Xiaomi Poco X5 smartphone review – Everything you need?

The Poco X5 is a mid-range instrument from Poco. It’s above Poco’s M collection however beneath the F collection. Subsequent to the X5 5G, there may be a better-equipped X5 Professional 5G. Poco provides the X5 in numerous variations, both with 128 GB reminiscence and six GB RAM or with 256 GB reminiscence and eight GB RAM.

The smaller type lately prices $226 and for extra reminiscence, you are going to be paying just below $50 further. The X5 is to be had in 3 colours: black, blue and inexperienced. All of the colours are fairly understated and matte. Our check type is the only with the smaller reminiscence. 

The again of the Poco X5 is made from plastic. The digital camera module extrudes a little bit – if you happen to kind whilst the telephone is at the desk, it wobbles ever so moderately. Its construct is just right – the buttons have a transparent force level. The telephone is IP53 qualified, which means it’s a minimum of water-repellent. The body and again are each matte and shouldn’t have a bent to turn fingerprints. The instrument makes noises whilst you attempt to twist it. 

The Poco X5 will depend on cast {hardware}. Its put in Snapdragon 695 5G is not completely up-to-date, however this is not any explanation why to pull away on this value class. A favorable facet is that the telephone has an audio jack and that you’ll be able to enlarge the garage by means of a microSD card. The instrument even has an infrared port and NFC.

The telephone additionally has a twin SIM function – however handiest when there is not any microSD card put in, as this is a hybrid port. Its USB-C connection handiest has a USB 2.0 transmission same old.

The Xiaomi Poco X5 has a integrated microSD card reader which accepts a capability of as much as 1 TB. The instrument may be exFAT succesful. In our check the usage of an Angelbird AV Professional V60 as a reference card, the telephone’s switch charges have been first rate.

The X5 is a little bit quicker than the Redmi Be aware 12 and significantly quicker than the Telekom T-Telephone Professional. On the other hand, the Samsung Galaxy A23 is ready two times as speedy in terms of moving knowledge.

The Poco X5 comes delivered with Android 12 put in – however at once after environment the telephone up, it will provide you with the way to replace it to Android 13. The producer will depend on MIUI 14 as an overlay. After first putting in the 128-GB model of the telephone, there have been 101 GB to be had to make use of. On the time of checking out, the security patch is from 1st March 2023.

Ex works, the telephone comes with reasonably a couple of apps preinstalled – starting from Poco apps and Xiaomi and Google device, throughout to third-party apps equivalent to TikTok, , Reserving, Amazon, Bing and Agoda. There are reasonably a couple of video games already put in, too. Fortunately, all of those apps can simply be deleted.

Data referring to how lengthy the Poco X5 might be provided with device and safety updates isn’t to be had at the moment.

The Poco telephone makes use of Wifi-5 for its WLAN connection. The usage of the Asus ROG Rapture GT-AXE11000 as our reference router, transmission labored fantastic and the charges in our check remained solid. In the case of pace, the X5 is moderate for this value differ. All of the different telephones on this comparability delivered equivalent speeds.

In terms of cell connection, the telephone behaves simply as unremarkably. It’s in a position to 5G, its protection is just right and all of the maximum vital frequency bands are lined. 

Out of doors, the Poco X5 establishes a connection by means of satellite tv for pc temporarily and reliably. Indoors, the relationship is rather less solid and its positioning is reasonably faulty. The Poco has a mono GNSS connection, nevertheless it helps SBAS.

We examined the satellite tv for pc connection’s accuracy on a motorbike travel the usage of the Garmin Venus 2 as a reference instrument. The Poco X5 did a just right process of localizing and it displayed radii nicely. In on a regular basis use, navigation the usage of products and services equivalent to Google Maps will have to paintings and not using a drawback. 

