Infinix Hot 50 Pro+ 4G review

The competition

The Hot 50 Pro+ 4G is honestly a bit hard to find on sale online. As far as we know, it is currently being offered across Africa, parts of South America, and South Asia. We did find some Ghanaian prices, which roughly translate to €190 for the base 8GB, 128GB variant and around €218 for the 8GB, 256GB version. That's quite affordable, to be honest.

Unsurprisingly, Xiaomi has more than a few interesting competitors to the Hot 50 Pro+. Depending on where you live, the new Redmi Note 14 can currently be had for right around €215 for the base 8GB, 128GB model. Its storage is also expandable, like that of the Infinix. Other than that, some of the Redmi's highlights include a bright, 120Hz, HDR10+ AMOLED display with a Gorilla Glass 5 surface. The whole phone also has an IP64 ingress protection rating. You also get a stereo speaker setup here and a 3.5mm jack. The battery is quite sizeable at 5,110 mAh with 45W fast charging. The MediaTek Dimensity 7025 Ultra chipset is a notable step up from the Helio G100 inside the Infinix. And Xiaomi has included an ultrawide camera.

Of course, if you would rather save a few bucks or get more storage for your money, there is always the ever-popular, slightly older Redmi Note 13.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 14 • Xiaomi Poco X6 • Samsung Galaxy A16 5G

The Poco X6 is also worth considering. If for nothing else, for its great 12-bit Dolby Vision, 120Hz AMOLED display and quite potent for its price range Snapdragon 7s Gen 2 chipset.

Over in camp Samsung, the most direct competitor to the Hot 50 Pro+ 4G is probably the Galaxy A16 5G. As its name suggests, it is a 5G device. It also has an ultrawide camera, though not a particularly good one. Other than that, its display is a bit more modest than the one on the Infinix. There is no stereo speaker setup and only IP54 ingress protection. Under Samsung's recently revamped support program, the A16 5G is getting a whopping six major Android updates compared to just one on the Infinix.

Still, if you shop around, you should be able to snatch the slightly older Galaxy A25 for a good deal and stay within budget. Its hardware is arguably much better value. In fact, while at it, if you stretch your budget to around €250, Samsung is currently running some deep discounts on the Galaxy A35. Its hardware is on a whole other level with niceties such as proper IP67 ingress protection.

Our verdict

The Infinix Hot 50 Pro+ 4G definitely has us torn. On the one hand, we didn't hate our time with it, and most of its aspects are solid, even if they are not chart-topping or overly impressive. The display is solid through and through - sharp, bright, and quick. The symmetrical speakers sound quite good, even if they won't be winning any loudness records. Battery life is decent, even if not spectacular, and the same goes for charging. We kind of like XOS for the most part. It has a nice set of additional features to it and a good sprinkling of AI. And let's not forget that the Hot 50 Pro+ 4G undeniably looks great and feels even better in the hand.

On the other hand, having only 4G connectivity is a bit of a bummer. The same goes for the basic IP54 ingress protection. The virtual proximity reader rubs us the wrong way, and so does the appearance of a triple camera setup on the rear when, in actuality, you basically get one main camera, and that's it. And it's not a particularly impressive one, either. The new MediaTek Helio G100 is nothing special; it is just a G99 with a new coat of paint, so you can't expect much raw performance from it. Still, there is enough to deliver a smooth UI, and Infinix promises five years of smooth operation even if they can't commit to anything more than a single major OS upgrade for the phone.

If you're okay with all of the negatives, the Hot 50 Pro+ 4G isn't a bad phone in any particular way. Frankly, if you like it for its looks, there are hardly any solid alternatives out there at this price point. However, if you would rather look for a more balanced device feature-wise, you should probably shop around a bit more.

Pros

• Very light and stylish phone.
• Excellent all-around AMOLED display for a budget phone.
• Pretty good stereo speakers for the class.
• Stable performance under prolonged loads.

Cons

• No 5G.
• Virtual proximity sensor.
• A single usable camera, and it's a pretty mediocre one at that.
• Screen has no HDR video support.