The Infinix Note 8 series, featuring the Note 8 and Note 8i, launched in Pakistan today. The Infinix Note 7 successor is designed with a focus on photography and performance — all on a budget. Pre-orders start from November 23. We’ll take a look at the two models.
Infinix Note 8
We start with the Note 8 and its giant 6.95” LCD that peaks at 480 nits and produces an HD+ resolution. But Note 8’s tall 20.5:9 aspect ratio and the oversized panel isn’t the most ergonomic. Plus, there’s a pill-shaped hole in the corner to embed an extra ‘portrait’ lens, not a wide-angle lens (it serves more for aesthetics than it does optics).
Infinix Note 8’s earpiece is modified into a speaker to produce a DTS-powered surround effect — not a feature you’ll typically find in this range. And the fingerprint scanner is merged with the power button. Four cameras are mounted on the back, but once again, they serve to pad the count more than they do for versatility in photography.
The 64MP standard camera is joined by a portrait and macro duo and an ‘AI Lens.’ Contrast the Infinix Note 8 setup against the Realme C17, and it features an 8MP ultra-wide lens. The primary camera supports software-generated eye-AF, EIS, and slo-mo. Your selfies are taken with a 16MP front camera.
Expect decent performance out of the MediaTek Helio G80 chipset inside the Note 8. It promises improved GPU and CPU performance over the previous generation, while the 5200 mAh battery still charges over 18W. Infinix ships Note 8 with XOS 7.1. And its 6GB + 128GB variant is priced in Pakistan at Rs. 29,999.
Infinix Note 8i
Infinix Note 8i makes for a better value proposition, in this writer’s opinion. It has the same chipset, battery, fast charging, thumbprint scanner, and DTS surround sound support, but a slightly trimmed down display and cameras (but those specs work in its favor).
The Infinix Note 8i replaces the 64MP standard camera with a 48MP one. But the display is where the Note 8i shines. A single hole punch leaves more room for the screen, which itself measures a far more compact 6.78”. It also has the 6GB + 128GB memory combination but starts from a cheaper Rs. 26,999.
