Fresh off its official Philippine debut, Infinix‘s new NOTE 50 series — comprising the NOTE 50, NOTE 50 Pro, and the 5G-enabled NOTE 50 Pro+ — has already turned heads with its stylish aesthetics and promises of value.

Here’s a detail that’s truly worth letting sink in: The Infinix NOTE 50 Pro isn’t just sporting a metal frame; it’s the first smartphone in the Philippines to offer this premium build quality at a price point south of P12,000 (roughly $211).

We thoroughly tested the 4G variant of the NOTE 50 Pro over an extended period, using it daily in Metro Manila for tasks like navigating EDSA traffic and powering through late-night gaming sessions. Now, with weeks of testing under our belt, we’re ready to deliver our definitive take: Does this particular model in the lineup truly live up to the buzz, and could it be the budget champion many are hoping for?

Read on to find out in our full review of the Infinix NOTE 50 Pro.

Rocking an all-metal hardware

Let’s talk about the build quality and design of the Infinix NOTE 50 Pro, because this is where it makes a really strong first impression. Right out of the box, you can tell this isn’t your typical plastic-clad budget handset. The hardware boasts an ArmorAlloy aluminum frame, going all-metal, which, according to Infinix, is a blend of Damascus steel and aerospace-grade aluminum alloy. It sounds fancy, but what it boils down to is a smartphone that feels seriously tough, like it can handle the everyday bumps and scrapes without breaking a sweat — or corroding if things get a little humid. This robust build quality is even more remarkable considering the Infinix NOTE 50 Pro is the first phone with a metal frame available in the Philippines for under P12,000 ($211), as we mentioned earlier.

The company is even highlighting the NOTE 50 Pro’s eco-friendly side with some recyclable components. That metal frame isn’t just for show either; it’s got a shock-absorbing inner structure that has been certified by TÜV SÜD for drop resistance. It’s IP64-rated, too, so you won’t have a mini heart attack if you get caught in a sudden downpour while you’re out and about.

The in-hand feel is a treat. The matte finish on the back does a fantastic job of hiding fingerprints and smudges. Meanwhile, the edges of the frame are nicely rounded, making it sit comfortably in your palm. That IP rating is also a real confidence booster, especially when you live in a country like the Philippines where the weather can go from sunny to torrential rain in a matter of minutes.

Surprisingly, even with that large 5,200mAh battery tucked inside, the Infinix NOTE 50 Pro manages to stay relatively slim and light. We’re talking just 7.3mm thin if you ignore the little camera bump and a mere 198 grams. That combination means using the device one-handed doesn’t feel like you’re trying to palm a brick, and you can actually reach those corners of the screen without needing to perform some finger gymnastics.

The back also makes a bit of a statement with its bold camera layout. You’ve got distinct cutouts for the main 50-megapixel camera and the 8-megapixel ultrawide, plus another dedicated spot for the blood-oxygen and heart-rate sensor combo. And here’s a quirky touch: Those sensors are ringed by a tiny multicolor LED. Infinix calls it the Bio-Active Halo AI Lighting, and it’s a subtle but cool way the phone gives you visual cues for calls, notifications, and even when it’s charging, adding a bit of personality to the design.

Flip it over, and you’re greeted by a tall 6.78-inch AMOLED display with a super-smooth 144Hz refresh rate and a claimed peak brightness of 1,300 nits. For a handset in this price bracket, it’s a really nice-looking screen. Additionally, it’s got an under-display fingerprint reader that’s quick and reliable, so unlocking is convenient and feels surprisingly premium. But the real star of the show here is that 144Hz refresh rate. Scrolling through your Instagram feed, swiping through NBA box scores or articles on news sites, or just navigating the phone’s menus feels incredibly fluid and responsive. It’s the kind of smoothness that once you experience it, makes going back to a standard 60Hz display feel admittedly sluggish.

And because it’s an AMOLED panel, expect those colors to really pop, with vibrant hues and deep, inky blacks. It honestly looks much better than some of the washed-out LCD screens you find on similarly priced competitors. This panel makes the Infinix NOTE 50 Pro a solid choice for everything from playing those visually rich mobile games to binging your favorite K-dramas on your commute.

When night rolls around, the display gets even smarter, featuring 2,340Hz PWM dimming to precisely fine-tune brightness at low levels and reduce eye-straining flicker during those late-night scrolling sessions, along with a low-blue-light certification so you can indulge in those wee-hour TikTok binges without feeling like your eyes are about to fall out.

