Infinix ended its 2023 with one of its budget offerings: the Smart 8 HD. Now, the vanilla model called the Infinix Smart 8, has been launched by the brand at Rs 7,499 with a couple of differences over its sibling. However, where the Smart 8 HD model costs Rs 6,299, is it worth going for the more expensive one? Let’s find out in our review of the Infinix Smart 8.
Infinix Smart 8: Design & Display
The Infinix Smart 8 offers a design similar to its HD sibling, but there’s a slight difference in terms of the colour as well as the finish. While the buttons and camera placement and the overall dimensions are the same, the rear finish is marginally different on the Infinix Smart 8. The fingerprint sensor on the right works as it should, without any issues.
The design varies, thanks to the patterned look on the rear. The blue shade we got is also different from the blue of the Smart 8 HD. Any which ways, both the handsets look clean, feel premium and similar to those that lie in a segment above them. It is also light to hold in the hand and feels comfortable.
The handset also reminds you of the iPhone, courtesy of the camera island. Speaking of islands, Infinix is not only inspired by the iPhone’s design but also its software features too. As a result, it gave the Smart 8 a Magic Ring, which functions similarly to Apple’s Dynamic Island. The display on the front is decent for indoor use, but you cannot expect it to perform in the same manner outdoors. The colours look fine, but the viewing angles are below average.
Infinix Smart 8: Software & Battery Backup
The Infinix Smart 8 is powered by a MediaTek Helio G36 Processor paired with 4GB LPDDR4x RAM and 64GB storage. On paper, the Helio G36 is actually slightly inferior to the Unisoc T606, which powers the Smart 8 HD. However, the experience remained more or less similar. The Smart 8 HD lags in daily usage, as did the Smart 8. You can observe the stutters throughout the user interface. So, if you plan to buy it for intensive tasks, keep that in mind.
The software experience is also identical. As mentioned, the magic ring can show you the status of face unlock, charging percentage and more. Virtual RAM support and features like AI smart charge, navigation gestures, various themes, and more are also present. Connectivity performance, including Wi-Fi and 4G LTE, worked fine.
As for the battery backup, the handset is backed up by a 5000mAh battery with standard 10W charging. The handset can easily last you close to a day and a half with around 5 hours of screen-on time. During our review of the Infinix Smart 8, the speeds were quite slow, where the handset took close to 2.5 hours, from 0 to 100 per cent, similar to the Smart 8 HD.
Infinix Smart 8: Cameras
The Infinix Smart 8 has dual rear cameras, including a 50-megapixel main and AI sensors. In comparison, the Smart 8 HD has a 13-megapixel primary camera sensor.
The shots from the main sensor do show an improvement over the 13MP sensor of the HD model. The detailing is better, and so are the colours. The photos from the primary sensor aren’t the best, but they are definitely more usable compared to Smart 8’s sibling.
Even indoors, the performance is slightly better with colours and sharpness. However, in low-light situations, the device struggles and starts showing noise. In addition, the photos begin to get soft. In terms of selfies, the colours are faded, while the details are average at best.
