TECNO Camon 16s vs Infinix NOTE 8i: Which better way to spend your Ksh 17,000?
Same price, nearly identical internals, but which device offers extra value?
TECNO Camon 16s and Infinix NOTE 8i are newly launched budget phones available on the Kenyan market. TECNO Camon 16s price in Kenya is Ksh 17,499, and so is the Infinix NOTE 8i with similar memory and internal storage.
With their similar price tags, the two phones could be confusing to pick. So it’s worth comparing the two devices head-to-head to see which offers better value for the money.
Display
TECNO Camon 16s (unboxing) features a 6.6-inch 720p IPS LCD panel, while Infinix NOTE 8i has a slightly larger 6.78-inch TFT panel with 480nits at peak brightness. Both displays have a notch interruption, which means you don’t get any motorized selfie cameras.
Memory and Internal Storage
Both Camon 16s and Infinix Note 8i have 4GB of memory and 128GB of internal storage. So whichever way you go, there are no setbacks.
4GB is pretty standard for the price, and it’s hard to get any device offering more than this within the boundaries. As for the 128GB of storage, you can still expand if it’s not enough on both via the included microSD card slot.
Battery and Charging
This is one area where the Infinix Note 8i dominates. Out of the box, Infinix Note 8i has a 5200mAh battery with a Type C charging port that supports 18W fast charging tech.
On Camon 16s, the battery is considerably smaller, at 5000mAh, but you’re not getting fast charging tech here. The phone charges at standard 10W, which takes over three and a half hours from 0 to 100, as we discovered in our TECNO Camon 16s review.
But with massive batteries, both phones offer pretty solid screen time.
Camera
At 17,000, you don’t expect anything surprising in the camera department. Smartphone companies are continually giving camera count priority over quality, especially in the budget segment. So it’s not surprising for both Infinix and TECNO to include a Quad camera setup, both headlined by a 48MP sensor.
The other three cameras on both devices include a 2MP depth sensor, 2MP macro, and an A.I lens. At the front is a single 8MP selfie camera on both.
From our Tecno Camon 16s review, you get what is pretty standard to devices in this range. The selfie camera’s performance was a bit disappointing — and it seems to be the same sensor on the Infinix Note 8i.
So don’t expect any surprising performance on both — just enough to justify the asking price.
Performance and Software
Performance is an important aspect to consider when purchasing a smartphone. Both the Camon 16s and Infinix Note 8i smoothly run when performing day to day tasks.
Under the hood, Infinix Note 8i is powered by MediaTek’s Helio G80 processor, while Camon 16s is stocked with the Helio P35 – both with eight cores manufactured using the 12nm process.
The Helio G80 performs better than the Helio P35, launched last year, so Infinix Note 8i has an edge over Camon 16S. Disparity on the performance front is huge between the two chipsets according to Antuntu benchmarks.
Both run on Android 10 with proprietary skins on top. They are no different in a big way, though. You still get a fair share of bloatware, and ads are unavoidable in most cases.
Other Specs
As with all most specs highlighted above, the two still offer similar basics. Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, OTG support, and a fingerprint sensor. TECNO Camon 16s has its fingerprint sensor on the rear and Infinix Note 8i on the side.
Conclusion: Infinix Note 8i vs TECNO Camon 16s
These two devices are slightly different in a few ways but identical in most. My lot goes to the Infinix Note 8i with its marginally bigger battery with 18W fast charging support, the larger 6.78 display, and the faster Helio G80 chipset.
I don’t think anyone should pick TECNO Camon 16s over the Note 8i since it doesn’t have tangible extras. But if the smaller display is enough, go for it.
Both devices are already available in the country. Infinix Note 8i sells in mysterious blue, sandstone black, and ice blue colors and Camon 16s in blue Hawaii, ice jadeite, and misty gray.
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the performance of both smartphones is quite competitive but in terms of gaming power, the Infinix NOTE 8i with mediatek helio G80 gaming chipset would be a better option.