Infinix, a Hong Kong-based smartphone manufacturer, has been making waves in the budget smartphone segment with its feature-packed devices. The Infinix Hot 50i is one of the latest additions to the Hot series, which is known for offering affordable smartphones with decent specifications. The Hot 50i is designed to cater to users who are looking for a budget-friendly device without compromising on essential features. In this article, we will delve into the various aspects of the Infinix Hot 50i, including its design, display, performance, camera, battery life, and software.

Design and Build Quality

The Infinix Hot 50i follows the design language that is typical of budget smartphones. It features a plastic body with a glossy finish, which gives it a sleek and modern look. The device is available in multiple color options, allowing users to choose one that suits their style. The back panel has a textured design that not only enhances the grip but also adds a touch of elegance to the phone.

The phone has a relatively large footprint, which is expected given its display size. However, it is lightweight and easy to handle, making it comfortable to use for extended periods. The power button and volume rocker are placed on the right side of the device, within easy reach of the thumb. The SIM card tray is located on the left side, and it supports dual SIM cards along with a microSD card for expandable storage.

At the bottom, you’ll find the micro-USB port, a 3.5mm headphone jack, and a speaker grille. The placement of these ports is convenient, and the inclusion of a headphone jack is a welcome feature, especially for users who prefer wired headphones.

Display

The Infinix Hot 50i boasts a 6.6-inch IPS LCD display with a resolution of 720 x 1612 pixels. While the resolution may not be the highest in its class, it is sufficient for everyday tasks such as browsing the web, watching videos, and using social media apps. The display offers decent color reproduction and good viewing angles, making it suitable for multimedia consumption.

The screen has a waterdrop notch at the top, which houses the front-facing camera. The bezels around the display are relatively thick, especially at the bottom, but this is expected in a budget smartphone. The display is protected by scratch-resistant glass, which helps in preventing minor scratches and scuffs.

One of the standout features of the display is its size, which makes it ideal for gaming and watching videos. The large screen real estate ensures that users have an immersive experience while playing games or streaming content. However, the lower resolution means that the display is not as sharp as some of the higher-end devices in the market.

Performance

Under the hood, the Infinix Hot 50i is powered by a MediaTek Helio G36 chipset, which is an octa-core processor clocked at 2.2 GHz. The Helio G36 is a budget-oriented chipset that is designed to handle everyday tasks with ease. It is paired with 4GB of RAM, which is sufficient for multitasking and running most apps smoothly.

The device comes with 128GB of internal storage, which is a generous amount for a budget smartphone. This allows users to store a large number of apps, photos, videos, and other files without worrying about running out of space. Additionally, the phone supports microSD card expansion, so users can further increase the storage capacity if needed.

In terms of performance, the Infinix Hot 50i is capable of handling most day-to-day tasks without any issues. Apps open quickly, and switching between them is smooth. The phone can also handle light gaming, although it may struggle with more demanding games at higher graphics settings. For casual gamers, the Hot 50i should be more than adequate.

Camera

The Infinix Hot 50i features a dual-camera setup on the back, consisting of a 13MP primary sensor and a secondary depth sensor. The camera app is user-friendly and offers various modes and features, including HDR, panorama, and portrait mode. The primary camera captures decent photos in good lighting conditions, with accurate colors and reasonable detail. However, the camera struggles in low-light conditions, with images appearing noisy and lacking detail.

The portrait mode works well, with the depth sensor helping to create a natural bokeh effect. The edge detection is not perfect, but it is decent for a budget smartphone. The camera also supports video recording at 1080p resolution, and the footage is stable and clear in well-lit environments.

On the front, the Infinix Hot 50i has an 8MP selfie camera housed in the waterdrop notch. The front camera is capable of capturing good selfies in daylight, with accurate skin tones and decent detail. The camera also supports face unlock, which is a convenient feature for quickly unlocking the phone.

Battery Life

One of the key selling points of the Infinix Hot 50i is its massive 5000mAh battery. The large battery capacity ensures that the phone can easily last a full day of heavy usage, and with moderate usage, it can even stretch to two days. This makes the Hot 50i an excellent choice for users who are always on the go and need a phone that can keep up with their busy lifestyle.

The phone supports 10W charging via the micro-USB port. While the charging speed is not the fastest, it is sufficient for a device with such a large battery. It takes a few hours to fully charge the phone, but the long battery life more than makes up for the slower charging speed.

Software

The Infinix Hot 50i runs on Android 13 with Infinix’s custom XOS skin on top. XOS is known for its feature-rich interface and offers a variety of customization options. The skin includes several pre-installed apps, some of which may be useful, while others may be considered bloatware. However, most of these apps can be uninstalled or disabled if not needed.

The software experience is smooth, with minimal lag or stutter. Infinix has done a good job of optimizing the software to work well with the hardware, ensuring that the phone performs well even with its modest specifications. The XOS skin also includes several useful features, such as a system booster, app lock, and a game mode that enhances the gaming experience by optimizing performance.

Connectivity and Other Features

The Infinix Hot 50i supports 4G LTE, ensuring that users can enjoy fast internet speeds where available. Other connectivity options include Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and GPS. The phone also has a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor, which is fast and accurate, providing an additional layer of security.

The device also includes a 3.5mm headphone jack, which is becoming increasingly rare in modern smartphones. This is a welcome feature for users who prefer wired headphones or earphones. The phone also has a dedicated microSD card slot, which is a plus for users who need extra storage.

Conclusion

The Infinix Hot 50i is a solid budget smartphone that offers a good balance of features and performance. Its large display, long battery life, and decent camera make it a compelling choice for users who are looking for an affordable device that can handle everyday tasks with ease. While it may not have the most powerful processor or the highest resolution display, it more than makes up for it with its overall value proposition.

For users who are on a tight budget but still want a smartphone that can deliver a good user experience, the Infinix Hot 50i is definitely worth considering. It may not be the most feature-packed device on the market, but it offers everything that most users