It was purchased 3 days ago for around 250€ from a well-known chain, for my mother (who doesn't have high demands) who had a Samsung Galaxy A3 2017 which works and the battery lasts, but the 2GB RAM, 16GB internal storage, small screen but Super AMOLED, and the outdated Android 8.0 operating system made the phone practically slow for today's standards of common applications (FB, Youtube, Viber, Chrome, Netflix). The Poco X5 5G is a beast compared to the A3 and economical for what it offers.
Let's start with the positives:
- It has a 5G antenna for future investment, but the coverage has not yet been completed in Greece, so I have disabled 5G from the settings for better battery life and it runs on 4G+.
- It has 6GB regular RAM along with a setting for 3GB Virtual RAM, totaling 9GB, along with the fast Snapdragon processor, it runs smoothly without lagging in the applications of an average user. The 128GB internal storage can hold everything, along with a 64GB microSD.
- It has a regular FM radio without the need for internet connection.
- Easy menu with customization options, it had some bloatware but they can be easily removed.
- It has NFC for contactless payments and infrared for functioning as a remote control with the appropriate application.
- In terms of security, Xiaomi, like Apple, with the corresponding Xiaomi Account and locked bootloader, locks the phone in case of a hard reset.
- The fingerprint sensor works perfectly, the screen has a 120Hz refresh rate for smooth gaming, but it consumes more battery.
- The high-resolution screen has rich colors (OLED panel) in this price category.
- The 48MP camera along with the 8MP camera on the back of the phone are decent in good natural lighting, both in photos and videos, but they struggle in low light conditions, which is expected in this price category. Also, the 48MP is for marketing purposes, as the shots are much better with a 12MP camera on an iPhone.
- The box contains the necessary items that all mobile manufacturers should provide. It actually includes a transparent case, the phone has a thin protective film on it as soon as you take it out of the box, and the 33W fast charger with its cable.
- Strong speakers and excellent call quality.
- The battery is 5000mAh, and for my mother's usage, it lasts 3 to 4 days and charges in an hour with the 33W fast charger. But make sure to use the original Type-C cable, or if you lose it, get the genuine one from the authorized dealer because if you use another cable, the charger will cut off the power and it will charge at 18W instead of 33W. The Poco X5 5G has a special contact in its USB port and cable internally (known as GND Drain) which is colored red/orange, similar to some OnePlus phones or purple in Huawei Super Charge, as an identifier to allow more current above 3A usually and higher power for faster charging. Also, the different voltages and currents that the charger outputs during fast charging (5V, 9V, 11V, 12V, 20V) depending on the battery percentage. The slow charging from 20% to 80-85% (with a simple and quality 5V @ 10W charger) as well as the removal of the plastic case during charging, due to the lower temperature, is good for the battery's health, but it takes too long to charge and the constant putting in and taking out of the case is inconvenient...
- It came with Android 12 out of the box and immediately received a 3.3 GB update to Android 13.
For now, I don't see any negatives, we'll see how it goes...
In conclusion, it is an excellent phone for the price (around 250€) for the average and not only user, make sure to protect it with a screen protector and case because the one it comes with will turn yellow.
Technology
Home & Garden
Fashion
Sports & Outdoors
Health - Beauty
Baby & Kid
Auto - Moto
Business - B2B
Books
