8 Advantages & Disadvantages of the Infinix Hot 40 Pro
Are you searching for an affordable mobile phone that's great for gaming? The Infinix Hot 40 Pro might be worth your consideration. This phone delivers impressive gaming performance, thanks to its powerful MediaTek Helio G99 SoC, a standout in its category.
The MediaTek Helio G99 SoC is well-known and has been incorporated into several Infinix models. The inclusion of the Helio G99 in the Infinix Hot Series makes it even more appealing because it offers excellent value without being too heavy on your wallet. It is generally more affordable than the higher-tier Note or Zero series from Infinix.
Beyond just gaming, the Infinix Hot 40 Pro has more to offer. Curious about what else makes this phone a good choice?
Advantages of the Infinix Hot 40 Pro
The Infinix Hot 40 Pro has got several strengths, neatly summarized into eight key points as follows:
1. Good Build Quality
Although the design of the Infinix Hot 40 Pro might appear fairly standard and unremarkable with its large screen bezels and a rear camera module reminiscent of an iPhone, the overall construction is quite robust for an entry-level smartphone.
The phone predominantly uses plastic for its body, except for the glass screen. Despite this, the build quality is surprisingly solid. Patrick Canete from Noypi Geeks acknowledges the phone's sturdy feel, highlighting that it does not seem fragile.
GSM Arena also commends the phone for having no gaps between the frame and the body's front and back.
Additionally, the matte finish on the back cover provides a non-slip surface and resists dirt visibly, enhanced by a textured design known as the Starry Trail Design, which reflects light at certain angles. However, the frame's glossy finish tends to attract fingerprint marks.
The Infinix Hot 40 Pro features a modern design with flat edges and a punch-hole screen, available in four colors: Horizon Gold, Starlit Black, Palm Blue, and Starfall Green.
2. Large, Responsive Screen with Magic Ring Feature
The Infinix Hot 40 Pro sports a sizable 6.78-inch screen with Full HD+ (1080 x 2460) resolution. Although the screen utilizes an IPS LCD panel instead of the more vibrant AMOLED, the display quality is commendable, with good sharpness and clarity thanks to its high resolution.
The phone supports a refresh rate of up to 120 Hz, along with options to adjust it to 90 Hz or 60 Hz to balance smooth animations with battery conservation. An automatic switch feature also adjusts the refresh rate based on the application in use.
With a touch sampling rate of 360 Hz, the screen is exceptionally responsive, making it ideal for gaming by quickly registering touches. When tested in auto mode by GSM Arena, the screen brightness reached 534 nits, ensuring visibility even when used outdoors.
Another notable screen feature is the Magic Ring, similar to the Dynamic Island found on iPhones. This notification animation, located around the front camera hole, currently only supports system activities such as charging and face unlock, without third-party application support yet.
3. Loud Stereo Speakers
The Infinix Hot 40 Pro is equipped with stereo speakers, with the main speaker located at the bottom of the frame and the secondary speaker integrated into the earpiece. The presence of stereo speakers is a significant advantage, especially since many entry-level phones only offer mono speakers.
Patrick Canete noted that the speakers on the Infinix Hot 40 Pro are impressively loud, which means users don't have to constantly max out the volume to hear clearly in noisy environments.
He also mentioned that the treble is quite crisp, and the bass remains noticeable. According to GSM Arena, the speaker volume of the Infinix Hot 40 Pro ranks very highly, achieving a loudness score of -24.5 LUFS (Loudness Units Full Scale).
4. Fast Performance, Capable of Handling Intensive Games
The Infinix Hot 40 Pro delivers swift performance, bolstered by the MediaTek Helio G99 SoC, a chipset popular among both mid-range and budget-friendly smartphones.
This SoC features an eight-core CPU setup, including 2 Cortex A76 and 6 Cortex A55 cores, and uses the Mali-G57 MC2 as its GPU. These processors are built using TSMC's advanced 6 nm technology.
Furthermore, the Helio G99 supports UFS 2.2 storage, which in the case of the Infinix Hot 40 Pro, provides 256 GB of space. This is complemented by 8 GB of LPDDR4x RAM.
