Our evaluation of smartphones has shifted. While cutting-edge foldables grab headlines, the mid-tier market is quietly delivering exceptional value.

Handsets in this segment are now more attractive than ever, in large part thanks to brands like Infinix Mobile that continue to reset our expectations of what a sub-flagship could be.

Nowadays, the midrange is where the action is — and where the attention should be. It’s also where certain phone companies bloom. We recently spent quite some time with the new Infinix NOTE 40 Pro+ 5G as our daily driver, and it has been a revelation. Not only does the smartphone boast high-end features typically reserved for premium models, but its day-to-day performance exceeds expectations as well.

SEE ALSO: Priced from P10,999 ($192), Infinix NOTE 40 series official in PH with up to 100W fast charging

Though the Infinix NOTE40 Pro+ 5G is not without limitations, we think it’s right up there with the most exciting products we’ve reviewed, period. That’s saying a lot considering our exposure to foldables and other cutting-edge devices that made headlines at the Mobile World Congress trade show this year.

There are a number of reasons we feel this way, but a few, in particular, stand out.

Blazing-fast wired charging or convenient wireless charging, you choose

Look, we wouldn’t call ourselves hardcore mobile gamers. But trust us, our phones get a workout. We’re talking constant social media refreshes, endless browsing rabbit holes, and Netflix marathons that bleed into the wee hours. And all while enabling 5G the moment we step out of our home office.

The Infinix NOTE 40 Pro+ 5G became our everyday companion, and it never flinched. The unit’s 4,600mAh battery held its ground and consistently soldiered on for a full day on a single charge, even with our power-user habits.

But what’s even more impressive is how quickly this NOTE model can achieve a full charge with the company’s All-Round FastCharge technology, which supports up to 100 watts when using a cable and 20 watts wireless charging.

Infinix even generously ships a MagSafe-like wireless-charging puck in-box, alongside a magnetic case that matches the color of our green unit. In a world where phone makers are actively ditching chargers and cables, these inclusions are pretty much unheard of, so imagine our surprise when we saw them bundled with a device in this price range.

Using the 100-watt fast charger should get the battery to 50% in just 8 minutes in Hyper mode, which uses the smartphone’s full charging capabilities to attain the fastest speeds possible. Wireless charging, though not as fast or efficient as wired charging, is obviously more convenient. It requires less messing around with cables, and as such, has helped us tame clutter in our workspace.

High-end display, without the flagship dent in your wallet

Fast charging is indeed a game-changer, and the Infinix NOTE 40 Pro+ 5G takes it to the next level with a whopping 100 watts! But let’s talk about another star of the show here: the screen.

We’re looking at a 6.78-inch LTPS AMOLED display with scratch-resistant Corning Gorilla Glass and curves along both edges. The 120Hz refresh rate makes everything feel smooth, whether you’re browsing or scrolling. And let’s not forget the colors — they’re vibrant and rich, with a peak brightness of 1,300 nits that can conquer Manila’s sunny afternoons.

Dark mode — which swaps the standard white background for black — looks fantastic on the handset’s display, and it’s particularly striking how deep the blacks get when viewing content. Dark mode can also help your eyes adjust from a dimly lit environment to your phone screen, reducing glare and eye strain. This is really helpful if you stare at your unit a lot. Most importantly for eye protection, the Infinix NOTE 40 Pro+ 5G has 2,160Hz PWM Dimming that further reduces eye strain when the screen brightness is turned down.

The FHD+ resolution is also plenty sharp for everyday use. HDR content is supported in the YouTube app and looks fantastic, while HD streaming is available in the Netflix and Disney Plus apps. Always-on display function and an in-screen fingerprint reader come standard as well.

It’s not every day we come across a curved panel with high-end features in the category. This NOTE is a testament to the fact that exceptional experiences don’t always require the biggest headlines — or eye-watering prices.

Solid 5G chip coupled with massive dynamic RAM

Our daily routine with the Infinix NOTE 40 Pro+ 5G mostly involved social media, emails, and chats. And let’s be honest: Sometimes those “quick” browsing sessions turn into late-night Reddit dives or hour-long YouTube binges. Through it all, the phone never stuttered or lagged. Day-to-day performance was mostly fluid and responsive.

Multitasking wasn’t a problem either. We juggled a million apps at once (well, maybe not a million, but it felt like it), and our unit handled all the apps we threw at it without significant lag. Apparently, it should be able to keep up to 25 apps alive in the background — that’s pretty wild for a non-flagship.

