Infinix Smart 8 is the latest addition to Infinix’s budget smartphone lineup, aiming to provide exceptional value for money without compromising essential features. With its affordable price, sleek design, and impressive specifications for its category, the Infinix Smart 8 has generated a lot of interest, particularly in Nigeria, where consumers are often on the lookout for budget-friendly yet functional smartphones. In this in-depth review, we’ll explore everything from its design, display, performance, and battery life to the price and availability of the Infinix Smart 8 in Nigeria.
Infinix Smart 8 Overview
The Infinix Smart 8 continues the brand’s tradition of offering cost-effective devices that cater to the needs of a diverse audience. Targeting students, young professionals, and those looking for a secondary device, the Smart 8 strikes a balance between affordability and practical usability. The smartphone comes equipped with a decent processor, an efficient battery, a dual-camera setup, and an intuitive user interface, making it a solid contender in the budget smartphone market.
Design and Build Quality
The Infinix Smart 8 boasts a modern and stylish design that aligns with current smartphone aesthetics. Despite being an affordable option, it doesn’t feel cheap in the hand. The plastic back is polished with a glossy finish that mimics glass, giving the device a premium look. It’s available in a variety of colors that appeal to a younger demographic, including vibrant shades of Timber Black, Shiny Gold, Crystal Green and Galaxy White.
The phone is relatively lightweight and easy to hold, with dimensions that make it comfortable for one-handed use. The rounded edges add to the comfort factor, and the back houses a neatly placed dual-camera setup along with an LED flash. The fingerprint scanner is positioned at the side of the phone for easy accessibility.
On the front, the Infinix Smart 8 features a waterdrop notch display, which maximizes screen and provides a modern look. The bezels are reasonably thin, giving it a high screen-to-body ratio. Overall, the design and build quality are impressive for a smartphone in this price range.
Key Features of Infinix Smart 8
- Display: 6.6-inch HD+ IPS LCD (720 x 1600 pixels)
- Processor: MediaTek Helio A22 (Quad-core)
- RAM: 3GB
- Storage: 32GB (expandable up to 256GB via microSD)
- Rear Cameras: 13MP main + 2MP depth sensor
- Front Camera: 8MP selfie camera
- Battery: 5000mAh
- Operating System: XOS 7.6 based on Android 11
- Connectivity: 4G LTE, Dual SIM, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS
- Security: Rear-mounted fingerprint sensor, Face Unlock
- Price in Nigeria: ₦124,000 – ₦130,000
These features make the Infinix Smart 8 an affordable yet practical choice for everyday smartphone users.
Display
The Infinix Smart 8 comes with a 6.6-inch HD+ IPS LCD display with a resolution of 720 x 1612 pixels, 20:9 ratio. For its price, the display offers decent color reproduction, sharpness, and brightness levels. The large screen size is ideal for watching videos, browsing the internet, or even light gaming. While it’s not as vibrant or detailed as the displays on more premium devices, it’s more than adequate for everyday tasks.
The IPS panel ensures that the colors remain consistent even when viewed from different angles, and the brightness level is sufficient for outdoor use, though it may struggle in direct sunlight. The HD+ resolution provides sharp images, and text appears clear enough for reading documents or websites. However, users may notice slight pixelation when viewing high-definition content.
Overall, the display is one of the highlights of the Infinix Smart 8, especially considering its price point.
Performance
The Infinix Smart 8 is powered by a Unisoc T606 chipset, which is a budget-friendly Octa-core chipset designed to handle basic tasks such as social media, web browsing, and light gaming. The device comes with 3GB/4GB of RAM, ensuring smooth multitasking for most day-to-day activities.
In real-world usage, the Infinix Smart 8 performs well for a device in its category. Basic apps such as WhatsApp, Instagram, and YouTube run smoothly without significant lag. However, more demanding applications or heavy multitasking may cause occasional slowdowns. Gaming performance is modest at best, with simple games running fine, while more graphic-intensive titles may experience some stuttering.
