Infinix Zero 40

At Rs. 62,999, the Infinix Zero 40 is good value mainly for buyers who care about cameras and video. Its strengths are:

• A 50 MP selfie camera, a 50 MP ultrawide and 2K video on all three cameras.
• A curved 120Hz AMOLED display with Gorilla Glass 5.
• 45W charging with bypass charging, JBL-tuned dual speakers, an IR blaster and IP54 splash resistance.

The compromises are a Helio G100 that performs like the older G99, no wireless charging, no memory card slot, no headphone jack and a back that is not glass.

The Xiaomi Redmi Note 15 (Rs. 68,999) offers a bigger battery and longer software support but weaker cameras. Verdict: a smart buy for creators and selfie lovers; gamers and power users will find better performance elsewhere.

The Zero 40 has a 6.78-inch curved AMOLED display with 1080 x 2436 resolution, 1B colours, a 120Hz refresh rate, 1300 nits high brightness mode and Corning Gorilla Glass 5 protection.

The screen is bright outdoors and looks premium thanks to the curved edges. A high touch sampling rate helps reduce missed touches while gaming. Reports differ on whether HDR video playback is supported, so do not buy it mainly for HDR streaming.

Other details:

• The always-on display stays lit for about 10 seconds after waking.
• The in-display fingerprint sensor is reasonably fast, and face unlock is quicker still.
• Curved glass costs more to replace if it breaks, so the included screen protector is worth using.

The MediaTek Helio G100 (6 nm) uses two 2.2 GHz Cortex-A76 cores and six 2.0 GHz Cortex-A55 cores with a Mali-G57 MC2 GPU, paired with 8GB RAM (plus 8GB virtual RAM) and 256GB UFS 2.2 storage. There is no memory card slot.

In real use, the G100 behaves almost exactly like the Helio G99; system diagnostics even identify it as a G99 variant. Everyday apps, especially Infinix's own, open quickly and the phone feels smooth.

Gaming is decent but not a strength: popular games run at modest frame rates, so serious gamers should look at faster chips. For this price, many buyers expected a stronger processor.

The rear setup pairs a 108 MP, f/1.8 main camera with OIS and a 50 MP, 120-degree ultrawide, plus an auxiliary lens. The front has a 50 MP selfie camera with autofocus.

• Photos: daytime results from the main and ultrawide cameras are very good. Low-light shots are bright and not grainy, though zooming in shows a painted look. Portrait mode is less accurate than some rivals.
• Selfies: detailed enough to crop, with accurate group portraits and good skin tones.
• Video: all three cameras record up to 1440p at 30fps. Face detection keeps exposure and skin tones steady when light changes, but Ultra Steady and background blur modes drop the resolution, slow motion is 720p, and front video is not stabilised at 2K.

Creators also get vlog templates, GoPro integration and a free AI Eraser.

The Zero 40 has a 5000 mAh battery with 45W wired charging, rated to reach 50% in 25 min, plus 10W reverse wired charging and Bypass Charging 2.0. A 45W adapter comes in the box.

Bypass charging powers the phone directly from the charger during long gaming or recording sessions, which helps keep the battery cooler.

There is no wireless charging. Reliable screen-on time tests for this 4G model are not available yet, so endurance cannot be stated with confidence.

The Zero 40 runs Android 14 with XOS 14.5, and the official specs promise up to 2 major Android upgrades.

The software is stable. Infinix pre-installs its own apps, such as a browser and the Palm Store, but almost everything can be uninstalled. Useful extras include:

• AI Eraser for removing objects from photos, with no credits or payment needed.
• DTS sound settings to adjust bass and vocals.
• 4G+ support, Wi-Fi calling and an IR blaster.

Haptic feedback is decent for a mid-range phone but not as crisp as on pricier models.