Infinix Note 30 review: Good audio and battery, but what about performance?

Infinix, a Chinese smartphone manufacturer brand, recently launched several new smartphones in the Indian market including the latest addition the Infinix Note 30 5G. There is no denial that despite being in the Indian market for several years, the brand still faces significant competition from companies like Vivo, Samsung, Xiaomi, and Realme. But with its latest offerings, the brand is trying hard to create a space for itself in the competitive smartphone space. By launching the Infinix Note 30 5G, the company is clearly targeting budget centric customers who are looking for a fairly solid phone.

Starting at the price of Rs. 14,999, the new Infinix Note 30 comes in two variants: 4GB of RAM (with a 4GB expandable option) + 128GB of internal storage, and 8GB of RAM (with an 8GB expandable option) and 256GB of internal storage. The smartphone features a 6.78-inch FHD+ display with a 120Hz refresh rate, a 5000mAh battery with fast charging support, and is powered by the MediaTek octa-core Dimensity 6080 6nm chipset. The phone also boasts a 108-megapixel triple camera setup and includes a slow AI-based feature in the camera department to offer users a wholesome experience.

While the specifications sheet of the Infinix Note 30 looks promising, the question remains: How does it perform in day-to-day usage? Let's find out in this India Today Tech review.

Infinix Note 30 5G design and build

The Infinix Note 30 5G is available in three colour options: Magic Black, Sunset Gold, and Interstellar Blue. The review unit we received comes in black colour. At first glance, the black colour option of the Infinix Note 30 felt somewhat similar to the Infinix Zero 20, which I reviewed earlier. The phone includes two large camera lenses coupled with an LED flashlight enclosed in a square island, which are all similar to the Infinix Zero 20. However, I did notice a few changes in design and some added features that set the Note 30 apart from the former. For instance, Note 30 boasts a NFC (Near-field communication for wireless payment) sensor, a bigger camera island and there are a few other enhancements added to its distinctiveness.

On the side, the phone features volume buttons and a fingerprint sensor. However, I would have liked it if Infinix offered an in-display fingerprint sensor. While on the bottom, it includes a USB-C charging port, a microphone, and a 3.5mm audio jack, which is commonly seen in smartphones in this price range. However, what set the Note 30 apart is the addition of not just one, but two speaker grills-one at the bottom and the other at the top. What is even more interesting is that these speakers are JBL-powered and provide a stereo sound experience.

Overall, I liked the design of the smartphone as it offers a premium feel. In fact, the design stands out as one of the key highlights of the Note 30.

In terms of the build, the Infinix Note 30 has a polycarbonate matte finish on the back, complemented by stylish metal frames with a mirror finish design on the sides. The overall metallic matte finish gives the phone a premium look and is classy to hold. Moreover, despite weighing 219 grams, the device surprisingly feels lightweight when held with just one hand, providing a comfortable and secure grip. I even didn't feel any inconvenience while holding the phone for hours while playing games or watching streaming.

To enhance durability, the phone comes bundled with a TPU cover that offers device protection. While the back design receives considerable attention, the front of the phone seems to be somewhat neglected. Although a screen protector is included, it fails to cover the entire display, leaving the edges vulnerable. However, that can be taken care of with a screen protection guard from a third-party vendor.

Infinix Note 30 5G display

The Infinix Note 30 comes packed with a 6.78-inch large FHD+ display with a 120Hz screen refresh rate. Although Infinix has not included an AMOLED display like in the Zero 20, the display still manages to offer bright, vibrant, and crisp details. But of course, it isn't as good as an AMOLED panel. The phone also offers a variety of settings to adjust the display according to your needs. There are options to adjust the colour, and there is also an eye care feature that made it easier for me to use the phone for long hours without straining my eyes.

Over the past few days, I have been using the Infinix Note 30 to watch videos on YouTube, movies, and stream content on platforms like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and other apps, in HD settings. And I must say that the output has been good. I noticed that the Infinix Note 30 handles graphics without pixelation, and the images and fonts appear detailed and sharp. One aspect that stood out to me was how the details were not overly saturated, providing more natural image results. Unlike many smartphones that tend to oversaturate images to create a more vibrant output, the Infinix Note 30 strikes a good balance. Furthermore, the brightness of the display is impressive and ensures clear visibility even in direct sunlight.

However, one aspect which the Infinix Note 30 lacked in the display as it does not support 4K. So, I missed watching movies and videos at higher resolution for a more immersive experience. Even while playing the games, the settings were restricted to standard, which somewhat impacted the overall experience.

Infinix Note 30 5G performance

The Infinix Note 30 is powered by the MediaTek octa-core Dimensity 6080 6nm chipset and offers up to 8GB of RAM with expandable RAM support. While Infinix Note 30 looks good and the display is also decent, the phone's overall performance is average.

The phone worked fine during daily tasks such as calling, internet browsing, and social media scrolling. However, it struggled when it came to playing games, especially those with higher demands. As mentioned earlier, the settings already restrict users from playing games in HD settings, but even in the standard settings, the overall gaming experience was not very smooth. However, I did notice that low-performance games like Candy Crush, Subway Surfers, and Need for Speed worked relatively better on the device. So, for users who want a phone for regular use, the Infinix Note 30 will not disappoint, but it is certainly not a good option for gamers.

One thing that impressed me was that Infinix has added a sensor for NFC payments. This sensor is generally seen in Samsung phones, especially in high-end Galaxy models. However, Infinix has added an NFC sensor at the back, allowing users to add their card details or connect their UPI apps and initiate faster cardless, wireless payments.

