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Introduction
Infinix is a brand we don't review too often, mostly due to its regionally limited popularity. In certain markets, particularly in Africa and South Asia, however, Infinix has its fair share of market pull. To provide additional context, Infinix is one of the Chinese Transsion Holding brands, with the other major ones including Tecno and Itel. Also, Oraimo for accessories and Carlcare for after-sales service. But, we digress.
Actually, we've been on a bit of a roll with Infinix latterly, since we just recently checked out the new Infinix Note 11 Pro.
And now we have the Infinix Zero X Pro in for review. It is the current flagship in the Infinix lineup and, as such, is quite well equipped in terms of hardware. Pricing is a bit difficult to precisely pinpoint since the Infinix Zero X Pro is still not on sale in most online stores we checked. Some sourced we've seen hint at an MSRP of around $300, which seems pretty low. Another more believable alleged price tag is right around $456 or EUR 390 for the 256GB/8GB variant. It is hence fairly safe to assume that the base 128GB/8GB variant should retail at around $400.
That sounds impressive, given the kind of specs the Zero X Pro is rocking. The triple main camera setup is a major highlight. It has a 108MP, f/1.79 OIS-enabled camera at the helm, along with an 8MP, f/2.25, 120-degree ultrawide and last, but definitely not least, an 8MP periscope telephoto, with 5x optical and up to 60x digital zoom and OIS. All three cameras actually have autofocus, which allows the ultrawide to double as a macro cam. Infinix is so hyped about its zoom tech that there is even a special system for photographing the moon on the Zero X Pro, dubbed Galileo Engine.
Infinix Zero X Pro specs at a glance:
- Body: 164.1x75.7x7.8mm, 193g; Glass front, glass back, plastic frame.
- Display: 6.67" AMOLED, 120Hz, 700 nits (peak), 1080x2400px resolution, 20:9 aspect ratio, 395ppi.
- Chipset: Mediatek Helio G95 (12 nm): Octa-core (2x2.05 GHz Cortex-A76 & 6x2.0 GHz Cortex-A55); Mali-G76 MC4.
- Memory: 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM; UFS 2.2; microSDXC (dedicated slot).
- OS/Software: Android 11, XOS 7.6.
- Rear camera: Wide (main): 108 MP, f/1.8, 1/1.52", 0.7µm, Dual Pixel PDAF, OIS; Telephoto: 8 MP, f/3.4, 125mm, 1/4.4", 1.0µm, PDAF, 5x optical zoom, OIS; Ultra wide angle: 8 MP, f/2.3, 13mm, 120-degree, 1/4.0", 1.12µm, AF.
- Front camera: 16 MP, (wide), 1/2.76", 1.12µm.
- Video capture: Rear camera: 4K@30fps, 1080p@30fps; Front camera: 4K@30fps, 1080p@30fps.
- Battery: 4500mAh; Fast Charging 45W, 40% in 15 min (advertised).
- Misc: Fingerprint reader (under display, optical); FM radio; 3.5mm jack.
And the camera is far from the only impressive part of the specs sheet. In no particular order, the Zero X Pro also has a large 6.67-inch AMOLED display, with 700 nits of advertised brightness and 120Hz refresh rate, with a dedicated display controller Infinix seem particularly keen on in marketing. You also get a 4,500 mAh battery with 45W fast charging and a stereo speaker setup.
The Zero X Pro is definitely a bit of a departure from the typical Infinix budget MO. It even has the looks to go along with the beefed-up specs sheet, actually incorporating a glass back in its design. We can't wait to dive in and see how well these specs on paper translates to the real world.
Unboxing
First, though, a quick unboxing session. The Zero X Pro comes in a solid cardboard box, just like all other Infinix models we've seen. Unlike the Note 10 Pro and Note 11 Pro, however, it does not rock a flashy bright green color. Infinix went for subdued colors and some subtle patterns instead. There is plenty of cardboard on the inside of the box as well to keep everything nice and secure.
Infinix did not skimp on the accessory package. First and foremost, you get the 45W charger, along with a USB Type-A to Type-C cable. You probably want to hold on to it as well, since we assume that it is rated for more current than your typical cable to accommodate the way Infinix has its 45W charging set up. Beyond that, you also get a nice textured and grippy case. It even has a nifty lip to protect the camera island. No complaints there. Last but not least, Infinix has thrown in a pair of wired earbuds with an inline microphone. Nothing particularly flashy, but still great added value overall.
Design
The Infinix Zero X Pro definitely has a distinct look to it. Dare we say even memorable and unique in certain aspects. In terms of the overall shape and the silhouette of the device, there is some obvious iPhone inspiration going on. All of the sides are flat and shiny, and the corner curves look quite familiar, too.
We definitely won't knock Infinix for drawing inspiration from Apple's design, though. It definitely works and looks good-no denying that. Infinix even managed to do a very nice job emulating a shiny metal finish on the otherwise plastic frame.
The frame definitely goes a long way in conveying a premium feel. But so does the back panel on the Infinix Zero X Pro. You get a choice of three colors: Starry Silver, Nebula Black and Tuscany Brown. The first two variants advertise a "dual-glass back finish" and we can see what they mean on our Nebula Black unit. It has a distinctive starry pattern on a lower layer and another layer of glass on top of that.
Nebula Black looks nice and distinctive, but it can be a bit of a too bold look for some, too. Starry silver looks to be a lot more neutral and low-key. Though, we haven't really seen it in person. Tuscany Brown seems bold in its own particular way, mostly due to the color, which appears orange more than anything else. Apparently, this one also has a different material on the back advertised as "environmentally-friendly fiberglass".
Our Nebula Black unit tends to gather some fingerprints and smudges, but they don't really show up too much due to the dark color and the pattern.
The camera island on the Zero X Pro has a very commanding design to it. Much like on the Note 11 Pro, Infinix cleverly decided to separate out the main camera, with plenty of empty space around it and wide black rims, which gives the impression of a massive camera module. Not that it's super special in any way, though , to be fair, the 108MP unit here is definitely mode deserving of such a distinction than the 64MP snapper on the Note 11 Pro.
The multi-layer layout and the particular chamfering of the edges also look quite professional. The white and red text is also an interesting touch. While it can be off-putting for many, it is an undeniable throwback to classic camera or lens markings of old. It fits the whole pro-camera angle Infinix has going as well.
Moving on to the front of the Zero X Pro, we find more similarities to recent Apple design, particularly in the shape of the rounded display edges. Again, we won't knock Infinix for drawing inspiration. It is a good look.
The bezels around the display are on the thicker side, particularly the top and the bottom one. But then again, the iPhone 13 doesn't exactly have an edge-to-edge display either. The Zero X Pro still looks premium, even with the bezels, and it works well in terms of ergonomics. Plus, the top bezel actually has some nifty extra concealed hardware to boot - a dedicated selfie LED setup.
The selfie punch hole is not too large, but it does have a bit of a rim, which can be distracting.
Materials and build quality
The Infinix Zero X Pro feels very well made. There is practically no flex anywhere on the device. No creaking, hollowness or any other obvious issues. Measuring 164.1 x 75.7 x 7.8 mm, it is not a small device, yet at 193 grams, it is not overly heavy. For reference, an iPhone 13 Pro Max, with its roughly similar dimensions, weighs 240 grams. It strikes a good balance between actual weight and feeling dense enough to appear premium if that makes any sense.
A lot of the lightness of the Zero X Pro can be attributed to the choice of materials. Despite pulling off a metallic look, the middle frame on the Zero X Pro is made of plastic. That doesn't prevent it from being structurally sound, though. Plus, plastic doesn't dent entirely as metal does. It will probably scratch more, though.