There aren’t any surprises in terms of phoning at the Poco X5. The tone popping out of the earpiece is obvious and loud sufficient. Your voice is transmitted reliably – even though it would clear out background noise a little bit larger. Phoning the usage of the loudspeaker is okay, too. The utmost quantity is enough – even though the loudspeaker tends to rattle a little bit bit.

Poco do not use their very own phone app – as a substitute, they depend on Google device. The app is structured nicely and does not reason any confusion. 

A triple digital camera will also be discovered at the again of the Poco X5. Its primary digital camera has a most answer of 48 MPix – even though, normally it makes use of a pixel binning approach and the true answer is 12 MPix. You’ll use a separate mode to take pictures the usage of the overall 48 MPix.

In just right lighting fixtures stipulations, the pictures are great. Its colour depiction is herbal – even though, the pictures can be a little sharper. There’s a steep decline in sharpness in darker lighting fixtures stipulations and the pictures begin to seem a little bit washed-out.

The ultra-wide perspective lens yields a lot much less sharp and detailed effects. Upon nearer inspection, the pictures are reasonably grainy and easily cannot stay alongside of the ones taken the usage of the primary digital camera. The macro digital camera has a answer of two MPix – pictures occupied with this lens are first rate if there’s sufficient mild.

The X5 can file video on all lenses at a most of 1080p and 30 FPS. Video stabilization works fantastic – even though, the pictures are on occasion reasonably washed-out and smudged.

In managed lighting fixtures stipulations, the X5 delivers sharp pictures – within the center in addition to the perimeters. With much less mild (1 lux), you’ll be able to nonetheless see some element, however the pictures be afflicted by reasonably slightly of noise.

Colour depiction is okay in managed lighting fixtures stipulations – however pictures tend to be depicted a little bit too mild. That is maximum noticeable with darker inexperienced tones. 

No longer handiest does the Poco X5 include a USB cable (USB-A to USB-C), nevertheless it additionally comes with a becoming 33-watt energy provide. The bundle additionally contains an instruction handbook, a SIM eject device in addition to a clear case. Ex works, the telephone’s display screen may be fitted with a display screen protector.

In Germany (the place this evaluate used to be performed), the Poco X5 comes with a two-year guaranty. 

Poco have long gone for Google’s GBoard keyboard for this telephone, because of this that typing feels easy and also you shouldn’t have to fret about many mistaken inputs. Even with the display screen protector, the display screen has a pleasing gliding really feel to it. Contact inputs are reliably identified – even towards the corners of the display screen.

The X5 will also be unlocked the usage of its fingerprint scanner within the energy button, however you’ll be able to additionally do that by means of 2D facial reputation. Each strategies paintings in reality temporarily and reliably – the X5 will also be unlocked at lightning pace each and every time.

A one-handed mode is built-in into the MIUI, which additionally works each and every time and makes the usage of the telephone with one hand an stress-free revel in.

The X5’s show is 6.67 inches in measurement and has a ratio of 20:9. Its AMOLED panel permits for a refresh charge of as much as 120 Hz. Poco advertize the telephone as having a most brightness of one,200 nits. In our real looking APL 18 check, we were not reasonably ready to succeed in those numbers – however at 1,035 cd/m², the display screen remains to be great and brilliant. This quantity used to be completed with activated ambient mild sensor – with out this sensor, we completed a most of 432 cd/m².

In comparison to different gadgets on this magnificence, the Poco X5 certain wins some issues. Simplest the brand new Honor Magic5 Lite controlled upper brightness ranges and had moderately extra correct colours. In comparison its different competition, the Poco is miles forward. 

On the other hand, at 120 Hz, our measurements additionally confirmed a relentless PWM from a brightness of 54 consistent with cent – possibly that is an OLED flicker. At decrease brightness ranges, this flickering fluctuated between 151 and 486 Hz. 

The X5’s settings do be offering an choice for an always-on show, however it’s not a real AOD. The show will also be custom designed, however it’s not constantly on – as a substitute, it presentations this for a couple of mins ahead of the display screen utterly switches off. 

