Review Summary
Expert Rating
The Infinix Smart series, catering to buyers in the entry-level segment, has consistently offered reasonably good smartphones for their price. Seeking to uphold this positive reputation, the OEM has introduced the Infinix Smart 8HD, touted to come with several innovative features within this segment. The handset is said to be the segment’s first to offer a side-mounted fingerprint scanner, 90Hz refresh rate display, and a high-res 8MP selfie camera.
Do these features truly shine in the smartphone’s real-world usage? I aim to find out in this Infinix Smart 8HD review. Read on.
Table of Contents
Verdict
The Infinix Smart 8HD is a sensible buy for its price. It is among the most feature-packed smartphones you can find in the segment right now, and its real-world performance aligns closely with what it promises.
Design and display
The Infinix Smart 8HD is fashioned out of high-quality plastic with a sophisticated timber texture finish at the back. This not only enhances its aesthetic appeal but also serves to keep the device clean from fingerprints and smudges. Additionally, the phone lacks a traditional camera module; instead, it features three individual rings—two dedicated to the cameras and one for the LED ring.
The edges of the phone are flat, providing a secure grip. The handset is relatively comfortable to hold for an extended duration, thanks to its even distribution of weight, which is 184 grams. The Smart 8HD boasts a side-mounted fingerprint scanner for security that swiftly unlocks the device. The handset also includes a face unlock feature, particularly effective in well-lit environments. As for I/O, the Infinix Smart 8HD features a USB Type-C port, a 3.5mm headphone jack, and a speaker grille – all at the bottom edge. The speaker output on the phone is loud, but not crisp.
As for viewing, the Infinix Smart 8HD sports a 6.6-inch display with a punch-hole setup, 90Hz refresh rate, and HD+ resolution. There is a fair share of bezels all around the screen, especially at the bottom, but that’s passable given the price of the phone. Although the colours don’t look punchy and bright, they are good enough to provide a decent viewing experience to watch movies and shows, at least indoors. However, the outdoor visibility and viewing angles are somewhat limited. Additionally, the phone would exhibit occasional touch issues, which I believe could be fixed with a software update. Until then, you may have to tap on the screen more than once to initiate action.
Moving on, the Infinix Smart 8HD also boasts a ‘Magic Ring’, which is a software-backed feature found on some Realme smartphones as well. The feature forms a pill-shaped notch, similar to the iPhone, around the punch-hole setup on the screen. While you can’t interact with the notch, it provides basic information such as battery low/ charging status, call duration, and if enabled, face unlock animation.
Cameras
In optics, the Infinix Smart 8HD sports a 13MP primary camera, paired with an AI lens, at the back. For selfies and video calling, the phone relies on an 8MP selfie camera. There isn’t much to expect from the cameras as the modes are limited and the auto-focus exhibits jitteriness. Nonetheless, it delivers a pleasing performance in well-lit areas. The colours appear vibrant, owing to a bit of saturation, and the details and dynamic range maintain an acceptable standard.
The selfies shot from the 8MP front camera exhibit respectable facial detailing and colour accuracy in daylight. Indoors and lowlight shots from the smartphone appear, at best, average. The company has employed Super Night mode and quad LED lights to improve lowlight images, but they falter in front of the small sensor, which fails to capture enough details.
Performance and software
The Unisoc T606 SoC powers the Infinix Smart 8HD, paired with 6GB of RAM, including 3GB virtual, and 64GB of onboard storage. The storage is further expandable using a microSD card with a dedicated slot. It’s essential to note this is an entry-level smartphone, so don’t expect snappy performance.
There is a delay of a fraction of a second when performing actions on this device. So, multitasking and running any graphic-intensive applications would be a no-go on the Infinix Smart 8HD. That is not to say it can’t run graphically-demanding games like BGMI. It can handle the game’s graphics well; however, the experience may not be particularly enjoyable. With everything said and done, the Infinix Smart 8HD proves to be a reliable choice for everyday basic activities like communication, messaging, and streaming. The handset achieves acceptable scores on the Geekbench, AnTuTu, and CPU Throttle tests.
Software-wise, the Infinix Smart 8HD boots custom XOS skin atop Android 13 Go out of the box. The crackdown on bloatware Infinix started with its GT 10 Pro earlier this year continues on this smartphone. The phone comes with only a handful of official and Google apps pre-installed, making the UI relatively clean and easy to use.
Battery and charging speeds
The Infinix Smart 8HD is equipped with a 5,000mAh battery, which provides a decent backup for regular everyday usage. I was getting approximately five and a half hours of screen-on-time (SoT) using the device for browsing, checking work emails, and streaming YouTube videos.
The handset supports a 10W charging solution, which is relatively on the slower side. The tech takes more than two hours to achieve a full charge from 0-100 percent.
Final verdict
The Infinix Smart 8HD has been priced in India under Rs 6,500, making it a standout choice in a segment with limited competition. Its key highlights include a unique timber texture finish, a side-mounted fingerprint scanner, and a 90Hz refresh rate display. While the camera performance is acceptable in well-lit conditions, it may struggle with autofocus and lowlight shots. The Unisoc T606 SoC ensures reliable everyday performance for essential tasks, but graphics-intensive applications may lag. The software looks relatively clean, contributing to a user-friendly interface, and the 5,000mAh battery provides decent backup. If these things fit your requirements, the Infinix Smart 8HD should be an obvious choice within the segment.
Editor’s rating: 7 / 10
Reasons to buy
- The phone looks aesthetically pleasing with its timber texture finish at the back.
- The ‘Magic Ring’ feature forms a pill around the punch-hole to provide basic information.
- The phone provides a good battery backup for everyday use.
- The selfies exhibit respectable facial detailing and colour accuracy in daylight.
Reasons not to buy
- The handset takes aeons to achieve a full charge.
- The cameras have limited modes and auto-focus exhibits jitteriness.
 | Rs. 6,260.00 | Go To Store |
 Infinix Smart 8 HD | vs |  POCO C55 |
| Infinix Smart 8 HD | vs |  Infinix Smart 8 |
