterrent.
Despite these shortcomings, the phone still offers excellent value in terms of features and price. From 5G connectivity and stereo speakers to an IP53 rating and 45W fast charging, there’s a compelling combination of features that currently remains challenging to find in this price segment.
If you’re comfortable investing the time to learn the software’s somewhat convoluted layout and are willing to tolerate the bloatware, the Infinix Note 30 5G could be a suitable 5G option for you. However, if you seek a slimmer smartphone with an OLED display or prioritize a cleaner software experience, the Moto G73 5G might be a better choice, especially considering its recent price reduction.
