The Infinix NOTE 40 (5G) is another smartphone that builds upon its predecessor that combines affordability with impressive features.
The NOTE 40 (5G) introduces the powerful Dimensity 7020 chipset, MagCharge tech seen with the NOTE 40 Pro+ model, and competitive pricing.
But in such a crowded smartphone segment, does it have what it takes to stand-out from the rest?
Let’s dive in.
Table of Contents
Build and Design
The Infinix NOTE 40 (5G) stands out with its sleek design and solid build quality.
Measuring 165.51 x 75.93 x 7.91mm and weighing just 185g, it is both slim and lightweight, making it comfortable in hand.
Its dimension do not make it the easiest smartphone to wield in my hands, but it’s easy to get over when gazing upon its beautiful AMOLED display.
And it’s a nice footnote to see how OLED panels, which were deemed a luxury over a decade ago, is now so much more accessible than ever before.
Our review unit is in Obsidian Black, but its also available in Titan Gold and Vintage Green, providing an ample amount of options for spectating buyers.
Found at the top of the device is “Sound bty JBL” branding, 1 out of 2 speaker grilles, a noise-cancelling mic, and an IR blaster. At the bottom, resides the second stereo speaker driver, a USB Type-C port for wired data transfers and charging, as well as the primary mic for regular calls.
Situated on the right side is a the volume rocker and power button. The dual nano SIM card tray that features a dedicated microSD card slot for storage expansion can be found on the left.
The device also supports IP53 splash and dust resistance for additional durability. Which means, we do not recommend dunking this in a chlorinated pool or saltwater.
Overall, it’s a satisfactory build for the price, which does the job for the most part.
Display and Multimedia
The Infinix NOTE 40 (5G) features a 6.78-inch FHD+ flexible AMOLED display, at an exact resolution of 2436 x 1080.
It boasts a peak brightness of 1300 nits making it easy to use outdoors in the hot sun. It supports a refresh rate of up to 120Hz that can be set manually or to dynamically switch between 120Hz, 90Hz, and 60Hz respectively.
When it came to watching videos and enjoying content, we had no complaints with this display, like I said earlier the AMOLED display is beautiful, no complaints here.
It’s even complimented by JBL-tuned dual stereo speakers that add an extra layer of immersion in contrast to MONO speaker phones. The soundstage of the stereo speakers aren’t ground breaking in terms of audio resolution by any means but it’s definitely a welcomed addition in our opinion.
All-in-all, we’ve enjoyed streaming shows, and even playing light games on the Infinix NOTE 40 (5G), not much complaints here.
Cameras
For optics, the Infinix NOTE 40 (5G) features a 108MP main camera at the rear, paired with 2MP depth sensor and what seems to be an Ai camera sensor.
In front resides a 32MP selfie camera, great for quick snaps with friends and family and perfect for video calls.
In general, photo quality is impressive, with high levels of detail and vibrant colors. The device supports various modes, including Super Night, Slow Motion, and Pro, allowing users to capture diverse scenes with ease.
The camera also performs surprisingly well in low-light conditions, with sharpness taking a hit as lighting conditions worsen.
The images taken with the Infinix NOTE 40 (5G) are very usable for social media postage on any platform.
It isn’t a flagship-killing camera by any means, but amazing photos can easily be taken with the Infinix NOTE 40 (5G), so long as certain lighting conditions are met and used properly.
For video, the NOTE 40 (5G) can record videos at up to a max resolution of 2K at 30fps.
It offers Ultra-Steady stabilization locked to 1080p video recording and a range of video modes, making it a versatile tool for both casual and more intermediate mobile videographers.
Performance and Benchmarks
At the heart of the NOTE 40 (5G) is the MediaTek Dimensity 7020 chipset, featuring an octa-core CPU with two Cortex-A78 cores clocked at 2.2GHz and six Cortex-A55 cores at 2.0GHz. The chipset also features a IMG BXM-8-256 GPU.
This chipset promises smooth performance across a variety of tasks, from daily use to intensive applications.
For configurations, it’s officially supported locally with up to 12GB of of on-board memory with an additional 12GB of extended RAM, paired with 512GB of internal storage.
Light games like Mobile Legends: Bang Bang ran with ease, providing a seamless and lag-free experience. Users can even launch games through the XArena app to ensure the best performance and optimization for any game.
