When it comes to budget-friendly smartphones, TECNO and Infinix are solid contenders. Their latest offerings, the TECNO Spark 30 and Infinix HOT 50 Pro+, compete in the sub-PHP 9,000 price range. But which one stands out?
Let’s find out in our comparison review of the TECNO Spark 30 and the Infinix HOT 50 Pro+.
Table of Contents
On the exterior, you’ll immediately notice the stark difference in terms of aesthetic.
Our review unit, the TECNO Spark 30 Bumblebee Edition, screams of a ‘gaming phone’ vibe showcasing the character’s iconic black and yellow motif. It should also come in other colorways if you prefer a more classic look.
From its rear protrudes a circular camera island that may look like it has three sensors but actually just one.
For an added layer of protection, the Spark 30 comes with a slightly stronger IP64 rating for dust and splash resistance.
As for the Infinix HOT 50 Pro+, it has a more subtle design complemented by its left-aligned camera array. Taking a closer look, you’ll see that the cameras are square in shape, and you can also see its outline has this knurled edge finish going on.
The phone also comes with dust and splash resistance albeit it’s a lower rating — IP54.
What I really like about these phones, especially in terms of ergonomics, are their very slim profiles. The Spark 30 measures 7.7mm thin and the HOT 50 Pro+ goes even thinner at just 6.9mm. (Noice!)
Both phones are fairly lightweight but I prefer the minimalist look of the Infinix HOT 50 Pro+. I also like its curved sides that provides a more comfortable grip of the phone unlike the Spark 30’s flat frame.
In the design department, it’s just fair to give this round to the Infinix HOT 50 Pro+ thanks to its ultra-thin profile and a more ergonomic, minimalist design.
Speaking of curved sides, that design choice apparently extends over the display of the HOT 50 Pro+.
The phone sports a 6.78-inch full HD+ 3D Curved AMOLED display, with 120Hz refresh rate and a peak brightness of 1300 nits. It even adds a Corning Gorilla Glass 5 for some added protection.
While the Spark 30 also has the exact display size at 6.78 inches, it only uses an IPS LCD panel. Which is honestly quite of a bummer — considering it has a similar price point as the competition.
To add insult to injury, the Spark 30’s display only runs at a 90Hz refresh rate and has lower peak brightness of 800 nits.
As expected, the viewing experience is much more enjoyable on the HOT 50 Pro+ with deep blacks, vivid colors, and wider viewing angles. Both phones have dual stereo speakers for immersive audio but the Spark 30 gets Dolby Atmos support while the Infinix is JBL-tuned.
For biometrics, the HOT 50 Pro+ features an optical under-display fingerprint sensor while the Spark 30 opted for a side-mounted one.
In this department, the HOT 50 Pro+ has the edge mainly because of its curved AMOLED screen. While I’m a sucker for ‘flat screen, flat frame aesthetic,’ the combination of curved edges and the perks of an AMOLED panel definitely makes the HOT 50 Pro+ stand out.
Therefore, it secures another point this round.
On the subject of processing power, the Infinix HOT 50 Pro+ also takes this round and for good measure.
While both phones are equipped with Helio chipsets from MediaTek, the HOT 50 Pro+ packs a newer, more powerful MediaTek Helio G100.
On the other hand, the Spark 30 features the MediaTek Helio G91 — which is still relatively new, technically speaking, since it came out in the first half of 2024.
The HOT 50 Pro+ showed better results across all of our benchmark tests. In ANTUTU, it scored almost double than that of the Spark 30 — 446,101 vs. 283,325 points.
The same goes in ANTUTU Storage Test, with the HOT 50 Pro+ boasting a higher overall score and faster read and write speeds — suggesting faster loading times for your apps and games.
Check out the complete benchmark results below:
| Benchmark | TECNO Spark 30 | Infinix HOT 50 Pro+ |
|---|---|---|
| Chipset | MediaTek Helio G91 | MediaTek Helio G100 |
| AnTuTu V10 | 283,325 | 446,101 |
| AnTuTu Storage | 13,374 | 48,843 |
| S.Read Speed | 317.3MB/s | 1004.0MB/s |
| S.Write Speed | 240.0MB/s | 848.7MB/s |
| 3DMark Wild Life | 747 | – |
| Geekbench 6 CPU Single-Core | 445 | 742 |
| Geekbench 6 CPU Multi-Core | 1,440 | 2,034 |
| Geekbench 6 GPU OpenCL | 607 | 1,489 |
| Geekbench 6 GPU Vulkan | 1,168 | 1,498 |
| PCMark Work 3.0 Performance | 8,838 | 11,024 |
| PCMark Work 3.0 Battery Life | 11 hours, 7 minutes | 13 hours, 53 minutes |
| Video Loop Test | 13 hours, 47 minutes | 23 hours, 8 minutes |
For configuration, both phones come with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of expandable storage — which is always a plus in our book.
Despite the numbers, for casual use, you’d barely notice any difference. As for gaming, both phones can handle low-demanding titles just fine but expect them to struggle when playing graphic-intensive titles — especially on the Spark 30.
Still, in terms of raw power and speed, the HOT 50 Pro+ provides a more reliable performance, giving it a three-point lead in this comparison. Can the Spark 30 keep up? We are about to see.
Moving on to camera capabilities, both phones do perform surprisingly well.
The TECNO Spark 30 features a 64-megapixel main shooter, but it hasn’t exactly mentioned any info about the other adjacent lens you see here.
As for the Infinix HOT 50 Pro+, it sports a 50-megapixel main shooter paired with a 2-megapixel depth sensor.
Based on the sample, both phones output nice shots that are sharp and have good color reproduction and dynamic range.
