Infinix ZERO 5G 2023 Review Philippines: Value-for-Money Gaming

Infinix ZERO 5G 2023 Review Philippines: Value-for-Money Gaming

Infinix wraps up 2022 with a 2023 version of the ZERO 5G, its bang-for-the-buck offering at the under Php 15k segment. While the 2023 version lost the telephoto camera, it makes up for it with a better 50-megapixel main camera and significantly improved performance thanks to its Dimensity 1080 processor. We review the ZERO 5G 2023 and see if Infinix has another winner in the under Php 15k price segment in the Philippines.

How does the ZERO 5G 2023 look and feel?

It looks very sleek with its unibody design. It does look and feel like an upper mid-range phone, and Infinix made a few tweaks to make it look even sleeker than the OG ZERO 5G. The camera bump is less pronounced on the ZERO 5G 2023, and we’re grateful that Infinix chose a frosted finish for the plastic back, saving us from the headache of dealing with fingerprint smudges.

You also get the same finish for the frame sides, giving it a premium look that makes it appealing as a mid-range phone. You do get a side-mounted fingerprint scanner since the ZERO 5G 2023 has an IPS display, and you still get a headphone jack and MicroSD card slot–two features that are slowly being removed on phones these days.

Like its 2022 sibling, you also get the same 6.78-inch IPS panel with a smooth 120hz refresh rate that dynamically adapts depending on how you use the phone. The panel is bright enough for outdoor use, though we wish the calibration for the automatic brightness feature had been calibrated further. The colors on them are very decent for an IPS panel, and stereo speakers are an excellent addition to make it a great all-around entertainment device.

Speaking of entertainment, the ZERO 5G 2023 does have a Widevine L1 certification, which allows you to enjoy watching Netflix in Full HD.

Can the ZERO 5G 2023’s cameras compete in the saturated mid-range segment?

They are indeed competitive against rivals in the under-Php 15k segment, and we do think that they perform better than the 2022 version despite losing the telephoto camera. While we feel sad that Infinix decided to stuff two 2-megapixel cameras to go along with the 50-megapixel main camera, the main camera of the ZERO 5G 2023 does perform way better than the 48-megapixel unit used on the 2022 model.

Overall image processing is miles better than what we experienced on the 2022 version of the ZERO 5G, and the post-processing performance is roughly at par with what we experienced on the 200-megapixel-sporting ZERO ULTRA. Daylight and mixed light performance are very decent for an under Php 12k phone, though we wished Infinix toned down saturation levels especially when we took photos of plants and other greenery.

Low-light shooting is a hit-or-miss affair with the ZERO 5G 2023–but again, it’s considerably better than what we experienced with the 2022 model. We found it unusual that there are instances that shooting in full auto yielded better shots than using the dedicated night mode feature.

You also get 4K video recording on the ZERO 5G 2023, though the lack of OIS makes the footage unstable when shooting handheld. The colors are fine (slightly better than the 2022 version if you ask), but we recommend that you use a gimbal or tripod for more usable footage.

Camera performance is not a real priority of the ZERO 5G 2023, which is why Infinix is marketing this phone toward gamers–more in the next section.

What’s it like to live with the ZERO 5G 2023?

It’s powerful for a phone priced at under Php 12k that has the majority of its rivals using 4G-only processors like the Snapdragon 680. Being an upgrade over the 2022 version, the ZERO 5G 2023 now offers double the storage at 256GB (still the fast UFS 3.1 variety), along with a more powerful Dimensity 1080 processor that’s paired with 8GB LPDDR5 RAM.

Compared to the Dimensity 900 used on the 2022 version, the Dimensity 1080 comes with higher-clocked prime CPU cores at 2.6Ghz, which prove to be a big help in further elevating the ZERO 5G 2023 for gaming. Comparing the stats we got with the 2022 version, the ZERO 5G 2023 offers slightly better performance with Genshin Impact at high settings. In fact, we managed to push the ZERO 5G 2023 beyond 30FPS in with end-game content that has multiple mobs–with acceptable game stability.

With Ashpalt 9, the biggest change on the ZERO 5G 2023 is that the game now runs natively at 60FPS (the 2022 version was capped at 30FPS), delivering a smoother gaming experience especially when you are doing competitive race matches. In both benchmarks and gaming performance, the 0.2 GHz bump in the prime cores makes the Dimensity 1080 better than the Dimensity 900 overall.

Aside from better overall performance, the Dimensity 1080 also has improvements in battery life as well. We were able to clock in at 14 hours 42 minutes in PCMark’s battery benchmark test with the display set at a dynamic refresh rate. Compared to the 2022 version, the ZERO 5G 2023 is more battery efficient by at least 20 minutes despite using the same 5000mAh battery.

Who is the ZERO 5G 2023 for?

The ZERO 5G 2023 is targeted towards gamers who want a 5G-ready device for under Php 15k that delivers solid performance when it comes to all of the most popular mobile gaming titles out there. Mobile gamers on a budget wouldn’t prioritize camera performance that much–yet the ZERO 5G 2023 does offer decent cameras despite its limitations.

Infinix ZERO 5G 2023 Review Philippines specs

  • Dimensity 1080 processor
  • 8GB LPDDR5 RAM
  • 256GB UFS 3.1 internal storage
  • 6.78-inch Full HD+ IPS display, 120hz refresh rate
  • 50-megapixel f/1.8 main camera, 2-megapixel macro camera, 2-megapixel depth sensor, LED flash
  • 16-megapixel f/2.0 front camera
  • 4G, LTE, 5G
  • WiFi, Bluetooth, side-mounted fingerprint scanner
  • 33w charging
  • 5000mAh battery
  • Android 12, XOS 12

Infinix ZERO 5G 2023: Price and where to buy in the Philippines

The ZERO 5G 2023 has an official price of Php 11,999, and currently has a promo price of Php 10,999 via LazadaShopee, and TikTok Shop for a limited time only.

2 Comments

  • unknown , May 30, 2023

    malakas ba iyan sa internet lalo na sa rural areas? Infinix Note 8 gamit ko need pa lumabas para sumagap sa internet

  • Des , June 12, 2023

    Hi,Unbox.ph.

    Does the Infinix Zero 5G 2023 have the following features:

    • SCREEN MIRRORING
    • Long screen shot
    • Apps saved at external storage
    • Can do Collage
    • Can label photos & videos
    • Voice recorder
    • Dual View Video

    Thanks for the reply.

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