Although running any game without XArena is fine too, since XBoost launches alongside any gaming application; giving end-users the ability to choose between performance modes, clean memory cache, adjust brightness, and even take screenshots.
When it comes to more graphic-intensive titles like Genshin Impact, by default it runs on low, but we can bump it up to run at 60fps, to unlock more than 30fps gameplay.
We did also try setting it to Medium graphics settings, but we do not recommend this as frames drop when there are a lot of elements and action happening on screen.
And when it came to multitasking between a mix of light gaming and productivity apps, the phone handles it flawlessly.
But for those interested in our benchmark results, here they are:
Antutu v10.2.8 – 492,527
Antutu Storage Test – 66,115
S.Read – 1,956 MB/s
S.Write – 1,803.0 MB/s
3D Mark: SlingShot Extreme (OpenGL) – 2,528
Geekbench 6
Single: 915
Multi: 2,267
Geekbench 6 GPU Vulkan – 152
Geekbench 6 GPU OpenCL – 158
PC Mark Work 3.0 Performance – 11,800
OS, Apps, UI
For software, the Infinix Note 40 5G comes with XOS 14 based off Android 14 out of the box.
XOS isn’t my favorite interface but it does go as far to introduce some novel features a lot of users would find useful.
From smart side bars to house the user’s most used apps to game boosters, to nice accessibility shortcuts like double pressing the volume down button while locked to quickly launch the camera.
We also get customizable themes with a nice library of free and featured ones to choose from.
If you’re somebody with experience with HiOS or even iTel OS, XOS is very similar to those interfaces.
We also get some XOS bloatware installed, but if you don’t find any use for them, it’s pretty simple to just uninstall most of them.
For software support, we’ve seen reports of Infinix indicating up to 36 months or 3 years of major Android OS upgrades, which means the NOTE 40 series should be upgradable till Android 16.
Battery
For battery life, equipped with a 5000 mAh capacity, the Infinix NOTE 40 (5G) easily lasts through a full day of heavy use.
In our PCMark Work 3.0 Battery Test, the device scored 13 hours and 3 minutes. While in our standard video loop test the handset lasted 16 hours and 3 minutes.
Both tests were done with the unit set to Airplane Mode, volume muted, and brightness set to 50% to account for mixed usage variables.
These also aren’t the best scores from theses tests of ours, but they aren’t the worst either.
It also features 33W of fast wired charging, which significantly reduces downtime in a pinch with the included charger in the box.
The Infinix NOTE 40 (5G) also gets wireless charging, and the included case even features the magnetic contact points needed for their MagCharge accessories.
With the handset rated for 15W of wireless charging, a handy novelty feature to have if users have a bunch of wireless charging accessories with them or at home.
Conclusion
Starting at PHP 12,999 for the 8GB+256GB variant, just like its predecessor, the Infinix NOTE 40 (5G) is a strong contender in the mid-range segment, providing high-end novelties at an affordable price point.
The Infinix NOTE 40 (5G) is ideal for users seeking a device with good camera capabilities, good battery life, and great performance. Its range of features make it suitable for anybody looking for a device worth considering under 15K.
What we LIKED:
- Storage speed
- Price
- Charging features
- Cameras
What we Liked LESS:
- Heavy gaming performance
- UI
Infinix NOTE 40 5G specs:
6.78-inch FHD+ AMOLED display
1080 x 2436 pixels, 120Hz refresh
MediaTek Dimensity 7020
6nm, octa-core, up to 2.2GHz
12GB RAM (+12GB memory extension)
512GB storage (microSD expansion)
Triple rear cameras:
– 108MP f/1.8 main
– 2MP f/2.4 + 2MP f/2.0 (unspecified) auxiliary lenses
32MP f/2.2 selfie shooter, dual LED flash
Dual SIM
5G, 4G LTE
Wi-Fi 802.11
Bluetooth
GPS
USB Type-C
NFC
In-screen fingerprint sensor, face unlock
IP54 dust and splash resistance
Dual stereo speakers (tuned by JBL)
XOS 14 (Android 14)
5000mAh battery
33W charging (wired)
15W wireless (MagCharge)
Obsidian Black, Titan Gold, Vintage Green