You also get some smarts built into the screen that ensure accurate touch response even if your hands are a bit damp. That’s a definite plus for anyone who has ever struggled to type a message with slightly wet fingers. The Infinix NOTE 50 Pro arrives with an Always-On Display, too, so you can quickly check notifications, the weather, and your step count without even waking up the smartphone.

Can it game, though? Call of Duty: Mobile test

Infinix is positioning its NOTE 50 Pro as a budget-conscious phone that doesn’t shy away from demanding games. Beyond that, it aims to deliver a fluid and consistent user experience, fueled by its 144Hz display and an extensive 12,326mm² vapor chamber cooling system with 11 layers. This robust system aims to keep things cool when the action heats up (literally!) and prevent the unit from getting too hot and slowing down, potentially improving its operating temperature by up to 10 degrees Celsius.

Powering the device is a MediaTek Helio G100 Ultimate chipset, a modest yet efficient silicon built on a 6nm process. It features an octa-core CPU with two 2.2GHz Cortex-A76 performance cores and six Cortex-A55 cores running at 2.0GHz for less intensive tasks. And for what you’re paying, it seems like a solid choice. It’s also got some clever tech baked in, like Super WiFi 2.0. Think about those times you’re trying to stream a movie on Netflix or hop on a crucial video call with spotty Wi-Fi — this is designed to make those experiences much smoother. Plus, it promises better Bluetooth audio, so your wireless earbuds should deliver a more consistent listening experience, whether you’re jamming to music on your commute or in a voice chat with your squad.

For visuals, the Infinix NOTE 50 Pro is rocking a Mali-G57 GPU. The model arriving in the Philippines comes with 12GB of physical RAM and 12GB of virtual RAM — enough to keep multiple apps running without things feeling sluggish — and a spacious 256GB of internal storage. That’s plenty of space for your games, photos, and all those TikTok videos you can’t resist saving.

Infinix has advertised the NOTE 50 Pro as a strong contender for Call of Duty: Mobile, which, let’s be honest, is a go-to for a lot of mobile gamers. So, yeah, the first thing we did was jump into a Battle Royale match. Unsurprisingly, the smartphone held its own. Cranking the graphics to Medium, we were seeing around 40 frames per second. That’s pretty solid when you’ve got a whole battlefield of 100 players running around.

We even threw the notoriously demanding Genshin Impact at our review unit. On Low settings, it hovered around 40 FPS. It’s not going to blow any minds, but you could definitely jump in and do your daily quests without wanting to throw your phone across the room. Then, for something a little different, we fired up Alto’s Odyssey, a chill sandboarding game. With the device’s 144Hz display, we were curious if it could go beyond the standard 60 FPS. Unfortunately, it looks like there might be a general 60 FPS limit for games, which is a bit of a bummer if you were hoping for that super-smooth refresh rate across the board.

Cool performance coupled with AI smarts

The substantial passive cooling solution appears to be effective, and its claim of keeping the phone cooler to prevent throttling under intense use appears to be accurate. After a continuous 30-minute gaming session, our unit remained reasonably warm. So, while the Helio G100 Ultimate won’t top any benchmark charts, it’s reassuring to see it avoids becoming a pocket warmer during demanding tasks, and you can actually count on it to deliver consistent performance as long as you’re not trying to max out every setting.

Now, if you’re familiar with Infinix phones, you’ll probably recognize the brand’s own XBOOST Game Assistant. Think of it as your personal gaming AI sidekick, designed to give you an edge in your mobile battles. It’s got these different modes you can toggle — a Power Saving mode for when you’re just trying to conserve battery; an Equilibrium mode, which is basically their way of saying “balanced,” good for everyday gaming; and then a full-on Performance mode when you need all the horsepower you can get. So, you can really dial things in depending on what you’re playing.

XBOOST also gives you some expanded control options to enhance your gaming experience. Take remapping those physical volume buttons, for example. Imagine you’re in a tense firefight in Call of Duty: Mobile. Instead of fumbling for the on-screen map button, you could have it instantly accessible by pressing the Volume Up key. Need to reload in a split second? Map it to Volume Down. That kind of tactile advantage can be a real game-changer. And if you live and breathe MOBAs like Mobile Legends: Bang Bang like a few of our friends in the industry, Infinix’s E-Sports-Grade Control lets you fine-tune exactly how sensitive the panel is to your taps and swipes. In those fast-paced moments, having that extra level of precision between your fingers can be the difference between scoring the winning kill or getting wiped out.

