Infinix Smart 5A: A Wallet-Friendly Smartphone with Trade-Offs for the Budget-Savvy

The Infinix Smart 5A is the newest entry in the Smart lineup, succeeding the Infinix Smart 5. This budget-friendly Android smartphone targets the entry-level audience. Additionally, Infinix has teamed up with Reliance Jio to provide perks with the Smart 5A, effectively lowering the device’s cost. Should you consider the Smart 5A a wise investment, or do budget smartphones inevitably force you to compromise? Let’s explore.

Infinix Smart 5A pricing

The Infinix Smart 5A initially retailed for Rs. 6,499, but the current price has risen to Rs. 6,699. Reliance Jio offers an “upfront cash support” scheme that puts Rs. 550 into the buyer’s bank account, albeit with the condition that the device will be tied to a Jio SIM. The Smart 5A comes in a sole configuration featuring 2GB of RAM and 32GB of internal storage. It is available in colors including Ocean Wave, Quetzal Cyan, and Midnight Black.

Infinix Smart 5A aesthetics

The Infinix Smart 5A is a sizable device, boasting a 6.2-inch display adorned with a dewdrop notch at its apex. The bezels on the sides and top are relatively narrow, while the bottom bezel is significantly thicker. Infinix has equipped the front with a dual flash system, with LED lights flanking the selfie camera in the upper bezel. Although the plastic casing lacks a premium feel, it remains satisfactory at this price point.

The dual flash for selfies on the front of the Infinix Smart 5A

Positioned on the right are the power and volume controls, while the SIM tray is located on the left. These buttons are conveniently placed and click nicely when pressed. The bottom features a 3.5mm headphone jack, a Micro-USB port, the main microphone, and a speaker. Infinix could have opted for a USB Type-C port instead of the Micro-USB on this model.

The Infinix Smart 5A measures 8.75mm in thickness and weighs 183g, making it fairly manageable for single-handed operation. On the rear, a fingerprint sensor is positioned slightly higher than ideal for accessibility. The device features a slightly protruding dual rear camera setup. The glossy back is prone to fingerprint smudges, which become quite evident from certain angles. Fortunately, Infinix includes a transparent case in the box, which may alleviate this issue.

Infinix Smart 5A features and software

Infinix selected the MediaTek Helio A20 SoC to drive the Smart 5A. This quad-core chip is built on a 12nm architecture. The device provides only 2GB of RAM and 32GB of internal storage, though it allows expansion of storage up to 256GB via a dedicated microSD card slot.

The Smart 5A is equipped with a 6.52-inch HD+ display that features a slender 20:9 aspect ratio. With a peak brightness of 500 nits, it performs decently in indoor settings but may seem insufficient in bright outdoor conditions. The Smart 5A supports Bluetooth 5, dual-band Wi-Fi, dual VoLTE and VoWiFi. A substantial 5000mAh battery fuels the device, and it comes with a 10W charger in the package.

The Infinix Smart 5A runs Android 11 Go Edition

Regarding software, the Smart 5A operates on XOS 7.6 layered over Android 11 (Go Edition). My device was updated with the June security patch. The interface features several customizations along with multiple pre-installed applications. AHA Games and Palm Store are included by default as alternatives to the Play Store. I found the Palm Store somewhat intrusive due to frequent notifications. There are practical features such as WhatsApp mode, restricting data access solely to WhatsApp Messenger. Additionally, a smart panel can be accessed from any screen, providing shortcuts to preferred apps.

Infinix Smart 5A performance

The Infinix Smart 5A falls into the entry-level budget category, so setting realistic expectations is advised. For basic tasks, performance was workable, though there were moments when I had to wait for apps to initialize. Heavier applications took even longer to load. With just 2GB of RAM, multitasking is restricted, although it remains adequate considering the price. Unlocking the device via the fingerprint reader or facial recognition could occasionally take longer than expected.

In benchmark tests, the Smart 5A achieved a score of 74,984 on AnTuTu and attained 125 points in the Geekbench 5 single-core test and 430 points in the multi-core test. In 3DMark, it scored 416 points in the Sling Shot graphics benchmark and ran GFXBench’s Car Chase and T-Rex scenes at 3.2 fps and 15 fps respectively.

The Smart 5A struggles to load demanding titles, but casual games perform adequately

I tested Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI) on the Smart 5A, and the loading time was noticeably lengthy. It was set to Smooth graphics and Medium frame rate, where lags and stutters were common, particularly in crowded map areas. On the other hand, casual games like State.io ran smoothly without any issues.

The battery life of the Infinix Smart 5A was commendable, lasting a day and a half with moderate usage. It performed well in our HD video loop test, lasting 15 hours and 5 minutes. The provided 10W charger took the battery to 20 percent in 30 minutes, and 44 percent in one hour, with a full charge taking over two hours.

Infinix Smart 5A camera capabilities

The Smart 5A features a rudimentary dual camera configuration, including an 8-megapixel main camera and a secondary AI (depth) lens. For selfies, there is an 8-megapixel shooter located in the dewdrop notch, enhanced by two selfie flashes embedded in the top bezel. The camera app is straightforward, allowing for easy selection of various shooting modes. It includes AI scene recognition and auto HDR. However, I noticed some sluggishness while operating the camera, with the AI taking time to identify scenes.

Daylight photography with the Infinix Smart 5A yielded average results. The dynamic range was lacking, resulting in flat images. The auto HDR feature was somewhat slow to activate, but it did provide a slight improvement in dynamic range, though details remained subpar.

Infinix Smart 5A daylight camera sample (tap to view full size)

Infinix Smart 5A close-up camera sample (tap to view full size)

Close-up images performed reasonably well, but the device took a while to achieve focus. The resulting depth effect was decent, although details were adequate. The Bokeh mode is designed for portrait shots and functioned better on faces than on objects, delivering results that were merely average without options for adjusting the level of background blur.

Infinix Smart 5A low-light camera sample (tap to view full size)

Infinix Smart 5A low-light selfie camera sample (tap to view full size)

In low-light conditions, image quality was subpar, producing dark and less sharp outputs. The device lacks a dedicated Night mode. Selfies in bright lighting were average and somewhat flat, while the dual LED flashes could provide slight enhancements in low light. The maximum video recording capability is 1080p for both the primary and selfie cameras, but there’s no video stabilization on the Smart 5A. Daytime video footage was pedestrian, and footage captured in low light was nearly unusable.

Final thoughts

The Smart 5A makes several compromises to reach a price point below Rs. 7,000 in 2021. It features a large display and a reliable 5,000mAh battery, but the camera performance leaves much to be desired. The Helio A20 processor delivers reliable performance for basic tasks, though Infinix could have provided a 3GB RAM option for those willing to invest a bit more.

For those on a strict budget, the Infinix Smart 5A is a viable choice. Alternatively, the Xiaomi Redmi 9A offers a more robust processor along with a 3GB RAM variant, but this comes at the cost of the fingerprint scanner. If you have a bit more to spend, the Moto E7 Power presents itself as a strong contender for its value.