Thanks to these specifications, the Infinix Hot 40 Pro scores well in benchmarks, achieving a Geekbench 6 score of 732 for single-core performance and 1975 for multi-core performance. Its AnTuTu 10 benchmark score is an impressive 428,551, according to GSM Arena.
However, benchmarks don't always mirror real-world performance. Patrick Canete reported occasional lags during use, but even so, the Infinix Hot 40 Pro performs relatively well in everyday tasks compared to other phones in its price range. It handles activities like messaging, browsing videos on TikTok, and streaming movies on Netflix without any issues.
As for gaming, the Infinix Hot 40 Pro manages to run PUBG Mobile smoothly on 'HD' graphics and 'High' frame rate settings (30 FPS). Olatunde Shobajo from the Valor Reviews YouTube channel suggests using a 'Smooth' graphics setting with an 'Ultra' frame rate (40 FPS) for an even better experience.
Patrick Canete also had a positive experience playing Mobile Legends on the 'Ultra' graphics setting with a 'Super' frame rate (90 FPS), and he managed to play Genshin Impact on the 'Low' graphics setting.
While he didn't specify the frame rate for Genshin Impact, a 'Lowest - 60 FPS' setting is recommended for those looking to enjoy smooth gameplay, even if the image clarity is compromised.
5. Physical Gyroscope Sensor, NFC, and microSD Slot
The Infinix Hot 40 Pro comes with a physical gyroscope sensor, which underscores its credentials as a gaming phone. For many gamers, a gyroscope sensor is essential as it enhances control over character movement in games.
However, the Infinix Hot 40 Pro provides more than just a gyroscope; it also includes an accelerometer, proximity sensor, light sensor, compass, and a fingerprint scanner integrated into the power button.
The device's connectivity features are equally impressive. It supports multifunctional NFC, includes a 3.5 mm audio jack, and provides Bluetooth and FM radio capabilities.
Additionally, the Infinix Hot 40 Pro features a non-hybrid SIM card slot, allowing users to insert two SIM cards and a microSD card simultaneously, with support for microSD cards up to 1 TB.
This setup is particularly convenient for users who need extra storage without sacrificing dual SIM functionality.
6. 108 MP Camera that Captures Excellent Low-Light Photos
The Infinix Hot 40 Pro features a trio of rear cameras: a 108MP main camera with autofocus and an f/1.8 aperture, a 2MP macro camera with an f/2.4 aperture, and a depth sensor. Additionally, it boasts a 32MP fixed-focus front camera with an f/2.2 aperture located on the front of the device.
Both the main and front cameras are equipped with flashlights and are capable of recording videos at resolutions of 2K at 30 FPS, as well as 1080p at both 30 FPS and 60 FPS.
Video recording is further enhanced with Electronic Image Stabilization (EIS), although this stabilization feature is only activated when recording at a frame rate of 30 FPS.
The camera application comes loaded with various modes to enhance your photography experience. These include a Night mode for low-light conditions, a Portrait mode for focus on subjects, and a Pro mode.
In Pro mode, users have the flexibility to adjust settings such as ISO, shutter speed, focus, and white balance to better control the outcome of their photos.
The main camera excels in capturing high-quality images, performing admirably even under low-light conditions where it manages to keep noise to a minimum.
The front camera also delivers good quality photos, with colors that appear natural, although it offers a slightly narrower dynamic range compared to the main camera. For instance, it may not capture clouds as clearly in outdoor settings, but it still effectively displays people’s faces.
Below are some sample photos taken with the Infinix Hot 40 Pro’s cameras, allowing you to assess the quality for yourself:
Source: Digital Reg
Source: Digital Reg
Source: Digital Reg7. Battery Life is Quite Adequate
The Infinix Hot 40 Pro is equipped with a 5000 mAh battery, which Infinix claims can last up to 34 days on standby. Of course, this impressive duration assumes that the phone is not being used at all.
But what about when the phone is in active use? Olatunde Shobajo notes that the Infinix Hot 40 Pro should comfortably last a full day for moderate users. These users typically employ their phones mainly for communication, though they may occasionally play games or use other applications.
