Infinix Note 40 and Infinix Note 40 Pro review: Total bang for the buck but…

Recently I used the latest Infinix smartphones and it price difference kind of boggled me. What I mean is for identical specs the difference in price doesn’t makes much sense. But before starting with this review of Infinix Note 40/ 40 pro, let me tell you something… Infinix has been doing very well globally, and it can be said they are back in Nepal as well. 

Recently, the Infinix GT 20 Pro was launched as the best gaming phone under Rs. 50,000. Currently, we have budget segment phones – Note 40 and Note 40 Pro. Note 40 is priced at Rs. 27,999 (8/256GB) and Note 40 Pro at Rs. 34,999 (12/256GB).

Note 40 and Note 40 Pro are almost similar phones. The difference is that Note 40 Pro comes with more RAM, a curved display, and faster charging. So, if you are looking for more value for your money, you will find more value in the regular Note 40. Hence, I will discuss more about Note 40 than Note 40 Pro in this review. 

Infinix Note 40/ 40 Pro Specifications

Infinix Note 40 and Note 40 Pro Review

Design

Regarding the design, the Note 40 has a flat boxy look, which may feel a bit bulky, and its frames have a shiny finish. Overall, considering its price, it looks good, especially the gold variant I have. However, if you prefer a slimmer and more modern design with a better hands-on feel, the Note 40 Pro is better. Both phones have an IP54 rating and no headphone jack. On the back, the camera module features a fancy lighting called AI Halo Lighting, which lights up for notifications, music, and calls.

Display

• Display:  6.78” FHD+ AMOLED 120Hz with in-display fingerprint sensor

The core display quality of Note 40 and Note 40 Pro is the same, except for the curves. They feature FHD+, AMOLED 120Hz screens with 10-bit color depth, 2160Hz PWM dimming, 1500Hz touch sampling rate, and TUV low blue light certification. Sunlight readability is also good. However, the display has two cons: no HDR support and no Gorilla Glass protection. To compensate, Infinix has provided an in-display fingerprint sensor, positioned slightly lower but works fine.

Audio and Haptics

• JBL tuned speakers
• No headphone jacks

Both phones have a stereo speaker setup tuned by JBL. They are not super loud but are good enough for movies, reels, and music in a room. I noticed a difference in haptics between Note 40 and Note 40 Pro. The cheaper Note 40 has buzzy haptics, while Note 40 Pro’s haptics are better with an X-axis vibration motor.

Performance

• Helio G99 Ultimate

There is no performance difference between these two phones. Both are powered by the Helio G99 Ultimate, a 4G chipset, not 5G. However, for the price, it is quite powerful. It is a 6nm chipset, making it efficient too. In my tests, day-to-day use was smooth, apps loaded quickly, and multitasking with 5-7 apps had no issues. For gaming, you can get around 40 fps in PUBG and 60 fps in COD and Mobile Legends. It also has a gyroscope! There is some heating while gaming, but the 40 Pro has vapor chamber cooling, reducing the heating slightly.

UI and Software

• Android 14, XOS 14

Both phones boot on Android 14 out of the box and are likely to get one major OS update. It’s not bad, and thankfully, there are no  ads or recommendations. One confusing thing is the status bar showing 4G/4G+/3G icon even when data is off, making it seem like data is on. It’s confusing until you get used to it. Both phones have Band 20 support and VoLTE (NTC), VoWiFi (NTC), and carrier video calling (NTC) work on both phones.

Battery and Charging

• 5000 mAh with 45W ( Note 40)
• 5000 mAh with 70W ( Note 40 Pro)

Talking about the batteries, both of these phones have a standard 5,000mAh battery, providing a standard backup. Nothing extraordinary. The Note 40 has a 45W charger, while the Note 40 Pro has a 70W charger, making the Note 40 Pro charge faster. The Note 40 charges to 100% in 1 hour and 7 minutes, while the Note 40 Pro charges to 100% in 47 minutes.

Camera

• 108MP +2MP+2MP

The camera setup is 108MP + 2MP + 2MP, with the extra two lenses being practically useless. Both phones have a 108MP camera, but Note 40 Pro’s is f/1.75, and Note 40’s is f/1.89.

In daylight, images are very good on both phones with nice dynamic range, details, and colors. No oversaturation is seen. In some areas, the Pro’s camera is a bit better. Still, the Note 40’s camera is very impressive for the price.

For portraits, both phones allow shots at 1x and 2x. Skin tones, details, and overall performance are very decent. There are no major complaints except it struggles with exposure in bright background light.

In terms of selfies, both phones are decent with no significant difference between the two.

Both can do 3X in-sensor zoom. It looks nice in daylight, although details are lost when zooming.

For videos, both phones can record up to 2K 30 fps. EIS works in all modes by default on the Note 40 Pro, but not on the Note 40. Videos are more stable on the Note 40 Pro. On Note 40, you need to turn on the stabilization option, which only allows recording at 1080 60fps when enabled. There is no stabilization in selfie videos on both phones.

Infinix Note 40 and 40 Pro Review: Conclusion

So, overall, the Infinix Note 40 is a very good phone under Rs. 30,000. The display and design are good, performance is acceptable, and both wired and wireless chargers are included in the box, which is unique at this price. The software is clean, providing a good user experience, so I have no complaints. The camera performance is just okay, not the best but not bad either. Comparable to Samsung’s Galaxy A15 5G and Xiaomi’s Redmi Note 13, the Infinix Note 40 is a good balanced package under Rs. 30,000.

That being said, if you want a better design, slightly better cameras, improved haptics, faster charging, and 12GB RAM, you can get the Note 40 Pro for about Rs. 7,000 more. However, if you are spending around Rs. 35,000, in my opinion, the OnePlus Nord CE3 available for Rs. 37,000 in the market is a better product!

Infinix Note 40 and 40 Pro Review: Pros and Cons

Pros:

• Wireless charging
• Vibrant display
• JBL-Tuned speakers
• Reliable Cameras

Cons:

• Average videography
• Useless additional lenses
• No headphone jack