Infinix Note 40S smartphone review

Infinix Note 40S Smartphone Review: The Infinix Note 40S was announced in September 2024 but started shipping to customers in October 2024. The smartphone was launched globally in Asia, Africa, South America and other areas where Infinix has a strong presence in the market. In terms of design, the new Infinix Note 40S looks similar to its other smartphones such as the much more expensive Infinix Note 40.

The smartphone packs decent hardware to impress the modern user base. However, the Infinix Note 40S does not have 5G connectivity because it was designed on a budget. Infinix believes that the affordable price would be attractive to users who want a valuable smartphone on a budget. Let’s start with a detailed review of the Infinix Note 40S smartphone and see if it is worth buying.

Infinix Note 40S smartphone review

Highlights

1. The Infinix Note 40S has a 6.78-inch AMOLED display with 120Hz high refresh rate support.
2. It has the MediaTek Helio G99 Ultimate 4G chipset, which is capable of clock speeds of up to 2×2.2 GHz.
3. The smartphone comes with Android 14 operating system with XOS 14 for better user experience.
4. The Infinix Note 40S has a 108MP triple rear camera system with a 32MP selfie camera.
5. The smartphone is powered by a 5000mAh battery with 33W wired fast charging and 20W MagCharge wireless fast charging.

Design and display

The Infinix Note 40S is a budget smartphone and creating a completely new design would have led to an unnecessary increase in price, which Infinix did not want. The company reused its previous design, allowing it to save valuable resources that can be spent elsewhere, such as the display, and Infinix did exactly that. But before we move on to the screen, let’s talk a little more about the design.

The body is made entirely of plastic, but it is of good quality and does not bend or creak under normal circumstances. The sides of the body are curved and provide a very comfortable grip that you can hold for several hours without any discomfort. The smartphone is available in Obsidian Black and Vintage Green color options.

The smartphone’s design is also dust and water resistant with an IP54 rating. Overall, the phone has a modern design theme, which Gen Z users will love. Now, let’s talk about the screen. The phone has a 6.78-inch AMOLED display with 120Hz high refresh rate support. The display is curved on the sides, which makes it look like an expensive phone, but it is not.

It offers a very attractive design, which is further complemented by the colors of the smartphone. This FHD+ panel is color accurate and can reach a brightness of up to 1,300 nits in direct sunlight, which will ensure that you have no problems using the smartphone outdoors. Corning Gorilla Glass also protects this screen, but the company did not mention which version of Gorilla Glass it is.

Memory and internal

The Infinix Note 40S comes with the MediaTek Helio G99 Ultimate 4G chipset, which can reach clock speeds of up to 2×2.2 GHz. Its raw performance may not be on par with other modern smartphones in 2024, but it can run all everyday apps including Facebook, WhatsApp, Snapchat and more decently without major lags or stutters.

This performance capability is also seen in the gaming aspect. The Mali-G52 MC2 graphics processor is also quite decent and can run games like PUBG mobile, CODm and Summoners War, decently well with good framerates. However, it won’t run graphically demanding games like Genshin Impact very well. After all, it is a budget chipset and not for gaming. You won’t be disappointed if you keep your expectations in check.

For RAM and storage, the smartphone comes with up to 8GB of RAM and 128GB of UFS 2.2 internal storage. Unfortunately, there is no 5G connectivity on this smartphone, which is certainly disappointing but understandable considering the price. Infinix made this decision to keep the cost low.

On the software front, the smartphone runs on Android 14 operating system with XOS 14 for more customization options and better user experience. Unfortunately, there is no headphone jack, which is quite in demand in the category of budget smartphones. However, the smartphone has stereo speakers, which certainly enhances the surround sound experience of the speaker.

Camera

Infinix has equipped the Infinix Note 40S with a 108MP triple rear camera system. The main camera consists of a 108MP sensor, which is capable of taking decent photos with good levels of detail and a saturated color tone. The image quality is comparable to other phones in the same price range.

The second and third camera sensors are 2MP macro and some unnamed sensors that are completely useless. The main rear camera is all you get and the other two cameras are just for show, which is not uncommon for budget smartphones. This is where cost reduction comes into play. However, the selfie camera is pretty good.

For selfies, the smartphone has a 32MP sensor that is capable of taking some decent selfies. These selfies have excellent levels of detail and natural colors. The sensor manages to correctly capture the facial features of the subject. As for video recording, the Infinix Note 40S can record at a maximum resolution of 1440p@30FPS from the rear camera, while it can only record at 1080p@30FPS from the selfie camera.

Battery and others

The Infinix Note 40S has a high-capacity 5000 mAh battery. This battery can comfortably offer a battery life of 1 to 2 days with low to medium usage. However, if you play a lot of games, it won’t last as long. However, the smartphone supports both wired and wireless charging, so there is no need to worry about battery life.

The 33W wired fast charger can charge your phone to 50% in just 31 minutes. The smartphone also supports 20W MagCharge wireless fast charging, which can fully charge the phone in about 1 hour and 40 minutes. On top of that, you’ll also find Wi-Fi 5, Bluetooth, an under-display fingerprint scanner, GPS, NFC, and a USB Type-C port for charging the smartphone. The Infinix Note 40S is available for purchase for $178 (Rs 14,999 in India) approximately.

Pros and cons of the Infinix Note 40S

Details of the specifications of the Infinix Note 40S

Below you can see the Infinix Note 40S Smartphone Full Specifications.

Conclusion

The Infinix Note 40S is a fantastic smartphone to buy if you are on a budget. Infinix has got a lot of things right with this smartphone, which is surprising for a budget category. Let’s start with the design. This phone borrowed the design from the company’s most expensive Infinix Note 40 phone and it has a fantastic design and looks quite good on this phone.

As for the display, you get an excellent display with accurate colors and quite bright outdoors. The chipset is also pretty decent for the price range. The same goes for the rear and main selfie cameras. The battery is also fantastic and the phone has both wired and wireless charging, something unheard of in a budget phone category. Smartphones that have wireless charging are usually quite expensive.

It lacks 5G connectivity and a proper secondary camera. Apart from these two compromises, there are no other problems with the phone. Compromises were necessary to keep the price low. Also, don’t forget that the smartphone also has dust and water resistance, which can help save the phone if it ever gets caught in the rain. Basically, it is a unique smartphone that you won’t find anywhere else.

The only decent alternative smartphone is the Xiaomi Redmi Note 13, which offers 5G, a better chipset and a decent secondary camera at a similar price. Unfortunately, it doesn’t have wireless charging, which you can find on the Infinix Note 40S. However, the final decision is up to you, so it is better to choose a smartphone based on your needs and requirements.