The Infinix ZERO 5G is a very promising smartphone in terms of its value-for-money appeal. In the Philippines, this signals that Infinix is being serious with its entry to the 5G smartphone segment. With the ZERO 5G, the company could be having a potential hit.
Infinix ZERO 5G Review
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Pros
- Very affordable phone with Dimensity 900 5G
- Large display with 120Hz refresh rate
- Refreshing new design
Cons
- Underwhelming FHD+ display
- Fingerprint magnet
- Grating software
On paper, the Infinix ZERO 5G is very impressive. It comes with 6.78-inch FHD+ display, 120Hz refresh rate, 48MP triple camera module, and Dimensity 900 5G chipset. Join us in this review and find out if the ZERO 5G is worth the fanfare.
Infinix ZERO 5G Unboxing
We are seeing a new packaging design from what we've been accustomed to in the previous releases. We now have a way taller box for the ZERO 5G; although I'd say that this could have been easily packaged in a shorter and more compact packaging. Nonetheless, it's still refreshing to see a new colorway of metallic silver in contrast to the usual neon green-colored boxes; the box also features additional black accents on all sides that extend to the back.
On the face of the box, we have the Infinix branding, memory configuration, and of course the "ZERO 5G" prints. Opening the box, we are immediately greeted by the Infinix ZERO 5G unit cushioned in a black cradle. This packet also doubles as a housing for some paperwork. There's a clear protective case designed by Oraimo; and a SIM eject tool that's wrapped in plastic. Below are the compartmentalized provision for the USB-C cable and 33W power adapter. To recap here are the inserts:
- ZERO 5G unit;
- USB-C cable and 33W power supply unit;
- Clear protective case and SIM eject tool;
- Customer Service Card, Warranty Card, XCLUB XGOLD Voucher.
The screen protector is already installed on the phone's display; and for those looking for earphones, you're not going to find it here.
Design
Going back to the main unit, the handset is mostly made of plastic material. The phone's back panel looks neat in a glossy black finish dubbed by the company as the Cosmic Black colorway. Of course, we also have other color options - Skylight Orange and Horizon Blue. The material is a fingerprint magnet so you're going to need to wipe it often. Moreover, its curved design offers good handling for users.
Still at the back panel, we have the Infinix 5G branding on the lower left and the 48MP AI Triple camera module on the upper left portion. From this module we can see the sensors are complemented by a quad-LED flash to offer good amount of lighting especially in low-light settings. This module is already integrated in the back panel; it shows as a bump yet it gives the appearance of a seamless design in contrast to other traditional camera module.
Rounding up the ports and buttons placement, we have the volume rocker and power button which also doubles as a fingerprint scanner (right); the SIM tray with two slots for nano SIM cards and a dedicated slot for microSD card (left); 3.5mm jack, microphone, USB-C charging port, and speaker grille (bottom). There's also a secondary microphone on the top side.
Getting the phone ready is quite a breeze; after the initial setup we're left with 103.62GB of the 128GB total memory due to bloatware, system settings, etc. We also have an ample 8GB RAM for smooth multitasking activities. This can be further expanded thru MemFusion feature with up to 3GB of virtual RAM, or 8+3GB, which is dependent on the amount of your available storage.
To maximize screen space, we have a punch-hole camera on the front panel. Unlike most phones with this type of implementation, it is positioned in the top center instead of a less conspicuous positioning at the far left corner.
Display
The ZERO 5G has a very large display, which measures at 6.78 inches. It boasts a FHD+ IPS LCD screen which makes this smartphone great for content consumption. Furthermore, with the addition of 120Hz refresh rate ensures extra smooth content viewing and gaming, even in demanding visual processing needs.
These specs are quite solid when we read them in paper. However, in real life usage, I was underwhelmed by the display. The panel seemed to lack some detail compared to other FHD panels in its league. The colors may be accurate but it left me wanting more when it comes to color saturation, especially if you're using it outdoors.
There's also no way to adjust color reproduction with the use of profiles in the software. The screen's brightness could reach up to 499 nits, but even with this level of brightness, it makes the pale color reproduction even more visible.
Having said that, we still like the large screen real estate and 120Hz refresh rate. The latter makes scrolling through the interface smooth like butter; it also gives you a competitive edge in shooting games like Call of Duty Mobile or PUBG Mobile. Likewise, you can also take advantage of the bigger screen in consuming your favorite streaming titles in Netflix.
Performance
The Infinix ZERO 5G ticks with MediaTek Dimensity 900 chipset. As mentioned earlier, our device comes with 8GB LPDDR5 RAM and supports up to 3GB of virtual RAM for improved speed and performance. It also consumes less power, thereby offering more mileage in terms of device usage. This combination is a powerhouse when we talk about mid-range smartphones.
In our real-time usage, everything is quite smooth. The phone can definitely handle serious tasks without choking. On top of that, gaming with the smartphone is also a worthwhile experience. Mobile Legends: Bang Bang and Genshin Impact are quite playable without experiencing overheating issues, thanks to Heat Pipe Thermal Module 2.0 and 3-D Cooling Master.
The Infinix ZERO 5G scored 479274 in our AnTuTu benchmark test, which placed the phone on the 64th rank.
.png "Infinix ZERO 5G AnTuTu Benchmark Test")
To also give you an idea how the phone performs in gaming sessions, we tested the ZERO 5G with the 3DMark Gamer's Benchmark Tests as follow:
Wild Life Test
This is a one-minute test which mirrors mobile games that are based on short bursts of intense activity.
