5G on a budget

THE Infinix Hot 30

5G is the latest smartphone to drop in the sub Rs 15,000 segment. It’s part of a wider industry trend that is now seeing 5G smartphones hit affordable levels, as more customers get on the 5G superhighway. The Infinix brand is part of the Transsion group (that also owns the Tecno and Itel brands), the Hot 30 is one of the better-looking devices at this price point with a refined matte finish. This finish also keeps out smudges, the device comes in a blingy aurora blue colour variant. One of the most striking design features is the bold rear camera module.

Infinix keeps the heft under 200 gm despite a massive 6000 mAh battery. The Hot 30 scores on the battery front- it should comfortably last a day and a half for most users. The device comes with an IP53 certification that offers limited dust ingress and protection from water spray, a handy inclusion at this price. One of our favourite features is the practical side-mounted fingerprint sensors, that allows you to power on the phone and unlock it in one action.

The Hot 30 comes with a vivid 6.78-inch FHD+ display that hits a peak brightness of 580 nits. The addition of Widevine L1 certification gives you full HD playback while video streaming; it adds to the binge appeal of the device along with the 120hz refresh rate that keeps things smooth. The Hot 30 is powered by a MediaTek Dimensity 6080 Soc, chipset that supports 14 5G bands. It comes in two hardware options – 4GB/128GB and 8GB/128GB. Other hardware highlights include a 50MP dual AI camera and an 8MP selfie shooter. Infinix adds a film mode to the camera that allows you to get creative when you switch to video mode. The Hot 30 is a good value for money option for its sticker price. (Rs 12,499 onwards)