Speaking of scratching, the back on the Zero X Pro is made of glass or fiberglass in the Tuscany Brown model. Infinix doesn't comment on the hardness or particular origin of the glass, which is slightly disconcerting, though. The same goes for the front of the device. We know it has some sort of glass finish, but no idea exactly what level of protection it provides. At least it is glass, and there is no included screen protector in the box, in contrast to the Infinix Note 11 Pro, which has a plastic display surface, and a screen protector comes standard.
And while the glass on the Zero X Pro is a bit of a mystery in terms of protection, what is certain is that there is no official ingress protection rating on the Zero X Pro. Granted, having actual IP certification is not particularly common at this price point, but it can still be had from some competitors.
Controls and connectivity
The Infinix Zero X Pro has a standard control layout. Nothing out of the ordinary. The volume rocker and power button sit in the right-hand frame. They are positioned well vertically and are wide enough to be comfortable to use. The power button is a bit wider. Both also have great tactile feedback. No complaints.
Unlike the cheaper Infinix Note 11 line, which has a side-mounted fingerprint reader, the Zero X Pro uses an under-display one. It is a standard optical unit. These have come a long way in terms of performance since their inception, and the one on the Zero X Pro does not disappoint. It is snappy and accurate.
The left-hand side of the phone only houses a Dual Nano-SIM tray, which also has a dedicated microSD card slot. An appreciated little bonus since you don't have to choose between a second SIM or more storage. The two SIM slots support LTE and dual standby.
The top of the Zero X Pro is empty. The stereo speaker setup is a hybrid one, which means that the amplified earpiece tucked above the display doubles as the second channel.
The bottom side houses the one dedicated bottom-firing speaker, as well as the main mic, a trusty old 3.5mm audio jack and a Type-C port. The latter supports up to 45W charging and has a USB 2.0 controller with OTG.
There is also an FM radio receiver on the Zero X Pro. In case you were wondering - no notification LED.
6.67-inch 120Hz AMOLED display
One of the main selling points of the Infinix Zero X Pro is definitely its large 6.67-inch display. It has a rather standard aspect ratio of 20:9 and an area of about 107.4 square centimeters. Not too shabby at all, though some of that is cut away by the rounded corners.
You get a FullHD+ 1080 x 2400-pixel resolution, which works out to a very respectable 395 ppi. The display looks sharp and crisp in person.
As part of its move towards a more premium segment, Infinix has opted for an AMOLED panel. It is advertised as offering 700 nits of peak brightness, though without any info on how much of the display can be turned on for that figure to come through.
The Infinix Zero X Pro managed a maximum of 515 nits in our standardized testing. That's not particularly impressive for a modern OLED, but still decent enough to be usable outdoors in anything shy of direct sunlight.
That measurement was achieved by maxing out the brightness slider. There is, unfortunately, no max auto mode. The Infinix Zero X Pro still has a light sensor, which works well with automatic brightness turned on. One criticism related to brightness is that the slider is vert non-linear, with most of the available brightness concentrated between 80% and 100%.
| Display test | 100% brightness | ||
| Black, |
White, |
||
| 0 | 814 | ∞ | |
| 0 | 725 | ∞ | |
| 0 | 716 | ∞ | |
| 0 | 682 | ∞ | |
| 0 | 657 | ∞ | |
| 0 | 634 | ∞ | |
| 0 | 607 | ∞ | |
| 0.366 | 536 | 1464:1 | |
| 0.4 | 534 | 1335:1 | |
| 0 | 515 | ∞ | |
| 0 | 511 | ∞ | |
| 0.338 | 497 | 1470:1 | |
| 0.4 | 477 | 1193:1 | |
| 0 | 475 | ∞ | |
| 0.349 | 472 | 1352:1 | |
| 0.292 | 470 | 1610:1 | |
| 0.327 | 458 | 1401:1 | |
| 0 | 458 | ∞ | |
| 0 | 457 | ∞ | |
| 0.337 | 447 | 1326:1 | |
| 0.277 | 439 | 1585:1 | |
| 0 | 437 | ∞ | |
| 0 | 429 | ∞ | |
| 0.286 | 426 | 1490:1 | |
| 0.28 | 413 | 1475:1 | |
| 0.292 | 398 | 1363:1 | |
| 0 | 396 | 1494:1 | |
| 0.252 | 395 | 1567:1 | |
| 0 | 393 | ∞ | |
| 0.236 | 385 | 1631:1 | |
Color accuracy was a major issue on both the Infinix Note 11 Pro and the Note 10 Pro we recently checked out, mostly due to the total lack of color modes and adjustment options. We hoped that being a higher-end device, this would not be the case with the Zero X Pro. Unfortunately, it lacks color modes and corrections as well.
The color profile you get out of the box is quite disappointing as well. Infinix was clearly aiming for a color space wider than sRGB and more akin to DCI-P3, which is admirable. However, colors are way off on pretty much every channel. Whites have a distinct blue hue to them, cyan is particularly over-boosted, and green is not far off. All the while, reds are a bit understated.
Infinix does not officially advertise any HDR support on the Zero X Pro. However, its Android APIs report both HDR10 and HLG. Take that as you will. Unfortunately, it doesn't really matter too much, seeing how the Netflix app does not appear to show HDR support. Neither does the YouTube app. However, the worst bit is that the Zero X Pro only has Widevine L3 certification, which limits it to 480p streaming on services like Netflix. This was the case with the Infinix Note 11 Pro, as well, but interestingly enough, not the Note 10 Pro. We aren't sure how easily Infinix can address this in an update.
HDR • Widevine • Netflix Playback capabilities
High refresh rate handling
The Infinix Zero X Pro doesn't just pack an AMOLED panel. It's a 120Hz one as well, with 240Hz touch sampling. The 120Hz mode actually works surprisingly well too. Before we go through the practical specifics, though, it is worth noting that Infinix markets something it calls a "Boost Intelligent Display Chip", which is apparently a separate chip that handles display operation. We have seen such implementations of other devices, famously OnePlus, but unfortunately, Infinix offers no specific info on what this chip is or what it does. Frame insertion or maybe interpolation? Our guess is as good as yours. In any case, at 120Hz, the Infinix Zero X Pro is smooth and snappy in practice.
You get to choose between three different refresh rate modes in settings. 60Hz works exactly as expected - it just locks refresh rate at 60Hz.
In contrast, 120Hz mode is not strictly locked at 120Hz, but rather, it favors 120Hz, while still doing some strategic changing down to 90Hz or 60Hz in some apps to save power.
Infinix Zero X Pro working in 120Hz mode
We made sure to try a few games, known to be able to render at over 60 fps as well. All of them managed to work in 120Hz mode, and while the Infinix Zero X Pro doesn't have a built-in fps meter for us to verify actual in-game fps, we can say, with a fair level of certainty, that these games ran at over 60fps as well.
Games in 120Hz mode
The Auto-switch refresh rate toggle tries its best to offer more dynamic refresh rate management, and indeed we noticed that the Infinix Zero X Pro dropped down to 60Hz a lot more frequently in auto mode. Notably, while playing video, which is important for battery conservation. The problem is that this often happens for apps that could benefit from 120Hz. Chrome only ran at 60Hz, which is a particularly annoying one.
Infinix Zero X Pro working in Auto-switch refresh rate mode
The same goes for games. Out of the titles we already confirmed were running in a high refresh rate mode, and with greater than 60fps, we only managed to get one to behave as expected while in auto mode. The rest were capped at 60fps.
Games in Auto-switch refresh rate mode
So overall, high refresh rate handling on the Infinix is good but still not perfect. Some extra work is either required to make the auto mode better or, alternatively, Infinix could just implement a per-app refresh rate settings menu, which would allow you to just pick and choose when to save on power and when to have the benefits of a smoother experience.
