By 
When the Poco F1 was introduced, it seemed that Xiaomi was ready to take the mantle left behind by OnePlus as the ‘flagship killer’. The F1 was powered by the Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon 845 (at the time), and brought a combination of specs and gorgeous design along with an ultra-low price point to take the market by storm.
Since the F1’s release, Poco has taken a step back, as it has released more budget and mid-range devices. That’s all changing though, as the Poco X3 Pro is here as the true successor to the Poco F1 from 2018.
Poco’s X3 Pro is the latest in the line of X3-branded devices, with both the standard Poco X3 and X3 NFC coming late last year. The Pro moniker is being put to good use this time around, with an impressive spec sheet that should make everyone think twice about their next smartphone.
Poco X3 Pro Specs
- Display: 6.67-inch FHD+ LCD DotDisplay
- Refresh Rate: 120Hz refresh rate, 240Hz touch sampling rate
- HDR 10
- Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 860
- RAM: 6GB or 8GB
- Storage: 128GB or 256GB
- Front Camera: 20MP, f/2.2 aperture
- Rear Cameras: 48MP (main), 8MP (ultra wide), 2MP (macro), 2MP (depth sensor)
- Battery: 5,160mAh
- Charging: 33W fast charging via USB-C
- Security: Side-mounted fingerprint scanner, AI Face Unlock
- Extras: 3.5mm Headphone Jack, NFC, IR Blaster, Dual Speakers
- Software: MIUI 12 for POCO, based on Android 11
- Colors: Phantom Black, Frost Blue, Metal Bronze
What to expect
As you would expect, the Poco X3 Pro maintains the same design as the other X3 devices in Poco’s lineup. The real changes here come in the rear cameras, display, and the power.
Kicking things off, the 6.67-inch display features an FHD+ resolution along with an ultra-fast 120Hz refresh rate. There’s 240Hz touch sampling, which will make this budget-friendly phone feel faster than it already is. For good measure, Poco even made the display HDR 10-rated, so your movies and other viewing content will look incredible.
Under the hood is a previously-unannounced processor from Qualcomm. The Snapdragon 860 is at the helm, which seems to be a slightly-overclocked model of the SD855, which powered many of the best Android phones from 2019. We’ve been seeing Qualcomm release these ‘in-between’ processors, which has helped mid-range and even budget phones provide flagship-level performance at a fraction of the price.
Along with the Snapdragon 860, Poco has offered either 6GB or 8GB of RAM, and either 128GB or 256GB of onboard storage. What you see is what you get, however, as you won’t be able to take advantage of a microSD card slot here.
In addition to the superb performance offered by the SD860 and up to 8GB of RAM, battery life should also be a dream. With its 5,160mAh battery, the X3 Pro should easily last you throughout the day, and then some. And when it’s time to give your phone some juice, you can use the included 33W fast charger for quick charging speeds.
But Poco (and Xiaomi) didn’t stop there when it comes to battery life and battery efficiency. The Poco X3 Pro features the company’s Liquid Cool Technology 1.0 Plus. This makes use of “an enlarged copper heat pipe” along with “multiple layers of graphite” which are designed in such a way to reduce the heat being inflicted on the processor.
While it’s all fine and dandy to have a near-flagship-level experience in performance, it’s almost just as important to have some great cameras. It seems that the X3 Pro fits the bill quite nicely with its quad-rear camera setup headlined by a 48MP primary sensor. The X3 Pro also includes an 8MP ultra wide, 2MP macro, and 2MP depth sensor for all of your photography and videography needs.
Speaking of which, Poco has included an array of camera software features. These include an ultra-wide Night Mode, Dual Video, Video Clone, and the ability to take photos with long exposures. And as for that Dual Video mode, this will make use of both your 20MP selfie camera and the 48MP main camera on the back to record two videos at the same time.
Price and availability
The fun part about the Poco X3 Pro is the price. The company has finally confirmed pricing with the 6GB/128GB version coming in at €249. Those who want a bit more RAM and double the storage are going to be looking at an ultra-low price of just €299.
If you want to get in early and pre-order the X3 Pro, then you’ll be able to save €50 with Poco’s “Early bird” pricing. The Poco X3 Pro will go on sale starting March 24th, with the company’s Early Bird promotion running until April 1st.
Comments