- Score: 2054
- Frame rate: 7 FPS to 16 FPS; 12.30 Ave. FPS
- Battery: 85% to 85%
- Temperature: 39°C to 40°C
.png "Infinix ZERO 5G 3DMark Gamer's Benchmark Test")
Wild Life Stress Test
This is a 20-minute test which shows how a device performs under long-periods of heavy load:
- Best loop score: 2039, with 99.2% Stability
- Frame rate: 7 FPS to 15 FPS
- Battery percentage drop: 92% to 86%
- Temperature: 39°C to 43°C
.png "Infinix ZERO 5G 3DMark Gamer's Benchmark Test")
The Infinix ZERO 5G doesn't have stereo speakers, instead we have a mono speaker at the bottom of the phone. I tried using the loudspeaker while playing a music video in Youtube, and I have to say I'm quite surprised how decent the speaker sound. However, if you try to hit full volume, you'll notice that the quality degrades.
You can also enjoy 5G connectivity whenever your area's signal coverage allows you to. On top of that, the handset supports WiFi-6. We also have no issues in taking and receiving calls with the handset.
Camera
The Infinix ZERO 5G camera is defined by the 48MP main sensor; there's also a 12MP telephoto camera and a 2MP portrait camera. We have mixed reactions when it comes to the main sensor. As to photo quality, I could say that it's a hit and miss. But for the most part, you'll get bright images with good amount of detail when there's plenty of light.
Colors are accurate but it lacks a bit of saturation. I also notice that the dynamic range is not that extensive as images with the sky tend to be overexposed. The telephoto camera produces shots good enough for social media use; as well as the 16MP selfie camera.
It's also weird to point out that there's no ultra-wide lens in this bunch, knowing that Infinix opted for a 2x telephoto lens instead. It's also worth mentioning, that the ZERO 5G is capable of up to 30x zoom which could be a great addition to its list of camera capabilities, enabling users to take close up shots of distant subjects. However, I wouldn't recommend using zoom beyond 2x as photos tend to be grainy and noisy.
All in all, the Infinix ZERO 5G's camera is what you'd expect for a smartphone in this price - it may have flaws but it's still a good companion in every shooting need. Here are some of our sample photos:
Software
The Infinix ZERO 5G is skinned with XOS 10 UI, a forked version of Android 11. In comparison to its peers, XOS has a lot of catching up to do when it comes to software design, aesthetics, and functionality.
However, I must say that it's still a functional skin with flat icons and app drawers. You can also use the Android-based gesture navigation, Dark Theme, and more. It also has a slightly different layout in the control center, which can be accessed thru swiping from the top right portion of the display. Moreover, swiping from the top left portion will pull down the notification shade. This implementation is similar to what we've seen in iOS and other Android skin like MIUI.
Battery
The Infinix ZERO 5G is encased with a 5000mAh battery. On paper, the battery powers the phone with up to 9.4 hours of gaming, 8.8 hours of video playback, 152 hours of music playback, and 22 hours of calling.
In our PCMark Test, the handset scored 13 hours and 23 minutes. In our actual usage, the phone is able to get us through about 12 hours or half-day away from the wall outlet with occasional MOBA gaming, music streaming, Netflix, social media, emails, etc.
The device also supports TÜV Rheinland 33W Safe Fast Charge Technology. In our charging test, we are able to charge the phone from 0 to 100% in 113 minutes or 1 hour and 53 minutes.
.png "Infinix ZERO 5G: Battery Review") |
| Power Marathon, Power Boost, Ultra Power Saving Mode |
Apart from these, it's complemented by a software feature called Power Marathon where you can enable Power Boost. It comes with advanced settings where you can apply power boost plan, such as enable adaptive brightness, switch refresh rate to 60Hz, enable dark theme, etc. You can also see how many hours you can further extend the battery life in tweaking this settings. Moreover, when you're running low in battery and you're saving it for that very important call, then you can choose to enable Ultra Power Saving where only calls, SMS, and Calendar are available.
Verdict: Should You Buy The Infinix ZERO 5G?
For its Php 11,990 price tag, the Infinix ZERO 5G brings a lot to the table like the MediaTek Dimensity 900 chipset, large display, 5G support, and more. However, we also have seen tradeoffs in several departments - mediocre cameras, display quality, unpolished software.
Having said that, this is still a good deal when you're looking for a phone with capable chipset below Php 12K. All in all, the Infinix ZERO 5G is a good performer in terms of gaming and content consumption.
Key Specifications:
- 6.78-inch FHD+ IPS LCD display, 120Hz, 388 ppi, 499 nits (peak)
- MediaTek Dimensity 900 (6 nm)
- 2.4GHz Octa-core CPU
- Mali-G68 MC4 GPU
- 8GB LPDDR5 RAM + 128GB UFS 3.1
- Triple rear camera: 48MP, f/1.8 main with PDAF + 13MP, f/2.5, 50mm telephoto with PDAF, 2x optical zoom + 2MP | Quad-LED flash
- Front camera: 16 MP, f/2.0
- 5G, 4G LTE
- Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6
- Bluetooth, GPS, FM radio
- USB Type-C 2.0, USB OTG
- XOS 10, based on Android 11
- 168.73 x 76.53 x 8.77 mm, 199 grams
- Li-Po 5000 mAh battery w/ 33W Fast charging
- Cosmic Black, Skylight Orange, Horizon Blue
- Php 11,990 Official Price
