Infinix Smart 9

At Rs. 26,999, the Infinix Smart 9 gives good value to buyers who care most about screen, sound and storage.

• Strengths: a large 6.7-inch 120Hz screen, dual stereo speakers, a 5000 mAh battery, a dedicated microSD slot and a 3.5mm headphone jack. A 10W charger and a hard plastic case come in the box.
• Weaknesses: a 720p resolution, slow 10W charging, no NFC and the lighter Android 14 Go edition instead of full Android.

The VGOTEL New 17 (Rs. 27,699) is worth a look if faster charging matters more than screen size.

Verdict: a sensible pick for calls, social media and video on a tight budget. Buyers who want sharper text, faster charging or more demanding apps should spend more.

The Smart 9 has a 6.7-inch IPS LCD with a 720 x 1600 resolution (about 262 ppi), a 120Hz refresh rate and up to 500 nits peak brightness. The selfie camera sits in a centred punch-hole.

• Refresh rate options: an automatic mode switches the rate by itself, or you can lock it at 120Hz or at one of two lower rates.
• Real-world use: scrolling is smooth, brightness is good, and visibility indoors and outdoors causes no problems. Videos and social media look good on the large panel.
• Limitation: at 720p, text and fine detail look softer than on Full HD screens, which shows most when reading.

The phone runs on the MediaTek Helio G81, an octa-core chip with two 2.0 GHz Cortex-A75 cores, six 1.7 GHz Cortex-A55 cores and Mali-G52 MC2 graphics. Memory versions range from 3GB RAM with 64GB storage up to 6GB RAM with 128GB storage, and storage can be expanded with a microSD card.

• The chip is entry-level and suits calls, messaging, social media and video.
• Android 14 Go edition is a lighter build of Android, which helps a budget chip feel more responsive with everyday apps.
• No reliable gaming, multitasking or heat test results were found for this phone, so buyers who play demanding games should choose a more powerful model.

On the back is a 13 MP main camera (f/1.9) with an auxiliary lens and LED flash; the selfie camera is 8 MP.

• Daylight: photos have decent quality, with accurate colours and good detail. They are fine for social media but not outstanding.
• Modes: short video, slow motion and time-lapse are included.
• Video: the main camera records at up to 1080p 30fps.
• Low light: no reliable night-photo results were found, so low-light quality is unconfirmed.

The auxiliary lens does not add a separate ultrawide or zoom view, so all shots come from the single 13 MP camera.

The Smart 9 has a 5000 mAh battery with 10W wired charging, and the matching 10W (5V 2A) charger is in the box. It also supports reverse wired charging, so it can top up another device over a cable.

• Charging: 10W is not fast charging, so a full charge of this battery takes a long time.
• Battery life: no reliable screen-on or endurance test results were found, so battery life is not confirmed beyond the capacity.

The large capacity is promising for a 720p phone, but slow charging is the main compromise.

The Smart 9 runs Android 14 Go edition with Infinix's XOS 14 interface. Go edition is a lighter version of Android rather than the full version found on more expensive phones.

• What it means: apps and the system are tuned for modest hardware, which helps keep a budget phone usable.
• Display controls: XOS lets you pick an automatic refresh rate or lock it at 120Hz or a lower rate.
• Updates: no official update commitment for this model could be confirmed, so do not count on major Android upgrades.