There is noticeable noise from both phones but still acceptable. The HOT 50 Pro+ adds a bit more saturation in most scenarios although it doesn’t go overboard either.
The Supernight feature on the Spark 30 worked wonders for subjects taken in low-lighting conditions with decent clarity and colors.
For video recording, both phones can shoot up to 2K@30fps from the main. Video capture isn’t their strongest suit due to absence of image stabilization.
In the camera department, each phone can hold its own. It is surely good news that we’re starting to see more entry-level devices get better and better in one of the most crucial factors in choosing a smartphone — which is the camera. And with that said, both phones take a point this round.
Another crucial factor is the battery life.
Despite both phones packing a 5,000mAh battery, it appears that the HOT 50 Pro+ can last longer.
In our PCMark Battery test, the HOT 50 Pro+ managed to last 13 hours, 53 minutes which is over two hours longer than the Spark 30 at only 11 hours, 7 minutes.
The same goes in our video loop test. The HOT 50 Pro+ outlasted the competition by a huge mark — almost an entire day at 23 hours, 8 minutes compared to the 13 hours, 47 minutes of the Spark 30.
Perhaps, not only does the AMOLED panel helps for saving on some power consumption, the HOT 50 Pro+ also has its chipset to credit for its impressive battery life. To recall, the MediaTek Helio G100 is built on a much more efficient 6-nanometer process. That’s a significant advantage over the Helio G91’s 12-nanometer process technology.
Additionally, the HOT 50 Pro+ gets a faster 33W of charging as compared to the Spark 30’s 18W. The Infinix HOT 50 Pro+ secures another round.
At this point, the outcome of this comparison is pretty much settled, but we have two more topics to talk about.
On the software side, both phones run Android 14 out of the box with the Spark 30 and HOT 50 Pro+ skinned with HiOS 14 and XOS 14.5, respectively.
Both Android skins are acceptable, but the overall look and feel need some improvements.
Infinix has pledged up to Android 15 support and two years of security patches for the HOT 50 Pro+ while Tecno provided no info how long they would give software support for the Spark 30.
Connectivity-wise, both are capped at 4G/LTE with all the essentials, including NFC. Interestingly, despite its slim profile, the Spark 30 throws in a 3.5mm audio jack for wired connectivity.
Although that’s not enough to level with the competition as I prefer manufacturers to be more transparent with software updates that they will offer for their devices.
The Infinix HOT 50 Pro+ gets a point in this round.
When it comes to entry-level offering, both the TECNO Spark 30 and the Infinix HOT 50 Pro+ deliver serious value for their price.
While the Spark 30 shines with its unique look, its rare headphone jack, and surprisingly good cameras, the HOT 50 Pro+ steals the show with its stunning AMOLED display, faster performance, longer battery life, and a clear roadmap for software updates.
Coming in at PHP 8,499USD 146INR 12,522EUR 141CNY 1,073, the Infinix HOT 50 Pro+ is definitely the better pick offering sleek aesthetics, solid performance, and future-proofed software.
But if you’re vibing with a cool design and solid basics, then the TECNO Spark 30 might just spark your interest — retailing for PHP 8,999USD 155INR 13,259EUR 150CNY 1,136.
Ultimately, the choice, is always yours. So, are you Team TECNO or Team Infinix in this comparison? Do you agree withh our verdict? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
TECNO Spark 30 vs Infinix HOT 50 Pro+ specs:
| TECNO Spark 30 | Infinix HOT 50 Pro+ |
|---|---|
| PHP 8,999 | 8+256GB | PHP 8,499 | 8+256GB |
| 6.78-inch FHD+ IPS LCD | 6.78-inch FHD+ 3D-Curved AMOLED display |
| 1080 x 2460 pixels, 90Hz | 2436 x 1080 pixels, 120Hz |
| 800-nit peak brightness | 1300-nit peak brightness |
| - | Corning Gorilla Glass 5 |
| MediaTek Helio G91 | MediaTek Helio G100 |
| 12-nm, 8-cores, up to 2.0GHz | 6nm, 8-cores, up to 2.2GHz |
| 8GB RAM (+8GB extended memory) | 8GB RAM |
| 256GB storage | 256GB storage |
| Expandable via microSD | Expandable up to 1TB via microSD |
| Dual rear cameras: | |
| 64MP main (Sony IMX682), AF | - 50MP f/1.6 main |
| (Unspecified) auxiliary lens | - 2MP depth |
| 13MP selfie shooter (hole punch notch), LED flash | 13MP f/2.2 selfie shooter (hole punch notch) |
| Dual nano-SIM | Dual nano-SIM |
| 4G LTE | 4G LTE |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi |
| Bluetooth | Bluetooth 5.2 |
| GPS | GPS, Beidou, GLONASS, Galileo, QZSS |
| USB Type-C | USB Type-C |
| 3.5mm audio jack | - |
| NFC | NFC | features 720-degree card reading |
| Side-mounted fingerprint sensor | Under-display fingerprint sensor |
| IP64 dust and splash resistance | IP54 dust and splash resistance |
| Dual stereo speakers, Dolby Atmos, IR blaster | Dual stereo speakers (tuned by JBL) |
| HiOS 14, Android 14 | XOS 14.5, Android 14 |
| 5000mAh battery | 5000mAh battery |
| 18W charging (wired) | 33W charging (wired) |
| 168 x 76.4 x 7.7 mm | 7.9 mm | 164.10 x 74.43 x 6.8 mm |
| - | 162g |
| Bumblebee Edition, Astral Ice, Stellar Shadow (colorways) | Titanium Grey, Dreamy Purple, Sleek Black (colorways) |
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joberta says:
A better comparison would be TECNO Spark 30 Pro vs Infinix HOT 50 Pro+, since they both run on the MTK G100 chipset.