Infinix Note 40 Pro Review: A Mid-Range Powerhouse with Premium Features



Infinix, a brand that has steadily been making waves in the mid-range smartphone market, continues to surprise us with its blend of affordability and premium features. The Infinix Note 40 Pro is a testament to this ethos. It strikes a balance between performance, aesthetics, and cutting-edge features, making it an attractive option for those seeking a robust smartphone without breaking the bank.

In this review, we will delve into the various aspects of the Infinix Note 40 Pro, from its design and display to its performance, camera capabilities, battery life, and software experience.

Design and Build Quality

Right out of the box, the Infinix Note 40 Pro impresses with its sleek and polished design. Infinix has gone for a modern look, with a glossy glass back that feels premium in hand. While glass backs are a fingerprint magnet, the provided case mitigates this issue to a large extent. The phone comes in several attractive colors, catering to different style preferences, with some variants offering gradient finishes.

The frame is made of high-quality polycarbonate, which ensures durability without adding too much weight. Weighing in at around 200 grams, the Note 40 Pro feels solid yet manageable in the hand. The placement of buttons is ergonomic, with the power button doubling as a fingerprint scanner on the side, offering easy and reliable access. For those who prefer facial recognition, the phone includes a face unlock feature as well.

On the front, the phone sports a punch-hole cutout for the selfie camera, minimizing bezel size and offering a more immersive display. The slim bezels and curved edges contribute to a higher screen-to-body ratio, making the device look sleek and modern. The bottom of the phone houses a USB-C port, speaker grille, and a 3.5mm headphone jack—a welcome addition for audio enthusiasts.

Display

One of the standout features of the Infinix Note 40 Pro is its 6.8-inch AMOLED display. With a Full HD+ resolution (1080 x 2400 pixels), the screen delivers crisp visuals, vibrant colors, and deep blacks—qualities that are typically associated with more expensive phones. The AMOLED panel ensures better contrast ratios and improved outdoor visibility compared to traditional LCDs.

Infinix has also incorporated a 120Hz refresh rate into the Note 40 Pro, offering a buttery-smooth experience whether you're scrolling through social media, gaming, or navigating the UI. The high refresh rate makes everything feel more responsive, enhancing the overall user experience.

Furthermore, the screen supports HDR10, providing a better dynamic range for watching movies and videos. Media consumption on this device is delightful, with the large display ensuring that you won't miss out on any details.



Performance

Under the hood, the Infinix Note 40 Pro is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 8100 chipset, a powerful and efficient processor that offers a good balance between performance and power consumption. This octa-core chipset, coupled with the Mali-G610 MC6 GPU, ensures that the phone can handle most tasks with ease, whether it’s gaming, streaming, or multitasking.

The phone is available in configurations of 8GB or 12GB of RAM, paired with 256GB of internal storage. The UFS 3.1 storage ensures faster read and write speeds, resulting in quicker app loading times and smoother overall performance. For those needing more space, the phone offers a microSD card slot for expandable storage up to 1TB.

In day-to-day usage, the Note 40 Pro delivers snappy performance. Apps open quickly, multitasking is smooth, and there’s no noticeable lag when switching between multiple apps. Gaming performance is also commendable, with titles like PUBG Mobile and Call of Duty: Mobile running smoothly at medium to high settings. Thanks to the 120Hz refresh rate, games and animations feel fluid, though some heavy gaming sessions can cause the phone to get slightly warm.

Camera Performance

Cameras have become a major selling point for smartphones, and the Infinix Note 40 Pro doesn’t disappoint. The phone features a triple-camera setup on the rear, comprising:

  • 108MP primary sensor
  • 8MP ultra-wide-angle lens
  • 2MP depth sensor

The 108MP main sensor captures a significant amount of detail, producing sharp and vibrant images in well-lit conditions. Infinix has worked on improving its image processing, and it shows in the way colors are reproduced. The images taken with this sensor are rich in detail, and even when zooming in, the quality remains quite good.

Low-light performance is decent, thanks to the Night Mode that helps reduce noise and brighten up the images. However, as with many mid-range devices, there’s some degradation in quality when the lighting conditions are particularly poor. Still, the Note 40 Pro’s camera performs better than expected for its price range.

The 8MP ultra-wide lens allows for more expansive shots and is great for landscapes and group photos. While the images from this lens aren’t as detailed as those from the primary sensor, they are still sharp enough for social media sharing. The 2MP depth sensor helps with portrait photography, offering decent bokeh effects. Portrait shots have good edge detection, though sometimes the blur can appear unnatural.


On the front, the Note 40 Pro is equipped with a 32MP selfie camera that captures sharp and vibrant selfies. The front camera also benefits from a beauty mode that enhances facial features without over-processing the image. Portrait selfies with bokeh effects are good, with decent edge detection, though there can be minor issues with background separation in complex lighting scenarios.



Battery Life and Charging

The Infinix Note 40 Pro is equipped with a 5,000mAh battery, which provides ample juice for a full day of moderate to heavy use. Thanks to the efficient Dimensity 8100 chipset and optimizations in the software, the phone handles power consumption quite well. On a typical day of usage involving social media browsing, video streaming, and light gaming, the phone easily lasts an entire day with some battery to spare.

For heavy users, the 120Hz refresh rate can impact battery life slightly, but it’s still manageable. Thankfully, the Note 40 Pro supports 120W fast charging, which can charge the phone from 0 to 100% in just under 30 minutes. This is a game-changer for users who are always on the go, as it significantly reduces downtime spent waiting for the phone to charge.

The phone also includes 33W wireless charging, which is rare at this price point. It may not be as fast as wired charging, but it’s a convenient feature to have, especially for those who prefer the convenience of charging pads.

Software Experience

Infinix ships the Note 40 Pro with XOS 13 based on Android 13. The XOS skin offers a customized experience with several additional features such as Smart Panel, Social Turbo, and Game Mode, enhancing multitasking, social media interaction, and gaming.

While XOS is feature-packed, it may feel a bit overwhelming at first due to the number of pre-installed apps and system notifications. Thankfully, most of these can be disabled or uninstalled, allowing you to customize the experience to your liking.

The software is smooth, and during my time with the device, I didn’t experience any significant bugs or crashes. However, the UI design could benefit from a bit more refinement, particularly in terms of iconography and overall aesthetic. Despite this, the phone offers solid performance, especially for those familiar with Infinix’s approach to Android skins.

Final Verdict

The Infinix Note 40 Pro is a solid mid-range smartphone that punches above its weight in many areas. Its premium design, high-quality AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate, powerful processor, and fast charging capabilities make it a compelling choice for anyone looking for a device that offers excellent value for money.

While it’s not without its quirks—such as the somewhat busy software and average low-light camera performance—the Note 40 Pro excels in areas that matter most to users. The phone's impressive battery life, powerful camera system, and overall performance make it an excellent choice for both casual users and tech enthusiasts.

If you’re in the market for a mid-range smartphone that delivers flagship-like features without the flagship price tag, the Infinix Note 40 Pro should definitely be on your shortlist.

image credit gsmarena.com

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