The smartphone runs on Infinix’s XOS 7.6 based on Android 11, which is optimized for entry-level devices. XOS is packed with customization options and features such as Smart Panel, Social Turbo, and Video Assistant, which enhance the overall user experience. Despite being feature-rich, XOS doesn’t feel too heavy or bloated, allowing the phone to run efficiently.
Storage Options
The Infinix Smart 8 offers 64/128GB of internal storage, which can be expanded via a dedicated microSD card slot (up to 256GB). The inclusion of expandable storage is a big plus for users who like to store a lot of photos, videos, and apps. Out of the box, you’ll have around 22GB of usable space, which should suffice for basic usage. However, users who plan to install a lot of apps or store large media files may want to take advantage of the microSD card slot.
Camera Setup
The camera setup on the Infinix Smart 8 is modest, which is expected for a budget smartphone. It features a dual-camera setup at the back, comprising a 13MP primary sensor and a 2MP depth sensor for portrait shots. On the front, there’s an 8MP selfie camera housed in the waterdrop notch.
Rear Camera Performance: In well-lit conditions, the 13MP primary camera performs adequately, capturing decent details and colors. The AI enhancements help optimize the settings based on the scene, and the HDR feature works well to improve dynamic range. However, in low-light conditions, the camera struggles, with images appearing grainy and lacking detail.
The depth sensor allows for decent portrait shots, with reasonably good edge detection and background blur. For casual photography or social media sharing, the Infinix Smart 8’s rear camera setup is sufficient, but it’s not designed for serious photographers.
Selfie Camera: The 8MP front camera produces decent selfies in good lighting conditions. It supports AI beauty mode, which enhances skin tones and smooths imperfections. However, just like the rear camera, the front-facing shooter struggles in low light, and the beauty mode can sometimes over-smooth skin textures, making images appear unnatural.
Battery Life
Battery life is one of the strong suits of the Infinix Smart 8. The phone is equipped with a 5000mAh battery, which is quite large for a device in this price range. The combination of the energy-efficient Helio A22 processor and the HD+ display allows the phone to conserve power effectively, ensuring long-lasting performance on a single charge.
In typical usage, which includes social media, web browsing, watching videos, and occasional gaming, the Infinix Smart 8 easily lasts a full day. For lighter users, the battery can extend well into the second day without needing a recharge.
However, the phone lacks fast charging capabilities, which means it takes longer to charge compared to more expensive devices. On average, it can take up to 3 hours to fully charge the phone from 0% to 100%. This is a minor inconvenience, but given the long battery life, it’s not a dealbreaker for most users.
Connectivity and Sensors
The Infinix Smart 8 supports 4G LTE, ensuring fast internet speeds for browsing, streaming, and downloading. It also comes with dual SIM support, allowing users to switch between networks for better coverage or separate personal and work numbers. Other connectivity options include Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS, and a micro USB port for charging and data transfer.
In terms of sensors, the phone includes a fingerprint sensor at the back, which is reasonably fast and accurate. It also supports Face Unlock, though this method is less secure and slower than using the fingerprint scanner. Additionally, the phone comes with proximity, ambient light, and accelerometer sensors, all of which contribute to a smooth user experience.
Price and Availability in Nigeria
As of September 2024, the Infinix Smart 8 is available in Nigeria for a price ranging from ₦124,000 to ₦130,000, depending on the retailer and ongoing promotions. This price point places the device firmly in the budget category, making it an attractive option for students, young professionals, and anyone seeking a reliable smartphone without breaking the bank.
The Infinix Smart 8 can be purchased from various online platforms such as Jumia, Konga, and Slot, as well as physical retail stores across Nigeria. Given Infinix’s strong presence in Nigeria, availability is widespread, and buyers can take advantage of promotions or bundle offers that may include accessories like headphones or screen protectors.
Pros and Cons of Infinix Smart 8
Pros:
- Affordable Price: The Infinix Smart 8 offers great value for its price, making it accessible to a wide range of consumers.
- Decent Display: The 6.6-inch HD+ display provides good clarity and color reproduction for a budget device.
- Long Battery Life: The 5000mAh battery ensures all-day usage with moderate to heavy use.
