Infinix Hot 30 5G review: Average phone with really good battery

By Divya Bhati: China-based smartphone maker Infinix has been busy with back-to-back launches of mid-range smartphones. The Infinix Hot 30 5G is one of company's latest offerings in the budget segment. Infinix previously launched the Infinix Note 30 under Rs 15,000, which featured a 5,000 mAh battery, AI features in the camera, and more. Now with the new Hot 30 series, the company has moved down a bit on the budget and increased the battery capacity.

Priced starting at Rs 12,499, the new Infinix Hot 30 5G comes in two variants: 4GB of RAM (with a 4GB expandable option) and 8GB of RAM (with an 8GB expandable option), both with 128GB of internal storage. The smartphone features a 6000mAh battery, a 6.78-inch FHD+ display with 120Hz refresh rate, and is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 6020 chipset.

The new Hot 30 5G boasts its battery and claims to offer good performance in the segment. While the spec sheet looks promising and the phone offers decent features in the price range, the question is whether it really stands out as a mid-range budget 5G smartphone. Let's find out in this India Today Tech review.

Infinix Hot 30 5G design, build

In its recent launches, Infinix has placed a strong emphasis on the design of its devices. At first glance, the Infinix Hot 30 5G's boxy design and camera module may appear similar to the Infinix Note 30 that I previously reviewed. However, the Aurora Blue colour variant that we received for our review gives it a fresh and appealing look, thanks to its iridescent and shimmering effect.

Nevertheless, the back panel of the Infinix Hot 30 5G is made of plastic, which unfortunately feels rather flimsy. It resembles a thin sheet of plastic, thereby impacting the build and design of the phone. To add to the discomfort, the back panel tends to vibrate noticeably when playing music or engaging in gaming sessions, making it a bit uncomfortable to hold the device.

Additionally, the dual camera bump is quite prominent and causes the phone to wobble slightly when placed on its back.

Moving to the sides of the device, the buttons are responsive and provide easy lock and unlock functionality. The fingerprint sensor on the Infinix Hot 30 5G works well, ensuring a fast unlocking process.

On the top and bottom of the phone, there are connectivity ports and dual speaker grills. Notably, the phone features two speaker grills—one at the top and one at the bottom—for stereo sound, which is a good feature given the price range.

While the phone is comfortable to hold on its sides, it does feel somewhat heavy due to its 6000 mAh battery. The thickness of the phone is also noticeable, particularly at the front where the display sits slightly above the blue base. One aspect that I didn't particularly appreciate was the bezels. The Hot 30 5G does have thick bezels, especially at the top and bottom, which slightly affected my experience with the large display.

Overall, while the design of the Infinix Hot 30 5G offers a cool and fresh aesthetic appeal, the build quality could use some extra attention from Infinix as it impacts the overall experience of holding the phone.

Infinix Hot 30 5G display

The Infinix Hot 30 5G features an impressive, large 6.78-inch FHD+ display with a punch-hole cutout for the selfie camera. As noted earlier, the screen is surrounded by thick bezels, especially at the top and bottom. However, this does not significantly impact the overall display quality. The device boasts a screen that is quite sufficient for watching videos, taking calls, or performing other tasks.

I used the Infinix Hot 30 5G extensively for streaming and watching YouTube videos, Netflix shows, and even for gaming, and the display did not disappoint me. The visuals were bright and the colours were natural, not overly saturated as seen in some other phones. The colour reproduction is commendable, and the viewing angles didn't show any major faults. The smooth touch response of the display made swiping through apps effortless.

The display's brightness is also noteworthy, providing comfort to the eyes in low light or intense daylight with its peak brightness of up to 580 nits. However, when the brightness is low, some screen bleed occurs at the edges. This can be temporarily mitigated a bit by turning on dark mode or increasing the brightness.

Although the phone doesn't support 4K resolution, this isn't a concern for a budget phone since the HD display performs admirably. Even during gaming, the graphics were clear and vibrant. Although the availability of high-resolution settings limited the gaming options, the display still produced decent details and colours, resulting in a satisfactory image.

Aside from the minor screen bleed issue, the display of the Infinix Hot 30 5G is quite satisfactory. It performs well, and I enjoyed watching movies, making video calls, and using the phone for my day-to-day tasks.

Infinix Hot 30 5G performance

Turning to performance, the Infinix Hot 30 5G operates on the MediaTek Dimensity 6020 chipset. I tested the 8GB RAM variant and used the device for approximately a week, employing it for calling, streaming, and even gaming. During this time, the performance was above average in some respects and less satisfactory in others.