Battery life
The Infinix Zero X Pro has a decent size 4,500 mAh battery. Not quite as big as the 5,000 mAh packs on the Infinix Note 11 Pro and the Note 10 Pro, but still very respectable. Then again, the Zero X Pro isn't nearly as big as those Note devices as a whole, measuring 164.1 x 75.7 x 7.8 mm and is also notably lighter at 193 grams. All in all, the battery fits the body, which is what we are getting at.
The MediaTek Helio G95 has already proven to be a pretty battery efficient chip, and Infinix actually manages to handle its high refresh rate and automatic switching reasonably well too, which all adds up to excellent overall battery endurance.
Comparing individual battery numbers to the Infinix Note 10 Pro, which has the same chipset and basically the same software, with 500 mAh more juice, shows impressive consistency all around. Great to see. The same is true when looking at other Helio G95 devices like the Realme 8. The Infinix Zero X Pro makes proper use of the battery capacity it has. No complaints there.
Our battery tests were automated thanks to SmartViser, using its viSerDevice app. The endurance rating denotes how long the battery charge will last you if you use the device for an hour of telephony, web browsing, and video playback daily. More details can be found here.
Video test carried out in 60Hz refresh rate mode. Web browsing test done at the display's highest refresh rate whenever possible. Refer to the respective reviews for specifics. To adjust the endurance rating formula to match your own usage patterns check out our all-time battery test results chart where you can also find all phones we've tested.
Charging speed
The Infinix Zero X Pro supports up to 45W charging. This appears to be done via some custom charging solution since the 45W Infinix charger is rated for an output of 11V@4.1A MAX, besides the standard 5V@2A.
This is not an instantly recognizable voltage and amperage combination for us, so you should probably hold on to that charger that Infinix thankfully includes in the box. The USB Type-A to Type-C cable is probably a good idea to keep around as well. It does not appear to use any additional pins but is probably rated for the higher current, while a different cable might not be able to handle the same.
30min charging test (from 0%)
Higher is better
- Realme GT Master
100% - Infinix Zero X Pro
76% - Poco F3
67% - Xiaomi Redmi Note 10
65% - Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite 5G
58% - Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite 4G
58% - Samsung Galaxy A52 (25W)
52% - Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 Pro
50% - Poco X3 Pro
50% - Samsung Galaxy A52
34% - Poco M3 Pro 5G
33% - Infinix Note 10 Pro
26% - Xiaomi Redmi 10
26% - Infinix Note 11 Pro
25% - Samsung Galaxy A32
25% - Poco M3
25% - Samsung Galaxy A22 5G
23% - Samsung Galaxy A32 5G
23% - Samsung Galaxy A12
20% - Samsung Galaxy A12
20%
Time to full charge (from 0%)
Lower is better
- Realme GT Master
0:30h - Poco F3
0:56h - Infinix Zero X Pro
0:58h - Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite 5G
1:04h - Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite 4G
1:04h - Poco X3 Pro
1:08h - Xiaomi Redmi Note 10
1:13h - Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 Pro
1:21h - Samsung Galaxy A52 (25W)
1:30h - Poco M3 Pro 5G
2:00h - Samsung Galaxy A52
2:03h - Infinix Note 10 Pro
2:05h - Infinix Note 11 Pro
2:07h - Xiaomi Redmi 10
2:13h - Samsung Galaxy A32
2:19h - Samsung Galaxy A32 5G
2:24h - Samsung Galaxy A22 5G
2:29h - Poco M3
2:30h - Samsung Galaxy A12
3:03h - Samsung Galaxy A12
3:03h
In practice, the Infinix Zero X Pro charger surprisingly quickly. Thirty minutes on the charger give you right around 76% of charge from a dead phone, with a full charge taking just shy of an hour. Impressive stuff.
Speaker
The Infinix Zero X Pro just has a single bottom-firing speaker. Not even a hybrid stereo system, which is doubly disappointing seeing how the Infinix Note 11 Pro does have a hybrid setup and a very respectable one at that.
Loudness is only AVERAGE on the Zero X Pro, and it doesn't do particularly well in terms of performance either, with a frequency response that is a bit all over the place, particularly in mids and highs.
You can, however, tune out a big chunk of these deficiencies if you invest enough time inside the included DTS Sound platform. Audio options are surprisingly in-depth and abundant. Unfortunately, a bit wasted on the basic speaker setup. Kind of the polar opposite of the display situation, where you get a promising AMOLED panel but absolutely zero control over colors.
Use the Playback controls to listen to the phone sample recordings (best use headphones). We measure the average loudness of the speakers in LUFS. A lower absolute value means a louder sound. A look at the frequency response chart will tell you how far off the ideal "0db" flat line is the reproduction of the bass, treble, and mid frequencies. You can add more phones to compare how they differ. The scores and ratings are not comparable with our older loudspeaker test. Learn more about how we test here.
XOS 7.6 on top of Android 11
Infinix has its own XOS Android skin and has been iterating on it for quite a few versions now. The Infinix Note 11 Pro we recently reviewed was running the company's latest XOS 10 and Android 11 combo, which had its fair share of bugs. In contrast, as of writing this review, the older Note 10 Pro is still rocking XOS 7.6. In a somewhat odd twist, the same is also true for the new Zero X Pro. Our review unit also has an XOS 7.6 skin on top of Android 11.
While XOS 10 does offer a few new features and some UI changes here and there, which we will mention as we go along, in essence, XOS 7.6 is quite close to its successors, and you won't be missing too many things.
In fact, if we had to make a quick list in order of significance, some of the XOS 10 features absent in XOS 7.6 include - Ai assistant for smart automation, MOL (a system-wide multi-language translator), no separate notification shade and control center and no big folders on the home screen.
Unfortunately, one bit that is consistent across both of these XOS versions is a large number of pre-loaded apps. Many of the included apps could also be considered bloatware since Infinix has included quite a few of its own first-party apps, as well as third-party ones, oftentimes with overlapping feature sets.
A large number of pre-loaded apps
The important thing to note is that XOS 7.6 works smoothly, with no hiccups or stutters despite the influx of apps. So Infinix has done its job pretty well in the custom UI department. And when we say custom, we mean custom. In no particular order, starting from the lock screen, you get an optional Magazine service. Beyond that, the clock screen is also affected by the powerful Theme support, which includes things like video slide shows, custom fonts, as well as an online Theme repository in the shape of a separate XTheme app.
Lock screen • Magazine service • Extensive themes support
The home screen includes a custom feed as the leftmost desktop pane, as well as folders to organize and categorize your shortcuts by default. These are not the "big folders", like on XOS 10, but rather have a more conventional size.
Home screen and folders
Of course, if this is not to your liking, you can revert back to just having a list of shortcuts on the home screens, sans folders. And that's just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to customization. You can tweak things like grid size, gestures, notification badges and even text color. XOS 10 can also have its home screens scroll either vertically or horizontally, which does not appear to be an option in XOS 7.6. Overall, these options are almost on par with the customization we expect from a third-party launcher.
Launcher options and customization
XOS 7.6 still uses one unified, traditional notification shade, mixed with the quick toggles.
In contrast, XOS 10 has a separate control center and then a separate notification shade.
Notifications and quick toggles
We won't be going through every feature and app available in XOS 7.6, but there are some noteworthy highlights. There is actually a dedicated Special function menu that houses many of these. As we said, there are a few features missing from this section as well, compared to XOS 10. Notably, MOL, which is a nifty system-wide translation utility and face-to-face translator and also Smart Scenes and its Ai component for automatically triggering things and monitoring for conditions. Most other features are shared between the two XOS versions, though.
