Initial Verdict: While the core internals remain mostly the same, Infinix stepped up its game with the NOTE 50 Pro by giving it a build quality that’s normally found in flagship killers, along with a decent set of cameras–all for under Php 12k.
Pros
- Very premium build
- Great display
Cons
- 4G only
The NOTE 50 series finally lands in the Philippines, and the first model we officially get is the NOTE 50 Pro. While it may be a 4G-only device, Infinix did a lot of work on the NOTE 50 Pro to make it arguably one of the best builds we’ve seen on a budget phone. In fact We’ve used the phone for a week, and here are our first impressions:
Infinix NOTE 50 Pro First Impressions: Unboxing and Packaging Contents
The NOTE 50 Pro comes with a Call of Duty: Mobile sleeve, as it is part of Infinix’s collaboration with the popular FPS title, Opening the box reveals the phone itself, a case that has a magnetic attachment for Infinix’s MagCharge accessories, a 90w charger, USB-C cable, tempered glass, documentation, and an S-VIP card for after-sales service.
The packaging is a statement that the NOTE 50 Pro can handle titles like Call of Duty: Mobile well, and we will test that out in our full review.
Infinix NOTE 50 Pro First Impressions: Design
Our review unit is in Enchanted Purple, and the NOTE 50 Pro sports a unique camera array that consists of three cameras and a sensor for measuring your heart rate and blood oxygen–something we haven’t seen in a while and is a feature that is handy especially for health-conscious individuals. That sensor is also surrounded by RGB lights that can be customized according to your needs. Aside from Enchanted Purple, other color options for the NOTE 50 Pro include Titanium Grey, Shadow Black, and Racing Edition.
While the button and port layout is the same as its predecessor, the biggest change here is its use of a metal alloy frame, which is the first time we encountered this on a budget phone in a while. Granted that the back panel is only made from plastic, the NOTE 50 Pro can be mistaken for a flagship killer with its build. To complement the metal alloy, the NOTE 50 Pro is getting an IP64 rating, and we’re glad that Infinix is also giving better water resistance to its phones.
Infinix NOTE 50 Pro First Impressions: Display and Speakers
Unlike its predecessor, the NOTE 50 Pro goes for a flat display, which gives it the illusion that it is bigger despite having the same 6.78-inch panel. The NOTE 50 Pro is slightly shorter than its predecessor, resulting in slimmer bezels for a more premium look.
While peak brightness is the same at 1300nits, the NOTE 50 Pro has a 144hz refresh rate, making it a smoother AMOLED panel when scrolling and browsing the UI. You also get Widevine L1 so that you can take advantage of watching your favorite Netflix videos in Full HD.
The JBL-tuned speakers sound amazing–even better than those on the NOTE 40 Pro. Considering that we’re talking about a budget phone, the NOTE 50 Pro’s speakers are adequately loud with minimal distortion and produce a decent amount of bass and crisp highs.
Infinix NOTE 50 Pro First Impressions: Cameras
Infinix gave the NOTE 50 Pro a proper set of cameras that consists of a 50-megapixel ISOCELL GN5 main shooter with OIS and an 8-megapixel ultrawide shooter. The main camera uses a bigger sensor, which translates to better low-light capabilities. Infinix’s sensor of choice for the main camera is interesting: aside from being used on the ZERO Flip, the ISOCELL GN5 was used on a few flagship phones a few years ago.
The NOTE 50 Pro has a promising camera setup–especially for the main shooter–and we will test it out in the coming days for our final verdict, so stay tuned.
Infinix NOTE 50 Pro First Impressions: Internals and Battery
Powering the NOTE 50 Pro is a Helio G100 processor that’s paired with 8GB LPDDR4X RAM and 256GB UFS 2.2 storage. The RAM/storage configuration is the same as its predecessor, and the Helio G100 is barely an upgrade over the Helio G99 used on the NOTE 40 Pro.
Despite that, Infinix touts a better overall software experience with the NOTE 50 Pro thanks to Android 15-based XOS 15 and Infinix AI. Infinix promises two Android updates and 3 years of security updates, and while we wished for a longer commitment, it’s nice that Infinix is being more transparent when it comes to software updates.
The NOTE 50 Pro gets a slightly bigger 5200mAh battery inside, along with faster charging speeds: 90w wired, and 30w wireless. The charging speeds are a nice feature to have, especially in a budget phone where the usual speeds would be around 45w. We got a screen-on time of 13 hours and 25 minutes on the NOTE 50 Pro, which is an impressive figure, especially for an Infinix device. This shows that Infinix has finally nailed software optimization right.
Infinix NOTE 50 Pro First Impressions: Initial Conclusions
Outside of being a 4G-only device, the main selling point of the NOTE 50 Pro is that you’re getting an overall build normally found in flagship killers for way less. It is the most premium build we’ve seen on an Infinix phone, and we think this might start a trend for others to step up with the overall build of their phones—beyond the usual durability claims.
Infinix promises an under Php 12k price tag for the NOTE 50, which we think is a fair asking price for a budget phone that has a build that rivals flagship killers. To make the deal sweeter, Infinix is offering a 1-year subscription for those purchasing the NOTE 50 series starting April 23. You can buy the NOTE 50 Pro at Shopee.
