The Infinix Note 8 was unveiled to a global audience last week and it is coming to Kenya this week. The Infinix Note series is known for devices with bigger sizes and bigger batteries. For a long time, this has been Infinix’s phablet series that targets those who want everything big on their devices.
The Infinix Note 8 has been launched a few months after the Note 7 that has a really good camera. The Note 8 comes with some key upgrades that make it competitive when compared to some of the other smartphones released this year. 2020 has seen some good and affordable smartphones and the Note series may be outdated if the company did not work fast.
I have the Infinix Note 8 in for review and before I get to that, I decided to do an unboxing post just to show you what to expect.
Before we get to the unboxing, let us first look at some of the key specifications of the Infinix Note 8.
- Display: 6.95-inch ; 720 x 1640 pixels
- Chipset: Mediatek Helio G80
- RAM: 6GB RAM
- Storage: 128GB
- Rear cameras: Quad:64MP + 2MP + 2MP + 2MP
- Front camera: Dual: 16MP + 2MP
- Battery: 5,200mAh
Unboxing the Infinix Note 8
This is what you should expect in the box when you take the Note 8 out of the box.
- The Infinix Note 8
- A Pair of Earphones
- USB C Cable
- Wall Adapter for charging (supports 18W fast charging)
- Silicone Case
- Screen protector
- SIM removal tool
- Warranty card
Infinix Note 8 First Impressions
The Infinix Note 8 feels like the Note 7 to some extent. Its huge size is really noticeable and that is the one thing that will stand out when you take the phone out of the box for the first time. Using this phone with one hand is possible but may not be the best experience. You are better off using both hands as that is more comfortable.
The back has this gradient two-tone glossy colour that really looks stylish. I got the one with a blue colour that Infinix is calling deepsea luster. It really looks good but unfortunately the camera isn’t picking that colour well.
The only thing we have on the back is the camera module with a 64MP Main sensor supported with three 2MP sensors and LED flash.
On the right side of the phone is the power button that also doubles up as a fingerprint scanner. Above that is the volume up and down button. The dual SIM slot is on the left of the phone. At the bottom we do get the headphone jack, USB C port and speaker grille.
For the display, we are getting a huge one that measures 6.95 inches in size. The display looks really good, it is sharp and the colours pop out so well. On the top left corner we do have two front facing cameras with a 16MP main one. From the few days I have spent with this phone, both the front and back cameras are good.
As I have said above, I have been using the Note 8 for a few days and so far performance has been good. It is powered by the Mediatek Helio G80 processor which is an upgrade to the Helio G70 processor on the Note 7. The G80 handles all tasks with no issues. This is not the most powerful processor Infinix could have used but it is good enough for its price.
The Note 8 is powered by Android 10 with XOS 7.1 on top. I have just spent a few days with this so I cannot say much about it. It feels smooth so far and refined but still has the annoying ads we have come to expect from Infinix phones. You can avoid this by installing a third party launcher, which is something I have done, but I do not feel like this should be what buyers are forced to do on a smartphone they spent money on. Infinix should change this to be honest as it makes for an awful experience.
As for the battery, the Note 8 comes with a 5,200 mAh battery which is very promising. Getting two days out of this battery is not a problem for me and will not be a problem for most people. The phone supports 18W fast charging so this should help charge it up quite fast when running low.
What I Like So Far
Build quality
Battery
Display
Cameras
Now Read: The Infinix Hot 10 Review