For routine tasks like calling, web browsing, video calling, and streaming, the phone performed admirably. The call quality is good, and the phone connects seamlessly with a 5G SIM when in a 5G network area. Streaming was also satisfactory, providing clear and bright visuals.

However, when it came to gaming, the device fell short of delivering compelling visuals. Casual games like Subway Surfers and Temple Run played adequately, but the visuals were slightly lacking. For more resource-intensive games like BGMI or Asphalt, the visuals were less impressive, and I noticed some lag. This lag was also evident when multitasking with multiple apps open. Given the weight of the device, long gaming sessions or extended periods of holding the phone during binge-watching were noticeably tiring.

During prolonged gaming or video streaming sessions, the device also tends to heat up. Furthermore, as mentioned earlier, the low-quality plastic back panel vibrates during gaming, affecting grip and comfort.

However, Infinix does not market this phone as a high-performance gaming device, so these issues should not pose a problem for those seeking a budget phone for typical use.

On the software front, the Infinix Hot 30 5G operates on the company's latest XPS 13, based on Android 13. As expected from a budget phone from a Chinese brand, there was some bloatware present. However, I appreciated that the device was not overly filled with these unnecessary apps. Some preinstalled apps like Spotify and Messenger are actually quite useful.

I would have appreciated the ability to uninstall unwanted apps, though. While this option is available for common apps like Spotify, others, such as XShare Mini, cannot be removed, only force-stopped. These apps inevitably consume storage space.

One significant highlight of the Infinix Hot 30 5G for me was its speakers. The dual speaker grills provide a near-stereo sound experience, enhancing streaming and music playback. Audio quality is often overlooked in this price range, so it was refreshing to see Infinix pay attention to this aspect. The inclusion of NFC technology, enabling wireless payment features, is also a plus.

The additional features like peak proof, game mode, and kids mode add a degree of fun and customization to the device, which I appreciated.

Infinix Hot 30 5G battery

The highlight of the Infinix Hot 30 5G is undoubtedly its 6000 mAh battery. This feature is a standout, providing impressive longevity. In my daily usage, the battery lasted for a day and a half, and during intense streaming or gaming sessions, it powered through for almost a day.

Despite its impressive capacity, the device comes with an 18-watt Type-C fast charger in the box. However, the charging speed is not exceptionally fast. It takes approximately 2 hours and 10 minutes to fully charge the phone from 0 to 100 percent.

Given the modest 18W charger and the large battery size, the charging speed isn't a significant concern.

Infinix Hot 30 5G camera

The Infinix Hot 30 5G features a 50-megapixel dual camera setup and an 8-megapixel front camera. In terms of its photographic capabilities, the device generally performs well, although there is room for improvement.

I took a variety of photos under different lighting conditions, and the rear camera yielded pleasing results. Images were vibrant, and crisp, and colors leaned more toward natural tones. For instance, a photo of a pink flower taken with the Infinix Hot 30 5G was quite satisfying, displaying ample detail in both the flower and the background leaves.

However, the device's bokeh mode needs refinement. It struggles somewhat with edge detection, resulting in a less-than-clear bokeh effect.

In indoor lighting conditions, the device continues to capture satisfactory shots, although manual brightness adjustment is sometimes necessary to reduce light noise. Regardless, I was generally pleased with the photos it produced.

The night camera mode is also commendable. The super night mode processes the image effectively, providing superior quality photos compared to those taken with the regular camera. However, night photos occasionally appear slightly soft. Considering the price range, the night camera mode of the Infinix Hot 30 5G performs admirably.

As for the front camera, it produced clear and vibrant photos. The only notable drawback was its difficulty in edge detection, resulting in a less defined blurred background in portrait mode.

Regarding the video, the phone does not offer a stability option, which is somewhat expected in this price range, so the video quality was reasonably good.

Overall, compared to other phones, the Infinix Hot 30 5G's camera quality is solid and could benefit from further improvements in future app updates.

Infinix Hot 30 5G review: Should you buy it?

Infinix has been impressively carving out a niche in the budget smartphone market recently. Its phones boast commendable cameras, battery life, and performance, making them worthy contenders against other brands. Personally, I have greatly enjoyed the Infinix Note 30 for its camera and performance, but my experience with the Infinix Hot 30 5G was somewhat disappointing.

While the Hot 30 5G offers a robust battery life, a large display, and a decent camera, it falls short in some fundamental areas. The back panel feels cheap and detracts from the overall design of the phone. Furthermore, the performance leaves something to be desired, making it less than ideal for gaming enthusiasts.

However, if you're seeking a budget smartphone for basic daily tasks like making calls and checking social media, the Infinix Hot 30 5G will serve you well. Nonetheless, there are better options available in a similar price range that offer superior display and performance.