The Infinix Hot 12 Play is the latest in the Infinix Hot series to launch in Kenya. The phone is available locally from Ksh 16,500. If this is within your price range, you are probably also thinking about getting the Tecno Spark 8P that was launched in the country late last year. Both these are good phones targeting the same customers and knowing which one offers good value for money is important.
I have used both phones with the Infinix Hot 12 Play being the most recent one I have used. It surprised me and I feel like it is quite a big upgrade compared to its predecessor, the Hot 11 series. It does offer stable performance throughout.
Read: Infinix Hot 12 Play Review
The Tecno Spark 8P is also a good phone even though it is 6 months older. It is still a good choice and in this review, I will try to compare it with the Hot 12 Play to help you decide which one to go with.
Read: Tecno Spark 8P Unboxing and First Impressions
Performance and Hardware
The Infinix Hot 12 Play is powered by the MediaTek Helio G85 processor while the Tecno Spark 8P is powered by the Helio G35 processor. Both these processors come from the same company but the G85 is the more powerful variant that should give you better performance than the G35. This means that the Hot 12 Play offers better performance when compared to the Spark 8P.
Having used both phones, the expectations are true. There is slightly better performance with the Hot 12 Play over the Spark 8P. This extra performance can be witnessed when opening apps, and switching between different apps. The Hot 12 Play is faster with no lag compared to the Spark 8P.
Both these phones come with 4GB of RAM and 128GB of storage.
Software
Still on performance-related aspects, the Infinix Hot 12 Play comes with Android 12 out of the box while the Spark 8P comes with Android 11 out of the box. A newer version of Android is better as it has better features and improved security over older versions. With that in mind, the Hot 12 Play is the best choice for most people. I do not expect either of these devices to be updated with new Android versions down the line so keep that in mind when making your choice.
Display
The Infinix Hot 12 Play has a 6.8-inch 720p display with a 90Hz refresh rate. The Spark 8P on the other hand has a 6.8-inch Full HD display with a 60Hz refresh rate. The Full HD resolution of the Spark 8P gives it an edge over the Hot 12 Play but the 90Hz refresh rate is more appealing as it provides a smooth scrolling experience. For this, it will all go down to your preferences, do you want high refresh rate or high resolution.
Both displays can be used outdoors under direct sunlight without much of an issue.
Cameras
We take lots of photos these days and having one that delivers all the time is a plus. The Infinix Hot 12 Play has a 13MP main sensor at the back while the Spark 8P has a 50MP main sensor. The Spark 8P also takes clearer shots with better saturation and color balance.
Battery
The Infinix Hot 12 Play has a much bigger 6,000 mAh battery compared to the Spark 8P which has a 5,000 mAh battery. Both these are huge batteries, but I do prefer the Hot 12 Play as the extra 1,000 mAh that you get can mean a few extra hours or even day of usage.
Summary
From the comparison above, I would recommend the Infinix Hot 12 Play. You are getting new hardware, software, overall better performance and a bigger battery. The Spark 8P has better cameras but still I would choose the Hot 12 Play. It does offer better value for money in my opinion.