The Poco F1 rocked the smartphone world in 2018 with a combination of a flagship chip and a mid-range price. They are more OnePlus than OnePlus because the prices of their devices are practically ridiculous. Now it's 2023 and Poco is still around but they're not as prolific as other manufacturers.
Through the recently launched Poco X5 Pro, they tried to offer a solid product at a reasonable price. But Malaysia's smartphone landscape has changed a lot since 2018. The definition of value also differs among consumers who now want more features for every ringgit spent. So is it good to buy the Poco X5 Pro or is there a better option this year?
Specifications
Poco X5 Pro
6.67″ AMOLED screen
1080 x 2400 pixels
HDR10+
Snapdragon 778G 5G processor (6nm)
1 X 2.4 GHz Cortex A78 chip
3 X 2.2 GHz Cortex A78
4 X 1.9 GHz Cortex A55
Adreno 642L Graphics Chip
RAM 8 GB LPDDR4X
Internal Storage 256 GB UFS 2.2
Main Camera 108 MP, f/1.9 (Wide Angle)
8 MP, f/2.2 (Ultra Wide Angle)
2 MP, f/2.4 (Macro)
4K 30p
Front Camera 16 Megapixel f/2.5
1080p 60p
5000 mAh battery
67W wired charging
SIM/Telephony Dual SIM Nano /5G
NFC Yes
Infrared Yes
Waterproof None
Side Fingerprint Scan System
Sale Price RM1299 (6/128 GB)
RM1499 (8/256 GB)
Screen
A 6.67″ AMOLED screen with 120Hz refresh rate support is used and it is of the flat type. We like this design because there is no issue of content spilling over to the side of the screen more protected than shock in the event of a fall. The screen looks fast when scrolling is done and detects fingers quite well. Only if under the hot sun, scrolling seems to drop to 60Hz randomly. The screen bezel is also thin and even, making the device look neat when viewed from the front.
Dolby Vision content can also be displayed on the screen without any issues. We managed to enjoy this HDR content from Netflix and Disney+ Hotstar smoothly. The DRM system on the X5 Pro also allows the device to stream content at full HD resolution.
The screen is very bright with satisfactory viewing angles even when used outside in the hot sun. The downside is that it is not of the LTPO type and does not have a built-in fingerprint scanner. On the other hand, the fingerprint scanner is placed on the right side of the power button. It's quite slow with the unlocking process taking around half a second.
Another thing is that the light sensor that automatically controls the screen brightness is a bit inconsistent. Often times the screen appears dim so that it is difficult to see what is displayed. Because it often fails, we turn off the automatic description system and change it manually only.
Design
The body design of the X5 Pro is the same as the X4 Pro which is boxy on all four sides. In the hand this makes the device very comfortable in the hand and most importantly very robust. The metal frame used is not easy to bend and has a non-glossy finish making it non-slip.
The power button with the fingerprint scanner and the audio adjustment button of the elongated rocker type are located on the right side. At the top there is a 3.5mm audio jack, an audio grille and an infrared emitter. A nano dual-SIM tray with a micro SD slot is also placed below with a USB-C port and another audio grid that completes the stereo audio system.
A moderately large bump is placed on the upper left corner of the back panel. Two large prime lenses are paired with a smaller macro lens. Same configuration as last year's Poco X5 GT. This makes the device cannot be placed flat on the table. The back panel is made entirely of metal which is like a non-glossy frame.
It does not get dirty easily and this makes us very happy. In addition to not getting dirty easily, it is also not slippery which makes us confident enough to use it without a frame. If you want a frame, as usual Poco provides a translucent polycarbonate frame with every purchase.
The design of the X5 Pro may not be the most innovative, premium or eye-catching but it is practical. Sometimes in a world that is now more concerned with aesthetics we forget that function should come before appearance. Ease of use on the X5 Pro and this is great for users.
Interface And User Experience
The MIUI 14 launcher is used but it is a version based on Android 12. We are already in February 2023 and Poco is still using Android 12. This is in our opinion difficult to forgive because in Android 13 there are various new features such as automatic themes that should be accessible. Even though Poco is an affordable brand, that's no reason to use Android 12 which could be considered outdated.
The model we reviewed is equipped with a Snapdragon 778G, 8GB of memory and 256GB of storage. There is a feature to add virtual RAM of 2, 3 or 5 GB based on the owner's wishes with it taking part of the 256GB UFS 2.2 storage. It can also be turned off. Throughout the review we activated this Memory Extension feature with 3GB of virtual memory. Usage performance is good with no lag issues or serious device freezes. The stuttering issue is only detected when the public process restores device settings from Google Cloud storage.
Installing and launching the app was without issue. We didn't find any apps that couldn't be installed or frequently crashed after two weeks of use. The Snapragon 778G chip, despite being quite old, is still able to provide satisfactory performance.
Our compliments go to MIUI's easy-to-understand interface with easy-to-understand iconography on the settings screen. The various additional features provided also make the device easier to use. Among the additional features are Dual Apps, Emergency SOS, Themes, App Lock, Second Space, Enterprise Mode and pulse scanner.
The advertisement issue that used to be synonymous with MIUI also no longer exists on MIUI 14 unless the application is installed through GetApps instead of the Play Store. What still exists is a fat application installed right after the device is opened. Applications Booking.com, Genshin Impact, Facebook, Agoda, Spotify, Amazon, TikTok, and Bubble Shooter are among those already installed. Useful if you want it but we uninstalled because it just eats up storage space.