Now, let’s talk about the “AI smarts” part of the equation. The Infinix NOTE 50 Pro comes with its own little AI helper called Folax, and honestly, it’s pretty capable. You just long-press the power key to wake it up. It’s not just your run-of-the-mill assistant that sets timers or tells you if it’s raining in your area right now. This tool can actually summarize those long articles you’re browsing in Chrome when you’re short on time — pretty handy for staying in the loop. It also tries its hand at jokes.

But where it gets really interesting is when the smartphone starts tackling tasks like drafting emails for you. Skeptical? We were, too. So, we threw it a real curveball: Write a complaint letter for a gadget that decided to stop working. And surprisingly, Folax delivered. It generated a well-structured letter that felt genuinely ready to hit the Send button. It even had the foresight to remind us to attach a copy of the receipt — a nice touch!

Beyond Folax, the Infinix NOTE 50 Pro feels like it’s brimming with these little AI tools working in the background. For content creators like us, there’s an object-cutout tool for photos, making it a breeze to isolate subjects for those perfect social-media edits. For jet-setters, you’ve got integrated translation tools, which could be a lifesaver when you’re navigating content in different languages or even just trying to decipher that cryptic error message.

The NOTE 50 Pro also boasts intelligent audio recording, which aims to filter out background noise. Imagine clearer voice notes or meeting recordings even in a bustling cafe. Plus, the ability to get summaries and translations of your calls could be very useful. And if you’re ever in need of a fresh look for your home screen, it can even whip up new wallpapers for you. It’s clear Infinix has really embraced the AI trend, packing in a wide array of these smart functionalities. On top of all that, you still get the incredibly handy Google Circle to Search, which is always a welcome addition for quick information lookups.

Super-fast 90-watt charging

When it comes to charging, the Infinix NOTE 50 Pro has seriously stepped up its game this time around, offering charging speeds you don’t often see in devices that won’t empty your wallet. Easily the most impressive spec on this front is the phone’s blazing-fast 90-watt wired charging. Infinix claims it can take you from zero to 100% in under 40 minutes, and in our tests with the included power brick, that sounds about right.

If you’re all about that cable-free life, the 30-watt wireless charging is still pretty fast. We’re talking a full charge in around an hour and 50 minutes based on our tests. Considering it’s powering a hefty 5,200mAh battery — the kind that can easily get you through a busy workday — that’s impressively quick. You could basically go from completely flat to fully charged in the time it takes to enjoy your coffee in the morning or grab a quick bite for lunch.

This phone can even play the role of a portable power bank with its reverse-charging feature — 10-watt wired and 7.5-watt wireless. So, if your friend’s device is on its last legs after a long day of navigating the weekday traffic, or his or her wireless earbuds have run out of juice during their commute on the MRT, you can use your NOTE 50 Pro to give them a quick power boost.

Infinix has also thrown in some smart battery features to keep things healthy in the long run. There’s bypass charging, which is a godsend for gamers. It lets you power the unit directly from the charger without constantly feeding the battery, which helps keep things cooler during those demanding gaming sessions and should help extend the battery’s lifespan. You don’t see this feature on a lot of smartphones, not even the flagship models that cost several times more. Finding it on a model in this price range is a genuinely impressive addition. Then you’ve got Smart Night Charging, which uses AI to learn your sleep schedule and charging habits, preventing overcharging while you’re catching some sleep. This should also contribute to better battery longevity.

Infinix is also boasting a “six-year battery management” system powered by the Cheetah X2 chip. The company says it can handle a whopping 2,300 charge cycles and still retain over 80% of its battery health after four years — way beyond what you typically see from most smartphones out there. Think about that for a second. In a world where we’re often worrying about our phone batteries degrading after just a year or two, that kind of staying power is noteworthy. It’s the kind of reassurance that means you’re less likely to be hunting for a power bank at every out-of-town trip and social gathering four years down the line.

Solid shooter for everyday snaps

Around the back, the Infinix NOTE 50 Pro sports a (mostly) vertically stacked triple-lens camera setup that looks rather stylish at first glance. However, it’s worth noting that the real workhorses here are the 50-megapixel main camera and the 8-megapixel ultrawide that sits underneath it. The third sensor primarily assists with those portrait shots where you want that soft background blur.

