The Infinix NOTE 30 VIP has entered the competitive mid-range smartphone market with a bang. First released worldwide back in June 2023, this device promises to offer high-end features at a budget-friendly price.
It’s an exciting prospect for consumers seeking value without compromising on performance. We go hands-on with the Racing Edition, which was co-designed with BMW Designworks to give it that sporty flair.
Infinix NOTE 30 VIP specs snapshot
- Display: 6.78 inches; 1080 x 2400 pixels; AMOLED, 120Hz, 900 nits (peak)
- OS + chipset: Android 13, XOS 13, Mediatek MT6893 Dimensity 8050 (6 nm)
- Camera: Triple 108 MP, f/1.8, (main), 32 MP, f/2.5, (selfie)
- Battery: Li-Po 5000 mAh, non-removable; 68W wired, 50W wireless
- Price (Philippines): PhpP13,999 (12+256 GB)
Infinix NOTE 30 VIP design and build quality
The NOTE 30 VIP sports a sleek design, taking cues from the popular flat-edge trend. It’s notably embodied in the Racing Edition, which boasts a striking collaboration with BMW Design Works.
This is a MASSIVE phone, measuring 162.7 x 75.9 x 8.2 mm and weighing 190 g. It’s already bulky without the case, although the package comes with a free transparent one for added protection. It does have a nice vegan leather rear panel which can be appreciated in full if you use the phone naked.
There are three LED strips in BMW racing colors on the rear that can be triggerd to light up based on certain scenarios such as calling or playing games.
Currently, there does not appear to be a way to keep the rear lights turned on, possibly to conserve battery life. It’s very catchy, so we would love to have it running all the time.
Philippine users will be happy to learn that it has a dedicated dual SIM card slots as well as a dedicated microSD expansion card slot. By the way, it also has IP53 dust and splash resistance, which means it should be able to handle getting splashed or even soaked in water.
The BMW Racing Edition comes with red metallic chrome trimings around the edge and camera lenses, which lend to its premium look and feel. The red and black combo is subtle enough to stay under the radar, but striking enough to add excitement to enyone who dares to look closer.
We have seen really some really nice looking phones, this year, and the Infinix NOTE 30 VIP Racing Edition is definitely up there in our top ten most aesthetically pleasing smartphones for 2023.
Infinix NOTE 30 VIP display and build quality
The device flaunts a 6.67-inch AMOLED display, supporting 1 billion colors and a 120Hz refresh rate. We get a full HD display with a native resolution of 1080 x 2400 pixels. Its high peak brightness of 900 nits ensures good visibility even under direct sunlight.
These are good numbers, though color calibration somehow feels off. We’ve seen better IPS LCD displays, and this isn’t as vibrant nor are the viewing angles that good.
Most budget devices have a disproportionately sized chin that’s thicker than the top edge. However, the Infinix NOTE 30 VIP does not have this issue. The chin is proportionately sized all around, which adds to its premium look and feel.
Infinix NOTE 30 VIP performance and entertainment
Under the hood, the Infinix NOTE 30 VIP runs on the Mediatek Dimensity 8050 chipset, paired with 12GB LPDDR4X RAM. This combination, along with the Android 13 operating system, provides a smooth and responsive user experience. The 256GB UFS 3.1 internal storage, expandable via a dedicated microSDXC slot, is ample for most users.
While the device shines in hardware, the software aspect has room for improvement. The preloaded bloatware and overwhelming options could deter some users, though future updates might address these issues. The phone also features an under-display fingerprint scanner, NFC, and 5G support, making it future-proof.
When it comes to benchmarks, we managed to pull well above 700K points in AnTuTu. Most flagships easily clear 1 Million, with a few exceptional ones hitting 2 Million points. Our mid-range benchmark at the beginning of 2023 was around 450K, so this phone is well above average in terms of performance.
This performance comes at a cost, though. Looking at the CPU temperature reported by AnTuTu, it reported a spike of 11.8 degrees – or almost 12 degrees Celsuis, thoughout the benchmark. This at 3 times the average – most of the phones that we tested this year saw a rise of only 2-3 degrees.
Poor thermal management can cause throttling, particularly in games. It is not so much an issue with productivity applications which typically consume high CPU, GPU, and battery in short bursts. However, sustained high usage of these resources in games could results in severe performance drops, especially if you have GPU and GPS running along with it.
