If you're looking for a budget smartphone with good value for
money, you might want to consider the POCO X5. This smartphone is POCO's latest
offering in India and aims to fill the gap in the sub-Rs 20,000 segment. But
does it offer the same value for money as its elder sibling, the POCO X5 Pro?
Let's find out in this review of the POCO X5.
Design and Build Quality
At first glance, the POCO X5 may look similar to last year's
X4 Pro, but there are noticeable differences. For one, the X5 features a curved
back panel instead of a flat one, and its edges are sleeker. The handset
measures 7.98mm in thickness and weighs 189 grams. The phone has a plastic back
panel, and the camera bar is flush with the chassis, with only the camera
platform protruding from the surface. This makes the phone lightweight and
comfortable to hold. The phone also sports a matte finish, which gives it a
less glossy appearance. However, the phone gets dirty quite quickly and
requires regular cleaning to wipe off fingerprints and smudges.
Display
The POCO X5 boasts a lovely screen that measures 6.67 inches
and has a resolution of 2400 x 1080 pixels. The display is bright and vibrant,
and the colours pop. The phone has a 120Hz refresh rate that makes scrolling
through content and playing games a smooth experience.
Performance and Software
The POCO X5 is powered by the Snapdragon 860 SoC, which is a
decent chipset but could have been better. The phone comes with 6GB of RAM and
128GB of internal storage, which can be expanded up to 1TB via a microSD card.
The phone runs on MIUI 12 based on Android 11, which is easy to navigate and
has many customisation options. The latest software and higher storage capacity
are what you get if you choose the POCO X5.
Camera
The POCO X5 packs triple rear cameras with a 48MP primary
unit, an 8MP ultra-wide lens, and a 2MP macro sensor. The selfie camera on the
handset has a 13MP sensor. The 48MP primary sensor performs well in daylight,
with its quick focus speed and capture time. The sensor outputs 12MP images by
default, which look good if not great. However, compared to the 64MP sensor on
the POCO X4 Pro, the lower resolution sensor on the X5 fails to capture as many
details. The X5 also tends to struggle with controlling sunlight flares.
Moreover, the POCO X5 does not have an auto HDR mode, and users must enable the
feature each time they launch the camera app.
Battery Life
The POCO X5 has a 5,000mAh battery, which is decent for a
smartphone in this price range. The phone comes with a 33W charging solution,
which is over 50 percent slower than the POCO X4 Pro's charging tech. The POCO
X5 takes more than an hour to juice up its battery from 0-100 percent. In
contrast, the X4 Pro, with its 67W fast charging, can fully charge the same
battery in about 40 minutes.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Lightweight and thin
- Lovely screen
- Capable selfie camera
- Decent battery life
Cons:
- No stereo speakers
- Underwhelming primary camera
- Chipset could have been better
Verdict
The POCO X5 is a decent smartphone option for those looking
for a device under Rs 20,000. It has a sleek design, a capable selfie camera,
and decent battery life. However, the primary camera and the chipset could have
been better. It also shares many similarities with last year's POCO X4 Pro, so
buyers may want to consider individual preferences before making a choice.
Overall, the POCO X5 is a good value for money purchase in its price range.
Full specification of POCO X5
Key Specs
- RAM: 6 GB
- Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 695
- Rear Camera: 48 MP + 8 MP + 2 MP
- Front Camera: 13 MP
- Battery: 5000 mAh
- Display: 6.67 inches (16.94 cm)
General
- Launch Date: March 14, 2023 (Official)
- Operating System: Android v12
- Custom UI: MIUI
Performance
- Chipset: Qualcomm Snapdragon 695
- CPU: Octa-core (2.2 GHz, Dual-core, Kryo 660 + 1.7 GHz, Hexa Core, Kryo 660)
- Architecture: 64 bit
- Fabrication: 6 nm
- Graphics: Adreno 619
- RAM: 6 GB
- RAM Type: LPDDR4X
Display
- Display Type: Super AMOLED
- Screen Size: 6.67 inches (16.94 cm)
- Resolution: 1080 x 2400 pixels
- Aspect Ratio: 20:9
- Pixel Density: 395 ppi
- Screen to Body Ratio (calculated): 85.02%
- Screen Protection: Corning Gorilla Glass
- Bezel-less display: Yes with punch-hole display
- Touch Screen: Yes, Capacitive Touchscreen, Multi-touch
- Brightness: 1200 nits
- Refresh Rate: 120 Hz
Design
- Height: 165.8 mm
- Width: 76.2 mm
- Thickness: 7.9 mm
- Weight: 188 grams
- Colours: Jaguar Black, Wildcat Blue, Supernova Green
- Waterproof: Yes, Splashproof, IP53
- Ruggedness: Dustproof
Camera
MAIN CAMERA
- Camera Setup: Triple
- Resolution: 48 MP f/1.8, Wide Angle, Primary Camera (2.7" sensor size, 0.64µm pixel size), 8 MP f/2.2, Ultra-Wide Angle Camera (4.0" sensor size, 1.12µm pixel size), 2 MP f/2.4, Macro Camera
- Autofocus: Yes
- Flash: Yes, Dual LED Flash
- Image Resolution: 8000 x 6000 Pixels
- Settings: Exposure compensation, ISO control
- Shooting Modes: Continuous Shooting, High Dynamic Range mode (HDR)
- Camera Features: 10 x Digital Zoom, Auto Flash, Face detection, Touch to focus
- Video Recording: 1920x1080 @ 30 fps, 1280x720 @ 30 fps
FRONT CAMERA
- Camera Setup: Single
- Resolution: 13 MP, Wide Angle, Primary Camera
- Video Recording: 1920x1080 @ 30 fps, 1280x720 @ 30 fps
Battery
- Capacity: 5000 mAh
- Type: Li-Polymer
- Removable: No
- Quick Charging: Yes, Fast, 33W: 100 % in 60 minutes
- USB Type-C: Yes
Storage
- Internal Memory: 128 GB
- Expandable Memory: Yes, Up to 1 TB
- Storage Type: UFS 2.2
- USB OTG: Yes
Network & Connectivity
- SIM Slot(s): Dual SIM, GSM+GSM
- SIM Size: SIM1: Nano, SIM2: Nano (Hybrid)
- Network Support: 5G Supported in India, 4G Supported in India, 3G, 2G
- VoLTE: Yes
