Infinix Zero 40 5G Review: Stylish Companion Loaded with AI Capabilities

The Infinix Zero Series has seen significant advancements over the years. The latest addition, the Infinix Zero 40 5G, raises some questions regarding its “Zero” designation, as it offers features that arguably elevate it to a “Hero” status. Priced at ₹27,999, it’s the first in its segment to support 4K video recording at 60 fps, making it a strong choice for vloggers. It also includes AI capabilities, a 108MP camera, a 50MP selfie, a sleek design, and a solid 5000mAh battery. The package also includes a color-matched back case, a 45W charger, and a cable. Sounds too good to be true, right? Let’s take a deeper dive into the Infinix Zero 40 and see if it truly lives up to the hype.

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Infinix Zero 40 5G Review – Design & Build

Infinix Zero 40 5G features a stylish and appealing design that rivals the aesthetics of several high-end smartphones. The company has put significant effort into the design of this mid-range device, resulting in a stunning appearance and a premium feel when held. For review, I received the Violet Garden variant, and I was particularly taken with the color, as it is one of my personal favorites.

The back panel features a dual-tone design, consisting of light and dark shades of violet. The distinct appearance of these shades is attributed to the textured surface of the rear. This variation in texture causes the surfaces to refract light in different directions, creating a noticeable contrast between them. Additionally, the textured back panel is mostly resistant to smudges and fingerprints, which I find particularly appealing.

The rear panel features a prominent circular camera module at the top, framed by a textured rim reminiscent of mechanical timepieces. This module slightly protrudes from the surface, offering a satisfying tactile feel. It has four openings that hint at four lenses, though only three are functional, with one being purely decorative. An LED light is placed outside the camera module in the upper right corner. At the bottom, the ZERO branding is discreetly integrated, which can be easily overlooked.

The front of the smartphone features a curved display that seamlessly extends into the sides. This blend of curved glass and a smooth back design gives the Zero 40 5G an elegant appearance, while its balanced weight distribution ensures that the device feels comfortable and lightweight in hand.

The right edge of the device features the power button and volume controls, while the left edge remains unoccupied. On the bottom edge, you will find the SIM tray, USB-C port, and speaker grille, whereas the top edge is equipped with a secondary speaker, JBL branding, a microphone, and an IR blaster.

The device measures 7.9mm in thickness and has a weight of 195 grams. It features an IP54 rating, providing resistance against dust and water splashes, which aligns its durability with that of the Moto Edge 50 Fusion, a significantly more expensive option than the Infinix Zero 40 5G. In summary, there are almost no issues regarding the build quality or design of the Infinix Zero 40 5G.

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Infinix Zero 40 5G Review – Display

The Infinix Zero 40 5G features an large 6.78-inch AMOLED screen with a resolution of 1080p. As previously noted, this curved display is protected by Corning’s Gorilla Glass 5, which is good for the price range. The colors appear somewhat oversaturated, and the white balance leans towards the cooler spectrum; however, these settings can be modified from the ‘Color Style’ option in the Settings Menu. After I changed the colors to cooler tones, they appeared more balanced and easy on the eyes.

The display features an impressive 144Hz refresh rate, a rarity among mid-range devices. This enhancement over the standard 120Hz refresh rate provides significantly improved fluidity and clarity during activities such as browsing, gaming, and reading on the device. I opted for a 144Hz refresh rate instead of choosing an Auto-switch refresh rate and I found that it did remain 144Hz while using most of the apps. These include YT Music, Gmail, Google Drive, Minigames, Folax Assistant, and more. I did go down to 120Hz while I ran YouTube. Although many aren’t able to differentiate between 120Hz and 60Hz refresh rates, those who do feel it will definitely experience more fluidity with a 144Hz refresh rate.

The Infinix Zero 40 5G is equipped with HDR support for applications such as YouTube; however, it does not automatically activate HDR mode. While HDR videos appear somewhat brighter, there is no enhancement in contrast, which is typically expected from HDR technology. This functionality appears to be more of a marketing ploy than a genuine feature.

The discussion now shifts to brightness levels. The smartphone features a peak brightness of 1300 nits, which is sufficient for indoor use and nighttime conditions. However, when used outdoors in direct sunlight, the visuals appear washed out and lack vibrancy, resulting in a less-than-satisfactory display experience. Notably, the 1300-nit brightness would kick in only when watching HDR content and not during regular usage.

The display has been awarded the TUV Rheinland Eye Care Certification and features an Eye Care mode, which is beneficial. Additionally, it holds Widevine L1 certification for optimal content viewing and includes a fast and accurate in-display fingerprint scanner positioned lower on the screen. Overall, the display of the Infinix Zero 40 5G is a mixed bag. There are phones in this range with better displays but this just seems to get the basics done.

The smartphone is equipped with a pair of stereo speakers that have been fine-tuned by JBL. Additionally, it features integrated DTS audio processing, which provides various spatial sound and equalization options for connected audio devices. While the audio quality from the speakers is satisfactory, they do not reach high volume levels, and the sound remains clear without distortion. However, there are instances where the audio may lack depth.

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Infinix Zero 40 5G Review - Performance

The Infinix Zero 40 5G is equipped with the MediaTek Dimensity 8200 Ultimate SoC, which is a capable chipset for this price. It features 12GB of RAM and offers storage options of up to 512 GB. The ample RAM facilitates smooth app management, allowing for effortless multitasking.

The chipset ensures quick and efficient handling of daily activities such as browsing, making calls, streaming videos, playing casual games, and enjoying music. Additionally, there is a microSD card slot available for further storage expansion. We conducted a series of benchmark tests on the device, and the results are as follows.