Special functions menu
Lightning Multi-Window has a self-explanatory title. It is a floating window implementation. Far from the best we've seen, but still functional.
Lightning Multi-Window
The same goes for Smart Panel. It's among the more customizable implementations of this feature that we have seen.
Smart Panel
Social Turbo houses a whole slew of powerful features meant to work on top of WhatsApp and enhance its factory experience.
Social Turbo features to enhance WhatsApp
Naturally, you get other things like extensive gestures and app cloning, known as XClone. XOS 10 does add a Peak Proof feature to this menu as well, absent here, but it's quite a gimmick.
Gestures • XClone
You get in-depth control over battery endurance and power-saving too through the Power Marathon app, including some interesting "smart" Ai features.
Power Marathon
Power Marathon does include something called "Smart Scenes", which basically boils down to battery usage optimization while the phone is sleeping or playing back video in particular. Both are nifty, but XOS 10 notably has some significantly more powerful Smart Scenes that are not present on XOS 7.6. It can monitor certain conditions and trigger things accordingly. Perhaps it can be brought over with a future update since it is really powerful.
XOS 7.6 does have a few dedicated gaming features, just like XOS 10. Like we already noted, the Infinix Zero X Pro does an excellent job of utilizing its high refresh rate for high frame rate gaming. Perhaps part of that is down to a set of features called Monster Game Kit. It has to do with game optimization. Infinix has a baked-in Dar-Link 2.0 software, which promises Ai-driven, on the fly, automatic optimization of games, including frame rate stability, decreasing touch latency and managing hardware performance and temperature. There is a system-wide Game Mode toggle, as well as a Game Mode setting menu to tweak most of the behavior.
Game Mode
On the more tangible side of things, you also get the Game Zone app, which is your standard game launcher, complete with various tweaks, like notification suppression. Once you add an app to Game Zone and start it from there, you also get an in-game toolbar with plenty of convenient shortcuts, including floating app support.
Game Zone app and in-game toolbar
This is similar in functionality and even UI to XOS 10 and its XArena app. Far from the most cohesive or feature-complete gaming suite, we have seen. An fps counter, finer performance controls and some capture/streaming options are notable omissions. XOS doesn't address these issues either. Even so, Infinix goes far and beyond most of its Android UI rivals in the gaming department.
In fact, there is no denying that Infinix clearly has an ambitious software effort, bordering on a whole dedicated ecosystem of its own. In case you need any proof of that, consider the Folax voice assistant, which appears to be a totally unique Infinix entry into the niche. A fairly-capable one at that, which doesn't even require a network connection to function.
Folax voice assistant
And then there are also apps like InSync and Welife, which are meant to manage IoT ecosystems. The first appears to be a first-party Infinix one, with support for a range of Infinix smart TVs and an Infinix laptop. Impressively ambitious stuff.
IoT apps and ecosystems
Circling back to our original point about XOS 7.6, there is truly a lot to cover here, and we barely scratched the surface. If we had to sum up the experience, we would say it is fluent and pleasant from a performance standpoint and quite feature-rich, but also quite chaotic. XOS is still in desperate need of some debloating and organization. And there is no point in hoping that a potential future XOS 10 update will fix that since the two versions are comparably chaotic. Thankfully, for the most part, you can do that yourself with a bit of time and tweaking, and the end result could be a powerful and versatile Android 11 experience.
Performance and benchmarks
One notable way Infinix continues to keep costs down is by going for more mid-range and less flashy chipsets on its phones. The Infinix Zero X pro is no exception with its MediaTek Helio G95 chipset. Let's go through the basics first - the G95 is a 12nm, octa-core chip with a 2x2.05 GHz Cortex-A76 & 6x2.0 GHz Cortex-A55 CPU configuration. For GPU, you get four Mali-G76 cores, which, as we noted in the Infinix Note 11 Pro review, is actually better than the two Bali-G57 cores available on the MediaTek Helio G96.
There are a few things about the chipset setup on the Zero X Pro that don't quite add up, though. For one, the official MediaTek Helio G95 specs sheet claims that the built-in ISP can handle up to a 64MP camera, whereas the Infinix Zero X Pro is rocking a 108MP main unit. Another oddity is that the same specs sheet claims that the chip can only go up to UFS 2.1 storage speeds, whereas Infinix advertises UFS 2.2 on the Zero X Pro, with up to 20% faster speeds.
That's rather odd, to say the least. Still, there are possible explanations for both discrepancies. The binning process on most smartphone Quad-Bayer cameras is typically done on the camera module itself, which does, however, raise some questions regarding how "real" the 108MP full-res camera mode is. And the UFS 2.2 storage bit might be more of a software layer improvement than a hardware one. Still, as we said, weirdness all around.
Moving on to some actual benchmarks, though, we thankfully find perfectly normal and expected behavior out of a Helio G95 chip. Our Zero X Pro review unit has 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. Infinix is promising Memory Fusion Technology Extended RAM technology in a future software update, which will bring 3GB of extra virtual RAM to the table. But for now, that's not a thing.
Starting with some pure CPU loads and GeekBench, we can see the Zero X Pro and its Helio G95 chip perform as expected and pretty much in line with other results.
GeekBench 5 (multi-core)
Higher is better
- Realme GT Master
2917 - Poco X3 Pro
2574 - OnePlus Nord CE 5G
1812 - Infinix Note 11 Pro
1800 - Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 Pro
1780 - Realme 8
1690 - Realme 8 Pro
1678 - Infinix Zero X Pro
1674 - Samsung Galaxy A32 5G
1673 - Tecno Phantom X
1670 - Tecno Camon 17 Pro
1668 - Infinix Note 10 Pro
1644 - Xiaomi Redmi Note 10
1599 - Xiaomi Redmi Note 10S
1576 - Xiaomi Redmi 9T
1400 - Poco M3
1398 - Xiaomi Redmi 10
1294 - Samsung Galaxy A32
1277 - Samsung Galaxy A12
1034
GeekBench 5 (single-core)
Higher is better
- Realme GT Master
785 - Poco X3 Pro
735 - OnePlus Nord CE 5G
641 - Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 Pro
569 - Realme 8 Pro
566 - Xiaomi Redmi Note 10
534 - Realme 8
533 - Infinix Note 11 Pro
520 - Tecno Phantom X
512 - Tecno Camon 17 Pro
511 - Infinix Note 10 Pro
510 - Infinix Zero X Pro
506 - Samsung Galaxy A32 5G
505 - Xiaomi Redmi Note 10S
502 - Samsung Galaxy A32
361 - Xiaomi Redmi 10
361 - Poco M3
308 - Xiaomi Redmi 9T
307 - Samsung Galaxy A12
169
In fact, most current market competitors of the Zero X Pro appear to offer comparable levels of performance. The Poco F2 and X3 Pro, with their Snapdragon 870 and 860 chipsets, as well as the Realme GT master, with its Snapdragon 778G are clear outliers in this department and notably superior, though. The Helio G95 does, however offer about as much raw CPU performance as the Dimensity 720 5G and also beats out chips like the popular Snapdragon 662.
AnTuTu is pretty kind to the Infinix Zero X Pro and sees it beat out most of the Helio G95 competition. Perhaps there is something to those UFS 2.2 claims since AnTuTu considers things like memory and storage speeds and has graphics tests.
