Infinix manages to outclass the Galaxy A36 with the Note 50 Pro+

Samsung continues to sell millions of Galaxy A devices globally, and those looking to buy a budget phone inevitably choose either the Galaxy A36 or spring for the A56. I talked about how the Galaxy A56 is the worst mid-range phone I used this year, and the Galaxy A36 is much the same — with the only difference being that the device is a smidgen more affordable.

There are other alternatives to consider; I really like the POCO X7 Pro, and Nothing’s Phone 3a Pro is a terrific choice. And there’s now a new contender thanks to Infinix. I haven’t covered the brand much over the years, but it’s clear that the Transsion-owned phone manufacturer is intent on increasing its global presence, and it is rolling out pretty great phones.

The Note 50 Pro+ made its debut last month, and the phone will go on sale globally for the equivalent of $370 — undercutting the Galaxy A36. That’s not all though; with the Note 50 Pro+, Infinix managed to deliver one of the most feature-packed phones in this segment — the device gets a silicon-carbon battery, a 3x telephoto lens at the back, Dimensity 8350 platform, an AMOLED with 144Hz refresh, and an aluminum build.

Clearly, Infinix is looking to make a statement with the Note 50 Pro+. The device has better hardware than the Redmi Note 14 Pro+, and it’s the best value you’ll find in the budget category this year. I also like the design quite a bit; the phone has an octagonal camera housing made out of glass that sits on a metal island, and the design looks pretty distinctive. The build quality is among the best of any budget phone, with Infinix using an aluminum mid-frame — the Galaxy A36 uses a plastic chassis.

Like every other phone around, the Note 50 Pro+ has a flat profile, and as it doesn’t have beveled edges, it isn’t quite as comfortable to hold and use the device as higher-end options like the Vivo X200 Pro or even the Pixel 9a. That said, that’s about the only drawback I noticed on the design side of things; the volume and power buttons are located in the ideal location, and the back has a smooth finish that prevents smudging.

Interestingly, the phone gets an optical module underneath the cameras, and this is used to measure heart rate and blood oxygen levels. It does a pretty good job in this regard; I tested it against the ScanWatch Nova, and it was accurate.

One of the best budget hardware packages

The 6.78-inch AMOLED panel is quite decent, and while it doesn’t get quite as bright as the POCO X7 Pro, it has good color vibrancy. What I like the most about the panel it that it has 144Hz refresh — there is a noticeable fluidity to the UI that’s better than just about every other budget phone — and it gets 2,304Hz PWM dimming as standard. Samsung and Google don’t use PWM dimming on their high-end phones (much less their budget devices), and this is an area where Chinese brands are absolutely dominating.

Like most Chinese manufacturers, Infinix doesn’t allow gaming beyond 60fps, but this wasn’t as big an issue as on a flagship. If anything, the Dimensity 8350 platform does a brilliant job at gaming, and the phone is among the best budget devices in this regard.

There are other niceties; you get 12GB of RAM as standard, and the device comes with 256GB of UFS 4.0 storage. It’s refreshing to see brands switch to 256GB as base storage, and while Samsung and Google still haven’t done so, this isn’t an issue on most Chinese phones.

The 5200mAh battery lasts all day without any issues whatsoever, and it uses silicon-carbon tech to increase density. It takes just over 40 minutes to charge the phone thanks to 100W charging tech, and I didn’t run into any issues in this area. And yes, there is a charger bundled in the package; Infinix has a generous accessory bundle as well, and that’s good to see in 2025.

That said, the 5200mAh battery is on the lower end of the scale as these things go — the X7 Pro gets a 6500mAh unit in India — so the Note 50 Pro+ doesn’t quite measure up to its immediate rivals. That said, it is better than the Galaxy A36, and even the A56.

The camera is clearly the star of the show on the Note 50 Pro+, with the device featuring a 50MP main camera alongside a 50MP telephoto lens with 3x optical zoom. The latter is a novel enough addition in this segment that its inclusion immediately gives the Note 50 Pro+ an advantage, and it utilizes the sensor to good effect. There’s also an 8MP wide-angle lens, but it is strictly average.

You get great photos in daylight, and while there are a few inconsistencies in the image quality at night, the phone has one of the best camera packages in this category. The versatility is refreshing to see, and the 3x sensor makes a noticeable difference in daily use. I used that sensor much more than the wide-angle lens, and it’s good to see a budget phone getting the module.

A great value all around

Then there’s the software. The Note 50 Pro+ runs XOS 15 based on Android 15, and the interface is quite similar to what you get on Xiaomi’s phones. There’s a split notification pane, app drawer that automatically sorts apps, a global search mode, and good amount of customizability.

While I noticed some bloatware on the device, it was easy enough to uninstall, and the interface itself looks clean — it has a cohesive design. In fact, the only annoyance is that the phone will get just two platform updates; that’s just not adequate in 2025, and Infinix needs to do better.

Other than that, the Note 50 Pro+ turned out to be a much better device than I imagined. It has a terrific hardware package and the most versatile set of cameras in this category, and it nails the basics. The best part is the affordability; it doesn’t cost as much as the A36, and that makes it a standout deal.