We go hands-on with Infinix Mobile’s Hot Note!
Today we got to sit down with the folks behind Infinix Mobile, an international phone brand based in Hong Kong looking to make a local splash. While they’re relatively unknown in our part of the world, the brand has a major presence in the African continent, and is a big player in countries like South Africa, Egypt and Nigeria. They’ve also made inroads into other Asian countries like Indonesia and Thailand, and are trying to enter the highly competitive Philippine market soon. The first device that they’ll be selling will be the Hot Note, a 5.5-inch phablet that has a big screen and big battery. Let’s check out the specs:
Infinix Mobile Hot Note
- 1.4GHz MediaTek octa-core processor
- Mali-450MP GPU
- 2GB of RAM
- 5.5-inch HD display, 1280 x 720 resolution
- 16GB of storage, expandable via microSD
- 8-megapixel rear camera
- 2-megapixel front camera
- Dual-SIM
- 3G, HSPA+
- WiFi, Bluetooth, GPS, A-GPS
- 4000mAh battery
- Android 5.1 Lollipop
First impressions: premium build, large battery
The overall build and feel of the Hot Note is rather good – it’s solidly built without any flex in the body whatsoever, and the phone uses a nice looking plastic body that has a very premium look to it. The device uses a faux brushed-metal plastic back that can be removed to reveal the two SIM and a microSD card expansion slot. Overall the phone feels solid though looks a little generic for our tastes.
On the right of the phone you’ll find the physical controls, which include the volume rocker and power button. The 3.5mm jack is on top, while the USB slot in on the bottom. The phone uses physical Android capacitive keys at the bottom.
One of the best things about the Hot Note is the 4000mAh battery. That, along with the 1.4GHz octa-core processor of MediaTek, ensures that the phone will be able to keep on trucking for more than two days on a single charge – sometimes even more. The Hot Note will also be able to charge other phones via USB OTG, and can go from 0% to 100% charge in less than an hour (55 minutes in fact) via the included X Charge adapter that’s included with every package.
As far as actual performance goes, the Hot Note isn’t going to break any speed records, though spec-wise it’s decent enough – 1.4GHz octa-core processor, 2GB of RAM, 16GB of expandable storage and Android Lollipop on board. Camera-wise the phone isn’t that great, as it only has an 8-megapixel shooter on the back, but we’ll have to see for ourselves if that’s good enough for normal use.
We’re trying to get our hands on a review unit to do our full review.