AnTuTu 8
Higher is better
- Poco F3
631850 - Poco X3 Pro
453223 - OnePlus Nord CE 5G
318672 - Infinix Zero X Pro
313652 - Infinix Note 10 Pro
310342 - Tecno Camon 17 Pro
309107 - Tecno Phantom X
309055 - Realme 8
298328 - Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 Pro
295442 - Infinix Note 11 Pro
290797 - Realme 8 Pro
286666 - Samsung Galaxy A32 5G
226561 - Xiaomi Redmi Note 10
218788 - Xiaomi Redmi 9T
177917 - Poco M3
177904 - Samsung Galaxy A32
174332 - Samsung Galaxy A12
107189
AnTuTu 9
Higher is better
- Realme GT Master
529263 - OnePlus Nord CE 5G
391770 - Infinix Note 10 Pro
365490 - Infinix Zero X Pro
363939 - Realme 8
357488 - Infinix Note 11 Pro
343527 - Xiaomi Redmi Note 10S
330909 - Samsung Galaxy A32 5G
222125
Speaking of graphics, the Zero X Pro is a high-achiever in this department as well, consistently scoring at or near the top of the Helio G95 pack.
GFX Manhattan ES 3.0 (offscreen 1080p)
Higher is better
- Poco X3 Pro
102 - Realme GT Master
77 - Infinix Note 10 Pro
54 - Infinix Zero X Pro
54 - Tecno Camon 17 Pro
54 - Tecno Phantom X
54 - Realme 8
53 - OnePlus Nord CE 5G
46 - Realme 8 Pro
43 - Infinix Note 11 Pro
37 - Xiaomi Redmi Note 10
24 - Samsung Galaxy A32
24 - Poco M3
19 - Xiaomi Redmi 9T
19 - Samsung Galaxy A12
12
GFX Manhattan ES 3.0 (onscreen)
Higher is better
- Poco X3 Pro
93 - Realme GT Master
57 - Infinix Zero X Pro
49 - Infinix Note 10 Pro
48 - Realme 8
48 - Tecno Camon 17 Pro
47 - Tecno Phantom X
47 - OnePlus Nord CE 5G
40 - Realme 8 Pro
38 - Infinix Note 11 Pro
31 - Xiaomi Redmi Note 10
21 - Samsung Galaxy A32
21 - Samsung Galaxy A12
19 - Poco M3
17 - Xiaomi Redmi 9T
17
In absolute terms, it even manages to pull some respectable FPS figures. And off-screen rendering tests prove its not just an on-screen smore and mirror show. Whatever Dar-Link 2.0 is, it seems to be working.
GFX Manhattan ES 3.1 (offscreen 1080p)
Higher is better
- Poco X3 Pro
75 - Realme GT Master
56 - Infinix Zero X Pro
34 - OnePlus Nord CE 5G
34 - Infinix Note 10 Pro
33 - Realme 8
33 - Tecno Camon 17 Pro
33 - Tecno Phantom X
33 - Realme 8 Pro
28 - Infinix Note 11 Pro
24 - Xiaomi Redmi Note 10
17 - Samsung Galaxy A32
15 - Poco M3
13 - Xiaomi Redmi 9T
13 - Samsung Galaxy A12
7.7
GFX Manhattan ES 3.1 (onscreen)
Higher is better
- Poco X3 Pro
67 - Realme GT Master
46 - Realme 8 Pro
31 - OnePlus Nord CE 5G
30 - Infinix Zero X Pro
29 - Realme 8
29 - Infinix Note 10 Pro
28 - Tecno Camon 17 Pro
28 - Tecno Phantom X
28 - Infinix Note 11 Pro
20 - Xiaomi Redmi Note 10
15 - Samsung Galaxy A12
13 - Samsung Galaxy A32
13 - Poco M3
11 - Xiaomi Redmi 9T
10
GFX Car Chase ES 3.1 (offscreen 1080p)
Higher is better
- Poco X3 Pro
45 - Realme GT Master
33
20
20
20
20
20
19
19
18
14
9.3
9.3
7.5
7.2
3.3
GFX Car Chase ES 3.1 (onscreen)
Higher is better
- Poco X3 Pro
38 - Realme GT Master
27 - Infinix Zero X Pro
18 - Realme 8
18 - Infinix Note 10 Pro
17 - Tecno Camon 17 Pro
17 - Tecno Phantom X
17 - OnePlus Nord CE 5G
17 - Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 Pro
16 - Realme 8 Pro
16 - Infinix Note 11 Pro
11 - Samsung Galaxy A32
8.1 - Xiaomi Redmi Note 10
7.9 - Poco M3
5.9 - Xiaomi Redmi 9T
5.8 - Samsung Galaxy A12
5
Performance numbers continue to hold strong with Vulkan, which is also great to see. Its GPU drivers are far from new at this point, but there is always room for error, especially when there are custom gaming enhancement efforts in play. Seems like Infinix know what they are going in that department.
GFX Aztek Vulkan High (onscreen)
Higher is better
- Poco X3 Pro
27 - Realme GT Master
19 - OnePlus Nord CE 5G
13 - Infinix Note 10 Pro
11 - Infinix Zero X Pro
11 - Realme 8
11 - Tecno Camon 17 Pro
11 - Tecno Phantom X
11 - Realme 8 Pro
11 - Infinix Note 11 Pro
7.3 - Xiaomi Redmi Note 10
5.3 - Samsung Galaxy A32
4.4 - Poco M3
4.1 - Xiaomi Redmi 9T
4.1 - Samsung Galaxy A12
3.8
GFX Aztek ES 3.1 High (onscreen)
Higher is better
- Poco X3 Pro
26 - Realme GT Master
18 - Infinix Note 10 Pro
12 - Infinix Zero X Pro
12 - Realme 8
12 - Tecno Camon 17 Pro
12 - Tecno Phantom X
12 - OnePlus Nord CE 5G
11 - Realme 8 Pro
11 - Infinix Note 11 Pro
7.9 - Xiaomi Redmi Note 10
5.6 - Samsung Galaxy A32
5 - Samsung Galaxy A12
4.6 - Poco M3
2.8 - Xiaomi Redmi 9T
2.7
GFX Aztek Vulkan High (offscreen 1440p)
Higher is better
- Poco X3 Pro
18 - Realme GT Master
14 - OnePlus Nord CE 5G
7.6 - Infinix Note 10 Pro
7.5 - Infinix Zero X Pro
7.5 - Realme 8
7.5 - Tecno Camon 17 Pro
7.5 - Tecno Phantom X
7.4 - Realme 8 Pro
7.2 - Infinix Note 11 Pro
5.1 - Poco M3
4.2 - Xiaomi Redmi 9T
4.2 - Xiaomi Redmi Note 10
3.5 - Samsung Galaxy A32
2.9 - Samsung Galaxy A12
1.2
GFX Aztek ES 3.1 High (offscreen 1440p)
Higher is better
- Poco X3 Pro
17 - Realme GT Master
13 - Tecno Phantom X
7.8 - Infinix Note 10 Pro
7.7 - Realme 8
7.7 - Tecno Camon 17 Pro
7.7 - Infinix Zero X Pro
7.6 - OnePlus Nord CE 5G
7.5 - Realme 8 Pro
7 - Infinix Note 11 Pro
5.6 - Xiaomi Redmi Note 10
3.7 - Samsung Galaxy A32
3.3 - Poco M3
2.8 - Xiaomi Redmi 9T
2.8 - Samsung Galaxy A12
1.5
3D Mark corroborates the excellent GPU performance results as well. In fact, we can clearly see that this is an Infinix trend, rather than a fluke, since the Infinix Note 10 Pro, equipped with the same Helio G95 chipset as the Zero X Pro is consistently up there on the charts, alongside its sibling, beating out other G95-equipped phones.
