Infinix Zero 30 review

The competition

The MSRP of the Infinix Zero 30 is right around $340, which seems like a good deal given what is on offer here. But to paint the full picture let's examine the available alternatives in this price bracket.

Let's kick things off with Samsung and the vastly popular Galaxy A54. A 128GB/8GB model will run you around $320/€370, while a 256GB/8GB variant costs about $370/€399. The Samsung phone comes with expandable storage, unlike the Zero 30 and also offers IP67 ingress protection. The Galaxy A54 has a slightly slower 120 Hz AMOLED panel, but makes up for that with HDR10+ support. Battery life is notably better on the Galaxy, but the Samsung mid-ranger is limited to very slow 25W charging. The Galaxy A54 has capable 50 MP OIS-enabled main and 12 MP ultrawide cameras, but inferior selfie shooter.

Another Samsung phone worth mentioning is the much cheaper Galaxy A34, which brings a similar overall experience on a much tighter budget.

Unsurprisingly, there are a couple of viable options over in camp Xiaomi. For about as much as the Zero 30, you can get a Poco F5 with stereo speakers, a large 5,000 mAh battery with 67W charging, a 12-bit 120 Hz HDR-capable AMOLED display, a potent Snapdragon 7+ Gen 2 chipset and a pretty versatile camera setup with a 64 MP OIS-enabled main shooter.

Alternatively, you could lower the budget quite significantly and go for something like the ever-popular Redmi Note 12 Pro. Despite its lower price, it offers stereo speakers, 5000 mAh battery with 67W charging and a 10-bit 120 Hz HDR AMOLED display. The Xiaomi Poco X5 Pro is another option quite similar to the Redmi with a Snapdragon chipset and better battery life, but also some concessions.

The Realme 11 Pro+ might be a bit too expensive to consider, but its little sibling, the Realme 11 Pro, is worth checking out. It offers a large 6.7-inch 120 Hz AMOLED HDR10+ display, stereo speakers, a large 5,000 mAh battery with 67W charging and an interesting 100MP main camera with OIS. You don't get an IP rating, though.

Last but definitely not least, why not consider a Google Pixel? The older Pixel 6a means you'll have to live with 60 Hz refresh rate and a much smaller display, but one that is still HDR-capable. The Pixel 6a also offers IP67 ingress protection stereo speakers and decent battery endurance. Its camera system is still world-class, mostly thanks to Google's prowess in computational photography. And all of this, plus pure Android and very long software support, can be had for just around €350/$300 at current pricing.

Samsung Galaxy A54 • Xiaomi Poco F5 • Realme 11 Pro • Google Pixel 6a

Our verdict

The Zero 30 definitely isn't the most impressive member of the Zero series we've seen, but it continues the tradition of offering excellent value for money.

There is plenty to like about the Zero 30 5G. It has impressive design with great ergonomics, weight distribution and an in-hand feel. While you can get better ingress protection in this price range, we still appreciate the inclusion of an official IP53 rating and Gorilla Glass 5 on the front and back. The display on the Zero 30 handles its 144 Hz high refresh rate very competently and has nearly perfect DCI-P3 color reproduction. The stereo speakers are solid and charging speed is commendable.

And we haven't even mentioned anything about the camera setup. The main and ultrawide cameras hold up great and produce competent stills and videos. But the selfie camera is arguably the standout camera performer with its autofocus and incredibly clean and sharp selfies and selfie videos.

The omission of expandable storage is a bit of a bummer and battery life, while dependable, is not the best in the class. More importantly, XOS is still in need of polish as it will count against the Zero 30 in the comparisons to established makers' phones.

Still, all things considered, the Infinix Zero 30 would give you great return of our heard earned cash. At MSRP it wouldn't necessarily be our first choice in its price bracket, but it would still be on the shortlist. And if you manage to snatch one up on a good deal, we have no doubt you'll be pleased.

Pros

• Slick modern design with solid build quality, Gorilla Glass and IP53 ingress protection.
• Solid 144Hz high refresh rate handling and nearly perfect color reproduction.
• Good price/performance ratio.
• Decent battery life and pretty fast charging.
• Impressively clean stereo speaker system with DTS.
• Good daylight camera performance all-around.
• Particularly impressive selfie camera with autofocus and LED flash that captures great photos and videos.
• 256GB base storage.
• Generous retail package.

Cons

• XOS has too many preinstalled apps, poor organization
• Display lacks HDR support.
• Sustained performance isn't ideal.
• No expandable storage and no 3.5mm jack.