Initial Verdict: The NOTE 40 Pro+ officially replaces the VIP line under the NOTE 30 series, and Infinix expands its AllRound FastCharge tech by adding magnetic wireless charging. Pricing will be crucial, as the NOTE 40 Pro+ falls short in other categories, particularly with the cameras.

Pros

• MagCharge is a nice feature to have
• Feels more premium than previous NOTE phones
• Great display that’s similar to what Infinix uses on their ZERO devices

Cons

• The rest of the cameras are fillers
• No 4K video recording
• Pricing is crucial

The NOTE 40 Pro+ is coming to the Philippines on April 25, and Infinix wants to make a statement with it as the first phone to have magnetic wireless charging that rivals Apple’s MagSafe system. We got our hands on the NOTE 40 Pro+ ahead of its official launch, and here are our first impressions:

Infinix NOTE 40 Pro+ First Impressions Philippines: Design

Compared to last year’s NOTE 30 VIP, the NOTE 40 Pro+ feels more premium with its updated design language that reminds us of the ZERO 30 series with its curved display, slim frame, and vegan leather back options. Our review unit is in Vintage Green, which has a vegan leather back.

The ZERO 40 Pro+’s button and port layout is similar to the ZERO 30 5G, so you have the SIM tray, USB-C port, and loudspeaker at the bottom, the other loudspeaker on top, and the power and volume controls on the right side. There’s no headphone jack on the NOTE 40 Pro+, and that’s understandable because the phone’s design does not have enough space to cram in one.

Like the NOTE 30 VIP, the NOTE 40 Pro+ has an IP53 rating for peace of mind from accidental water splashes, along with JBL-tuned stereo speakers. Included with the NOTE 40 Pro+ is a special case for the MagCharge functionality, which works similar to Apple’s MagSafe on iPhones.

 

Infinix NOTE 40 Pro+ First Impressions Philippines: Display

Taking cues from the ZERO 30, the NOTE 40 Pro+’s more premium build also means a better display in the form of a 120hz curved AMOLED panel. It is slightly larger at 6.78 inches, and the display is notably brighter based on our initial impression. One of the challenges with the AMOLED displays used in the NOTE series is maximum brightness, and that has been resolved with the NOTE 40 Pro+ by using a panel that Infinix usually reserves for the ZERO series.

Aside from being better than the displays used on previous NOTE series phones, the NOTE 40 Pro+ features Gorilla Glass protection–though you do get a tempered glass screen protector if you’re not confident enough. Compared to the NOTE 30 VIP’s display, the NOTE 40 Pro+’s display has better colors and significantly better viewing angles. This is proof that you are getting a better set of components with it.

The speakers are just as good as what we experienced in the NOTE 30 series since Infinix inked a partnership with JBL. Among the budget mid-range phones we have tested, we noticed that the speakers used on Infinix NOTE phones–the NOTE 40 Pro+ included–sound better than the competition.

 

Infinix NOTE 40 Pro+ First Impressions Philippines: Cameras

The NOTE series does not focus on cameras, which is why the NOTE 40 Pro+ carries over the same setup found on the NOTE 30 VIP. That consists of a 108-megapixel main camera and a pair of filler cameras. The notable upgrade on the NOTE 40 Pro+ is the addition of OIS, making it more suitable for shooting videos.

From the few photos we took using the NOTE 40 Pro+, its imaging performance is roughly at the same level as the NOTE 30 VIP. We did notice some improvements with its 3x digital zoom feature, as the OIS helps the NOTE 40 Pro+ take sharper photos even with only digital zoom.

While the Note 40 Pro+’s main camera takes decent photos even at low light (and with 3x digital zoom), it falls short with video recording, as it can only shoot 2K video due to chipset limitations. However, the addition of OIS in the main camera helps with giving us stable handheld footage. Check out this video sample below:

Compared to the NOTE 30 VIP, the tradeoff of losing 4K video recording with the NOTE 40 Pro+ is getting decent stabilization for handheld shooting. We think it’s a fair compromise, especially since it meant improving the camera performance of the NOTE series.

 

Infinix NOTE 40 Pro+ First Impressions Philippines: Internals and Battery

Powering the NOTE 40 Pro+ is a Dimensity 7020 processor that’s paired with 12GB RAM and 256GB storage. There may be arguments that the processor is a downgrade from the Dimensity 8050 used on the NOTE 30 VIP, but we digress: even if you’re getting a lower performance, the Dimensity 7020 has better thermal management compared to the Dimensity 8050.

We have yet to put the NOTE 40 Pro+’s Dimensity 7020 through its paces thoroughly, but we were able to play Honkai: Star Rail comfortably at high graphics in 30FPS mode without any noticeable in-game lag.

The NOTE 40 Pro+ comes with Android 14 out of the box, and Infinix is transparent with its software updates: as disclosed during the official launch, the NOTE 40 Pro+ will be getting 3 years of security updates and 2 major Android updates.

You are getting a smaller 4600mAh battery on the NOTE 40 Pro+, but you get 100w fast charging that’s faster than what the NOTE 30 VIP offered. Wireless charging is slower at 20w, but the NOTE 40 Pro+ offers a unique MagCharge magnetic charging solution that’s unique to any Android phone, especially in the budget mid-range segment.

 

Infinix NOTE 40 Pro+ First Impressions Philippines: Wrap-up and initial conclusions

The NOTE 40 Pro+ trades off some features found on last year’s NOTE 30 VIP for a more premium overall build that includes a better display and OIS on the main camera. Its main selling point is its unique MagCharge system, where Infinix made a feature commonly associated with flagship phones accessible even in the budget mid-range segment.

Our concern for now is how much Infinix plans to price the NOTE 40 Pro+ in the Philippines. while its global SRP translates to around Php 18k when converted, we expect the NOTE 40 Pro+ to have a lower price tag in the Philippines. The NOTE 30 VIP was priced at Php 14k last year, and we’re optimistic that Infinix will price the NOTE 40 Pro+ at around that price range.