3DMark SSE ES 3.1 (offscreen 1440p)
Higher is better
- Realme GT Master
4988 - OnePlus Nord CE 5G
2801 - Infinix Zero X Pro
2778 - Infinix Note 10 Pro
2748 - Tecno Phantom X
2733 - Tecno Camon 17 Pro
2719 - Samsung Galaxy A32 5G
2638 - Realme 8
2610 - Infinix Note 11 Pro
2431 - Xiaomi Redmi Note 10
1471 - Samsung Galaxy A32
1323 - Xiaomi Redmi 9T
1181 - Poco M3
1175 - Samsung Galaxy A12
365
3DMark SSE Vulkan 1.0 (offscreen 1440p)
Higher is better
- Realme GT Master
4020 - Infinix Zero X Pro
2860 - Infinix Note 10 Pro
2854 - Realme 8
2639 - OnePlus Nord CE 5G
2617 - Tecno Camon 17 Pro
2593 - Tecno Phantom X
2587 - Samsung Galaxy A32 5G
2509 - Infinix Note 11 Pro
2256 - Xiaomi Redmi Note 10
1372 - Samsung Galaxy A32
1371 - Xiaomi Redmi 9T
1107 - Poco M3
1106 - Samsung Galaxy A12
612
3DMark Wild Life Vulkan 1.1 (offscreen 1440p)
Higher is better
- Poco X3 Pro
3401 - Realme GT Master
2481 - Infinix Zero X Pro
1509 - Infinix Note 10 Pro
1506 - Tecno Phantom X
1501 - Tecno Camon 17 Pro
1498 - Realme 8
1486 - Samsung Galaxy A32 5G
1185 - OnePlus Nord CE 5G
1103 - Infinix Note 11 Pro
1100 - Realme 8 Pro
1051 - Samsung Galaxy A32
686 - Xiaomi Redmi Note 10
482 - Poco M3
368 - Xiaomi Redmi 9T
365
The Infinix Zero X Pro manages heat surprisingly well too. Its body can get a bit warm with intense loads, but never actually unpleasant, and the chipset doesn't suffer from any severe thermal-throttling, out of the expected either. This is most likely due to the fairly-advanced passive cooling system inside the phone. It is called Heat Pipe Thermal Module 2.0 3-D Cooling Master and includes separate sheets of material, like "Aerospace-grade Hexagonal Boron Nitride" and a "Graphite Sheet with Conductive Fabric". Lofty and lengthy names aside, it definitely gets the job done.
In fact, that's a good way to describe the performance of the Infinix Zero X Pro overall. It gets the job done and surprisingly well at that, by squeezing every extra bit of performance out of seemingly mundane hardware on paper. XOS runs perfectly smoothly with no hiccups. The 120Hz display refresh rate is also utilized splendidly for a snappy and fluid experience in apps and games, where Infinix seems to somehow offer beyond 60fps experiences in more games than some of its more popular brand competitors. Impressive stuff all-around. Definitely not chart-topping or necessarily the best raw performance in its price segment, but impressive non the less, even bordering on unexplainable at times, like supporting that 108MP camera.
Camera
One of the highlight features of the Infinix Zero X Pro is undoubtedly its hardware setup. It is quite impressive from a hardware standpoint. There are a total of three cameras on the back of the phone, and all three have autofocus - PDAF on the main cam and telephoto, which is not that uncommon, but the ultrawide also gets basic autofocus. This allows it to double as a macro camera. And speaking of extra features, both the main and telephoto also get OIS. That is alongside additional EIS stabilization for video.
The Infinix Zero X Pro wasn't shy about the particular camera modules it uses either and gave up that information in the software. Headlining the show is a 108MP, f/1.8, 1/1.52" snapper. It uses a Samsung S5KHM2 sensor, with a total resolution of 12000x9000 (108MP) and 0.7um pixel size. This is an ISOCELL 2.0 unit with Super-PD autofocus, OIS and a Nonapixel arrangement. What that means in practical terms is that it is meant to do pixel binning in batches of 9 pixels, which results in 12MP photos by default.
The 8MP telephoto on the Infinix Zero X Pro uses familiar hardware. We've seen the same setup in vivo's X60 Pro+, X70 Pro and X70 Pro+, also Xiaomi's Mi 10 Pro 5G. It advertises 5x lossless zoom, which is achieved through a periscope system, as it's usually the case, as the lens provides an f/3.4 aperture and OIS. The sensor used for the setup is 8MP OmniVision OV08A10, 1/4.4" in size and has 1.0um pixels. Both OIS and PDAF are available for this shooter.
The 8MP, f/2.3 ultrawide camera is based on a GalaxyCore GC8034 sensor, which has a 1/4" optical format plus a 1.12um pixels. The interesting bit, of course, is that it has autofocus and can double as a macro cam.
Finally, there is the 16MP, f/2.0 selfie cam. It uses an OmniVision OV16B10 sensor, with a 1/2.76" optical format and 1.12 um. No autofocus here, though.
Camera app
The default camera app is well-organized and has a surprising number of options and additional features. We were honestly pleasantly surprised. There is a potent AI scene detection system that automatically detects and switches between modes and sometimes suggests switching camera modes outright, like directing you to the dedicated Super Night mode when there is not enough light. There is a mode carousel on the bottom, as well as a slide-out menu and plenty of settings to fiddle with.
Main camera UI, modes and settings
Our sole complaint about the AI is that we found no way of disabling it, short of switching to Pro mode. Since we are on the topic, you get exposure correction (-2 - +2), shutter speed (1/1500 - 30s), ISO (100 - 6400), white balance (2000 - 9000K), manual focus and three metering modes.
Pro photo mode and focus points
Speaking of focus and metering, the viewfinder includes squares to visualize focus points, which we find really convenient and is a surprisingly uncommon feature.
The video capture UI is pretty straightforward too. Though, it is worth pointing out that Infinix has included toggles for beauty filters in video, as well as portrait video with a faux defocused background.
Video capture UI
And speaking of nifty added-value features, there is the Short video mode, which has beauty filters, as well as Snapchat-style live effects and overlays-neat little addition.
Short video filters and lenses
Photo quality - daylight
The main camera on the Infinix Zero X Pro captures decent but not particularly impressive shots. As we said, stills are captured in 12MP by default, and the level of detail in the frame is perfectly acceptable, though not really living up to what the lofty native 108MP resolution of the sensor might suggest. In fact, things like grass or leaves tend to look particularly soft, with few discernable individual lines.
Infinix Zero X Pro: 12MP main camera samples
To combat the general softness, the phone is applying strategic sharpening here and there. And while it looks fine most of the time, on occasion, you go get some noticeable oversharpening.
On a more positive note, colors on the main cam look nice in a more natural and truer to life kind of way. Not oversaturated or overly punchy.
Dynamic range is a bit narrower than we would have liked to see, but not dramatically so.
These shots were captured with Ai enhancement, which is constantly on anyway, as well as Auto HDR.
You can choose to capture 108MP shots on the Infinix Zero X Pro. However, doing so is simply a waste of space and nothing more since these don't offer any actual benefits in detail or overall quality and are most likely simply an upscaled version of the regular 12MP stills. If looking at the shots side-by-side wasn't enough to convince us of the fact, there is also the important detail that according to MediaTek's website, the Helio G95 can only support up to a 64MP camera and hence can't actually read the entire unbinned 108MP sensor directly.
Infinix Zero X Pro: 108MP main camera samples
The main camera can capture portraits. These, like regular shots from the main cam, are decent, but not impressive in any way. That goes for subject detection and separation too, which can be a bit inconsistent. The adjustable background blue does look quite pleasant and convincing, though.
Infinix Zero X Pro: 12MP main camera portrait samples
Portraits of non-human subjects don't turn out quite as good, mostly due to worse subject detection and separation. However, the detection does trigger and does a decent enough job.
Infinix Zero X Pro: 12MP main camera portrait samples (non-human subjects)
The 8MP ultrawide camera is pretty underwhelming when it comes to just general daylight shots. Photos from it look grainy and noisy with a rather limited dynamic range.