Flipping to the front, the 32-megapixel selfie camera sits neatly in a center punch-hole cutout. We found that it’s a decent performer and comes with a wide auto-focus lens, which is great for squeezing in your whole selfie squad during those impromptu meetups or capturing more of that scenic backdrop during your travels.

Sample shots

Even when the lighting isn’t ideal, the NOTE 50 Pro manages to perform admirably in AI CAM or Auto mode. The optional Night mode does a decent job of brightening up darker scenes. While you might notice a bit of grain if you zoom in close, the photos are generally good enough to share on your social media feeds without hesitation.

Video recording is also respectable. You can shoot footage at a sharp 2K resolution at 30 FPS with both the front and rear cameras. If smoother motion is a priority, you can bump the frame rate up to 60 FPS, but you’ll have to step down slightly to a still-respectable 1080p resolution. And for those of us with less-than-steady hands, especially after a few drinks, both cameras offer video stabilization, but this feature is limited to FHD resolution and up to 60 FPS.

One of the software tricks Infinix throws in is an AI eraser tool within the preinstalled AI Gallery app. Now, don’t expect it to work miracles like some of the more advanced implementations out there. Unlike those impressive features that can seamlessly vanish photobombers, this one requires a bit more manual effort. You have to physically brush over the objects you want to disappear. In our experience, you might get cleaner results by grabbing a dedicated third-party app or using Google’s Magic Eraser if you’re aiming for that flawless look. It feels like refining this AI eraser in future versions could really help Infinix keep pace with the competition.

Digging into the Gallery app, you’ll find the brand has thrown in its own set of interesting filters tucked away under AI Studio, along with a decent array of editing options. One little detail we appreciated is that you can actually make edits to your photos without having the watermark get in the way — a thoughtful touch and not something we’ve typically seen on Infinix devices in the past. It really highlights how far Infinix’s own take on Android, now running on Android 15, has come in terms of user experience and attention to detail.

Then there’s a rather intriguing addition to the camera app: AIGC Portrait. Short for AI-Generated Content Portrait, this feature aims to inject a dose of creativity and flair into your portrait shots. Finding it is straightforward — simply swipe right within the native camera app and tap on AIGC Portrait tucked under the additional settings. Using it is just as easy; it’s really a point-and-shoot affair.

That’s us! 😀

Final thoughts

The Infinix NOTE 50 Pro stands out with its premium-feeling all-metal construction (again, for under P12,000 [$211]) and that buttery-smooth 144Hz AMOLED display — features that are often reserved for more expensive devices. Coupled with its long-lasting battery and the sheer convenience of 90-watt charging, which gives you a full charge in under an hour, it addresses some of the most common smartphone frustrations. While the camera system is solid for everyday use and the AI features show promise, it’s the combination of premium design elements and practical performance that makes the NOTE 50 Pro a noteworthy option for budget-conscious buyers.

In the Philippines, the Infinix NOTE 50 Series will launch exclusively on Shopee on April 24 with the following prices:

• Infinix NOTE 50 (8GB/256GB)
  • Suggested retail price: P8,999
  • Early bird price on Shopee: P7,699
• Infinix NOTE 50 Pro (12GB/256GB)
  • SRP: P11,999
  • Early bird price on Shopee: P9,999
• Infinix NOTE 50 Pro+ 5G (12GB/256GB)
  • SRP: P17,999
  • Early bird price on Shopee: P15,999

Those prices make the NOTE 50 Series, especially the NOTE 50 Pro, compelling options on the local market. And if you buy the smartphone from participating online stores, you’ll also get a free one-year subscription to Viu while supplies last — perfect for catching up on your favorite shows on that vibrant AMOLED display.

Infinix NOTE 50 Pro specs

• 6.78-inch AMOLED flat display, FHD+, 144Hz refresh rate, 1,300 nits peak brightness
• 6nm MediaTek Helio G100 Ultimate 4G chipset
• Mali-G57 MC2 GPU
• 8GB/12GB RAM
• 256GB UFS 2.2 storage
• Dual 50-megapixel main, 8-megapixel ultrawide rear cameras
• 32-megapixel front camera
• Under-display fingerprint reader
• 5,200mAh battery with 90-watt fast wired charging, 30-watt wireless charging
• IP64 rating
• XOS 15 based on Android 15
• Color options: Titanium Grey, Enchanted Purple, and Shadow Black

---