Infinix recently launched its new Infinix Note 7 in the country, which directly competes in the highly sensitive under 15k smartphone bracket category. A category that is largely dominated with the Redmi Note series, Samsung M series, and Realme 5 series. However, with an eye-catching spec sheet filled with solid numbers such as a 6.95-inch HD+ Infinity O-Display, a Quad AI 48MP camera setup, a hardcore gaming-centric G70 processor, and a 5000mAh battery. Can it rival the segment leaders and carve a niche of its own? Let’s find out!
Design
Note 7 with its beautiful gem-cut texture finished in a 3D glass design looks refreshing. It maintains a similar profile as its predecessors with buttons on one side and plane rounded corners all around. The fingerprint sensor is embedded inside the power button which is a nice touch by the company. The 2.5D glass on the front along with sleekier bezels adds a level of elegance to the device.
The display on the new Note 7 is a gigantic 6.95-inch HD+ panel with a pinhole design to accommodate the 16MP selfie unit. This panel offers an aspect ratio of 20.5:9 and a screen-to-body ratio of 91.5% with minimal edges to make the device more ergonomic, despite its overbearing dimensions. With 480 nits of peak brightness, the Note 7 is relatively bright in outdoor lighting conditions. The major downside of this entire setup is the 720×1640 pixel display which is an utter disappointment given the competition which offers 1920x1080p as standard. Nevertheless, the panel is decent for binge-watching as it brings out a rich-in-colour video viewing experience.
Performance
Performance-wise the Note 7 packs in the latest gen MediaTek Helio G70 processor with two high-performance A75 cores clocked at 2.0GHz and 6 A55 cores clocked at 1.7GHz. This setup also includes an ARM Mali G52 GPU that runs the Hyper Engine Game Tech and AI assists. The smartphone is coupled with 4GB RAM and 64GB of onboard storage expandable up to 256GB via an SD card.
This entire setup works well and delivers a consistent experience, be it sliding through a hoard of apps running in the background or gaming through some pretty intensive titles. The operating system is nothing extraordinary but includes some great touches like a dedicated Gaming Mode, Screen Recording, Bike Mode, and a DTS-HD surround sound for the enhanced gaming experience.
Camera
The Note 7 packs a quad camera setup of 48 MP (f/1.8) + 2 MP (f/2.4) macro lens + 2 MP (f/2.4) depth sensor + 2 MP (f/1.8) low light sensor unit on the back while the front flanks a 16MP punch hole shooter.
The setup performs well under brightly lit environments and puts out shots that are vivid and lifelike. Color bleeding does happen but is rightly contained due to the excessive postprocessing done by the processor. Even after zooming a lot, the pictures maintain the level of crispiness we were hoping to acquire which is a good sign.
Slo-mo videos taken from this smartphone captured our imagination as we began tinkering to find some fast-moving objects to play in an around the office. Macro shots too fared better as it captured the astounding level of detail present in our objects.
The selfie sensor on the punch-hole display is worthy of an Instagram shoot. The AI assist lends an additional level of support to the sensor apart from the HDR, Portrait, and Wide selfie mode. The 3D face beauty mode fixes the skin issues in Realtime to get that unique smooth look. All in all, we were impressed by the Infinix efforts in the camera department.
Battery
Infinix has always flourished in the battery department and the new Note 7 is no different. The 5000mAh unit takes through an entire day or two of heavy to moderate use. Playing some demanding titles like Asphalt 9, COD, and Shadow Fighter for 5-6 hours straight still left us with a 20-30% battery in reserve. Despite packing in a larger battery, juicing up is no problem as the company includes an 18W Super Charger right inside the box.
Gizmo Verdict
The Infinix Note 7 sets a new benchmark in how far the company has come in creating unique products that champion a lot of attention. This gaming-centric smartphone packs a snappy processor, a humongous battery, and a speaker system to insinuate a great fulfilling experience.
The camera too has come a long way, as the company has noticeably tried to fix all that bugs and problems found on its earlier sibling. Had the company given the same attention towards the bloatware filled OS and an underrated display, Note 7 would be one of our undoubtedly pick for this season. Nevertheless, the Note 7 is one of the great launches for this year and will be a perfect pick for those who value speedy workflows and immersive gaming experience.
