Poco X5 Pro Review: It’s not that easy to pull THE cell phone out of the large Xiaomi portfolio. But the POCO X5 Pro 5G does a lot right and is currently available for €299.90 at mi.com. The 256 GB version is also available from Amazon for €345.99.
- 120Hz AMOLED
- Snapdragon 778
- 67W charging
With the POCO X5 Pro 5G & POXO X5 5G, the mid-range series of the POCO sub-brand is being expanded. The POCO X5 Pro 5G is the first global smartphone release with the new MIUI 14 operating system on board. In addition, you get decent performance and a handsome Flow AMOLED display, but you have to make certain compromises.
Poco X5 Pro Review: X5 Pro 5G Specs, Price
- POCO X5 Pro 5G (6/128GB)
- POCO X5 Pro 5G (8/256GB)
- POCO X5 5G (6/128GB)
- POCO X5 5G (8/256GB)
- Specifications of the POCO X5 Pro 5G & POCO X5
POCO X5 Pro 5G | POCO X5 | |
screen | 6.67″ Flow AMOLED (2400 x 1080p), 120 Hz, Gorilla Glass 5 | 6.67″ AMOLED (2400 x 1080p), 120 Hz, Gorilla Glass 3 |
processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon 778, Octa Core @ 2.4GHz | Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 @2.2GHz |
graphics chip | Qualcomm Adreno 642L GPU | Adreno 619 GPU |
random access memory | 6/8GB LPDDR4X | 6/8GB LPDDR4X |
Internal memory | 128/256GB UFS 2.2 | 128/256 GB UFS 2.2 (expandable) |
main camera | 108 MP Samsung with ƒ/1.9 aperture 8 MP ultra wide angle camera (120°) 2 MP macro camera | 48 MP Samsung with ƒ/1.9 aperture 8 MP ultra wide angle camera (118°) 2 MP macro camera |
front camera | 16 MP with ƒ/2.4 aperture | 13 MP with ƒ/2.45 aperture |
battery pack | 5,000mAh, 67W charging | 5,000mAh, 33W charging |
connectivity | 5G, LTE Band 20, Bluetooth 5.2, IR, USB-C, 3.5 mm jack, GPS, NFC, Dual SIM | 5G, LTE Band 20, Bluetooth 5.1, IR, USB-C, 3.5 mm jack, GPS, NFC, hybrid SIM |
features | Fingerprint sensor side, stereo speakers | Fingerprint sensor side |
operating system | MIUI 14 based on Android 12 | MIUI 13 based on Android 12 |
dimensions / weight | 162.91 x 76.03 x 7.9mm/181g | 165.88 x 76.21 x 7.98mm/189g |
Price | 6/128 GB: €349 RRP 8/256 GB: €399 RRP | 6/128GB: €299.99 8/256GB: €349.99 |
Standstill İn Terms Of Design
Poco X5 Pro Review: While Xiaomi is placing more and more emphasis on the exterior of the smartphones, that is not POCO’s primary focus. Probably not the secondary either. Because the POCO X5 Pro 5G is some what reminiscent of the inexpensive M series and differs only slightly from its predecessor.
The triple camera setup is arranged in a triangle and sits on a plateau. To the right is the POCO logo, so the module covers the entire width. The design is shared with the POCO X5 5G, which is available in green, blue and black. The POCO X5 Pro 5G, on the other hand, is available in black, yellow and blue.
The power button is on the right side and doubles as a fingerprint sensor. Logically, this means that there is no fingerprint sensor under the display. And the smartphone can also be unlocked by face recognition.
It sticks to the angular design of the predecessor and comes up with dimensions of 162.91 x 76.03 x 7.9 mm with a weight of 181g. Despite having the same screen size as the Pro model, the X5 5G is slightly larger and heavier. The case workmanship is okay and makes a mediocre impression, and there is also no IP rating for protection against water.
POCO X5 Pro 5G with Flow AMOLED display
POCO installs a 6.67″ AMOLED panel in both smartphones. The panel of the X5 Pro 5G is labeled as a 6.67″ FullHD+ Flow AMOLED DotDisplay. We are indeed dealing with a panel that one would rather expect in a flagship smartphone.
For the ignorant among you, a Flow AMOLED panel is a bit thinner and lighter than a “regular” OLED and also a bit more resilient. With 1920 Hz PWM dimming technology, it also protects the eyes better. The highlight, however, is the 120 Hz refresh rate.
Both devices have it, but oddly enough, the average brightness in the Pro version is 500 nits and a maximum of 900 nits lower than in the X5. However, this is not the end of the world, since the brightness of the X5 Pro 5G is absolutely sufficient in practice. In addition, the Pro has a 10-bit panel and Corning Gorilla Glass 5 protection, while the X5 only has Gorilla Glass 3.