Infinix Zero X Pro: 8MP ultrawide camera samples
The biggest issue we encountered with the ultrawide, however, was exposure inconsistency. The automatic exposure tends to differ wildly from one shot to the next, and tapping for getting the correct exposure doesn't quite work accurately or consistently. Perhaps these issues can be addressed with software updates, but it's a very noticeable issue as things currently stand.
Infinix Zero X Pro: 8MP ultrawide camera samples (inconsistent exposure)
On a slightly more positive note, the ultrawide captures about as much detail as we would expect given its resolution and has natural colors as well. Its autofocus is a bit sluggish but was mostly consistent.
As we mentioned, thanks to its autofocus, the ultrawide can also pull off some quite impressive macro shots. These tend to look better than what can be achieved with a cheap dedicated macro cam, like the popular 5MP units and especially the 2MP one. There is plenty of detail and balanced colors.
Infinix Zero X Pro: 8MP ultrawide camera macro samples
The inclusion of autofocus adds some extra flexibility to the mix as well, since you are not limited to a given focus plane, and the camera actually handles aggressive close-ups rather well. Mind you, you do have to get quite physically close to the subject and exercise some patience for the autofocus to get things just right.
The periscope telephoto camera on the Zero X Pro captures 5X lossless zoom shots by default. These come out looking very impressive overall. There is more than enough detail in the frame, with no noticeable softness of oversharpening. Colors are good, natural and quite consistent with the main cam. Even dynamic range is decent.
Infinix Zero X Pro: 8MP telephoto camera 5x samples
Infinix didn't stop at 5x zoom, though and decided to allow up to 60x digital zoom on the Zero X Pro, likely to give the PR department some extra talking points more than anything else. We will say that up to around 10x zoom still maintain most of the excellent quality attributes of 5x shots. However, anything beyond that starts to look quite soft and more like an algorithmic take on an oil painting of what is in the frame.
Infinix Zero X Pro: 8MP telephoto camera samples: 10x • 30x • 60x • 10x • 30x • 60x • 10x • 30x • 60x
One usability issue we constantly struggled with it the lack of any presets or "stops" on the digital zoom slider beyond 5x. It is difficult to hit a nice round zoom number consistently, even though the scale is nicely drawn with bigger lines on the major increments. A little extra UX polish would be appreciated here.
Before we move on, here's how the main camera on the Infinix Zero X Pro stacks up against other devices in our extensive photo compare database. Feel free to pixel-peep.
Infinix Zero X Pro against the Samsung Galaxy A32 5G and the Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 Pro in our Photo compare tool
Selfies on the Zero X Pro look great overall. The level of detail is excellent. We also appreciate the consistent subdued colors here, which tend to match those from the main camera quite well. You only get fixed focus, but the focus plane is mostly forgiving, and you do get a nifty focus indicator to let you know when your eyes are detected, and the phone thinks your face is in focus.
Infinix Zero X Pro: 16MP selfie camera samples
Dynamic range could be a bit better, but it's hardly a major deficiency here.
Selfie portraits look good, but subject detection and separation aren't always on point. The selfie camera tends to have some natural bokeh in regular mode, too.
Infinix Zero X Pro: 16MP selfie camera portrait samples
Photo quality - low-light
It makes perfect sense that the main camera is still decent but unimpressive in low-light conditions, just like in the daytime. Detail is good, but nothing to phone home about. Softness is still an issue, alongside "smeary" patches, particularly on uniform surfaces and the sky. These are arguably a lot less noticeable in low-light, though. Plus, we should note that the weather was a bit foggy.
Infinix Zero X Pro: 12MP main camera low-light samples
By the same logic, capturing 108MP low-light stills is equally pointless too.
Infinix Zero X Pro: 108MP main camera low-light samples
The Infinix Zero X Pro has a dedicated Super Night mode. Unfortunately, it is only limited to the main camera for some inexplicable reason. On the plus side, it actually manages to fix up many of the flaws in these stills. Light sources and light, in general, are handled noticeably better, with restored shadows and highlights. The "smears" in things like the sky are mostly gone too.
Infinix Zero X Pro: 12MP main camera Super Night mode samples
Surprisingly, the Zero X Pro doesn't take too long to process these shots either. On the flip side, oversharpening is a noticeable attribute of these night shots, and the results, in general, can be quite inconsistent.
All things considered, ultrawide low-light shots are not too bad. Definitely usable. The inconsistent exposure seems to be less of a prominent issue with dimmer lighting, which is a nice surprise. Detail is perfectly fine for an 8MP still, too.
Infinix Zero X Pro: 8MP ultrawide camera low-light samples
In another bit of irony, the otherwise impressive telephoto camera struggles quite badly in low-light. Shots from it are dark and underexposed more often than not. Perhaps the dim f/3.4 lens is catching up to the telephoto since it can't exactly crank its ISO up indefinitely.
Infinix Zero X Pro: 8MP telephoto 5x camera low-light samples
Even so, we would say that 5x shots can be usable, depending on how much light is actually available in the scene. Any digital zoom past that is more wishful thinking and algorithmic painting rather than an actual photo.
Infinix Zero X Pro: 8MP telephoto camera low-light samples: 10x • 30x • 60x • 10x • 30x • 60x • 10x • 30x • 60x
One particularly nifty trick the Infinix Zero X Pro can pull off is related to low-light selfies. There is actually a set of front-facing LEDs in the top bezel meant to light up your face. These work as intended, though the effect can be a bit aggressive at times. It all depends on your background.
Infinix Zero X Pro: 16MP selfie camera low-light selfies with LED lights
Here are some selfies without the lights for comparison.
Infinix Zero X Pro: 16MP selfie camera low-light selfies
Super Night mode might not be available on the ultrawide or the telephoto cameras, but at least it works on the selfie. Its effects are pretty obvious and generally beneficial, though it should be noted that the brighter shots tend to come at the cost of less skin detail.
Infinix Zero X Pro: 16MP selfie camera Super Night mode selfies
Video recording
The Infinix Zero X Pro can capture video at up to 4K@30fps on its main camera, with the telephoto and ultrawide both capping out at 1080p@30fps. Videos get encoded in a h.264 MP4 file with a standard AVC video stream around 42Mbps for the main cam at 4K and 17Mbps on the ultrawide and telephoto at 1080p. You can't opt for the more space-efficient and modern h.265 (HEVC) encoding as on most other phones, which is a bit of a bummer. The real deficiency to note here, however, is that videos only get mono audio - a single 48kHz AAC track. That's pretty unacceptable for 2021 and something we haven't encountered in a long time.
In terms of quality, 4K clips from the main cam are solid, particularly in terms of detail and have practically no noise. Colors are nice overall, though it should be noted that Infinix opted for a more vibrant and saturated look than its stills. Dynamic range is a bit limited, though.
The telephoto camera on the Infinix Zero X Pro can capture 1080p videos at up to 15x zoom. Naturally, quality starts to deteriorate quickly with higher zoom levels. At its default 5x, however, videos look great, especially for FullHD. There is plenty of detail.
In comparison the 1080p clips from the ultrawide camera look disappointingly soft and noisy. Dynamic range is an issue, and you do get the occasional focus hunting. That's perhaps the one downside of having autofocus on an ultrawide.
Selfie videos go up to 4K@30fps just like the main cam. However, the quality is not overly impressive. We expected more detail from these clips, and the limited dynamic range can become a major issue quickly in changing lighting conditions outside.
The Zero X Pro can do electronic video stabilization (EIS) on any one of its cameras. The only caveat is that you are limited to 1080p across all of the cameras, and you do have to sacrifice some of the frame. EIS works rather well on the ultrawide and main cameras, smoothing out most small shares and stutters. Even on the selfie, EIS does a decent job, though the size of the frame is reduced quite noticeably, to the point that fitting a face in the frame is pushing the limits of the fixed focal plane. You can check out some samples in this playlist.
