Smartphones with octa-core processor are getting cheaper by the day, and the new Cherry Mobile Infinix Pure XL is no exception to that rule. But is it worth the asking price, or are you better off getting cheaper alternatives in the market?
Design and Construction
The Infinix Pure XL isn’t exactly what we consider as a top notch contender when it comes to design, but it’s good to note that it’s not too shabby either. A metallic silver accent and a strip of glossy black lining that runs along the side and top panels break what would otherwise be a monotonous black slab of plastic and glass.
The front of the handset is almost all screen with a little room on the top and bottom portions for the earpiece, front camera and sensors, as well as three capacitive buttons respectively.
The power button and the volume rocker are inconspicuously placed on each sides of the Inifinix Pure XL and blends nicely with the faux brushed metal finish of its side panel. These buttons are generous in size and provides a nice tactile feedback when pressed.
At the top, you’ll find the last two external components, namely the 3.5mm audio jack and Micro-USB cable for data transfer and charging.
Gripping the phone isn’t a chore even if you’re only doing it using one hand thanks to the Infinix Pure XL’s slightly curved back panel which has a smooth and non-glossy finish. Underneath the removable back cover are the two SIM card slots (Regular size for the main SIM, and Micro-SIM on the secondary), a Micro-SD card slot and the battery compartment.
The only other two note-worthy components in this section is the handset’s 13MP rear shooter, the accompanying flash unit, and a tiny oval hole for the speaker which seems to hinder the Infinix Pure XL’s ability to produce high quality sound (more on this later).
Display and Multimedia
Like most of the octa-core handsets in this price range, the CM Infinix Pure XL is equipped with a 720p display which is 5.5-inch in size. We didn’t find a lot of faults with the phone’s display; the viewing angles were respectable, the overall display quality is great, and the outdoor legibility is also pretty decent.
This makes the device a suitable companion for watching movies on the go, but if you’re planning to do, we highly suggest that you use an earphone with it as the sound output is not only weak, but also slightly distorted.
We often find ourselves cupping the back of the device in order to listen to the sound coming out of its built-in speaker. And that is with the volume settings cranked to the max, just imagine what it would be like if you turned down the volume even for a bit.
OS, UI and Apps
If you’ve used one of the more recent handsets from Cherry Mobile, then you probably have an idea on what to expect from the Infinix Pure XL in terms of software. Occupying a good portion of the handset’s 8GB internal storage is Android KitKat version 4.4.2, as well as the usual set of bloatware and third-party apps that Cherry Mobile loves to include on most, if not all of their devices.
Luckily most of these apps can be uninstalled if needed, which allows users to free up some space on the phone’s built-in storage and make room for apps that they really need.
For the most part, the OS feels very similar to vanilla Android. The same can be said for native apps like Messaging, Dialer and Contacts which received little to no customizations from Cherry Mobile.
Camera
The pictures and video clips that we got from the Infinix Pure XL’s rear camera were actually pretty decent thanks to the Sony-made 13MP sensor. The byproduct of the sensor has decent details and sharpness, as well as good overall color reproduction.
Though not as capable compared to its rear camera, the front-mounted snapper of the Infinix Pure XL is also good enough for video calling, as well as web-friendly selfies. It doesn’t have a front-facing flash unit unlike other handsets, so it’s best to take your selfies in well-lit environment.
Performance and Benchmark
With so many encounters with similarly-configured smartphones under our belt, we pretty much have a rough idea of how the Infinix Pure XL will perform in both in real-world use, as well as synthetic benchmarks.
True enough, the scores on our usual benchmark tests and overall performance we got from this device is somewhat similar to the ones we got from other MT6592-powered handsets that we reviewed in the past.
As expected, the processor did well in handling menial tasks without too much effort, and also fared fairly well under moderate workload. The Mali 400MP GPU proved to be an able companion as it aided the MT6592 during 3D gaming and allowed us to play our usual set of titles with little to no hiccups.
AnTuTu Benchmark: 28176
Quadrant Standard: 12006
Vellamo: 774 (Metal) / 1332 (Multicore) / 1859 (Browser)
NenaMark 2: 57.3fps
Battery Life
If there’s one aspect of the Infinix Pure XL that sets it apart from other similarly-spec’d handsets out there, it’ll have to be its battery life. On a single full charge, the smartphone’s 2600mAh battery pack lasted 10 minutes shy of 8 hours during our usual battery test which involves looping a 720p video using MX Player until the battery almost go bone-dry. The brightness of the handset’s display was set to 50% using the same media player, as well as the volume which was set to 0%.
Conclusion
In a saturated market where almost every week a new, similarly-configured handset is being unveiled and rivals are constantly breathing down your neck, companies like Cherry Mobile cannot rest on its laurels and would have to come up with a competitively-priced device without too much compromise to match or set the tone for their competition.
Cherry Mobile Infinix Pure XL specs:
5.5-inch HD IPS display, 267ppi
1.4GHz MediaTek MT6592 octa-core processor
Mali 400MP2 GPU
1GB RAM
8GB internal storage
microSD card support
Dual-SIM, Dual-Standby (1x Regular + 1x Micro-SIM)
13 megapixel rear camera w/ LED flash
2 megapixel front camera
WiFi 802.11 b/g/n
Bluetooth 4.0
Android 4.4 KitKat
2,600mAh battery
In the case of the Infinix Pure XL, we feel that although it has the tools to go head-to-head with its octa-core contemporaries, its Php6,999 price tag puts it in a rather awkward spot between dirt-cheap octa-cores like the Phoenix X1 or the Excite 501o and other more premium offerings like Happy Mobile Oracle or the new Cherry Mobile Infinix Pure XL Review appeared first on YugaTech | Philippines, Tech News & Reviews.
