With 5+ variant of Redmi, half a dozen of Realme and a plethora of other options, the sub 10k smartphone category in India is far too competitive to stand out. Companies have tried all the permutation and combination from the smartphone playbook to try and differentiate the products from the masses. While some concentrate on raw power others packs some beefed-up image sensors.
Infinix is all set to change this notion by offering a well-rounded package to capture the market that is largely ruled by the likes of Realme, Xiaomi and Motorola.
Let’s check out the new Infinix Hot 10S!
Design & Display
Infinix is not known to experiment with their design when it comes to smartphone, and the same can be said about the Hot 10S. The all-plastic design is all too evident with its glossy finish and rudimentary design with centre placed fingerprint sensor. However, one would notice the new textured back that remains smudge-free and a layer of pattern lines running from top to bottom which looks quite interesting. Proportions seem to do the task with its 9mm thickness and 200gm weight that inspires a lot more confidence. Ports and button comprise a power button and volume key on the right while a 3.5mm headphone jack and a micro-USB on the bottom.
The front packs a neat 6.82-inch display with 720p resolution and a peak brightness of 440nits. The chin section at the bottom is more prevalent as it seeps into the display real estate and the teardrop cut on the top also feels a lot less pleasing to the eye. On the plus side, you are treated to a 90Hz refresh rate display which renders some smooth animations.
Brightness under outdoor conditions was a bit hit and miss as the sensor struggled to quickly ramp up the brightness. Overall, we liked the display for the price as it gives good viewing angles and features like adaptive brightness and eye care gimmicks within the software for a better viewing experience.
Software
Coming to the software the device runs XOS 7.6 UI skin that’s built on top of Android 11. The experience is a lot cleaner as the company decided to do away with a lot of preloaded bloatware which is a step in the right direction. We liked the smooth user interface with clean animations supported by great swiping gestures from the side. Features don’t stop there as you can double-tap the fingerprint sensor to open a floating window of the app you are using.
Although the UI is functional, it comes with its fair share of intrusive ads which spoils the experience. Overall experience is still a positive one as this new system packs some feature that no other OEM offers like Special Turbo, Gaming mode, XClone, Smart Panel and more.
Performance
Coming to the highlight feature of the Infinix Hot 10S, the device packs a respectable MediaTek’s Helio G85 processor with 4/6 GB RAM coupled with 64GB of eMMC 5.1 storage. This chipset works well with the 90Hz display to render smooth animation and clean visuals. Users won’t struggle to get their everyday task done as the processor zooms through the apps and games.
For gaming, the smartphone comes with a feature called Dar-Link Game Boost Technology which reduces screen tearing, improves touch response, and also boosts colour reproduction. We tested out many titles like COD, Asphalt and BGMI which were very much playable medium settings with high frames per second. The smartphone handled the game without any issues and frame drops. Heating was also kept to a bare minimum with an efficient cooling mechanism.
Camera
The Infinix Hot 10S is treated to a triple camera setup, including a 48MP primary lens with f/1.79 aperture, Quad-LED flash, a 2MP depth sensor, and an AI camera. The front on the other hand has an 8MP selfie camera with an f/2.0 aperture and a dual-LED flash.
The rear camera setup is acceptable with a good dynamic range and produces images with a high pixel count. Though the results need some fine-tuning they can be easily rendered with natural colours and accurate saturation levels. Human skin tons looks quite artificial and could benefit from in-app filters if you are into shooting a lot of portraits.
Night mode feels alright given the price as the images struggled to focus and left us with a lot grainier image. What’s majorly lacking is the presence of a wide-angle lens or macro lens which has become a norm in this category.
Selfies from the 8MP sensor were are a lot more refreshing with the added LED flash which provided the much-needed light to the subject in question. Overall images were great but a bit on a softer side.
The camera app on the Infinix Hot 10S boasts a lot of features, including slow-motion, time-lapse, Document mode, Beauty mode, etc. All in all, the Hot 10S is not a camera smartphone for sure but gets the job done with its extensive library of features and decent hardware.
Ultra Wide 
Beauty Mode 
Selfie 
Portrait 
Battery Life
The Infinix Hot 10S packs a 6000mAh battery with a 10W charger in-box which is a weird combination. The device can run all your apps with moderate to heavy usage over 2 days. A dedicated battery saver mode called Power Marathon also lends additional support in cutting down the battery use, in case the need arises.
While every other company has adopted faster charging for sub 10k smartphone, the presence of a modest 10W charger can be a compromise for few. Charging this beefy battery took a mere 3-4 hours which is more of an overnight charging habit you would need to adopt if you wish to use this device.
Gizmo Verdict
Though not a major leap over the Infinix Hot 10, the new Infinix Hot 10S is sure a step in the right direction. As far as the smartphone goes, the device handles all day-to-day task with an extensive flare. The device provides a battery life that is sure to last over two days with moderate to heavy use which is quite impressive.
Add that with a ton of feature that Infinix provides in the OS makes the Hot 10S a steller option for the price. So, if you are in the market for some neat smartphone that does the job, the Infinix Hot 10S is honestly a great option.
