Just in time to finish the year, Infinix launched its budget smartphone Smart HD 2021. Infinix has been gradually increasing its presence in the sub INR 10,000 smartphone market as well as the Smart TV and accessory segment.
The Infinix Smart HD 2021 builds upon the brands’ principals and tries to deliver an overall decent product under INR 7,000. We used the phone for a week and here are our thoughts on the same.
Infinix Smart HD 2021 Specifications
Before starting with the Infinix Smart HD 2021 quick review, let’s have a look at the phone’s specifications.
- Display: 6.1-inch IPS LCD display, HD+ (720 x 1560 pixels) resolution
- CPU: Quad-core MediaTek Helio A20 Processor
- RAM: 2GB
- Storage: 32GB internal storage, expandable up to 256GB
- Software: Android 10 (XOS 6)
- Main Camera: 8MP (f/2.0), LED flash
- Selfie Camera: 5MP (f/2.0), LED flash
- Connectivity: micro USB 2.0, Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g/n, Bluetooth v5.0, GPS/ A-GPS, 3.5mm headphone jack, FM Radio
- Cellular: Dual SIM
- Fingerprint Scanner: Yes, rear-mounted
- Battery: 5,000 mAh, Li-ion Polymer, non-removable
Box Contents
Here’s a complete list of items you get inside the box:
-
- Infinix Smart HD 2021
- 10W Charger
- Micro USB Cable
- TPU Case
- Documentation
Design & Display
Starting with the design, the phone is made entirely out of plastic with a nice gradient ‘V’ shape pattern on the back. The back is glossy so a case is a must. Thankfully the brand supplies a free case inside the box which should further protect the back as it is removable. You need to pop out the back panel to access the SIM slots.
Coming to the IO, we get to see an oval-shaped fingerprint sensor on the back right in middle with a square camera module on the top left side. While the rear camera module looks big, it just houses a single 8-megapixel camera and an LED flash. Coming to the button placement, the volume rockers and the power button sit on the right side while the left side is completely empty. We have the microUSB port on the bottom along with the secondary mic, while the 3.5mm audio jack sits on the top. The loudspeaker vent has been on the backside.
On the front, we get to see a 6.1-inch IPS LCD panel with an HD+ resolution and a dew-drop notch. While the bezels all around the display especially the chin are quite big, we cannot rule out the price. On the plus side, Infinix hasn’t cut corners on the quality of the panel, it gets sufficiently bright and the colors are decent at best.
Software & Performance
The Infinix Smart HD 2021 runs Android 10 with the company’s custom XOS 6 on top. XOS is a highly customizable skin on top of Android and lets you change a lot of aspects of the UI, ranging from themes, custom icons, and more but in order to provide a smooth experience Infinix has disabled some of the features.
We do see some bloatware apps here and there but thankfully most of them can be removed from the phone. The settings page does have some custom elements to it but once you get into sub-menus the UI is the one found on stock Android.
Coming to the performance, the Infinix Smart Hd 2021 gets powered by the MediaTek Helio A20 processor which is a Quad-core chip that borrows some similarities from the P series. It’s an entry level chip given the price of the phone. During our tests, which included light browsing, social media, and casual gameplays, the phone performed well. The onboard 2GB RAM didn’t really felt that low but yeah some apps like the G-Suite ones did take a few extra seconds to open.
There is 32GB of internal storage with the ability to expand the storage further using the MicroSD. Given the internals, you cannot do heavy gaming but basic games like Temple Run, Subway surfers were enjoyable enough. Apart from this, we get Dual VoLTE and the call reception was fairly decent.
Cameras & Battery
Coming to the optics, the phone has a single 8-megapixel camera on the back with LED flash and a 5-megapixel snapper on the front for selfies. We also get a dedicated dual-LED flash on the front just like we see on other Infinix smartphones. The camera performance on this is nothing to write about. We get a basic camera app with generic modes and an AI-assisted mode.
Images shot in daylight using the main sensor are decent at best with an ample amount of detail given the price of the phone. It fairs well with dynamic range but struggles in low light situations. The story is the same as the selfie camera which does well in dark environments thanks to the dedicated flash.
The phone comes packed with a 5,000mAh battery which is standard now in the budget segment. What isn’t standard is the use of a MicroUSB port. In our tests, the phone lasted two days with moderate usage which comprised web-surfing, social media, texting, and occasional gaming. The phone comes with a 10W charging brick which tops-up the phone in less than 3 hours.
Verdict- Should you buy it?
Infinix Smart HD 2021 does have a beautiful back with that gradient design. The phone is aimed at first-time smartphone buyers, a section that more and more smartphone makers are trying to capture. The phone is decent at best given the price but the competition is slowly inching in.
If you spend a tad bit more, you can easily pick a decent offering from the likes of Redmi, Realme, and even Poco. To conclude, the phone does well in some areas and not so good in others. Now the deciding factor here is the dough that you’re ready to put-in.
