The Infinix Hot 3 teaser left many people anxious. Drums rolled and the smartphone was finally launched. As usual, techies and others alike sought to satisfy their curiosity and I was definitely not left behind. After using the device for a whole two weeks, I can comfortably tell the good, the bad and the ugly.
Damage: Anything from about Kshs 14,999
Key Features
- Display Size & Type: 5.5 ” IPS, capacitive, multi-touch, touchscreen
- Internal Memory:16GB, 2GB RAM
- Primary Camera: 13MP Rear, 5MP Front
- OS: Android 5.1 Lollipop
- Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 415, Octa-core 64Bit Chipset
- SIM: Dual, Micro SIM
- Battery: 3000mAh Li-Po battery Capacity
Design and Display
Prior to the launch of infinix Hot 3, Infinix had put out a teaser on twitter. It soon emerged that the new device would be the successor of Hot 2. Anxious audiences were given a glimpse into the design. The design speaks of a budget smartphone: as expected from a mid-range android smartphone. The body is made of plastic but I must admit that it comes with a premium feel. I am not mad about the 5.5-inch HD display and 720p resolution either. It favours game, movie and browsing fans. The tech precision processing ensures remarkable clarity and desirable picture quality. Visibility in the indoor and outdoor environments is impressive. The only problem is that I found some colours washed out. The saturation of colours is not desirable and this I found appalling.
The absence of a display protection did not come as a surprise since this is often a common denominator with budget smartphones. The earpiece is placed in the middle of the upper front; the left side carries the selfie camera while the soft flash is at the right side corner. The bottom portion of the screen holds the navigation keys and no LEDs to light. Infinix Hot 3 comes in gold, blue, gray, and pink.
Performance
I give it an average performance rating. Hot 3 is an entry level gadget and this can be evidenced from its performance. Infinix still uses Android Lollipop and this is a bit appalling considering Android Marshmallow is the new thing. Given the 1.3 GHz Quad-core Media Tek processor paired with1GB RAM, I was not surprised by its average performance. I must, however, indicate that the smartphone supports basic tasks. The situation is only tricky when multi-tasking and running heavy apps. I experienced some lags and unresponsive screens and annoying slow response. The slow performance did not, however, occur often. It is my strong recommendation that Infinix pays attention to this: I believe in their ability to do better.
Hot 3 is an entry level smartphone but Infinix should fix mentioned problems with the next smartphone within this performance and price range.
Camera(s)
The 8MP back camera and 2MP front-facing camera are impressive. The 8MP camera takes gorgeous shots particularly in good lighting. For an entry level smartphone, I did not expect such exemplary performance. I used the back camera to take shots and full HD videos and your guess is as good as mine; they were brilliant! The camera performance is reliable even though it struggles to take impressive shots in poor lighting. This is because the latter case is common among entry smartphones.
Battery
The smartphone is powered by a 3000MAh removable battery. Because of its average performance, the battery lasted throughout the day with heavy use. This is one of the most impressive qualities of Hot 3. When I tested it on lighter tasks such as Whatsapp, messaging, calling, and light browsing, it lasted for more than 24 hours. It only took an hour for the phone to charge and that is a quality I liked.
Bottom Line
Infinix Hot 3 is an okay entry level gadget. I consider it a fairly good budget smartphone. The good news is that its design does not give away it low price. So, should I purchase Hot 3? Well, the choice is yours but if you desire to have a smartphone that handles basic tasks smoothly at a friendly price then go for it. The device is functional and considerate on the pocket and this meets the needs of users who are not mindful of everything else.
So Rad
- Impressive camera
- Desirable battery life and charging period
- Affordable price
- Good design and display
- Available in four different colours
Makes Us Sad
- Average performance
- Limited internal storage
