Budget phones used to be synonymous with compromise. Today, they’re defined by how much they refuse to compromise and the Infinix Note 50x 5G+ is a shining example. Priced under ₹12,000, this is Infinix’s boldest pitch yet for the budget crown, featuring a MediaTek Dimensity 7300 Ultimate chip, a generous 5,500mAh battery, a smart suite of AI tools, and respectable cameras.
But for all the buzzwords and spec-sheet wins, does this phone hold up where it matters most, in real-world use? After days of testing, gaming, streaming, and shooting, here’s the verdict.
Design & Display: Premium Look, Pixel Modesty
At first glance, the Note 50x doesn’t scream “budget.” The matte rear panel with a clean camera layout feels thoughtfully designed. The camera island protrudes ever so slightly, but wobble is minimal. The phone strikes a good balance between form and function, weighing just under 200g and packing an IP64 rating, splash resistance at this price is no small deal.
However, the 6.67-inch HD+ IPS display is where the corners get visibly cut. Resolution caps at 720p, which feels soft in an era where sub-₹10K phones offer Full HD. Yes, the 120Hz refresh rate brings some fluidity to scrolling and gaming, but the 672-nit peak brightness makes outdoor use passable, not pleasant.
For media consumption, this display is… fine. Netflix and YouTube play smoothly, but clarity suffers, especially with text-heavy content or finer UI elements. Still, the side-mounted fingerprint sensor is fast and reliable, and face unlock is impressively snappy.
Camera: Better Than the Specs Suggest
A drop from the 108MP sensor of the Note 40x to a 50MP camera on paper might look like a downgrade, but the 50x makes the most of it. In daylight, the phone captures crisp, well-balanced images with accurate colours. Skin tones are handled thoughtfully, warm without over-smoothing, and edge detection in portraits is surprisingly tight for the price segment.
The 8MP selfie camera is solid in good lighting, though performance dips in the dark. Low-light images are grainy, yes, but manageable with night mode. Compared to rivals like the POCO M7 Pro or Vivo T4x, the 50x holds its ground, sometimes even surpassing them in edge detail and colour balance.
Video is capped at 2K, and stabilisation is digital-only, but it gets the job done for casual recording.
Performance & Gaming: Beyond Expectations
The Dimensity 7300 Ultimate SoC is the showstopper here. Paired with up to 8GB RAM and 128GB UFS 2.2 storage, it delivers smooth multitasking and even handles gaming with aplomb. BGMI and Call of Duty: Mobile ran stutter-free on medium settings, and the thermals remained in check, even without a cooling system.
In benchmarks, the Note 50x outpaces the POCO M7 Pro and nearly matches the pricier Vivo T4x, an impressive feat for its category. The absence of frame drops during multitasking, app switching, and light photo editing makes this phone feel far more expensive than it is.
Software & AI: Smart and Surprisingly Polished
Running XOS 15 based on Android 15, the UI has matured. It’s cleaner, smoother, and less bogged down by bloatware than previous iterations. While 48 pre-installed apps still feel excessive, many can be removed, and the system runs zippily.
There’s real utility in the AI suite, too. Circle to Search works seamlessly, image cutouts in the gallery feel polished, and AI live-call translation, though imperfect, shows promise. The in-built translator, AI note features, and on-screen Smart Translation gestures are handy, if still occasionally buggy.
Notably, Infinix promises two major OS upgrades and three years of security patches, an encouraging sign of software support in the budget segment.
Battery Life & Charging: Solid Endurance with Fast Top-Ups
A 5,500mAh battery ensures you get through the day and then some. With light use, it lasted nearly 1.5 days. Under heavier loads (read: gaming + video + calls), it still comfortably pushed through until bedtime.
Charging is brisk, thanks to 45W fast charging that juices it from 20 to 100% in just over 40 minutes. The inclusion of bypass charging is a gamer’s delight, helping reduce heat during intense sessions. Reverse charging at 10W is a cool add-on too.
Verdict: Big Value, Small Gripes
The Infinix Note 50x 5G+ punches above its weight, delivering fast performance, reliable cameras, and a massive battery, all for a wallet-friendly price. It’s not perfect, the HD+ display is a clear drawback in a world of FHD+ competition, and the missing headphone jack may be a deal-breaker for some.
But if you’re looking for a daily driver that doesn’t lag, doesn’t overheat, and doesn’t drain by dinner, the Note 50x is hard to ignore.
