Infinix Zero 40 5G Review: Mid-Range Hero or Hype?

Infinix might want to rethink the “Zero” branding for its phones, as the latest Infinix Zero 40 5G is far from lacking in features. Priced from ₹27,999, this device offers an impressive array of capabilities. Infinix claims it’s the first phone in its category to support 4K video recording at 60fps on both the front and rear cameras, alongside a 50-megapixel ultra-wide camera—a feature set not often seen at this price. It also marks the debut of Infinix’s AI suite on the Zero series.

The company places heavy emphasis on the Zero 40 5G’s video performance, stabilization, and overall suitability for vlogging. During product briefings, “vlog” was certainly a recurring theme. So, does the Infinix Zero 40 5G deliver on these “first-in-segment” claims and live up to its promise? A full review reveals all.

Infinix Zero 40 5G Features,Price

Infinix Zero 40 Design: Sleek and Modern

Infinix has put considerable effort into creating a stylish design for the Zero 40. The phone sports curved edges along its sides with flat top and bottom surfaces, making it comfortable to hold and easy to manage with one hand. Available in three color options, the model we reviewed was the “Violet Garden” variant, which has a unique two-tone finish and the “Zero” branding subtly etched at the bottom-right corner. The Violet Garden color gives it a distinct look, making it visually appealing.

The rear of the device is dominated by a prominent circular camera module, framed with a ring design reminiscent of a camera’s focus ring. The curves along the edges lend the phone a slimmer profile, enhancing its aesthetic appeal. On the left side, there are no buttons, keeping the design clean, while the power and volume buttons are positioned on the right for easy access. At the bottom, you’ll find the USB Type-C port, along with a speaker, microphone, and the SIM card slot. Adding to its durability, the phone comes with an IP54 rating, providing resistance to dust and splashes.

Infinix Zero 40 Display: Immersive with a Subtle Curve

The Infinix Zero 40 5G is equipped with a large, curved display that has slim and evenly distributed bezels, achieving an impressive 93.4% screen-to-body ratio. The display is an LTPS panel, which offers a high refresh rate of up to 144Hz, although it doesn’t adjust all the way down to 1Hz. Users have the flexibility to switch between auto, 60Hz, 120Hz, and 144Hz modes, depending on their preferences. Additionally, the display boasts a 360Hz touch sampling rate and 2,304Hz PWM dimming frequency, which ensures smooth touch responsiveness.

Color accuracy on this 10-bit display is high, covering 100% of the DCI-P3 color spectrum, with two viewing modes: “Original” for more natural tones and “Bright” for vivid colors. The “Original” mode provides a more accurate and comfortable viewing experience. The screen also has TUV Rheinland Eye Care certification, along with an Eye Care mode to reduce eye strain during extended use. While the display reaches a peak brightness of 1,300 nits indoors, outdoor visibility under direct sunlight can be a bit challenging.

Whether you're watching movies, playing games, or browsing content, the display is impressive. It’s large, vibrant, bright (indoors), and the high refresh rate delivers a smooth experience. The screen also supports Widevine L1, so users can stream high-definition content on popular streaming platforms without limitations.

Infinix has included an in-display fingerprint sensor, which is positioned slightly lower on the screen. Despite its placement, the scanner is accurate and responsive, offering a quick and seamless unlocking experience.

Infinix Zero 40 Software: AI-Driven Features and a Customized Experience

The Infinix Zero 40 is running XOS 14.5, which is based on Android 14. While the phone comes with several pre-installed apps, most can be easily removed, allowing users to personalize the device. The interface itself is quite user-friendly, featuring smooth animations and a generally clutter-free layout.

An edge control feature takes advantage of the phone’s curved display, enabling quick access to favorite apps with a simple swipe. There's also an IR Control option, accessible through the Quick Settings menu and the Welife app, allowing users to control compatible devices via the infrared blaster. The device even boasts a "Works with GoPro" certification, which essentially means users can control a GoPro camera through the GoPro Quik app—a functionality that’s broadly available on most smartphones.

The Infinix Zero 40 includes several AI-powered tools within its Infinix AI suite. One standout feature is the AI Eraser in the Gallery app, which helps users remove unwanted objects from photos. While effective, its performance can sometimes be inconsistent, occasionally requiring a few tries to fully erase an object.

Other notable AI tools include the Smart Cut-out, which makes isolating objects in photos easy, and AI Vlog, which can automatically compile vlogs from up to 20 clips in the gallery. The Smart Search feature also allows users to find specific photos in the Gallery by typing a description, adding convenience to the photo organization.

