Infinix Hot 3 A Budget Android Smartphone Review
Introduction
The Infinix Hot 3 is a budget-friendly Android smartphone that offers decent features without breaking the bank. Let’s dive into the details!
Impressions and Unboxing
When I first held the Infinix HOT 3 in my hand it felt very light ( and not in a good way), giving off a very ‘plastic’ feel. Once I inserted the battery, however, the device’s weight was more reasonable.
The phone has MicroUSB and audio ports are placed at the top of the device— an unusual positioning which makes it inconvenient to use the phone while it’s charging. While inserting the battery, SIM and SD card I also noticed how flimsy the back panel is, but keeping its low-price in mind (Rs9,999), one cannot complain.
What’s in the box
- The Infinix HOT 3 user manual, warranty and safety guidelines
- Noise cancelling earphones
- MicroUSB cable
- 2-pin AC adapter
- 3000 mAh battery
Display
- Size of Display: The Hot 3 boasts a 5.5-inch IPS LCD screen, a significant upgrade from its predecessor, the Hot 2.
- Resolution: With a resolution of 1280 x 720 pixels, the display provides vibrant colors and good viewing angles.
- Design: Face up this phone is not impressive in any way, it looks exactly like every other Infinix. What is even worse is that the captive buttons are not backlit. Isn’t this part of a phone’s basic needs? It is very off -putting. But if you take time and lift the phone up, you begin to appreciate some design points. I have the Space Grey version (I thought space was black? Or is there another ‘space’, always wondered) which I have to admit I like. Grey plastic looks good. Another good point is that the back has some texture to it, little diagonal ridges that increase grip and provide the perfect scratch point if you want to annoy your friends. Additionally, the back curves in at the edges making it wonderfully comfortable to hold in the hand. There is no metal in the form factor of this phone, whether faux or real. It is unapologetically plastic and beautiful. Now that is memorable for a device as low priced as this one.
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Performance
- Operating System: The Hot 3 runs on Android 5.1 Lollipop.
- CPU: It features a 1.3 GHz quad-core processor.
- RAM: With 1 GB of RAM, the performance is decent for everyday tasks.
- Storage: The Hot 3 offers 16 GB of internal storage, expandable up to 32 GB via microSD.
User Interface
- XUI: Infinix reverted to its proprietary XUI after experimenting with Google Android One. The interface is user-friendly but lacks the fluidity of stock Android.In the Android industry, custom user interface (UI) is a phenomenon not to be ignored. Majorly, Android is always open, and the manufacturers have all the freedom to tweak the Operating System.
Processor of Infinix Hot 3:
The Infinix Hot 3 runs on a Quad-core processor with a MediaTek 6580 chipset, clocked at 1.3 GHz. It’s a mid-range device capable of handling 3G networks. With 1GB RAM and Mali-400 MP, it’s good for playing common games like Subway and Temple Run. Thanks to Android 5.1 Lollipop, switching between apps is smooth with no lag. We’ll cover benchmark tests later in the review.
Battery & Connectivity
It has a 3000mAh battery which is satisfactory at best. Not outstanding. With heavy usage you can barely make a full day’s worth of charge. With fewer on screen time, moderate gaming and browsing you can wait till morning to charge it. But unless I left it uncharged and take out the SIM card, I could not manage 2 days with charge. You can stretch that time by employing the use of the battery saver and when you are very desperate, there is an Ultra lower power mode.
Final Thoughts
At the end of my week with the Infinix HOT 3, I cannot help but be impressed by the low-price device’s performance.
The display is vivid and allows a good full-screen video and gaming experience. Even though a week of loading numerous apps and games on the device did have an adverse effect on its speed (owing mainly to its 1GB RAM), the Inifinix HOT 3 continued to perform its basic functions without a glitch, making it a great secondary device or a primary device for those who want value for money.
I like:
- The design. It handles plastic well.
- The display almost fools you to imagine you are using an expensive device.
- The performance is not awful.
- The price. It is a bargain.
Conclusion
This Infinix is very memorable, at least to me. In a sea of many budget phones, some that you rather didn’t see the light of day, the Infinix manages to hold its own. For a price tag of Kshs 7,899 available on Kilimall, it gives you way more than you can anticipate.
Low budget phones are getting better and better this year, first with the Cubot Note S, which I still use and now this.
If you forget the Infinix Hot 2 ever happened (it aged badly) you can find hope that Infinix are on the right track of making budget phones desirable.
