by The POCO X5 Pro is POCO’s latest entry and refresh of their ‘premium’ line of budget mid-tier phones.
Originally a sub-brand of Xiaomi, POCO has grown into its own independent company just like its sister brand Redmi.
The POCO X5 Pro that was provided to us for review carries POCO’s signature corporate colors, black and yellow.
Specifications
These are the basic specifications:
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Snapdragon 778G chip
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6 or 8 GB RAM
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128 or 256 GB memory space
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5000 mAh battery with 67 watt charging
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108 Megapixel (MP) wide camera
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8 MP ultra-wide camera
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2MP camera with macro lens
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6.67″ FHD+ AMOLED display with 120 Hz refresh rate, 2400 x 1080 resolution
The packaging comes with a transparent protective case, a charger (which usually doesn’t come with many phones these days) that can output 67W, and a USB-A to USB-C charger.
A glass protector is already installed on the phone, so you don’t need to buy one to protect your screen.
The version we are reviewing today has 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage space. I personally used this daily for 3 weeks.
Price
I mention the price so early simply because it’s the main attraction for the phone in my opinion.
The version with 6 GB RAM / 128 GB memory costs S$429, with a special early bird price of S$399. The version we have with 8 GB RAM / 256 GB memory costs S$469, with an early bird price of S$449. Early bird pricing ends on February 13, 2023.
I must say, for a phone that retails for less than S$500, the POCO X5 Pro is a clear winner.
It doesn’t perform anything like a ‘budget’ phone, and it’s proof that phones at this price point can do so many things comparable to phones in the S$1,000 range.
Performance
The Snapdragon 778G chip in the X5 Pro might not be the latest and greatest from Qualcomm, but it’s more than enough to deliver a snappy user experience.
With eight cores for its CPU power, this provides a very smooth experience when loading apps and hardly breaks a sweat when running multiple applications at once.
Not once did the X5 Pro stick with me as it was consistently good as a daily driver.
In my Google Pixel 6a review, I stated that 6 GB of RAM is still more than enough to run Android apps and keep the phone running normally without any drawbacks. I imagine the 6GB version of the X5 Pro would be no different than the 8GB unit we tested for this review.
Gaming on the phone is pretty good too, and while the phone does tend to get a little hot, that’s nothing alarming. Most games run well with it, but heavier titles such as Genshin effect must run at 30 fps to be stable.
The 5000 mAh battery also gives the phone good battery life. I only had to charge it after a day and a half of moderately intensive use.
The 67W charging is really something else too, charging the phone from zero to 50 per cent in just 15 minutes. A full 100 percent charge took about 45-50 minutes.
The 120 Hz AMOLED display is bright and sharp, while the face and fingerprint unlock is also extremely fast and snappy.
Camera
For a phone with this price, it’s crazy to think that they managed to put a 108 megapixel lens on it. But megapixels are only a small part of the story.
Colors are a little saturated in photos with the AI touch-up, but it’s still a good phone for day-to-day shots. Gone are the days when photos were super saturated to make the colors pop more.
The phone can also shoot 4K videos which is a win.
Other pros and cons
With the X5 Pro at this price, the phone must have some drawbacks, right?
Well, again, it really depends on what you’re looking for.
The POCO’s interface, MIUI, is a much more standard experience than the MIUI version of Redmi or Xiaomi.
If you prefer a stock Android phone, this might be for you. Since I’m a Google Pixel user (they don’t come with excessive menus and bloatware), I welcome this with open arms.
The phone does not have wireless charging. This is also a preference, but with how fast the phone charges, I’d even say you probably don’t even need it.
Conclusion
The POCO X5 Pro really is proof that you don’t have to buy a S$1,000 priced phone to get a good one.
Despite being only S$469, it is well above its class by functioning and performing similarly to high-end phone models.
I don’t really know what you’d use the more expensive phones for beyond what you’d do with the X5 Pro.
The price is a bargain, the phone looks great, it functions great and it comes with a charger.
What more can you ask?
Dominic loves technology and games. When he’s not water-cooling his computer components, he’s into professional wrestling.
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