There’s an AI Wallpaper Generator, intended to create customized wallpapers based on user-provided text or images. However, this feature experienced a recurring “server is being upgraded” error during testing. The phone also features the Infinix Folax voice assistant, which can answer questions, translate text, and manage basic phone functions.

While the suite of AI features is impressive, there are still areas that need refinement—some features, like the wallpaper generator, were not consistently functional. On the software support front, Infinix has committed to providing two years of Android OS updates and three years of security patches, ensuring the device remains up-to-date for an extended period.

Infinix Zero 40 Performance: Capable and Efficient

Powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 8200 Ultimate chipset, the Infinix Zero 40 handles everyday tasks smoothly, ensuring a fluid experience even when multitasking. Equipped with 12GB of RAM and options for 256GB or 512GB of storage, the device also features a virtual RAM expansion capability and a microSD slot for additional storage, making it versatile for users with varying needs.

During daily use, the phone performed impressively, with no noticeable lag while switching between apps, using the camera, or handling regular tasks. In benchmark tests, its performance aligned with other devices in the same price range, making it competitive within its segment.

For gaming enthusiasts, the Infinix Zero 40 delivers a solid experience, largely due to its expansive screen and 144Hz refresh rate. Games like BGMI, Asphalt Legends Unite, and Genshin Impact ran smoothly. BGMI and Asphalt Legends Unite were playable at the highest graphics settings, while Genshin Impact required slightly lower settings. Extended play on Genshin Impact caused the phone to warm up, especially noticeable after about 15-20 minutes of gameplay. The device also exhibited a bit of heating when recording 4K video with the rear camera.

Call quality on the Infinix Zero 40 5G is clear, with effective audio performance due to its dual stereo speakers tuned by JBL. It supports both DTS Hi-Res Audio and Hi-Res Audio Wireless, providing crisp sound quality and good stereo separation. While the speakers are loud and produce clear audio, they’re somewhat lacking in bass depth.

With a 5,000mAh battery, the Infinix Zero 40 provides average battery life. For regular usage, the battery lasted over a day, though it fell short in the HD video loop test, where it lasted roughly 14 hours at 50% brightness with the refresh rate set to 144Hz. Users can conserve battery by enabling adaptive brightness and setting the refresh rate to 120Hz, which extends its life between charges.                           

The device supports fast charging, with the included 45W charger refilling the battery from 0% to 100% in about 1 hour and 10 minutes—a respectable time. Additionally, it offers 20W wireless charging, adding flexibility to its charging options.

Infinix Zero 40 Camera Performance: Strong but Room for Improvement

Infinix is positioning the Zero 40 5G as a “vlogging phone,” emphasizing its video capabilities. The brand claims it is the first phone in its category to support 4K video recording at 60fps across its primary, ultra-wide, and front cameras—a standout feature for content creators.

During testing, while it is true that 4K at 60fps is supported on all three cameras, stabilization is not available at this resolution, which limits the smoothness of footage. The 4K resolution provides detailed videos across all cameras, but dynamic range, color accuracy, and focus stability are average. The device offers two levels of stabilization: Ultra Steady and Ultra Steady Pro. In 4K mode, only Ultra Steady is available at 30fps, though its effectiveness is limited. Ultra Steady Pro offers better stabilization, but it’s restricted to 1080p resolution, and unfortunately, the front camera lacks Ultra Steady Pro stabilization in any mode. The front camera also has some Vlog filters, though they are limited to 1080p and lack 4K support.

In terms of still photography, the Zero 40 performs well under daylight, capturing detailed shots with both its main and ultra-wide cameras. HDR works reliably for a phone in this price range, though color inconsistencies between the primary and ultra-wide sensors are noticeable, with some oversaturation present.

In low-light conditions, photos from the main camera are generally usable but do show some noise. The ultra-wide camera struggles more in darker settings, with increased noise and noticeable color inaccuracy compared to the main sensor. While it captures some details, the overall performance of the ultra-wide in low light remains limited.

Infinix Zero 40 Final Thought

The Infinix Zero 40 5G is a solid option for those seeking a mid-range phone with appealing design, reliable cameras for daytime use, good gaming performance, reasonable battery life, and a large, curved display with a high refresh rate. However, if vlogging is a priority, this may not be the ideal choice.

For alternatives in a similar price range, consider models like the Motorola Edge 50 Pro, iQOO Z9s Pro, or Nothing Phone 2a Plus. Each offers unique pros and cons, so it’s wise to check out their reviews before deciding.