Infinix Smart 9 HD Review: Features, Price, and Performance
Network Technology:
- GSM / HSPA / LTE
Launch:
- Announced: November 2024
- Released: December 2024
- Status: Available
Body:
- Dimensions: 165.7 x 77.1 x 8.4 mm (6.52 x 3.04 x 0.33 in)
- Weight: 188 g (6.63 oz)
- Build: Glass front, plastic back/frame
- SIM: Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM
- IP54 rating (dust & splash resistant)
Display:
- Type: IPS LCD, 90Hz, 500 nits (peak)
- Size: 6.7 inches, ~84.8% screen-to-body ratio
- Resolution: 720 x 1600 pixels (~262 ppi density)
Platform:
- OS: Android 14 (Go edition), XOS 14
- Chipset: MediaTek Helio (Octa-core 8x2.2 GHz Cortex-A53)
- GPU: Mali-G57 MC1
- Memory:
- 64GB 3GB RAM
- 64GB 4GB RAM
- Storage: microSDXC (dedicated slot)
Main Camera:
- 13 MP, f/1.9, wide, AF
- Features: Dual-LED flash, HDR, panorama
- Video: 1080p @ 30fps
Selfie Camera:
- 8 MP, f/2.0, wide
- Features: LED flash
- Video: Yes
Sound:
- Stereo speakers
- 3.5mm Jack: Yes
Communications:
- WLAN: Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (dual-band)
- Bluetooth: Yes
- GPS: Yes
- NFC: No
- Infrared port: Yes
- FM Radio: Yes
- USB: USB Type-C 2.0, OTG
Sensors & Features:
- Side-mounted Fingerprint sensor
- Accelerometer, Proximity sensor, Compass
Battery:
- 5000 mAh
- 10W wired charging, Reverse wired charging
Miscellaneous:
- Colors: Metallic Black, Neo Titanium, Mint Green, Coral Gold
- Models: X6532C
Design and Finish :
The Infinix Smart 9 HD has a plastic body, which is typical of budget devices, but it still feels sturdy and durable. There is a subtle texture on the back that helps resist fingerprints and enhances the grip of the device. The phone has a sleek design with modern aesthetics that doesn't look outdated despite its affordable price tag.
On the front, there's a 6.6-inch HD+ IPS LCD display that offers a good viewing experience for media viewing, reading, and casual gaming. The bezels around the screen are very thin for its class, but there is a noticeable overhang at the bottom. The display itself has good color reproduction and decent brightness, but it's not the most vibrant or clear when compared to higher-end devices.
The device is available in a variety of colors, including black, blue, and green, allowing users to choose the one that best suits their style.
Screen :
The Infinix Smart 9 HD's 6.6-inch HD+ display offers a resolution of 1600 x 720 pixels. Though not Full HD, the screen is good enough for general tasks like browsing, social media, watching videos and light gaming. Color accuracy and clarity are good enough for an entry-level phone, and the IPS LCD technology offers better viewing angles compared to older TFT screens.
It's not the brightest screen on the market, but it performs well under typical indoor lighting conditions. Outdoor visibility might be a bit worse on sunny days, but it's usable in most scenarios.
Performance:
Under the hood of the Infinix Smart 9 HD is the Unisoc T606 chipset, an octa-core processor designed for budget smartphones. This chipset is paired with 3GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage, expandable up to 256GB via the microSD card slot. This setup won't win any performance awards, but it's more than enough to handle everyday tasks like sending text messages, social media apps, light web browsing, and watching videos.
The device may struggle a bit with more demanding applications and heavy gaming, especially graphics-intensive games. However, the Infinix Smart 9 HD offers decent performance for casual gaming and light applications. The device comes with XOS 10.6, a custom Android skin from Infinix with additional features like customizable UI, privacy options, and performance optimizations.
Camera :
One of the selling points of the Infinix Smart 9 HD is its camera system. It has a 13MP main camera on the back paired with an AI lens. This camera setup allows you to take decent photos in good lighting conditions. Daytime shots are pretty clear with good color reproduction, but low light performance is not as great and images tend to be noisy. The AI lens helps improve the quality of your photos by automatically adjusting settings to suit the scene, but the results are still somewhat limited when compared to mid-range or premium smartphones.
The front camera is an 8MP selfie camera, which is more than enough for video calling and the occasional selfie. It comes with several beauty filters and AI-powered features, making it a great choice for social media enthusiasts who want to snap a quick selfie.
While this camera system won’t impress photography enthusiasts, it serves the purpose for casual users who aren’t expecting professional-level photos. At this price point, the Infinix Smart 9 HD offers a competitive camera experience.
