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The HOT series has always been one of the top sellers for Infinix as it combines the right balance of specs and price. Now, they are adding design in the mix with the hopes of making the new Infinix HOT 50 Pro Plus more popular.
With a price tag of under Php10,000, there’s a lot going on with Infinix’s latest release. It looks like a great device on paper thanks to its over-the-top design and attractive specs list.
But how do all of these translate into actual, real-world use? Is it really that good or are there cons that you should know about? We’ll have all the answers in our Infinix HOT 50 Pro+ review.
Infinix HOT 50 Pro Plus Specs
- Android 14, XOS 14.5
- Dual SIM, Dual standby
- 6.78-inch FHD+ AMOLED display, 2460 x 1080 pixel resolution, ~396ppi
- 120Hz refresh rate
- 2.2GHz MediaTek Helio G100 octa-core processor
- 8GB RAM
- Mali-G57 MC2 GPU
- 256GB internal storage, expandable via microSD
- 13-megapixel front camera
- 50-megapixel (f/1.6) + 2-megapixel rear cameras, LED flash
- Under-display fingerprint scanner, Face unlock
- JBL-tuned stereo speakers
- HSPA+, 4G LTE
- WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band
- Bluetooth
- GPS, A-GPS
- NFC
- FM radio
- USB-C
- Dimensions: 164.1 x 74.4 x 6.8mm
- Weight: 162g
- Colors: Titanium Grey, Dreamy Purple, Sleek Black
- 5,000mAh non-removable battery, 33W fast charging
Design and Build Quality
According to Infinix, the HOT 50 Pro Plus is the “World’s slimmest 3D-curved SlimEdge Design.” That’s quite a mouthful title. They could’ve easily said “World’s slimmest phone” but didn’t, possibly to avoid any false claims that could put them in hot water.
But whatever the case may be, there’s no denying that the Infinix HOT 50 Pro+ is one of the thinnest — if not the thinnest — phones that we’ve tested in a while. Possibly the thinnest device in this price range, too.
It’s only 6.8mm thin, which is slimmer than most phones which averages at around 8mm. You’d immediately appreciate its dimensions the second you hold it in your hands. In addition, the curved sides made it feel even slimmer than it actually is.
So, how does it feel to use a device this thin on a daily basis? I have mixed feelings, but the positive outweighs the negative. For one, it’s really cool to have a smartphone this thin. It amused us and the people we showed it off with.
The thinness also made it very light at just 162g, so no hand strain when binge-scrolling on TikTok and Facebook. But on the other hand, a device this slim introduces a few problems with ergonomics.
For one, it’s hard to grip when you’re playing games or watching content. Also, it can easily slip from your hands and fall on your face when you’re in bed scrolling. The snap-on case adds extra grip, but not enough.
Still, we’re impressed by how Infinix was able to make this budget device this slim. The camera bump was inevitable, but not as bad as expected.
Speaking of which, the polycarbonate case provides decent protection to the cameras on the back, but not on the screen. It’s not protruded enough to distance the screen from any surface when the phone is upside-down.
There’s also no pre-applied screen protector, but Infinix did include one in the box for you to apply yourself. It also has Corning Gorilla Glass that should provide a level of resistance from scratch, albeit the version used was not mentioned.
Despite its thinness, the Infinix HOT 50 Pro Plus is actually a solid device build-wise. It can withstand light bend tests and being sat on while in our back pocket. But due to the curved glass on the screen, users should be very careful not to drop this thing.
It also has an IP54 dust and splash resistance, so it can survive light rain or accidental water exposure. Plus, you can still touch the screen even with wet or greasy hands.
I was worried that the Infinix HOT 50 Pro+’s impressively thin and light design sacrificed durability. But as it turns out, they also handled the build quality very well.
Taking a tour, we have the 6.78-inch FHD+ AMOLED display on the front, very thin bezels, and a clean punch-hole for the 13-megapixel selfie camera. We also have the fingerprint scanner here.
There are speaker holes on top, a microphone, and the Sound by JBL logo.
The bottom has the SIM tray, which can house two nano SIMs on one side and the microSD card on the back. We also have another microphone here, a loudspeaker, and a USB-C port.
Left side is clean, while the right has the volume control and lock/power switch. The buttons are surprisingly tactile and clicky considering how thin they are.
On the back, there’s the triple cameras in a new vertical layout — a departure from its predecessor’s iPhone-like design. The color I have here is called Titanium Grey, but it’s also available in Sleek Black and Dreamy Purple.