The gaming performance of this device is truly remarkable. Equipped with a capable gaming chipset and 12GB of RAM, it also features a 144Hz refresh rate, which allows games such as BGMI Mobile, Asphalt 9, and Genshin Impact to run seamlessly with minimal lag. You can enjoy these titles at the highest graphics settings and frame rates. However, one drawback is that the device tends to heat up a lot after approximately 15 minutes of gameplay, so much so that I had to put it down after a while as it got uncomfortable to hold in hand.

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Infinix Zero 40 5G Review – AI & Software

Let’s discuss the software aspect now. The Infinix Zero 40 5G runs on XOS 14.5, which is built on Android 14. Given that Android 15 is already available on most newly released devices, Android 14 appears somewhat outdated. Anyway, the Zero 40 device comes with a number of pre-installed applications, but fortunately, most of this bloatware can be uninstalled if not needed.

The user interface is clean, smooth, and intuitive, featuring an edge control option that allows quick access to frequently used apps on the curved screen. The manufacturer has committed to providing two years of OS updates and three years of security patches for the Zero 40 5G.

The Infinix Zero 40 5G comes with a variety of AI capabilities integrated within the Infinix AI Suite. In this discussion, we will examine each of these AI features separately to understand the offerings available at a price point under 30,000.

The first AI feature available is the AI Eraser, which can be accessed within the Gallery app. This tool effectively removes unwanted elements from images. While the AI Eraser’s performance may occasionally vary, it generally delivers satisfactory results and meets user expectations.

Smart Cutout is another AI feature that allows you to cut out objects from photos easily. This feature worked fine when I wanted to use certain parts of an image for making stickers to share on WhatsApp.

AI Vlog allows the creation of videos using up to 20 shots or clips from the gallery. Smart Search AI feature allows one to look for any specific picture in the gallery by just typing a short text description. You can view images grouped according to people or other classifications in the menu.

AI Wallpaper Generator can create images based on text input or photos. I could type a prompt to make a wallpaper or use an image from the Gallery to create one. Infinix Folax Assistant can answer your queries, translate text, and control basic device functions well.

All in all, AI features are quite useful and come in handy. They are also free, for the most part.

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Infinix Zero 40 5G Review – Cameras

The Infinix Zero 40 5G features a rear triple camera configuration, comprising a 108MP f/1.8, OIS, 1/1.67-inch primary lens, a 50MP f/2.0, 1/2.76-inch ultra-wide lens, and a 2MP depth sensor. On the front, it is equipped with a 50MP sensor for capturing selfies and video calls. Now, let’s discuss the camera performance.

The primary 108MP sensor delivers impressive performance in daylight conditions. The captured images exhibit a high level of detail, excellent dynamic range, and minimal noise. Daytime photographs are bright, vibrant, and sharp, with colors that are generally accurate.

However, there is an inconsistency in color saturation, which can occasionally appear excessive. If you prioritize color accuracy, this may be a concern; otherwise, the images are quite satisfactory. Oh, and the HDR seems to be quite poor. Below are some examples of photos taken in daylight.

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There are three zoom settings available for capturing photos. The 1x setting represents the standard mode, while the 0.6x setting activates the Ultrawide mode. The 50MP ultrawide camera produces results that are nearly comparable to those of the main camera, although there is a slight increase in noise in these images. The dynamic range is poor, and the distortion is a bit too high. There is also a noticeable amount of color fringing or chromatic aberration too.

A 3x digital zoom feature allows for digitally cropped shots that perform okay in both outdoor and indoor settings. These images are more refined compared to standard wide-angle shots, with reduced oversaturation. Additionally, the level of detail captured in these images is good enough.

The 2MP macro sensor is designed for capturing close-up images. When utilized, it delivers reasonably acceptable results with autofocus activated. While the color quality may not be exceptional, it is satisfactory given the limitations of this sensor. However, autofocus in the ultrawide would’ve been a much better choice for taking macro shots.

Now, let’s discuss low-light photography. When using the primary camera, images captured in low-light conditions or at night may exhibit some noise. Nevertheless, this does not render them unusable. Photos taken indoors with dim lighting can still turn out well and are suitable for social media. The ultra-wide camera performs adequately, but its images tend to have more noise, less accurate colors, and distortion at the edges. Highlight control needs a lot of work.

Infinix places significant emphasis on the videography features of the Infinix Zero 40 5G, promoting it as a vlogging phone due to its ability to record in 4K at 60fps across the primary, ultrawide, and front cameras. However, it is important to note that the 4K recording mode does not include stabilization, resulting in merely average video output. While the detail in the videos is commendable, the absence of stabilization means that the footage won’t be as good as you’d expect. Selfie videos and ultrawide videos are strictly average while 4K videos at 30fps are also decent.

The 50MP front-facing camera delivers natural and sharp images, accurately representing skin tones while ensuring the subject remains the focal point. Group selfies are well-captured, with a subtle background blur that enhances the overall composition by keeping distractions at bay.

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Infinix Zero 40 5G Review – Battery Life and Charging

The Infinix Zero 40 5G is equipped with a fairly large 5000mAh battery. The backup is commendable; during a typical workday with moderate usage, the battery comfortably lasted throughout the day on a single charge. I found myself connecting it to a charger in the late evening with approximately 10% battery life left. However, with extended binge-watching and gaming sessions, the battery depletes quicker, necessitating a charge by early evening. It’s average battery life at best.

You get a 45W adapter in the box, which can charge the smartphone from 0 to 100% in just over an hour. The charging speed is good enough—I could get 50% juice in approximately 30 minutes. Additionally, the Infinix Zero 40 5G offers 20W wireless charging and reverse wireless charging. It is compatible with Infinix’s MagSafe accessories, such as the MagPower bank and MagPad, for wireless charging. Using the MagPad, It charged 30% in 12-13 minutes.

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