The Infinix Smart 9 HD comes with a 5000mAh battery, which is a great feature at this price point. This large battery offers great durability and will easily last a full day on a single charge with normal usage like web browsing, social media, and light gaming. If you are a less demanding user, it may even last you well into the second day.
Infinix also includes a 10W charger in the box, but it doesn't have the fastest charging speeds. It takes a few hours to fully charge the phone from 0% to 100%. However, given the battery life, the charging speed is acceptable for most users.
Software :
The Infinix Smart 9 HD runs XOS 10.6 based on Android 12. XOS is Infinix's custom user interface, which offers several features tailored for budget-conscious users, such as Game Mode, Smart Panel for quick access to apps, and improved privacy controls. XOS comes with bloatware and pre-installed apps, but they can usually be uninstalled or disabled.
Infinix has improved its software support, but like many budget phones, long-term software updates remain an issue. The Smart 9 HD may not be updated frequently, so users who value the latest Android features and security patches should look at other options.
Connectivity and Other Features :
In terms of connectivity, the Infinix Smart 9 HD supports 4G LTE, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.0, and GPS. It also has a 3.5mm headphone jack, which is very convenient for users who prefer wired audio. In addition, the phone has a fingerprint sensor on the back, which works very fast and accurately for biometric authentication.
The phone also supports dual SIM functionality, which is a handy feature for users who need to manage multiple numbers for work and personal use.
Under the hood of the Infinix Smart 9 HD is the Unisoc T606 chipset, an octa-core processor designed for budget smartphones. This chipset is paired with 3GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage, expandable up to 256GB via the microSD card slot. This setup won't win any performance awards, but it's more than enough to handle everyday tasks like sending text messages, social media apps, light web browsing, and watching videos.
The device may struggle a bit with more demanding applications and heavy gaming, especially graphics-intensive games. However, the Infinix Smart 9 HD offers decent performance for casual gaming and light applications. The device comes with XOS 10.6, a custom Android skin from Infinix with additional features like customizable UI, privacy options, and performance optimizations.
Camera :
One of the selling points of the Infinix Smart 9 HD is its camera system. It has a 13MP main camera on the back paired with an AI lens. This camera setup allows you to take decent photos in good lighting conditions. Daytime shots are pretty clear with good color reproduction, but low light performance is not as great and images tend to be noisy. The AI lens helps improve the quality of your photos by automatically adjusting settings to suit the scene, but the results are still somewhat limited when compared to mid-range or premium smartphones.
The front camera is an 8MP selfie camera, which is more than enough for video calling and the occasional selfie. It comes with several beauty filters and AI-powered features, making it a great choice for social media enthusiasts who want to snap a quick selfie.
While this camera system won’t impress photography enthusiasts, it serves the purpose for casual users who aren’t expecting professional-level photos. At this price point, the Infinix Smart 9 HD offers a competitive camera experience.
Battery Life :
The Infinix Smart 9 HD comes with a 5000mAh battery, which is a great feature at this price point. This large battery offers great durability and will easily last a full day on a single charge with normal usage like web browsing, social media, and light gaming. If you are a less demanding user, it may even last you well into the second day.
Infinix also includes a 10W charger in the box, but it doesn't have the fastest charging speeds. It takes a few hours to fully charge the phone from 0% to 100%. However, given the battery life, the charging speed is acceptable for most users.
Software :
The Infinix Smart 9 HD runs XOS 10.6 based on Android 12. XOS is Infinix's custom user interface, which offers several features tailored for budget-conscious users, such as Game Mode, Smart Panel for quick access to apps, and improved privacy controls. XOS comes with bloatware and pre-installed apps, but they can usually be uninstalled or disabled.
Infinix has improved its software support, but like many budget phones, long-term software updates remain an issue. The Smart 9 HD may not be updated frequently, so users who value the latest Android features and security patches should look at other options.
Connectivity and Other Features :
In terms of connectivity, the Infinix Smart 9 HD supports 4G LTE, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.0, and GPS. It also has a 3.5mm headphone jack, which is very convenient for users who prefer wired audio. In addition, the phone has a fingerprint sensor on the back, which works very fast and accurately for biometric authentication.
The phone also supports dual SIM functionality, which is a handy feature for users who need to manage multiple numbers for work and personal use.
Conclusion :
Overall, the Infinix Smart 9 HD is a solid budget smartphone that offers a good balance of features and performance for users who don't need high-end specs but still want a reliable device. A large battery, good display, powerful camera system and ample storage capacity make it an attractive choice in the entry-level segment. However, if you're looking for top performance, premium design and the best camera quality, you might want to consider a more expensive device.
