Infinix Mobility continues to throw jabs at the big boys with their devices which offer high performance specifications at friendly prices. The Infinix Hot Note X551 throws a feint one here. The Hong Kong company previously launched other devices including the Alpha Marvel X502. The Hot Note X551 is an improvement of the Infinix Hot X507, bringing on-board a HD display, more processing power and twice the battery capacity. Infinix’s major selling point is the design of the devices offering an almost premium feel as is with the big boys. The phone is available through Jumia through a factory-to-consumer’ model through which Infinix is hoping to reduce channel costs, create value to our end users. The device retails for Kshs. 10,000 last we checked.
So what really is the Infinix X551 about?
Device Specifications
- Size & weight: 156 x 77 x 8.9 mm, 172g
- Display: 5.5-inch Display, 720 x 1280 pixels (267ppi) Multi touch of upto 5 fingers
- Processor: 1.4GHz octa-core Processor (Mediatek MT6592)
- Memory: 16 GB internal storage expandable upto 32 GB via microSD/ 1 GB RAM
- Camera: 8 MP main camera LED Flash, 1080p HD Video, SloMo,Autofocus, Geo-tagging, Face Detection/2 MP front-facing camera
- OS: Android 4.4.4
- Battery: 4000 mAh
- Network: 2G [(GSM/ GPRS/ EDGE) : 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 MHz], 3G [(HSPA＋ 42Mbps): 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100 MHz], 4G: No
- Connectivity: Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, hotspot , NFC, Bluetooth 4.0 A2DP, USB2.0.
- Additional features: Multi-window, Ultra-Power Saving Mode,
- Colours: Anthracite Grey, Copper Brown, Champagne Gold, Mint Green
Design Element
The Infinix Hot Note design is pretty mundane. It has a plastic frame that also doubles up as the chassis of the phone besides providing the edges. The frame also carries the color of the phone at the edges. The back cover is also separate and takes the color of the frame. On the right we have the power button and the volume rocker. At the bottom we have the USB 2.0 port and at the top we have the 3.5 mm av jack. At the back, we have a removable back that also has a speaker outlet at the bottom and the bold Infinix logo at the upper centre. Above the speaker outlet is a bold Hot Note engraving. The Back cover is made of plastic but still offers a smooth feel. The Camera is on the Upper left with the flash just below it. Overall, the phone has 156 x 77 x 8.9 mm in dimensions which is at times overwhelming when using especially with one hand.
Features And Performance
The Infinix Hot Note has various resources available to the user in terms of processing power and just 1 GB of RAM. Still, the 1.4 GHz octa-core Mediatek MT6592 processor provides enough power to run day to day activities which in my case includes heavy gaming, immense internet browsing and music. The Infinix Hot Note is specifically made for the mid-range market segment especially for those seeking to advance their devices into more productive instruments and still mindful of the pricing point. It largely targets the youthful demographic who want to use the internet, game and still have a device that feels premium. To this effect, the device offers an octa-core processor for a faster performance and and a much better battery thanks to the massive 4000 mAh Li-Po battery which achieves this goal.
The Infinix Hot Note X551 performs fairly well when for both single core and multicore performance on Geekbench 3.
Display
Infinix Hot Note comes with a high-quality display. It measures 5.5-inches with 720 x 1280 pixels resolution that gives 267 pixels per inch. The 5.5′ display offers just the screen space a user deserves. It makes viewing and reading documents, media easy. It makes gaming even better and feels like a tablet with its screen size. I was pretty surprised with the neat colour reproduction and sharp images. The display automatically adjusts to the current environment and give the best output. In this case one can choose to adjust the brightness manually or you can set it to automatic brightness.
Camera
The Phone spots two cameras an 8 megapixels camera on the back with LED flash and a 2 megapixels camera on the front. Both cameras offer zero shutter delay (ZSD) so you can take photos faster without delays. Face Detection, Geo-tagging, Gesture shots. The 8 MP camera allows users to capture HD video at 30 frames per second (FPS).
The rear camera can record 1080p HD videos while the front facing camera offers VGA videos (480 x 640). The Camera is on the Upper left with the flash just below it.
Despite being an 8 megapixel camera, the quality of shots is wanting. First, the focus time is longer than on other devices. Secondly, taking shots in different environments brings out different results. In well lit places and during the day, the shots are superb and with the utmost quality which diminishes in less lit places and during the night. In getting the camera takes quite sometime to adapt to new environments when put on auto mode. The phone has a 2 megapixel front camera with support for 75 percent wide angle shooting for easy selfies but the quality of shots is not only mediocre but blurry, low quality images. The output barely changes even when in well lit places. I found the face beauty feature when using the front camera appealing by allowing improved clarity in the shots taken.
Battery Life
Infinix Hot Note X551 has probably one of the best batteries on a smartphone. Battery life has never ceased being a main agenda in smartphones. The guys at Infinix recognize this fact and gave the phone a humongous 4,000MaH battery capable of lasting a day and a half comfortably. The battery is however non-removable . I consider myself a heavy user of smartphone with intense internet access, chatting, gaming and heavy use of applications. The phone handled all my activities well. In fact I charged it once a day and it got me going.
The phone comes with two power saving modes the low power and ultra power modes. The low power mode reduces activity of background applications, lowers screen lighting and reduces the screen time-out. The ultra power saving mode that dramatically increases the ability of the charge to last longer but restricts the usage of the apps. The phone also comes with an fast charging mode that allows one to charge up-to 75% in 20 minutes offering up to 7 hours performance.
Conclusion
Would I Buy the Infinix Hote Note X551? Yes. If i was looking for a device to offer me a premium feel at a fair price range. In my opinion, the guys in Paris and Shanghai when designing this device considered every aspect the mid-range device consumer wants and put it into the device. The screen size offers enough real estate for gaming, reading and browsing the internet. The 4,000MaH battery offers the consumer a superb life to conduct the above activities while the fast charging mode ensures your patience is never tested. I think they missed a few points with the camera and too much plastic works which come in multiple colors but the two former features compensate the weakness of the latter two. Get it if you can.
