Infinix Note 30 5G Review: A Capable Budget 5G Smartphone That’s Priced Right

The

Infinix Note 30 5G daylight camera samples (Top to bottom: Selfie Portrait mode, Main camera close-up, Main camera landscape)

 

In low light, the primary camera managed some average quality photos with decent dynamic range and a similar colour saturation we noticed in the daylight photos. Details were on the lower side and I also noticed some clipped highlights near bright sources of light and dark patches in the shadows.

Enabling the dedicated Night mode showed an improvement in the image quality with good dynamic range, details and sharpness. However, this mainly applied to street-lit scenes (or those with ample lighting) as using the Night mode in dimly lit areas did not yield good results, with flat textures that ended up looking like paintings once you zoom in a little.

Selfies captured in daylight looked decent at best with limited details and dynamic range. Edge detection in Portrait mode was far from accurate so the overall results were far from impressive. In low light, photos had average details and appeared quite soft. Selfies can be captured using Night mode but it only seems to oversharpen the images, adding no extra detail.

Infinix Note 30 5G low light camera samples (Top: Auto mode, bottom: Night mode)

 

Videos recorded at 1080p 30fps had average details but appeared quite shaky. Turning on the Ultra-video stabilisation mode resulted in much better quality. Sadly the camera maxes out at an odd 2K resolution for video recording and the electronic stabilisation feature is limited to 1080p 30fps (even though the phone can shoot at 1080p 60fps), so that is the best quality you can get. Videos captured at 1080p 30fps in low light looked quite shaky and appeared average in terms of quality.

Verdict

Infinix has done an excellent job of balancing the Note 30 5G‘s hardware specs with performance and equally good value. But it does fall short of expectations in certain areas. While the display’s slightly weak legibility outdoors isn’t necessarily a deal breaker, a messy software experience could be.

Despite this, the phone still offers very good value in terms of features and price. From 5G connectivity, stereo speakers, to an IP53 rating, and 45W fast charging — there are a good combination of features here that’s currently tough to find on any one smartphone in this segment.

If you are okay with taking the time to learn the software’s slightly convoluted layout and don’t mind putting up with the bloatware, then the Infinix Note 30 would be a decent 5G option in this segment for you. On the other hand, if you are looking for a slimmer smartphone with an OLED display, or for a cleaner software experience, the Moto G73 5G (Review) might be a better choice for some, now that it has dropped in price.

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