The Infinix Note 30 Pro is part of the Note 30 series launched in Kenya in June this year.
The series includes the base Note 30, the Note 30 Pro and the premium packaged Infinix Note 30 VIP with all its top-of-the-range bells and whistles.
The series comes standard with the flagship All-Round Fast Charge for both wired (68 Watts) and wireless (15 Watt) fast charging. Additionally, the device also has a revolutionary power management system that keeps charge for longer as well as preserving the battery to 80 per cent capacity for up to three years, or after 1000 charge cycles.
We go to put the Infinix Note 30 Pro through its paces and compiled the following review.
Out of the box
As is the norm with the Infinix brand, out of the box you will find the device wrapped in a smoky-finished sleeve on a cut-out mount. Beneath that is a clear silicone protective case to protect the back and edges of the device from scratches and dents in the event of an accidental drop. A number of user and safety guides along with a sim tray ejector are packaged with the protective case.
A USB -A to USB Type C cable coupled with a 68 Watt charging brick round out the contents of the box that the Infinix Note 30 Pro is packaged in.
Specifications
Network: 2G/3G/4G
Dimensions: 6.41 x 2.99 x 0.32 inches
Weight: 203 grams
SIM: Dual SIM (Nano-SIM, dual standby)
Screen: 6.67 inches LPTS Flexible AMOLED screen
Operating system: Android 13, XOS 13
Chipset: MediaTek G99 (6nm process)
CPU: Octa-core (2×2.2 GHz Cortex-A76 & 6×2.0 GHz Cortex-A55)
GPU: Mali G57 MC2
Internal storage: 256GB, microSDXC (dedicated slot)
RAM: 8GB RAM + 8GB UFS RAM
Primary camera: 108 Megapixel (wide), 2 Megapixels (Ultra-wide), 2 Megapixels (Depth) Quad LED Flash
Selfie camera: 32 Megapixels (Ultra-wide) Dual Flash Light
Battery: Li-Po 5000 mAh, non-removable
Colour: Magic Black, Variable Gold
Exterior and Dimensions
The Infinix Note 30 Pro has a predominantly sleek exterior with glossy finishes on the screen and edges. It has glass on the front and the back with the frame being made out of plastic. The frame has lustre out of the box, but may not hold up over time due to the tendency of plastic frames to pick up chips and dents with extended use. The accompanying protective case should for the most part address this sensitivity to damage.
The front of the device has the monolithic glass screen which in keeping with current minimalist trends, has a slit on the frame of the device for the earpiece. This is contrary to the old design which included a recess on the glass for the earpiece.
The top edge of the Note 30 Pro has a secondary speaker with two slots for the surround audio effect. And it does sound good considering the Infinix Note 30 Pro-s sound profile is tuned by JBL which is renowned in the audio sphere.
The right edge has the volume rocker at the top and the power button below that. Both have a minimalist footprint and are only slightly raised from the body of the device.
The bottom edge has the four-slot primary speaker, the charging port, the primary microphone and a 3.5 mm jack slot for headphones.
The difference in speaker implementation produces a discernable distortion of sound when using to surround sound system for audio playback.
The back of the Infinix Note 30 Pro is made of glass and has a square bump on which the primary triple camera setup is mounted along with the quad LED flashlight. A gloss border that is wider at the bottom of the camera bump contains the size of the camera and information on its wireless charging capability. The glass back has a textured finish that thankfully isn’t a fingerprint magnet.
Additionally, at different angles and lighting conditions, the back has different colour hues for the Variant Gold review unit we got.
The device measures 6.41 inches in height, is 2.99 inches wide and has a thickness measuring 0.32 inches. The display is 6.67 inches diagonally giving the Infinix Note 30 Pro a screen-to-body ratio of approximately 93.3 percent.
Screen and Camera
Being the component of the Infinix Note 30 Pro that users will interact with the most, the screen is a 6.67 inches LPTS Flexible AMOLED display with a peak brightness of 900 nits.
A 120 Hz refresh rate and a 360Hz touch sample rate make the display highly responsive for both viewing and interaction.
The device produces crisp video and photos thanks to a Full High Definition resolution of 1080 pixels by 2400 pixels.
The Note 30 Pro’s selfie camera has a 32 Megapixels sensor flanked by two LED flashlights, all under the glass front screen. It is also ultrawide to capture a wider composition while in use. It further has great light sensitivity aside from the dual LED lights hence capturing great images.