The rear panel has a matte finish that stays clean from fingerprint marks and smudges. It is also slightly reflective to light which adds an elegant feel to the device.
Display and Audio
Infinix went a little generous on the device’s display. The Infinix HOT 50 Pro+ boasts a 6.78-inch FHD+ AMOLED display, with a 2460 x 1080 resolution, 396ppi, 120Hz adaptive refresh rate, 1300 nits of peak brightness, 100% DCI-P3 coverage, and a 2160Hz PWM Dimming earning TUV Rheinland Low Blue Light Certification for eye safety.
Display quality beats expectations for the price. It’s bright, colorful, and contrasty — no surprise for an OLED panel.
It has Widevine L1, so HD streaming on platforms like Netflix is supported. It would’ve been nice to see HDR support, but I guess that’s already too much to ask for the price.
The HOT 50 Pro Plus has stereo speakers tuned by popular speaker maker JBL. The audio quality was above average with audible stereo separation, ample volume, and discernible bass. Clarity could be better, though.
Hardware and Performance
The Infinix HOT 50 Pro Plus is powered by a MediaTek Helio G100 octa-core processor clocked at 2.2GHz — a successor to the very popular Helio G99 that powered some of the most popular budget phones in the world. It is paired with 8GB of RAM, 256GB of expandable storage, and a Mali-G57 MC2 GPU. Sadly, still no 5G connectivity.
Infinix HOT 50 Pro Plus Benchmark Scores
Day-to-day performance was very satisfactory. I barely noticed any lags or delays when taking pictures, watching TikTok, reading articles, writing on Google Docs, and more.
This could easily pass as a daily driver if you’re just a casual user. But what if you’re a gamer? Let’s find out.
For gaming, we managed to play Genshin Impact comfortably under the Lowest settings. The frame rates are playable with no overheating issues. You just have to bear with the low graphics quality.
The highest settings available for Call of Duty Mobile is Medium/High, which ran smoothly on the HOT 50 Pro Plus with no lags or hiccups. PUBG Mobile also had no problems under Balanced/Ultra, and Farlight84 on Balanced/High.
Mobile Legends: Bang Bang is so optimized it ran well on the HOT 50 Pro+, same goes with Asphalt Legends Unite, which was playable using High Quality settings.
| Game | Graphics Settings |
| Call of Duty: Mobile | • Graphics Quality: Medium • Frame Rate: High |
| Farlight84 | • Graphics Quality: Balanced • Dynamic Shadows: Enabled • Frame Rate: High |
| PUBG Mobile | • Graphics Quality: Balanced • Frame Rate: Ultra |
| Genshin Impact | • Graphics Quality: Lowest (Default) |
| Mobile Legends: Bang Bang | • Graphics Quality: Ultra • Frame Rate: Super • HD Mode: On |
| Asphalt Legends Unite | • Visual Quality: High Quality • Frame Rate: 60 |
Software and User Interface
The Infinix HOT 50 Pro+ runs on Android 14-based XOS 14.5 user interface. It’s still behind the other OEM-made interfaces in the market in terms of polish, looks, and features, but it’s much better now than it was a few years ago.
Infinix has joined the AI bandwagon by introducing Infinix AI∞, a suite of AI features for creativity and quality of life improvements. Although none of these features are really new, it’s still good to have in a budget smartphone.
There’s the AI Summarize, which has a convenient hovering button when you’re reading the article. Tap the button and wait as the AI generates a bullet-point breakdown for you. You can even ask follow-up questions that are relevant to the article.
You can also easily access the AI Text Generator, Text Optimizer, and Grammar Checker to quickly and conveniently create captions or even long documents for you.
The AI Erase, unfortunately, only works like the Heal feature on Snapspeed. In tricky images, you can easily see smudges on the areas you wanted to erase.
AI CutOuts worked accurately, albeit a little slow so have patience when using it.
The AI Wallpaper lets you generate images using descriptions via text or images. As long as you can describe what you want well — and have an internet connection — the generated images can look very realistic.
Moving on from AI, the Infinix HOT 50 Pro Plus has the brand’s 720-degree SphereTech NFC that basically amplifies the NFC signal so you can tap any part of the device to an NFC receiver.
You can also save access cards (for smart doors, cars, etc.) to the device so all you need is your phone to get in. There’s also a Tap To Pay option that lets you pay using your registered cards. However, we tried our BPI and GCash cards, but it’s not supported.
