If you are looking for a new budget or entry-level phone, this device might pique your interest. Recently, Infinix released the new Infinix Smart 9 as its latest entry-level phone. For RM299, is this phone actually an entry-level beast? This is our verdict.
Design - Simple and practical
Design-wise, the Infinix Smart 9 has a sleek design for its budget category, with a sturdy plastic body that feels durable. Personally, we are not a fan of the plastic body. But, the phone design does make it easy to hold especially if you have butter fingers. For this review, we received the Mint Green variant.
At first glance, you might notice the camera island with a dual camera. Like the Infinix Note 40 Pro, this device houses dual speakers at the top and bottom of the phone. Meanwhile, the volume and power buttons sit on the right side of the phone. As expected, the charging port is located at the bottom of the phone just beside the speaker. Interestingly, there is an LED light beside the front-camera lens that will light up when the device is charged. That’s pretty neat.
Simple design and easy to hold
Power and Volume buttons are located on the right side of the phone
Charging port located at the bottom beside the speaker
The LED lights up when charged, sweet
Tech specs and features - Reasonable hardware for its price
- MediaTek Helio G81 Octa-core chipset
- PowerVR GE8320 GPU
- 6.7-inch HD+ IPS display (120Hz refresh rate)
- 3GB + 3GB RAM
- 64GB internal storage (expandable via microSD card up to 256GB)
- XOS (Android 14)
- 13MP, f/1.8 (main) rear camera + depth sensor
- 8MP, f/2.0, with LED flash front camera
- Features Ultra Volume dual speakers,
- 5000mAh battery (non-removable), 10W charging via micro-USB port
- 165.7x 77.1mmx 8.35mm
- 188g
For your information, this phone features a 6.7-inch HD+ IPS display has a refresh rate of 120Hz, which is quite impressive for this price range. Smooth scrolling and decent colour reproduction make browsing and watching videos pleasant. However, the HD+ resolution may not be as sharp as higher-end screens, especially for those accustomed to Full HD.
Moreover, we tested the Dual Speakers' performance. According to Infinix, the dual speakers could enhance the volume up to 300% with the Ultra Volume feature. We did notice the loud volume, but the noise and distortion does become more apparent the louder it goes.
The display is not too shabby
The UI is simple and easy to navigate
In addition, this device features the XOS (Android 14) UI. While it includes most essential Android features, it has limitations compared to the full Android version, such as fewer customisation options. Plus, this device OS is optimised for devices with lower RAM, helping make the most out of the hardware for smoother overall performance.
UI-wise, it's quite simple to understand and configure. But, the UI design could be too simple for those who want more fancy aesthetics. Yes, you can change these settings. However, the choices feel quite limited in this aspect. As expected, this device runs a few bloatware. So, feel free to manage and tweak the phone to your liking.
Performance - On point for its price
As tested on the 3DMark app
As recorded on AnTuTu
According to 3DMark, this device scored 615 on the Wild Life test. That makes it 6% better than every other device in this range. Besides that, this device scored 249657 on AnTuTu. So, that should give you a general idea of how this device would perform.
This device sports the MediaTek Helio G81 SoC and 3GB + 3GB RAM. The Smart 9 handles basic tasks like social media browsing, light app usage, and messaging without major issues. However, the limited RAM may cause slower performance or lag for heavier apps or multitasking, especially if you are running multiple applications simultaneously. The XOS (Android 14) helps optimise performance, but the device’s overall capability remains better suited to lighter use.
The device might not be able to run some apps though
Thanks to the 5000mAh battery, we found battery life to be one of the Smart 9’s strongest points. It could last a full day with moderate usage, and light users might even get up to two days on a single charge. There’s no fast charging support, though, so charging from 0% to full can take some time, but it should comfortably last for long commutes or busy days without frequent recharging.
Game-wise, we noticed something interesting when we launched Genshin Impact. Apparently, it will take the phone some time before it can log into the servers. This could be caused by the hardware limitations of the device. Plus, the graphics might look boxy and pixelated, but it is still playable.
This is new for us
The graphic noise is noticeable
Boxy low-resolution graphics
It is still playable though
Gameplay could feel unresponsive at times
MOBA anyone?
Moreover, we noticed the same trend of boxy graphics when playing games like Asphalt Nitro. Unfortunately, we were unable to test how the phone would do with Asphalt Legends Unite. But that is expected given its specs. Meanwhile, the game does decently on Mobile Legends. However, we found the game responsiveness to be quite sluggish and unresponsive at times. This might disrupt your immersive experience if you are an avid MOBA gamer.
Camera-wise, the Infinix Smart 9 features a modest dual-camera setup, with a 13MP main camera and a secondary lens for depth. Photos are decent in well-lit conditions, capturing reasonable detail and colour accuracy. In low-light settings, however, the camera struggles with visible noise and lack of detail, but this is typical for budget phones. Selfies with the 8MP front camera are fair and adequate for video calls but lack the sharpness seen in more premium models.
Taken on Portrait Mode
Under the right settings, the quality could be decent
Images may lack details
Visible noise
Under low light, it might take a few tweaks to make it work
Selfies are OK in our opinion
Taken under low light
This phone does not have a Night Mode
Moving objects could be hard to capture in low-light
More visible noise
The colours look decent in our opinion
Not bad
The camera is decent for its price range
Conclusion - Better than your average Entry-level, but not a beast
The Infinix Smart 9 is an affordable option if you need a basic smartphone with a large display and strong battery life. Given its price range, the TECNO Spark Go 1 offers a better performance. You can also opt for the Redmi 12C if you have more money to spare.
Regardless, the Infinix Smart 9 is ideal for students, first-time smartphone users, or those on a tight budget. This device provides decent value in its category, especially if used within its limitations.
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