The device’s star attraction is the triple camera setup at the rear. The first of the three has 108 Megapixels to boot for a wide composition. The second is an ultra-wide 2 Megapixels lens while the last is a 2 Megapixels depth lens.
To illuminate the composition, the cameras are paired with a quad-LED flashlight that also doubles up as a stand-alone flashlight.
Both sets of cameras take footage of up to 1080p at up to 30 frames per second. The primary camera gets a further bump with the capability of recording footage in 1440p at 30 frames per second.
Performance, Storage and Battery
The Note 30 Pro doesn’t just look good with its high gloss finished front and edges and smoky finished back, the device packs performance to match.
Out of the box the Note 30 Pro runs on the Android 13 operating system paired with a custom OSX13 skin. The two systems work seamlessly to provide the latest in security and performance for hassle-free utility.
The MediaTek G99 chipset gives great performance while optimising power management so that even resource-intensive applications and processes such as gaming is moderated where power consumption is involved.
An octa-core central processing unit that is fitted with two A-76 Cotex processors maxing out at 2.2 GHz and 6 A-55 Cotex processors clocking at 2 GHz each complements the chipset in executing the heavy lighting the device is capable of.
A Mali G57 MC2 graphic processing chip is in charge of rendering graphics crisply and accurately and delivering on the job to exploit the device’s 120 Hz refresh rate.
The device comes with 256 GB internal storage and a dedicated microSDXC memory card slot to expand storage. Random access memory of 8 GB comes in handy when executing tasks on the Note 30 Pro. In the event of more complex actions such as gaming that requires more RAM, the device comes with an additional 8GB of Universal Flash Storage freed from the internal storage and directed towards providing more execution capability.
The Note 30 Pro relies on a Li-Po non-removable 5000 mAh battery to power its functions. The battery is built on one of the fastest recharge platforms currently available in the market.
The All-Round Fast Charge system recharges to 80 per cent in about 30 minutes via the 68 Watt charging brick the device is sold with.
The smartphone also enjoys fast charging wirelessly up to 15 Watts.
It has by-pass charging which can direct power from the battery directly to the motherboard in case the phone is plugged into a power outlet while in use. This helps manage battery temperature and in the long run, its life meaning the phone can be used for up to 3 years or up to 1000 charging cycles while maintaining an 80 per cent battery capacity.
The Infinix Note 30 Pro is also capable of reverse charging both wirelessly and when wired. It can power other devices such as phones, smart watches and Bluetooth earphones. Courtesy of the NFC feature, the Note 30 Pro can also charge devices wirelessly.
AI Smart Charge enables the phone to stay plugged into a power outlet for extended periods without damaging the battery.
The feature once enabled can for instance enable the Note 30 Pro to charge to 80 percent, suspend the function then finish the pending 20 percent overnight. This preserves the battery life while minimizing power wastage.
The Note 30 Pro’s charging brick is enabled with multiple charging protocols which enables it to power up multiple devices without posing a threat to their batteries while charging.
Communication and Connectivity
A combination of Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Near Field Communications (NFC), FM Radio, GPS and USB Type-C 2.0 make up the communication arsenal that the Note 30 Pro comes pre-fitted with.
The Wi-Fi is dual-band enabled meaning networks that run on the fancied 5G module can give the device access to the internet at high speeds.
The Bluetooth module on this device is also the newest version that gives lossless data transmission without depleting energy from the battery.
The NFC feature enables induction transmission of data for instance when using credit cards or debit cards to make payments to websites. This eliminates the need to type out sensitive information, especially in public places.
The Note 30 Pro’s FM Radio is a good option when listening to broadcast radio. The Note 30 Pro’s earphones or any other set of headphones act as the antenna for reception.
The GPS enables compatible apps and services to determine the location of the device relative to other functions.
The USB Type-C not only allows for the device to be powered up but also enables the transmission of data from a computer to the device.
Our verdict
With a recommended retail price tag of Ksh34,799 The Infinix Note 30 Pro has one of the best offerings on the market. It especially excels in power management with its All-Round Fast Charge capability.
The great screen and camera pairing also make it a device to consider if one is in the market for performance at a reasonable price.
The plastic frame’s finishing is perhaps the device’s only drawback, though once put in a protective case is easy to ignore and forget.
The device could do with more colour options although the two that are available are also great to have.