Bench mark
The Snapdragon 778G chip on the X5 Pro scored below in the Geekbench 5 and Antutu 3D tests. We cannot install the 3D Mark app on the device because it is blocked by MIUI. Let's compare the benchmark score of X5 Pro with Honor 70 5G and Nothing Phone (1) which uses Snapdragon 778+ chip.
Geekbench 5
Poco X5 Pro – 781/2892
Honor 70 5G – 814/2926
Nothing Phone (1) – 819/2935
Antutu 3D
Poco X5 Pro – 529,942
Honor 70 5G – 554,434
Nothing Phone (1) – 583,079
There are no performance issues and most importantly many games can be played at relatively high settings with stable frame rates. Again we used COD Mobile as a benchmark and it was playable with high textures and almost all graphics settings activated. Smooth gameplay can be enjoyed. The device also does not heat up after four continuous MP sessions.
The Game Turbo feature allows games to be set to run more smoothly or increase processing performance while they are running. Notifications and phone calls can be automatically ignored through settings in Game Turbo.
There is no issue making the X5 Pro a device for beginners as the Snapdragon 778G is powerful enough for the majority of applications at moderate settings. There are also no issues running other apps like YouTube, Facebook, TikTok, Netflix, and Instagram.
Telephony and GPS
The Poco X5 Pro is equipped with a 5G modem but during the review period we were unable to connect it to Digi's 5G network under DNB. The device is also still not on the supported list at this time. The internet connection to the 4G LTE+ network is good and there is also VoLTE voice calling support. But we realize that sometimes when using the phone, there is a significant latency so like to chat with the person being contacted.
GPS performance is also as good as cellular performance with locations that can be tracked in Waze and Google Maps apps quickly. While driving the signal is not interrupted even in the middle of Kuala Lumpur which is full of tall buildings.
Camera
The main 108MP wide-angle, 8MP ultra-wide-angle and 2MP macro cameras are paired with a 16MP front camera. Sorry to be informed that there is no OIS system on the main camera. The camera application comes with the standard features of Portrait, Night, Panorama and 108MP. Despite being equipped with a macro sensor, there is no macro mode on the camera. When trying to take a macro picture, the picture taken is blurry. This makes us suspicious that the included macro lens seems useless at all.
It is easy to use the camera application because of the easy-to-understand iconography and also the main features can be accessed quickly. The camera performance is only average and it is not as fast as a flagship device. The process of converting between wide angle to ultra wide angle lens takes about one second.
This issue should not occur because on Honor 70 and Nothing Phone (1) also with Snapdragon 788 the slow camera issue does not occur. The camera app needs to be optimized to make it smoother.
On the 108MP main lens the pictures taken are bright but less sharp because there is no built-in OIS. To take a good picture, we need to hold our breath to stabilize the camera before the camera button is pressed. We also realize that in good lighting the picture is satisfactory just a little darker than the actual situation.
Night mode also looks softer again due to the lack of OIS. Significant blooming effect on light source. In dark situations there is a little noise.
One less pleasant issue is that the selfie portrait mode looks too fake. Sometimes the separation of the background with the object is not done well. You can see this in the selfie below. Throughout the hat and hair the bokeh effect looks very awkward.
Battery
A large 5000 mAh battery supports a 67W charger that comes with every purchase. In our tests, the X5 Pro lasted all day with SOT reaching 10 hours on moderate use. Satisfactory battery life for a 2023 device. We often see around 20-30% battery at the end of the day before going to sleep. Recharge time is around 1 hour which is forgivable due to the large battery capacity. A 67W charger is also provided with every purchase.
Audio
Audio from the stereo speakers is balanced because both audio grilles shoot to the sides. The Dolby Atmos system works with speakers and also installed audio accessories. The audio volume is satisfactory but the body of the X5 Pro will vibrate strongly at the highest setting making it uncomfortable to hold. There is still a 3.5mm audio jack on the top which makes this phone unique as this is an increasingly rare feature on modern devices.
In the box
What's In The Box
Here is what was included in the box we received.
1x Poco X5 Pro
1x Translucent silicone frame.
1x 67W two-pin charger
1x USB-A to USB-C charging cable.
1x SIM Pin.
1x Manual.
Conclusion
Is it still good to buy Poco X5 Pro? The answer is yes because it works as a good mid-range device with a reasonable selling price. The screen supports Dolby Vision display, and 120Hz AMOLED. The Snapdragon 778G processor is also very good at running various applications and startups without any heating issues. The camera isn't that great but it's on par with the majority of devices in the same class. Then there are stereo speakers with Dolby Atmos.
The downsides are no microSD card support on a mid-range device, a slow fingerprint scanner and a gimmicky macro camera. At the end of the day with the sale price starting at RM1299 we feel it is worth it for what is offered.
Pro
120Hz AMOLED screen with bright Dolby Vision.
The Snapdragon 778G is a powerful mid-range processor.
Stereo audio with Dolby Atmos.
3.5mm audio jack.
Satisfactory battery life.
Cons
Still Android 12.
Fingerprint scanner is slow.
No micro SD card slot.
No 5G DNB support at this time.