On the software front, the Infinix Note 30 runs on the company's latest XOS 13, which is based on Android 13. Considering it is a budget smartphone, I expected some bloatware, but to my surprise, there wasn't an excessive amount that would become bothersome. In fact, the pre-installed apps didn't occupy much of the phone's storage space around 2-3 GB, leaving ample internal storage available for me to use. However, it would have been even better if Infinix had provided an option to uninstall these pre-installed apps, as it would have given more user control.

Another highlight of the phone was its AI-powered voice assistant called Folax, which is said to be powered by OpenAI's ChatGPT. ChatGPT has proven to be helpful in various applications, and Microsoft has even integrated it into its Bing search engine. However, in the case of Folax in Infinix Note 30, the voice assistant's performance was disappointing. It functioned similarly to other voice assistants like Google, and whenever a query was made, it simply redirected me to the Google Search page instead of providing a direct answer or assistance.

On a good note, the Infinix Note 30 also comes with 5G support. Unlike Zero 20 which was a 4G phone, the Note 30 will allow users to connect to the latest available 5G networks. In fact, the company claims that Note 30 supports around 14 bands, allowing users to access 5G networks even across various countries.

Infinix Note 30 5G audio

Now, let's talk about the audio experience of the Infinix Note 30, which deserves separate appreciation. In collaboration with JBL, Infinix has equipped the Note 30 with dual speaker grills, resulting in a stereo sound. I must say, the speakers on this phone are really impressive. In fact, I compared the sound quality with that of my iPhone 13, and I found myself loving the sound of the Infinix Note 30 even more. Good job, Infinix.

The audio quality is crisp, clear, and loud, with well-defined bass, providing an immersive experience. It's commendable to see such excellent speakers on a budget phone, and I believe it deserves special recognition. Overall, Infinix has done a great job in the audio department with the Note 30 5G.

Infinix Note 30 5G battery

The Infinix Zero 30 offers a 5,000mAh battery with 45W fast charge support. Just like the other fast-charging smartphone, Note 30 also did a fine job in the battery department. I used the device daily for calling, social media, casual gaming, and streaming, and the battery lasted the whole day. Notably, I even turned on the live wallpaper, yet the phone managed to run throughout the day.

In terms of charging the battery reached from 0 to 100 in around 60 minutes using the proprietary charger. The company also boasts a reverse charging feature and Bypass Charging which helps phones from overheating. The feature further enhances the battery life of the phone. All-in-all the Infinix Note 30 did not disappoint me in the battery segment.

Infinix Note 30 5G camera

The Infinix Note 30 offers a triple rear camera setup, which includes a 108-megapixel primary sensor. On the front, the smartphone features a single front camera setup with a 16-megapixel sensor for selfies. The phone also provides various AI filter modes, such as sky remapping, super night mode, film mode, and others, to enhance the overall camera and video experience. These features are particularly appealing to users who enjoy sharing reels and photos on social media platforms. But the question is do these really work in real life?

I used the Infinix Note 30 to capture various types of photos in different lighting conditions, but unfortunately, the phone's camera performance showed average results. Let's discuss landscape photography first. Due to the absence of an ultrawide lens, capturing wider landscape shots was not possible. Even with the regular camera, the resulting photos appeared slightly soft and lacked noticeable detail. For example, in the street photo below, the overall image appears pleasant with natural and refined colours. However, upon zooming in, the details of the leaves appear washed out.

In other daylight photos, too, the overall picture output does lack significant details. However, that doesn't bother you much as the Note 30 will give you social media share-worthy photos.

Moving on to portrait mode, the Infinix Note 30 performs well in terms of capturing photos with accurate colours. However, its portrait mode was a bit disappointing. The camera often struggles to detect edges properly, and there are instances where it fails to effectively blur the background behind the subject. For instance, in the photo below, the camera fails to blur leaves and bushes.

I also experimented with the AI sky remapping filter for landscape photos on the Infinix Note 30, and I was pleasantly surprised by its accurate edge detection and the pleasing results it produced. The filter offers options such as sunset sky, rainbow twilight, and starry effects, among others. Although the resulting pictures may have a slightly artificial appearance, I found them to be a fun filter that I enjoyed using. However, I noticed that the filter can only detect the sky during the day and works best during evening sunlight. When I tried using the starry filter in the night sky, it struggled to scan the sky. I guess Infinix can solve this with a software update.

On the other hand, I was quite impressed with the super night mode for low-light photography. It managed to capture detailed photos even in challenging lighting conditions.

When it comes to indoor photos, both the main camera and the front camera of the Infinix Note 30 struggled. The photos lack sharpness and appear soft, especially in low-light indoor settings. While the camera performed well in good lighting conditions, it faced difficulties in capturing clear and sharp indoor shots in low-light situations.

In terms of videos, the Infinix Note 30 offers some video editing features that allow for the creation of quick, fun short videos. The overall video quality is decent and provides satisfactory results.

Overall, the camera performance of the Infinix Note 30 is decent. It would be great if Infinix addresses issues such as improving the bokeh mode and addressing other software-related problems through updates. This would enhance the phone's potential as a fun device for capturing photos using its AI filters.

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

After spending more than a week with the Infinix Note 30, I believe Infinix has done a decent job, but there is room for a few improvements. I particularly enjoyed the JBL-powered audio system, long-lasting battery, display features, classy design, and AI filters in the camera. However, I feel that Infinix still needs to make improvements in the camera and overall performance through software updates to make this phone a strong contender in the under Rs 16,000 price segment.

That being said, if you're looking for a decent 5G phone with good battery life for daily use, the Infinix Note 30 is worth considering. However, if you prioritize gaming performance and a significantly better camera, there are plenty of other options available in the market within a similar price range.