We put the Infinix NOTE 40 Pro+ 5G to the test with Honkai: Star Rail. While we wouldn’t recommend cranking the graphics settings to max for this one, the smartphone delivered a smooth experience using the Low graphics preset. Less-demanding titles like Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, on the other hand, can hit 60fps at Ultra settings, so casual gaming is more than easily handled by this model.

The impressive performance comes courtesy of the 6nm MediaTek Dimsensity 7020 5G chipset working in tandem with up to 24GB of dynamic RAM and Infinix’s proprietary XBOOST Frame Rate Control feature, which optimizes frame rates in popular MOBA and FPS games. The combo delivers a nice balance of efficiency and power, making the NOTE 40 Pro+ 5G a great choice for everyday tasks and keeping you entertained during downtime with the occasional gaming session.

3x zoom photos and 32MP selfies on a budget

Finally, there’s the camera. We love taking pictures with our phones, even though we’re also guilty of never doing anything with them. Thankfully, the Infinix NOTE 40 Pro+ 5G doesn’t disappoint in this department.

It packs a 108-megapixel main camera that offers optical image stabilization, which is pretty darn impressive for a model in this price range. Plus, it offers a 3x lossless-quality zoom that uses clever sensor cropping to mimic a dedicated portrait lens. Fancy, right? At 3x zoom, you’re basically shooting with the ideal focal length for human subjects, not too wide or too close.

Now, this NOTE doesn’t have a true telephoto lens, but the zoom photos we got using the sensor crop were surprisingly decent. Video recording is capped at 2K both ways, but hey, for everyday use, that’s plenty good! There’s also Ultra Steady mode at FHD/30fps to help you capture stable vlog-style footage without the help of a gimbal or tripod.

The selfie camera has a 32-megapixel sensor and Infinix’s full-arsenal of face smoothing and other AI Makeup tools in Portrait mode. And then there’s Short Video mode that’s tailor-made for Instagram Reels and Facebook Stories.

Overall, the camera system on this smartphone is a solid performer, letting you capture those fleeting moments without breaking the bank.

Sample shots

Pricing and availability

In the Philippines, the Infinix NOTE 40 Pro+ 5G will be available from April 24 with a suggested retail price of P13,999 (roughly $243) for the variant with up to 24GB of dynamic RAM and 256GB of internal storage.

That’s already a sweet deal, all things considered, but you can get the phone for less for a limited time if you purchase it on Infinix’s official stores on Lazada, Shopee, and TikTok Shop, where this model will be listed at P11,499 ($200) after discounts.

On top of the price cut, Lazada and TikTok Shop customers can even score a free Infinix S1 smartwatch or XE23 earphones — perfect for completing your mobile setup. You better act fast, though: Those freebies won’t last forever.

If you’re looking for something more affordable, then the P10,999 ($191) Infinix NOTE 40 Pro 4G might be the model for you. It will be available for as low as P8,799 ($153) for a limited time. And you can get your hands on it at the same time as the NOTE 40 Pro+ 5G! We suggest you follow the brand’s official Facebook page for more updates.

Final thoughts

In a world obsessed with the latest foldable models and ever-increasing price tags, the Infinix NOTE 40 Pro+ 5G emerges as a refreshing alternative. It’s a midranger that punches above its weight, delivering a flagship-caliber display, smooth performance, and a battery that can be recharged for a full day of use in mere minutes.

The smartphone proves that exceptional experiences don’t always require breaking the bank. With its feature-packed hardware and attractive price point, the Infinix NOTE 40 Pro+ 5G is a serious contender for your next everyday companion.

Infinix NOTE 40 Pro+ 5G specs

• 6.78-inch curved LTPS OLED display, FHD+ resolution, 120Hz refresh rate, Corning Gorilla Glass
• 6nm MediaTek Dimensity 7020 5G processor
• IMG BXM-8-256 GPU
• 12GB RAM
• 256GB UFS 2.2 storage
• Triple 108-megapixel main, 2-megapixel portrait, 2-megapixel macro rear cameras
• 32-megapixel front camera
• Under-display fingerprint reader
• 4,600mAh battery with 100-watt USB-C charging, 20-watt wireless charging
• Dual speakers with Sound by JBL
• IP53 rating
• X0S 14 based on Android 14
• Colors: Obsidian Black, Vintage Green

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