Audio quality is a standout feature, with stereo speakers tuned by JBL and 24-bit/192kHz audio support. Dual loud speakers are still a rarity these days, so we won’t critique the sound quality. Suffice to say, two loud speakers are beter than one.
By the way, our gift box contained the Infinix XE27 TWS earbuds. We thought it was serviceable, though its mids and lows sounded muddy.
We checked with our friends over at Infinix Philippines, and as of the momment, there are no plans to bring the Infinix XE27 earbuds to the country. It’s supposed to come with active noise cancellation (ANC), but we will not be going into detail in this review. Do let us know in the comments section if you’d like to see an in-depth review of the Infinix XE27.
Infinix NOTE 30 VIP gaming
Gaming on the Dimensity 8050 powered Infinix NOTE 30 VIP Racing Edition with 12GB of LPDDR4X memory and 256GB of UFS 3.1 storage was a joy. We managed to push its limits, going up to the Highest setting in Honkai: Star Rail and it was still relatively smooth.
Popular battle royale game PUBG: Mobile performed well in HDR with gyroscope support. We feel it could easily handle Ultra HDR, but unfortunately this option is locked out by the game at the time of writing. Hopefully PUBG can unlock this in a future update.
WATCH: Infinix NOTE 30 VIP gaming review (Racing Edition)
Thankfully, MOBA game Mobile Legends: Bang Bang did not have such restriction, and we were able to run the game at Super high frame rate and Ultra graphics without any issues.
We also tried to run popular ARPG Diablo Immortal, which ran smoothly on High graphics. Like PUBG, Ultra is locked out, but we also feel that it should be able to go up to Ultra without any issues.
While all the games that we tested ran extremely well on the Infinix NOTE 30 VIP, we felt that we were unable to extract the full potential of the device due to restrictions.
Infinix NOTE 30 VIP benchmarks and comparison
The phone’s stellar gaming performance was reflected in our benchmarks, where it reached as high as 734915 points in AnTuTu but with an accompanying temperature spike of 11.8 degrees Celsuis. This is worrying, as it can easily lead to throttling over time, especially when playing graphically demanding games with high frame rate enabled.
As a workaround, you can plug the phone, which thankfully supports bypass charging. We would rather have better thermal management though, since not everyone is aware of this, nor will most people be bothered to play on their mobile while tethered to an outlet.
For our performance and gaming benchmarks, we ran the Infinix NOTE 30 VIP with 12 + 256 GB of memory and storage on Wi-Fi mode. with performance and power optimizations turned off.
| Name | PassMark | AnTuTu | Temp delta | PCMark | Work 3.0 battery |
| HONOR 90 Lite 5G (8+256) | 9770 | 394454 | 3 | 8619 | 10.5 |
| realme 11 4G (8+256) | 9557 | 421893 | 3.6 | 10189 | 14 |
| Infinix NOTE 30 VIP (12+256) | 12405 | 734915 | 11.8 | 16899 | 10.5 |
Benchmark results were as follows:
- AnTuTu: 734915, temperature delta: 11.8 degrees Celsius
- PCMark Work 3.0 performance: 16899
- PassMark: 12405 system, 5856 CPU, 26083 memory, 64566 disk, 28729 2D, 42019 3D
- Geekbench: 1088 single-core, 3260 multi-core
Looking at our chart, the Infinix NOTE 30 VIP outperforms other devices within the same price range, delivering almost double that of the realme 11 4G and the HONOR 90 Lite 5G!
This will certainly shake things up in the Philippine market. Hopefully this will put enough pressure to drive the prices down, if not bring more premium features to the mid-range segment.
Infinix NOTE 30 VIP camera
Photography enthusiasts will appreciate the triple rear camera setup, headlined by a 108 MP main sensor. It’s complemented by dual 2 MP sensors, although it is not quite clear what the auxiliary cameras do. The 32 MP front camera is adept at capturing detailed selfies.
The camera performed above our initial expectations, which shows how far XOS has gone in terms of imaging. Thanks to in-sensor zoom and AI, shots taken at 2-3X remained sharp, while low light and night mode photos stayed relatively vibrant and detailed.