Dynamic Bar, a take on Dynamic Island, works on face unlock, recorder, calls, charging, media player, and NFC.
For biometrics, both the in-display fingerprint scanner and face unlock worked fine during my time with the device. Are they the fastest and the most accurate? Definitely not. But they did perform as they should for the price.
The camera app has been greatly improved over the years. But I do wish Infinix drop the term “AI CAM” for the standard Photo mode to not confuse users who hate AI effects on their photos.
Google Keyboard is still used by default, and I still prefer it to any other keyboard in the Android space as I feel more at home with it, has quick access to gifs, and more.
Cameras
The Infinix HOT 50 Pro Plus has a 50-megapixel main camera with a wide f/1.6 aperture, a 2-megapixel depth sensor, an unknown tertiary camera, and a 13-megapixel on the front for selfies. It would’ve been nice to see an ultra-wide or macro lens on this phone, though.
Daylight shots from the 50-megapixel main camera are not great, but usable. You can’t expect much from an entry-level phone camera, but you won’t be disappointed with this one, either.
The contrast is a little off and the dynamic range could’ve been handled better, but the colors are nice and the details are fairly clean.
Low-light shots held up pretty well. The shutter is slower, so make sure you have steady hands. Other than that, pretty decent photos.
The dedicated 2-megapixel depth sensor did a decent job of capturing the foreground data to create a believable shallow depth-of-field effect.
Like the main camera, the 13-megapixel selfie snapper takes acceptable photos. Skin tones, details, and exposure are passable, even in low light.
The Infinix HOT 40 Pro Plus didn’t take photography seriously on this one, but still managed to perform enough, so you have a decent image to post on social media or share with friends and family.
Battery and Charging
The Infinix HOT 50 Pro Plus shares the same battery capacity as everyone else. It’s a 5,000mAh module with 33W wired charging support. It received below-average scores on our synthetic tests, but it should still last you for an entire day even if you’re a heavy user as it scored above average in our real-world use test.
PCMark’s synthetic battery loop test lasted for 13 hours and 26 minutes, below the average score we got of 14 hours and 15 minutes from other devices. That’s a loop of simulated workload until the battery drops to 20%. It was run with the WiFi and Bluetooth off and screen brightness and volume at 50%.
In our 1080p YouTube video loop test, it lasted 15 hours and 28 minutes before completely dropping to 0. That’s higher than the average score we get of 13 hours and 24 minutes.
For charging, a quick 15-minute charge with the included 33W adapter can already give you 19% of juice. A full charge only takes 1 hour and 16 minutes. Full results below:
- 15mins: 0-19%
- 30mins: 42%
- 45mins: 63%
- 1hr: 83%
- 1hr 16mins: FULL
Bypass charging is also a handy feature, especially if you’re a heavy gamer or love binge-watching your favorite TV series. It can be accessed via the Game or Video Assistant.
Once enabled, the power will be sent directly to the motherboard, bypassing the battery, after reaching 30% charge. This results in smoother and more consistent thermals and prevents overheating.
Verdict
So, how does the Infinix HOT 50 Pro Plus feel as a daily driver? It’s great. While the ultra-thin build made it slippery, I loved how incredibly light and surprisingly durable it is.
More than the design and build, the HOT 50 Pro Plus also sports a fancy AMOLED screen, stereo speakers, capable cameras, a dependable battery with fast charging, and a reliable performance for both day-to-day tasks and gaming.
While the lack of 5G can be a big bummer and small things like the AI Erase needs polishing, there’s no denying that the Infinix HOT 50 Pro Plus is one of the best smartphones you can get under Php9k.
Infinix HOT 50 Pro Plus pricing and availability in the Philippines
The Infinix HOT 50 Pro Plus has an SRP of only Php8,499 in the Philippines and comes in a single 8GB/256GB RAM and storage configuration. You can get it at physical stores and retailers nationwide and through TikTok Shop, Lazada, and Shopee.
Pros
- Impressively thin and light, well-built
- Vibrant, bright AMOLED screen
- Stereo speakers
- Reliable day-to-day, gaming performance
Cons
- Can be slippery, hard to grip
- AI Erase needs improvement
- No 5G
This article, Infinix HOT 50 Pro+ Review, was originally published at NoypiGeeks | Philippines Technology News, Reviews and How to's.
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