EIS is kind of wasted on the telephoto since even at its native 5x zoom level. Every small shake is exacerbated massively in the actual footage. EIS just can't keep up. Then again, this is a rather odd use case, to begin with.
The Infinix Zero X Pro isn't particularly good at low-light video capture. Even 4K clips from the main cam come out looking quite noisy. Perfectly usable, but noisy. 1080p videos from the ultrawide are noisier still and generally softer with less detail, making them a bit hard to practically utilize. The telephoto doesn't really suffer from excessive noise, but its video tends to be dark, which also makes it hard to use in the real world. All three samples are in the following playlist.
Last, but not least, we captured our standard test posters with the main camera on the Infinix Zero X Pro at 4K. You can check out how it stacks against competitors in our extensive video compare database.
Infinix Zero X Pro against the Samsung Galaxy A32 5G and the Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 Pro in our Video compare tool
The competition
Finding an exact specs-and-feature match for the Infinix Zero X Pro among the competition at this price point is a tall order. One of the main bits that is hard to match is definitely the dedicated telephoto. An optical 5x unit, no less. There is a Realme 6 Pro from last year that does have a 2x 12MP telephoto, but it's not really close in terms of hardware, nor is the Realme 6 Pro worth recommending in 2021. The same goes for the Oppo Reno4 Pro 5G. Even matching the 108MP main cam on the Zero X Pro without breaking the bank is a tall order, but not an impossible one.
The Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 Pro instantly springs to mind. It is a very popular device, and for a good reason. Some of its highlights include a 6.67-inch, 120Hz AMOLED display, just like on the Infinix Zero X Pro, but with much better brightness and official HDR10 support. Not to mention that the Xiaomi has proper Widevine L1 support. Then, in no particular order, there is a stereo speaker setup, a large 5,020 mAh battery, a Snapdragon 732G chipset, Gorilla Glass 5 on the display and an IP53 rating on the body. Also, NFC and an infrared port.
Then there is also the Realme 8 Pro, which has a slightly smaller 6.4-inch Super AMOLED panel, with high brightness, but just 60Hz refresh rate and no fancy HDR support either. You also get a slightly smaller battery but a faster 50W charging and a slightly worse Snapdragon 720G chipset, no stereo speakers and no ingress protection. So, overall, a more cautious recommendation than the Redmi Note 10 Pro.
Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 Pro • Samsung Galaxy A52 • Xiaomi Poco F3 • OnePlus Nord CE 5G
Samsung currently has a particularly strong Galaxy A lineup. At current market prices, we believe a Galaxy A52 might be within budget. Some of its highlights include an eye-catching exterior with IP67 rating and Gorilla Glass 5, stereo speakers, a 4,500 mAh with 25W charging, 6.50inch, 90Hz Super AMOLED panel, a Snapdragon 720G chipset and a 64MP main and 12MP ultrawide cameras. A very well-rounded phone with a promise for extended software support and updates. And just in case that is a bit pricy on your local market, there is the Galaxy A32, which is a slight specs downgrade.
We would be remiss not to mention Xiaomi's excellent Poco line. The Poco F3, in particular, is a great contender, with its 6.67-inch, 120Hz, HDR10+ AMOLED panel, IP53 rating, stereo speakers, 4,520 mAh battery, with 33W charging. Sure, the 48MP, plus 12MP ultrawide and 5MP macro camera setup is not nearly as impressive, but you do get a notably more powerful Snapdragon 870 chipset with 5G connectivity. If you would rather save yourself a buck and don't mind an IPS display, you can also get amazing performance from the Poco X3 Pro with its Snapdragon 860 chipset.
Last but not least, a slightly different offer in a number of ways and one that could be particularly viable on some markets like the US - the OnePlus Nord CE 5G. OxygenOS is kind of a departure from the heavily customized UIs on many of the other mentioned phones. And with the Nord CE 5G, you still get a 90Hz AMOLED panel, a 64MP main and 8MP ultrawide camera setup and a 4,500 mAh battery with 30W charging, among other things.
The verdict
The Infinix Zero X Pro is nothing short of an intriguing foray into a more premium device segment for the company. Its price is still a bit hard to precisely pinpoint, but if we go by the fairly safe assumption of a $400 starting MSRP for the 8GB/128GB model, the value proposition is certainly strong. At least on paper, that is.
Some aspects of the Zero X Pro are hard to ignore and deserve praise, like the eye-catching design and solid build, sharp and snappy AMOLED panel, with surprisingly competent 120Hz handling. In fact, XOS 7.6 is actually a very fluid and highly feature-dense Android. Battery life is also great on the Zero X Pro, and so is performance, where the phone practically squeezes every last bit of number-crunching power and utilizes every feature of the MediaTek Helio G95.
However, once you dig a bit deeper into what is otherwise a stellar specs sheet on the surface, various disappointing details start to creep up. Like the fact that the display has pretty bad color accuracy and absolutely no options to adjust colors. Worse still, Widevine L3 limits online streaming to just 480p. And despite the fact that Infinix proudly advertises things like "Smart PA" and has a really in-depth DTS equalizer system, the Zero X Pro just has a single bottom-firing speaker and not a particularly impressive one either.
Then there is the camera situation, where generally the hardware is impressive and capable of producing some great shots, but only at times and in certain conditions. As things currently stand, there are plenty of unfortunate inconsistencies with the camera experience. Also some less than scrupulous aspects like the fact that 108MP shots are simply upscaled 12MP ones since the Helio G95, and its DSP can't even handle such resolutions. Just like the Widevine situation is a bit inexplicable to us, so is the mono audio capture for video recording.
Like the saying goes, "the truth is in the details," and unfortunately, Infinix managed to fail just about as many of those as it nailed with the Zero X Pro. That makes it kind of a hassle to expect a consistently good experience out of - a reality that is not really worth settling for in today's smartphone market. You can get a much more consistently great experience elsewhere. Overall, it's a decent phone that likely won't disappoint an average user, but definitely not a device we would recommend actively seeking out and choosing.
Pros
- Solid and strong plastic body, with nice finish and in-hand feel. Apple-inspired, yet recognizable design.
- The display is sharp, with decent brightness, pretty good 120Hz handling and good pixel response times.
- Great battery life and surprisingly quick 45W charging.
- XOS 7.6 is not the latest XOS10 but still has many features and customization and runs well, but is a bit chaotic.
- The Mediatek Helio G95 offers solid all-round performance. In fact, Infinix is consistently squeezing out a few percent extra performance compared to other Helio G95 devices.
- The main camera takes decent, but unimpressive photos day and night. The 5x telephoto does pretty well in daylight. Selfies are great and you get an LED selfie flash for low-light conditions. Autofocus on the ultrawide makes for great macro shots.
- Solid 4K clips from the main cam and great looking 5x 1080p clips from the telephoto. Decent video stabilization.
- FM radio, 3.5mm jack, dedicated microSD slot.
Cons
- No ingress protection. The front and back are advertised as glass, but we have no idea how tough it is.
- Disappointing color accuracy with no modes or adjustments available. Widevine L3 limits you to 480p streaming.
- No stereo speaker setup, not even a hybrid one, just a single bottom-firing speaker with average performance.
- The ultrawide has some notable exposure issues. The telephoto struggles in low-light. Super Night Mode is inexplicably only limited to the main and selfie cams.
- Mono audio in video recordings and no h.265 (HEVC) option. Disappointing ultrawide videos. Unimpressive low-light video capture from all cameras.
- No NFC.
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