In an endurance test conducted by GSM Arena, the Infinix Hot 40 Pro achieved an active usage time of 13 hours and 9 minutes. Specifically, in a scenario where it was used to stream video on YouTube, the phone lasted for nearly 14 hours, which is commendable.
As for charging, the device supports 33-watt fast charging, allowing for quick recharges. It can reach 50% capacity in just 30 minutes, and a full charge takes about 85 minutes.
Additionally, the Infinix Hot 40 Pro features wired reverse charging technology, enabling it to charge other devices using a USB-C to USB-C cable.
8. Comprehensive Sales Package
Source: Valor ReviewsThe Infinix Hot 40 Pro comes with a full array of accessories included in the box. Upon unboxing, you'll find a USB-A to USB-C cable, a 33-watt charging adapter, a clear soft case, and a set of documents that are often overlooked.
For those purchasing the Free Fire edition of the Infinix Hot 40 Pro, additional accessories like a lanyard and a cooling fan are included. Infinix has indeed provided a generous package that should satisfy most consumers.
Cons of the Infinix Hot 40 Pro
Here are some crucial points to consider about the Infinix Hot 40 Pro, especially if you are thinking about buying this phone.
1. Still Using Android 13
The Infinix Hot 40 Pro operates on the Android 13 operating system, complemented by the XOS 13.5 user interface. This might be disappointing for some as numerous phones released in early 2024 are already equipped with Android 14.
The operating system of the Infinix Hot 40 Pro is not the latest, and Infinix has not confirmed whether this model will receive an update to Android 14. Furthermore, there is no clarity on how many future updates this phone will be eligible for.
The software challenges extend beyond just the operating system version. The XOS interface, which this phone uses, includes advertisements, unsolicited notifications from certain apps, and bloatware. These issues often accompany budget-friendly smartphones that otherwise offer high specifications.
The revenue from these ads helps subsidize the cost, allowing the phone to be sold at a lower price. If you find the advertisements intrusive, there are ways to remove ads on Infinix phones that you may want to look into.
2. No Ultrawide Camera
The Infinix Hot 40 Pro features only one main rear camera, which functions quite well. There is also a macro camera included, but it's likely to be seldom used by most users.
Ideally, a smartphone should have at least two useful rear cameras: a main camera and an ultrawide camera. Unfortunately, the Infinix Hot 40 Pro lacks an ultrawide camera.
This limitation is somewhat expected since the phone is an entry-level model, not a mid-range or high-end device. Entry-level phones often have to sacrifice certain features to keep the price affordable. Infinix has prioritized performance in designing this phone.
3. No IP Rating or Screen Protection Glass
The Infinix Hot 40 Pro does not come with an IP rating or screen protection glass. I had hoped that it would at least be rated IP53, which would mean it could withstand splashes of rain, making it a reliable option for people who work outdoors, like motorbike taxi drivers.
Unfortunately, the phone does not offer this level of protection. However, the lack of screen protection glass can be addressed by adding a layer of tempered glass. Simply visit a mobile phone accessory store, and a technician can fit the right tempered glass for the phone.
Conclusion
The Infinix Hot 40 Pro offers hope for gamers on a budget. With the Helio G99 SoC, it provides reliable gaming performance at an affordable price. Infinix has now included the Helio G99 in the Hot series, a chipset previously reserved for the pricier Note and Zero series.
Besides the powerful chipset, the phone boasts a large responsive display, stereo speakers, a physical gyroscope sensor, and solid battery life, enhancing its gaming capabilities.
The camera performance is also impressive, particularly in low-light conditions, outperforming other phones in the same price range.
Additional features like NFC, 33-watt fast charging, a dedicated microSD slot, ample storage, and an audio jack expand its functionality.
However, it's important to remember that the Infinix Hot 40 Pro is still a budget phone. It lacks an IP rating for water and dust resistance, an ultrawide camera, and protective screen glass. Moreover, it currently runs on Android 13, and it is unclear if it will receive future updates.
Creating a well-rounded phone at a low price point is challenging. Yet, for those focused on competitive gaming, the Infinix Hot 40 Pro is a strong contender.