It does have exhibit the usual post processing artifacts, and there is an egregious amount of flaring / reflection coming from the lens, but the quality is consistent enough, and we would be happy to use these photos for social media posting.
Check out these sample photos and see for yourself!
Video capabilities include 4K recording at 30fps, ensuring high-quality footage. The rear camera defaults to 1080p 30 FPS with ultra steady turned ON.
So, we went ahead and tested this by shooting while on the road. Image stabilization seems to hold up fairly well, even if it was lacking in sharpness and dynamic range. Also, some frames appear muddy or overprocessed.
Check out the sample video below.
WATCH: Infinix NOTE 30 VIP camera test (main)
The 32MP selfie camera takes acceptable videos, although like the rear camera, it could also improve on sharpness and dynamic range.
Check out the sample video below.
WATCH: Infinix NOTE 30 VIP camera test (selfie)
Infinix NOTE 30 VIP charging and battery life
The 5000 mAh battery offers 68W wired and 50W wireless charging, with a published rate of 80% in 30 minutes. It comes with a 68W fast charger out of the box so you should be able to take advantage of its wired charging capabilities.
However, you will have to purchase your own wireless charger should you wish to charge wirelessly.
Using PCMark Battery Life benchmark, we managed to push the Infinix NOTE 30 VIP to a high of 10 hours 33 minutes with the phone running on Wi-Fi and screen brigtness calibrated against our lab standard.
Our real life results were slightly lower, although still impressive. Based on our usage patterns, AccuBattery reported an average screen on time of 9 hours and 31 minutes, and a combined use time of 3 days and 23 hours or almost four days.
Note that this can drastically change depending on your use case. We mostly used the phone for social media, photo and video. Expect lower results if you are a heavy gamer, or if you spend most of your time with mobile data or GPS turned on.
Conclusion
The Infinix NOTE 30 VIP is a significant player in the mid-range segment, challenging the stagnancy with its robust features and aggressive pricing. It embodies a balance of style, performance, and affordability, making it a compelling choice for a wide range of users.
Despite some software drawbacks, the overall package is impressive, proving that premium features don’t always demand a premium price.
It outperforms similarly-priced competitors in synthetic benchmarks and actual, real-world experience. It does so at the expense of potential throttling due to poor thermal management, so it’s far from perfect.
Priced at about 280 EUR (approximately 13,999 PHP), the Infinix NOTE 30 VIP is an extremely attractive option for those looking to upgrade to a feature-rich phone without breaking the bank.
We do wonder if Infinix can keep up this pace for long. Also, moves like this tend to set expectations. We’ve seen what it did to brands in the past who started out by offering disruptive value but later struggled to move up the branding ladder. If Infinix wants to establish itself as the budget king or market disruptor, it will have to stay consistent year after year in order to maintain that position.
Regardless, of the end-result, Infinix is making a name for itself by raising the bar, and consumers like us can only benefit from the competition.
Infinix NOTE 30 VIP video review
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Infinix NOTE 30 VIP specs
- Display: 6.78 inches; 1080 x 2400 pixels; AMOLED, 120Hz, 900 nits (peak)
- SIM: Dual SIM (Nano-SIM, dual stand-by)
- OS: Android 13, XOS 13
- Chipset (SoC): Mediatek MT6893 Dimensity 8050 (6 nm)
- CPU: Octa-core (1×3.0 GHz Cortex-A78 & 3×2.6 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4×2.0 GHz Cortex-A55)
- GPU: Mali-G77 MC9
- Memory (RAM) + storage: 12 GB + 256 GB
- Expansion: microSDXC (dedicated slot)
- Main camera (rear): Triple 108 MP, f/1.8, (wide), 1/1.67″, PDAF + 2 MP, f/2.4 + 2 MP, f/2.4
- Selfie camera (front): Single 32 MP, f/2.5, (wide)
- Connectivity: Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band; Bluetooth 5.1, A2DP, LE; GPS; NFC; FM radio; USB Type-C
- I/O: Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass
- Battery: Li-Po 5000 mAh, non-removable; 68W wired charging, 50W wireless charging, reverse wired, reverse wireless
- Audio: Dual speaker w/ sound by JBL & Hi-Res
- Colors: Magic Black, Glacier White, Racing Edition
- Price (Philippines): PhpP13,999 (12+256 GB)
