Infinix Note 2 also known as the Big 6 is a successor to the Hot Note which touted a long lasting battery as the major selling point. Same goes for the Note 2 with an improvement to camera and battery technology.
This review will be experiential and I won’t be elaborating on the specs sheet, you can read this piece: “What you need to know about the Infinix Note 2” to get all of that.
To begin with, the Note 2 is a 1GB RAM device as opposed to the 1.5GB stated by Infinix so invariably a user is left with about 500MB of RAM since the system and UI takes up the other half. The UI which is called XUI is optimized to increase performance so you may not want to worry about the RAM size but you still experience some lag during use. You do not get the swift response as experienced on high end devices.
Design is basic:
The Infinix Note 2 is made of plastic all round with a 6 inch display. This phone obviously lives to its name Big 6, it is big and bulky. I have used other 6-inch devices that didn’t feel too big in the hand but the Note 2 is not the case, you will need your two hands to effectively handle the phone with ease.
Navigation keys are on-screen, power button and volume button are on the right side with headphone jack and charging/USB port at the top and bottom respectively.
The Plastic back cover has a well-polished finish and its curved shaped actually makes the phone bulky, using the phone without the back cover feels a lot better. Camera is bulgy also this makes the compartment susceptible to scratch and dent.
XUI is simple and smooth:
The new user interface is called XUI and backed by Android lollipop OS. Infinix says it performs basic Android specific optimization to increase overall performance and then it requires frequent updates every two weeks, the first update comes right after you connect to the internet for the first time.
The overall feel of the UI is cool, it is smooth and simple with nice wall papers and quotes that change randomly as the phone turns on from sleep mode.
To enjoy all the benefits of the new XUI, you will have to register an Infinix account. However cool this new XUI is, there are too many personalized XUI bloatware that you won’t use daily or may not even use in weeks except for a few apps like the A-Z, user feedback and system management apps. The A-Z app which is my favourite comes in very handy as it helps to group all apps in alphabetical order so you don’t have to fumble around when looking for an app.
Earpiece is absent:
Opening the box, it was surprising that the earpiece was absent, I obviously thought the incomplete accessory was an error until I heard the Infinix MD, Benjamin Liang affirm the position. He said the absence of the earpiece was a deliberate decision by the company and a response to users’ complains that the earpiece which comes with Infinix phones are of low quality, so in the alternative (not an alternative anyway) the company will begin to manufacture headphones for sale independently.
That won’t be a bad idea anyway but as far as I am concerned, that argument doesn’t hold water because earpiece is an additional accessory for a phone and I don’t think anyone expects a phone company to include a $100 as complementary accessory… maybe Apple can. Infinix please don’t take away the earpiece.
Best Battery so far, Flash charging is the real fast charging
Battery capacity on the Note 2 is 4040 mAh, while battery rating on paper do not deliver accordingly during usage, I can say that the 4040 mAh just delivers as expected. This is the best battery in the phone I have ever used. A single full charge takes me all through the day even when am connected to the internet all through and doing my day to day necessaries like chatting, browsing, phone calls among others. For an average user, you are almost sure of going a day and half before charging the phone
Apart from the satisfactory battery life, the phone also has a fast charging feature which is called Flash Charging. Note 2 fast charging trumps every other phone with the fast charging feature after practical experiment. In about 45 minutes, I was able get the battery charged from 13% to full charge. I watch movies on the phone without worry for battery. Very impressive is the battery that I don’t worry about getting low.
Better improved camera
Camera is pegged at 13 Mega Pixel with an optimized Samsung’s S5K3M2 ISOCELL CMOS light sensors. The camera is well optimized to allow more light in order to produce better pictures under low light, however images can still be noisy. The performance of the 2MP front camera is also impressive even under low light conditions, you can still take decent selfies. The camera also has a wide angle feature that allows more people into the frame when taking selfies wefie.
Verdict
The 6-inch display provides adequate real estate for people who crave devices for big screens and movie lovers, a perfect mid-point between a phone and a tablet.
Apart from the overall basic design, the Infinix Note 2 is a device that every Nigerian will love to have considering the overly impressive battery performance and the fast flash charging feature. You don’t have to worry about owning a power bank.
In continuation of our TechCity Giveaway, one person will have the opportunity to win a brand new Infinix Note 2.
Question for Giveaway day 8: What is the fast charging feature on the Infinix Note 2 called?
Put your answer in the comment section below.