- Expandable Storage: With a dedicated microSD slot, users can expand storage up to 256GB.
- Attractive Design: Despite being budget-friendly, the phone has a sleek and modern design.
- Dual SIM Support: Ideal for users who need to manage two numbers or networks.
Cons:
- Limited Performance: The MediaTek Helio A22 chipset is not designed for heavy multitasking or gaming.
- Average Camera Quality: While adequate for casual use, the camera performance, especially in low light, leaves much to be desired.
- No Fast Charging: The lack of fast charging makes the battery take longer to charge.
- Low Internal Storage: The base model offers only 32GB of storage, which may be insufficient for users with large app or media needs.
Final Verdict
The Infinix Smart 8 is a well-rounded smartphone for budget-conscious buyers in Nigeria. It provides a balance of good design, decent performance, and long battery life, making it a strong contender in the entry-level market. Although it has its limitations, such as performance and camera quality, these are expected compromises at its price point. For users who prioritize affordability and basic functionality over premium features, the Infinix Smart 8 delivers a solid experience.
Whether you’re a student, a young professional, or someone seeking a secondary device, the Smart 8 is a reliable choice. Its long battery life ensures you can stay connected throughout the day, while the expandable storage offers flexibility for those who need extra space for apps and media. Although it may not appeal to power users or those who demand high-end specs, the Infinix Smart 8 is an excellent value proposition for the Nigerian market.
Who Should Buy the Infinix Smart 8?
- First-time Smartphone Users: If you’re new to smartphones and don’t want to spend much, the Smart 8 provides a good entry point with its intuitive software and simple features.
- Budget-conscious Buyers: For those on a tight budget, the Infinix Smart 8 offers essential features like a good display, decent cameras, and excellent battery life without breaking the bank.
- Students and Young Professionals: The affordability and solid performance make it suitable for students and young professionals who need a device for everyday tasks like social media, messaging, and light productivity.
- Secondary Device Users: If you need a secondary phone for work or travel, the Infinix Smart 8 is a great backup option, thanks to its dual SIM support and long battery life.
Infinix Smart 8 vs. Competitors
At its price range, the Infinix Smart 8 competes with several other budget smartphones in the Nigerian market. Let’s take a look at how it fares against some of its key competitors:
Tecno Spark 10
The Tecno Spark 10 is another budget smartphone that targets a similar audience. It offers a comparable display size and performance, but the Spark 10 edges out slightly with a more refined design and a better camera setup. However, the Smart 8 has the advantage of a larger battery, which gives it the edge in terms of battery life.
Xiaomi Redmi A2
The Xiaomi Redmi A2 is known for its solid build quality and better optimization of software, thanks to Xiaomi’s MIUI. The Redmi A2 may offer a smoother user experience, but the Infinix Smart 8 excels in offering a bigger battery and a larger display, making it more suitable for users who consume a lot of media.
Samsung Galaxy A04 Core
The Galaxy A04 Core offers Samsung’s brand reliability, but it’s priced slightly higher than the Infinix Smart 8. While Samsung’s build quality and after-sales service might be superior, the Smart 8 provides better value in terms of specifications and features for the price.
Conclusion: Should You Buy the Infinix Smart 8?
If you’re in the market for a budget smartphone in Nigeria, the Infinix Smart 8 is an option that deserves serious consideration. It offers a well-rounded package that balances affordability with essential smartphone features like a large display, long battery life, and decent performance for everyday tasks. While it’s not without its limitations—especially in terms of gaming and camera quality—it provides great value for casual users.
At a price point of around ₦124,000 to ₦130,000, the Infinix Smart 8 offers one of the best combinations of price and performance available in Nigeria’s competitive smartphone market. It’s an excellent choice for first-time smartphone buyers, students, and anyone looking for an affordable and reliable smartphone that covers the basics well.
In summary, the Infinix Smart 8 is a perfect example of how you don’t have to compromise too much on features to get an affordable smartphone in 2024. While it may not be the device for power users, it delivers where it counts—providing a great experience for those who prioritize battery life, a big screen, and a user-friendly interface at an unbeatable price in the Nigerian market.
