Infinix has made a name for itself when it comes to budget segment phones with interesting propositions. The latest offering is another member of the Note series. The Infinix Note 40 has a lot of interesting elements for Rs 19,999. The most attractive of them all is wireless charging support, which is a first for this segment. The phone also comes with a 120Hz display, 108MP cameras, and AI Halo lighting, among other things. This can leave anybody impressed but does the real-life performance live up to the expectations? I’ve been using the Note 40 for some time, here’s my review.
Infinix Nore 40
Rs 19,999
What Is Good?
- Wireless charging support
- Neat and clean UI
- Lightweight design
- Good performance
- Value for money
What Is Bad?
- Not-so-fast charging
- Lacks an ultra-wide lens
- AI Lighting can feel boring after some time
Infinix Note 40 Review: Pricing and Availability in India
The Infinix Note 40 comes in a single 8GB+256GB variant, priced at Rs 19,999. It can be purchased via Flipkart.
Infinix Note 40 Review: Design and Build Quality
The Infinix Note 40 looks much like its elder sibling the Note 40 Pro but has a matte finish at the back. So, you will like it if the Note 40 Pro’s design intrigues you. The matte finish is complimented with glossy edges and the camera module. It is quite sleek and lightweight, which makes using it convenient. The attractive design element is the AI Halo Lighting (a part of the rear camera setup), which will glow for calls, notifications, charging, games, and more. The light ring comes with different effects (Lively, Rhythmic, AI) and colours (multi-coloured, red, yellow, blue, green, and purple), so, it feels quite interesting to play around with.
| Design | Specifications |
| Weight | 185 grams |
| Colours | Titan Gold, Obsidian Black |
| Thickness | 7.91mm |
| IP Rating | IP53 |
| Port and Button Placements | Bottom: Speaker grille, Secondary microphone, USB Type-C
Top: Primary microphone, IR Blaster Right Side: Power button and volume button Left Side: SIM Tray |
It’s made up of plastic and while this isn’t bad, the build quality feels slightly flimsy. I feel the edges can attract a lot of scratches with time, so, maintenance is needed. Luckily, you’ll find a case inside the box. There’s an IP53 rating too, which should keep the phone protected from water splashes and sweat.
Infinix Note 40 Review: Display and Audio
The AMOLED display of the Note 40 is aptly bright and reproduces vivid and bright colours. I re-watched the Kung Fu Panda series on the phone and all the action and comedy were enjoyable. The 120Hz refresh rate was smooth but didn’t feel the best. Moreover, the viewing angles were fairly decent and didn’t affect the video streaming.
| Display | Specifications |
| Size | 6.78-inch |
| Type | AMOLED |
| Resolution | 1080×2436 pixels |
| Refresh Rate | 120Hz |
| Peak Brightness | Claimed: 1300 nits |
The brightness levels are good indoors but it does take a toll when under direct sunlight. It is acceptable when there’s no scorching heat, which luckily has been the weather in Delhi, lately.
The smartphone has dual stereo speakers backed by JBL and the duo is pretty clear and loud. While 50% volume levels are decent, it is best enjoyed in 100% volume, which can prove unfit for the ears in the long run.
Infinix Note 40 Review: Performance and Software
The Note 40 gets the same Dimensity 7020 chipset as the Note 40 Pro variant and it’s a dependable performer. While the Geekbench and AnTuTu scores were slightly less than that of the Poco X6, routine tasks like messaging, mindless scrolling through social media apps, YouTube videos, and more were handled without any struggles. However, app-hopping can feel a little laggy at times.
| Hardware | Specifications |
| Processor | MediaTek Dimensity 7020 |
| GPU | Integrated IMG BXM-8-256 |
| AnTuTu | 488,402 |
| Geekbench | Single-core: 914 Multi-core: 2,273 |
| RAM | 8GB |
| Storage | 256GB UFS 2.2 |
| Software Version | XOS 14 based on Android 14
2 major Android updates, 3 security updates |
| Connectivity Details | Wi-Fi 5, Bluetooth |
The Note 40 can also handle intensive games like Call of Duty: Mobile and BGMI and around 30 to 40 minutes of gaming wasn’t problematic. However, there were a few lags here and there in HD settings. The overall experience was decent without any worrisome heating issues.
The smartphone runs XOS 14 based on Android 14 and it’s quite clean. You will get a few pre-loaded apps like Netflix and Facebook, which feel more like a utility than bloatware. The Infinix apps such as XArena and XClub are there but these can be uninstalled. I have used an Infinix phone after a long time and I was surprised to see how the UI has matured over the past few iterations.
The phone has many quirks up its sleeves; there’s an AI wallpaper generator, several gestures, and Peek Proof, a handy feature to hide a certain part of the display so that folks in the metro don’t peek into your chats. As mentioned previously, the AI lighting is interesting to use but I did stop getting fascinated after a while, so, it could happen to you too.
Infinix Note 40 Review: Cameras
The Infinix Note 40 does a fair job in the camera department too. The primary 108-megapixel camera produces good-quality images in daylight and even indoors. The colours are mostly on the natural side and you won’t get oversaturated or processed images. Low-light shots are good too, where you will see good details without grains. However, the phone can struggle during darker surroundings where you will see graininess sneaking in.
While the portrait mode has acceptable edge detection, the macro lens isn’t really helpful. Sadly, Infinix opted for two lower-resolution cameras, which could have been replaced by more useful optics like an ultra-wide angle camera.
| Camera | Specifications |
| Primary Camera | 108-megapixel, f/1.75 |
| Secondary Camera | 2-megapixel depth sensor, f/2.4 |
| Tertiary Camera | 2-megapixel macro camera, f/2.0 |
| Selfie Camera | 32-megapixel, f/2.2 |
| Video Recording Capabilities | 1080p at 30fps |
The selfies also look good without too much processing and are social media-friendly. However, the colours are closer to being saturated mainly indoors. Daylight selfies end up being bright and clear. The camera app is easy to use and you will get various editing options, however, the shutter speed is slightly slow and it takes a while to process selfies.
Infinix Note 40 Review: Battery and Charging
The phone has a standard 5,000mAh battery, which will last you for a day with mid-to-high usage with an average screen time of around 5 hours 30 minutes. It takes about an hour and 15 minutes for the phone to fully charge, which is fairly decent.
| Battery Capacity | 5,000mAh |
| Charging Adapter | 33W fast charging |
| PCMark | 7 Hours 27 Mins |
| Charging Time | 1 hour 15 minutes |
The phone also supports wireless charging, which is a first for the segment. However, the 15W wireless MagCharge charger takes more than two hours to completely charge.
Much like the Note 40 Pro, there’s the Cheetah X1 battery management chip, which avoids overheating and protects the phone from wearing off in the long run. I didn’t face heating issues except for when the wireless charger was used.
Infinix Note 40 Review: Verdict
The Infinix Note 40 is a dependable phone especially if you are looking for something under Rs 20,000. The Joey in me feels the cameras are good, the display quality is good, and the design — also good with the Halo Lighting adding a sense of personality to the phone.
Overall, the phone feels like a good package on a budget. On top of this, you get wireless charging support, which is almost non-existent in this price range.
All this can entice a lot of people. However, the lack of more useful secondary and tertiary cameras and faster charging speed can be disappointing.
If you are looking for a more performance-focused phone with faster charging support, the POCO X6 can be a good choice. If OIS support and faster charging matter to you, the Realme NARZO 70 Pro can be an option too. It also comes with added features like Air Gestures.
