Infinix GT 20 Pro Full Review Is This the Top Budget Gaming Phone (Revised After a Year)
A year ago, the Infinix GT 20 Pro launched as a budget gaming powerhouse, offering specs that challenged phones well above its price point. Now that time has passed, a crucial question emerges for those eyeing it on the used market: does its performance hold up, or do its long-term flaws overshadow its initial appeal. We take a look at how the Infinix GT 20 Pro has aged after a year of use.
Design The "GT-Verse" Experience
The phone keeps up its unique Cyber Mecha look from last year, with a "Mecha Loop" LED that you can change. It feels well-made for the price, comes in three gamer-like colors, and the Mecha Silver hides smudges well. It's all-plastic but has an IP54 rating against dust and splashes.
Display Quick, Smooth, and Smartly Made
The front has a 6.78-inch AMOLED screen with thin sides for a budget phone. The top feature is the 144Hz refresh rate, which feels very smooth under your fingers. While the resolution is 1080p (some rivals have 1200p), it’s bright and colorful with over 1 billion colors, and you can see it well outside with a top brightness of 1300 nits for HDR stuff.
A neat small detail is the screen sits a bit above its frame, giving a slight curve at the edge. This makes swiping and gestures feel much better than on flat screens.
Gaming Performance The Dual-Chip Secret Weapon
Here's where the GT 20 Pro looks to rule. It runs on a unique dual-chip setup: the main MediaTek Dimensity 8200 Ultimate (4nm) processor with a Pixelworks X5 Turbo chip just for gaming. This extra chip boosts visuals and gaming speeds for supported games from 60FPS to 120FPS.
- Frame Rate Boost: This phone will be one of the first to get native 120 FPS in PUBG Mobile. It already gets higher speeds in games like Call of Duty (90 FPS) and MLBB (120 FPS).
- Cooling: With a 73% bigger vapor cooling chamber, the phone stays cool during long game plays. Infinix also has an optional light-up cooling fan.
- Esports Mode: A special mode boosts performance, keeps game speeds steady, and cuts interruptions for competitive gamers. It even has tricks like bypass charging to keep the phone running without heating up the battery.
- Real World Gaming: In games like Genshin Impact and GTA San Andreas on top settings, the phone mostly stays at a smooth 60fps with just some short, small slowdowns.
Software Simple, but Rough Edges
The big shock is the software. The GT 20 Pro runs on XOS 15 (based on Android 15) and promises a clean, not cluttered experience, which it mostly is. The interface is swift, but it has some odd bits.
- The Good: Hardly any pre-loaded bloat. The system is fast and smooth. Infinix promises two major OS upgrades (up to Android 16) and one more year of security stuff.
- The Annoying: Setting up the home screen isn't smooth. Animations in the theme store are jerky at 30Hz. The phone locks to 60Hz in picture-in-picture mode, making it look choppy.
- The Buggy: The main problem is a bug where apps like Facebook, Messenger, and Twitter stop working, needing a force close and restart. This happens quite often and is really bothersome.
Cameras A Tale of Two Sensors
Gaming phones aren't known for their cameras, and the GT 20 Pro fits this pattern. It has three cameras, but only one does much. The main one is a 108MP Samsung HM6 sensor, with two 2MP sensors for depth and macro. No ultrawide camera.
In good light, photos are okay with nice color and detail. Some oversharpening is there but often looks alright, much like older Huawei phones. However, the auto white balance isn't very accurate, and photos can look pale and plain. The camera is alright for quick pics, but it won't win any prizes. It’s workable but not memorable, like the POCO X4 GT of its day.
Battery, Audio, and Touch Feedback
The 5000mAh battery easily lasts a full day, even with a few hours of gaming. Without gaming, you might get 6 hours of screen time. The 45W charging isn’t the quickest, but it’s fast enough, filling the phone from 1% to 100% in just one hour.
A big step up from the earlier model is the audio. The phone now has a dual stereo speaker system fine-tuned by JBL, giving out strong, clear sounds. The touch feedback is also good not too intense, but crisp and enjoyable when typing.
Pros
- Top gaming phone for the cost.
- Cool two-chip tech for more frames.
- Sharp, smooth 144Hz AMOLED screen.
- Good stuff in the box (charger, case, headphones).
- Neat OS with little extra junk.
- Nice battery time and okay charge speed.
- Loud and clear JBL-tuned speakers.
Cons
- Camera work is just okay, not steady.
- No ultra-wide cam.
- Software bugs are a pain (apps freeze) and it's not slick.
- Few OS updates promised (2 updates).
- Finger scan in the screen is slow.
Overall Rating
- Gaming Power: (5/5)
- Screen: (4.5/5)
- Software Use: (3/5)
- Camera: (2.5/5)
- Battery Time: (4/5)
- Worth: (5/5)
- Final Score: (4/5)
The Verdict Who should get it after One Year of partial Use
Seeing this phone a year ahead, a few points stand out. The guts will still be strong. The Dimensity 8200 Ultimate will run most games well, though it may lag on very hard new ones on full settings. The 144Hz screen and strong speakers will still be big plus points.
The big worry is the software. With only two OS updates in line, it will be on its last big update a year from now. More so, if the freeze bug isn’t fixed, it will be a big, ongoing pain. The overall "not smooth" feel of XOS might not get much better.
The cam will seem older, and the battery will wear some, though the 45W charging will still be quick enough. In the end, its long-term worth all rests on Infinix's promise to fix bugs and update software. If they do, it stays a great pick used. If not, it turns into a phone with a clear use-by date.
For its price, the Infinix GT 20 Pro is a great deal. If gaming is key for you, this phone is awesome. It gives smooth, quick game play like no other in its class. It's a tough pick over POCO's, giving a known but better feel.
But, it's not for all. If you care more for cam quality or want a smooth, bug-free software with long support, look other ways. Yet, for gamers on a budget, the GT 20 Pro is maybe the still choice of 2025.
