India, Oct. 6 -- Phones around Rs.25,000 increasingly have to find a reason to be noticed. Processor specifications and a large battery alone are no longer enough. The Infinix Hot 70 Pro, priced at Rs.24,999, approaches the problem differently with its Active Matrix Cube rear display, IP68 protection, a 144Hz FHD+ screen and a 6,000mAh battery.

That combination gives the phone an identity, but it also raises an important question: are these features backed by enough everyday performance to make it more than an interesting-looking mid-range phone?

The answer depends heavily on how you use your smartphone. It gets several practical things right, particularly durability, display resolution, storage performance and software support. Push it...