Infinix Inbook X1 Slim Review
As I was heading out for a late night walk the other day, I received a call from an old friend recounting his ordeal and how his decision to buy an expensive laptop turned out to be a bad decision. He just picked the wrong laptop, one that wasn’t made for people like him. This happens with many people who, without thinking, spend a lot of money to get a laptop, only to realize later that the device they bought did not live up to expectations. The Inbook X1 Slim doesn’t set such unrealistic expectations that it’s hard to justify spending more than Rs 30,000 on Infinix’s latest budget laptop. But is it something I want to recommend to a friend or family member? Here is my review of the Inbook X1 Slim.
Infinix Inbook X1 Slim Price in India (Review Unit): Rs 39,990 (Core i5, 8GB RAM & 512GB SSD)
Infinix Inbook X1 Slim review: Design and aesthetics
Budget laptops rarely excite and that’s a fact. But the Inbook X1 Slim is an exception. It’s a handsome 14-inch laptop with an understated, clean design, something you won’t often find in a budget laptop. It weighs 1.24 kg and seems robust thanks to its aluminum frame. Most laptops in this price range are heavy and made from plastic materials. So seeing a laptop with a metal body in the budget segment is a rarity. My review unit came in “Cosmic Blue” and it looks stunning. The notebook is also available in Aurora Green and Starfall Gray color options.
At first glance, the Inbook X1 Slim doesn’t look like a budget laptop. (Image credit: Anuj Bhatia/Indian Express)
The Inbook X1 Slim seemed almost invisible to me when I dropped it in my tote bag and headed for an interview. The two-tone finish is a pleasure to look at, almost like I’m using a high-end laptop. Run your fingers over it and it gives a feeling of subtle luxury. There are no squeaks when you open and close the lid. The two rear corners house several connectivity ports, and one of them has an SD card slot. Along the sides live two USB-C ports (one for data transfer), one USB 3.0, one HDMI 1.4, and a 3.5mm headphone jack.
Infinix Inbook X1 Slim review: screen and speakers
Once you open the X1 Slim, the first thing you’ll notice is the screen. A 14-inch Full HD IPS display is bright, hitting 300 nits. The screen is easy to read from the sides and I had no problems browsing or watching YouTube videos on the X1 Slim. Of course, it doesn’t have high-end features. And it doesn’t use OLED or AMOLED technology. But what it offers in terms of display will suit most people.
Then there is the webcam. This is a standard 720p HD webcam. No matter how much I identify with the lack of 1080p webcams on laptops, brands have yet to recognize that users want high-quality cameras on their laptops.
I found the 14-inch screen bright and colorful. (Image credit: Anuj Bhatia/Indian Express)
To my surprise, the speakers weren’t disappointing. Usually, those featured on low-end laptops don’t offer mid-range volume or response. But the X1 Slim’s speakers are great for listening to music and taking part in video calls.
Infinix Inbook X1 Slim review: keyboard and trackpad
The laptop keyboard is soft and squishy. It’s useful but not remarkable. After a while, you feel a little better, whether you’re typing a review or giving a presentation. The key backlighting is nice and bright when typing in the dark. If you like quiet keyboards, this isn’t for you.
If you like quiet keyboards, this isn’t for you. (Image credit: Anuj Bhatia/Indian Express)
The trackpad under the keyboard is large, but it’s plastic, not glass. It is prone to click errors, which I observed in my testing. Additionally, I found the trackpad to be stiff. You have to press hard to register the click – not such a good experience. Fortunately, it handles scrolling and gestures very well. It’s not a deal breaker, but I’m a bit disappointed to see the X1 Slim’s average keyboard and trackpad. The fingerprint reader in the upper right corner of the keyboard is accurate.
Infinix Inbook X1 Slim review: performance and battery
The base version of the X1 Slim packs an Intel Core i3 processor, 8GB of RAM, and 256GB of storage space. Infinix, however, has provided a more powerful model for review, which includes an Intel Core i5 processor, 8GB of RAM and 512GB of storage. The company uses 10th generation Intel chips instead of something newer. I guess this is partly to keep costs down, but the truth is that I didn’t notice any speed issues throughout the testing.
The i5 version I use is suitable for students or anyone willing to pay a little more but wants reliable performance, fast boot time and faster charging. I streamed songs through Apple Music, watched YouTube and Amazon Prime Video, and wrote reviews and news stories with 15-20 tabs open in Chrome without noticing any stuttering or slow performance. Windows 11 is not a lightweight operating system (unlike Google’s Chrome OS), and the Intel i5 processor and 8GB of RAM proved to be very powerful for the time being.
My review unit came in “Cosmic Blue” and it looks stunning. (Image credit: Anuj Bhatia/Indian Express)
The X1 Slim’s battery wasn’t great, with the laptop lasting between 4 and 5 hours on a single charge. I didn’t quite reach Infinix’s claimed 10 hours of use. The X1 Slim also supports fast charging, and in my testing it got it to around 65 per cent charge in around 55 minutes. Please note that the USB-C port (one of them) handles video output but does not support Thunderbolt 4.
Infinix Inbook X1 Slim review: Should you buy one?
The X1 Slim isn’t top of the line when it comes to performance, and laptops at this price, in general, don’t seem to offer anything groundbreaking. That said, for those looking for something practical and reliable in the budget laptop space, the Infinix Inbook X1 Slim fits the bill despite a few imperfections.