After series of teasers and anticipation, Micromax finally took wraps off not one but two budget smartphones. Micromax Infinity N12 and Infinity N11 were launched at an event on Tuesday, bringing stiff competition to the sub-Rs 10,000 category, which is dominated by Xiaomi.
Micromax Infinity N12 is certainly the show-stopper while the Infinity N11 is targeted towards budget shoppers. But both phones are priced well under Rs 10,000, making them quite an attractive package. Micromax Infinity N12 is priced at Rs 9,999 and the toned-down version Infinity N11 costs Rs 8,999.
Micromax has also partnered with Reliance Jio to offer Rs 2,200 cashback, 50GB additional data through recharge plans of Rs 198 and Rs 299. But this is the least bit of attraction for the all-new Infinity N-series phones, which pack much more to lure consumers.
Micromax Infinity N12 comes with a gradient finish shifting from purple to blue on the back, which looks a lot like Huawei P20 Pro. The dual cameras on the back are stacked vertically on the top left corner. Micromax has also taken inspiration from Huawei on placing its logo at the bottom left corner and has "Dual AI cameras" marked just below the camera module, which is just like the P20 Pro.
On the front, the display has a notch – making the Infinity N12 the company's first smartphone with the popular display cut-out. The side bezels look minimal but the bottom one is quite large – at least by the looks of it in photos.
Micromax Infinity N11 is identically the same as the N12 but lacks the gradient finish on the back. Also, the dual cameras on the back of the N12 are separated but the N11 packs them together. In terms of design, both phones look quite premium for their price, but we cannot conclude this until we get our hands on the device.
In terms of specifications, the Infinity N12 and N11 are not too different either. Micromax Infinity N12 and N11 pack a 6.2-inch HD+ display, 13MP+5MP dual rear cameras, MediaTek Helio P22 processor, 32GB storage, and an impressive 4,000mAh battery. The phones run Android 8.1 Oreo out-of-the-box.
Despite the low pricing, both phones offer rear-mounted fingerprint scanner and face unlock.
What's different in the Infinity N12 is the 3GB RAM configuration, AI algorithm to boost rear-camera photos, a 16MP wide-angle lens for selfies. The Infinity N11, on the other hand, offers 2GB RAM, 8MP front-facing camera. Since most features in the phones are identical, buyers can make a sound choice without missing out on much.
Micromax also claims that Infinity N12 users can play PUBG Mobile, which we know will be in low graphics settings. We are yet to test how smooth the gameplay will be on the device. But the Infinity N-series is bound to bring some level of disruption and some heat even to Xiaomi.
