Infinix Note 5 Android One full review: Power-packed budget phone with pure Android experience

Last month, Transsion Holdings subsidiary Infinix Mobile launched the feature-rich Note 5 Android One series in India.

It is available exclusively on Flipkart in two variants—3GB RAM+ 32GB storage and 4GB RAM+64GB storage— for Rs 9,999 and Rs 10,999. I used the Infinix Note 5 for more than a week and here's my take on it.

Build quality, design and display:

Infinix Note 5 flaunts a glossy glass shell on the back. When held in hand, it feels premium, which is very rare in the budget segment. Most companies in a bid to cut costs use low-cost material; but, this Android One phone is refreshing. I also appreciate the Infinix Mobile for bundling shell cover along with the package. The see-through shield, though soft in nature, protects the device from accidental drops. I can testify about its capabilities, as I am notorious for dropping phones even when they offer good grip. During the trial period, I dropped the Note 5 a couple times and the cover did its job effectively.

The Note 5's rounded corners and tapering edges make it visually appealing to eyes. Have to say, it is one of most if not the best looking phone in the budget segment.

It sports a 5.99-inch full HD+ (2160x1080p) FullView screen. The display is bright, vibrant and I had no issue seeing content in the direct sunlight. I had a delightful viewing experience watching high-resolution videos on the phone thanks 18:9 aspect ratio.

Performance:

The new Note 5 Android One houses a MediaTek Helio P23 octa-core backed by 3GB RAM and 32GB storage. It performed well in terms of the opening app, gaming (non-graphics-intense ones), switching between apps, camera loading and playing videos.

It scored a healthy 81,708 points on AnTuTu performance benchmarking application. On the other hand, it managed to get 822 and 3,292 points on single-core and multi-core tests, respectively on Geekbench 4.0.

The thing I liked the most about the Infinix phone is the unadulterated Android experience. Its interface is clean with no extra layer of confusing interface like we see in the rival brand. It is easier to find any feature be it in the settings or to locate apps, as Infinix Note 5 Android One doesn't come with any pre-loaded unnecessary third-party apps.

It currently runs Android 8.1 Oreo and will soon get the Google's latest Android Pie update in coming months.

Camera:

For its price, Infinix Note 5 Android One camera does justice to its asking price. It took some stunning images during the daylight and even during twilight. Though the camera's autofocus loses speed in the night, it still takes good quality pictures. The captured images were sharp and were able to retain the near-accurate natural colour of the subject. Also, the Bokeh mode pictures taken with the primary camera are really good

As far as the front camera is concerned, it captured really good selfies. Also, I liked the Face beauty feature, which helps the user to adjust facial skin tone, remove acne and other stuff. In the natural light, it takes brilliant portrait images.

But, I was a bit disappointed with the Bokeh mode in the indoor light condition, as it fails to distinguish facial hair (including on top of the head) contour and the black colour of the chair. But, this is not a deal breaker, as these things can be fixed with a software update. 

For those unaware, it comes with a 12MP sensor with 1.25µm pixel size, LED flash on the back and a 16MP selfie camera with a dedicated LED flash of its own [full details below].

Battery:

It comes with a huge 4,500mAh cell. During the trial period, the Note 5 Android One was consistently able to offer more than one and a half day of battery life under mixed usage, which includes video playback (around 30-40 minutes), playing games (non-graphics intensive), browsing through social media sites and other day-to-day chores. If used more conservatively, it will last more than two days easily.

Final thoughts:

Overall, Infinix Note 5 Android One is a well-packaged budget phone. I really loved the pure Android experience. The primary camera's photo quality is pretty decent for the price it commands. As I had said in the first impression review piece, Infinix Note 5 will definitely give a stiff challenge to popular brands such as Xiaomi, Motorola, Nokia (HMD Global Oy) and Huawei's Honor, among others.

Pros:

• Exceptional design language
• Pure Android experience
• Really long-lasting battery life
• A decent processor for its price

Cons:

• There no serious issue to complain, as it has good hardware and performance accordingly. Most importantly, it does justice to the price it commands.

Key specification of Infinix Note 5 Android One:

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