Despite the AMOLED display, we don’t get an always-on display with the X5 Pro 5G. Well, that’s not entirely true. Finally, you have the option of showing an “Always On” display for ten seconds. In practice, of course, this turned out to be of little use. Personally, I think that you have to offer a real always-on display that works permanently. We’ll see if there’s a software update.
Well-known processor
Different display and different processor. The X5 Pro 5G is equipped with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 778 processor, an octa-core chip with a clock frequency of up to 2.4 GHz, manufactured using the relatively efficient 6nm process.
The same processor brings solid power to the speedometer, as was shown in the benchmark test, and I was satisfied with the performance even when using the smartphone on a daily basis. Xiaomi has already installed the SoC in the Xiaomi 12 Lite, for example, and the Plus version is in the Nothing Phone (1). POCO combines it with 6 or 8 GB LPDDR4X RAM and 128 or 256 GB UFS 2.2 mass storage.
In the POCO X5 5G, on the other hand, you have to make do with the Snapdragon 695 from Qualcomm. Ironically, this is the same chip as in the POCO X4 Pro, which Xiaomi has already installed in the Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G. Thanks to 6nm production, it is also relatively energy-efficient, but with a 2.2 GHz clock frequency it has a little less power. The memory configurations are even identical, in fact you can even expand the memory of the X5 5G with a microSD card.
Both smartphones are equipped with a 5,000 mAh battery. The POCO X5 5G can be charged with the supplied charger with 33W, the X5 Pro 5G even supports 67W charging and is fully charged in less than 45 minutes. Decisive for some, irrelevant for others: neither of the two models has a wireless charging function. The Nothing Phone (1), for example, is in the same price segment and has exactly this function.
First smartphone with MIUI 14
Poco X5 Pro Review: The POCO X5 Pro 5G is the first smartphone from the Xiaomi universe available in Europe, which is equipped with the latest generation of the in-house MIUI 14 operating system. The new OS should be significantly lighter and offer better performance. Still, it wasn’t really convincing.
The reason for this is the lack of new features such as super icons or widgets. All features and information about the rollout can be found here. In addition, the operating system is still based on Android 12, after all, MIUI updates are not necessarily linked to Android updates. The POCO X5 5G also comes with Android 12, but still with MIUI 13.
Although the X5 series supports 5G, only the Pro version works on both slots. In addition, it is still equipped with WiFi 6, Bluetooth 5.2, GPS and NFC . Also, only the Pro version has two speakers, you only get one in the X5 5G. Funny, stereo speakers were actually the standard in the last few generations, even in cheaper devices. In general, the hardware of the X5 Pro 5G is absolutely satisfactory for a mid-range benchmark, even if you don’t get the very latest connectivity like WiFi 6E or Bluetooth 5.3.
Poco X5 Pro Review: The X5 5G gets the previous generation of all connection options, such as Bluetooth 5.1, but it offers a hybrid SIM slot with space for two nano SIM cards or one nano SIM and one microSD card. The good old jack connection can be found on the top of both devices.
108 MP cameras are still a thing
Poco X5 Pro Review: Compared to its predecessor, the POCO X5 Pro 5G is equipped with an almost identical camera setup. An older generation of the 108 megapixel Samsung ISOCELL sensor also ensures that the photos are large here, the aperture is ƒ/1.9. In addition, there is the superfluous 2 MP macro camera and an 8 MP ultra wide-angle camera with a 120° recording angle, which makes it slightly wider than its predecessor. But the selfie camera is also identical with a 16 megapixel sensor and a ƒ/2.4 aperture. 4K recordings are only possible with the main camera, but there are also the well-known photo and video modes, such as the vlog mode.
This is absolutely standard equipment. The recordings are n’t the best. As long as the lighting conditions are right, decent pictures are taken. Bright colors in particular come out well. However, if the lighting conditions are not right, inferior pictures are taken. And the selfie camera is okay too. For the price you have to make compromises on some point and that’s the camera equipment of the X5 Pro 5G.
Conclusion: Buy POCO X5 Pro 5G?
The POCO X5 Pro 5G is a solid overall package, but it does n’t really stand out in any respect. And above all, the X5 Pro 5G cannot score with a decisive innovation in terms of software or hardware. The fact that MIUI 14 is still delivered with Android 12 and hardly contains any of the actual innovations is weak.
There can certainly be an update and hopefully there will be, but it’s just a missed opportunity. To be fair, that doesn’t change the fact that the X5 Pro 5G is a good all-round smartphone with essential core features for its pricethat was only found in flagships a few generations ago: 120 Hz AMOLED, 67W charging, 5G, 108 MP camera and stereo speakers. Poco X5 Pro Review ..