Because of the kind of display screen, it’s certain to provoke with its best possible black values and nice distinction. Its colour stability is just right all-in-all and deviations most commonly lie inside an unnoticeable house. The usage of ColorChecker, we handiest noticed larger deviations in one of the vital grey tones – nonetheless not anything too dramatic, regardless that.

The Poco X5’s show is brilliant sufficient for out of doors use. The telephone is certainly a lot lighter when the ambient mild sensor is activated than when it’s deactivated – as used to be made up our minds in our measurements. 

The Poco X5 advantages from nice viewing perspective steadiness. Colours stay unchanged and you’ll be able to learn content material from just about any perspective with none problems.

The Poco X5’s Snapdragon is fitted with an Adreno 619 graphics unit – with this, the telephone fares nicely in comparison to its competition. Sadly, it wasn’t conceivable to get all of our benchmarks to run at the X5. 

Our browser benchmarks confirmed equivalent effects to these of the opposite benchmarks. The X5 carried out nicely in comparison to the common of all of the gadgets we examined and did not endure any mishaps. Deviations between the person benchmarks are standard and to be anticipated. 

Browsing at the smartphone does not flag up any problems in on a regular basis use. Pages are loaded temporarily and you’ll be able to scroll via them easily. 

A UFS 2.2 garage instrument is constructed into the Poco X5. It delivers moderate knowledge transmission speeds – handiest the Redmi Be aware 12 is significantly quicker in all classes. 

Whilst the SoC and graphics unit don’t seem to be precisely high-end elements, the Poco X5 nonetheless manages to run up-to-date video games equivalent to PUBG Cellular easily. Sadly, you’ll be able to’t get any larger resolutions than HD, and the X5 handiest manages to succeed in 30 FPS. In flip, its symbol refresh charge is solid – which the GameBench measurements display. 

Much less intense video games equivalent to Useless Cause 2 are simple for the X5 – right here, it manages to reach body charges of over 100. The telephone’s display screen and mono audio system each left a just right affect and make for a a laugh gaming revel in.

The Poco X5 normally remained cool always. Even at complete load, we handiest measured a most temperature of 31.7 levels Celsius at the entrance of the instrument – the again in reality handiest measured 30.6 levels Celsius. Even whilst gaming, the telephone by no means were given warmer than just being heat to touch.

Sadly, we weren’t ready to run the 3DMark Wild Lifestyles rigidity check in this telephone.

A mono speaker will also be discovered at the backside of the Poco X5. At round 93 dB, it certain can get loud. Even at complete quantity, the instrument does not vibrate in any respect. Within the mids and highs, the X5 has a balanced and linear tone. Admittedly, the telephone lacks in bass or even in decrease center frequencies.

In flip, the Poco telephone does have a three.5-millimetre jack with a just right signal-to-noise ratio of 76.91 dBFS. You’ll additionally simply attach Bluetooth headphones to the instrument. Its differ of supported formats is vast: SBC, AAC, aptX/HD, aptX Adaptive, aptX TWS+ LDAC, LHDC (1-5).

Our energy intake measurements published how expertly Poco balanced the X5. In idle mode in addition to at load, the X5 delivered just right effects and got here in simply over the category moderate. The Redmi Be aware 12 could also be a little bit extra frugal in idle mode, nevertheless it makes use of significantly extra energy at load. 

After measuring such just right energy intake values, we have been shocked to peer the runtime effects. In comparison to all of the different gadgets we examined, the Poco has no probability. Simplest at complete load did the X5 succeed in equivalent runtimes as its competition. In all different disciplines, the Poco lay nicely at the back of the Samsung Galaxy A23 and the Motorola Moto G53.

Because of its 5,000 mAh battery, the telephone does nonetheless simply organize to ultimate a complete day – despite the fact that it’s used so much.

The Poco X5 5G is a great mid-range instrument. It inspired in our check because of its immaculate construct and entire options together with NFC, infrared blaster, expandable garage by means of microSD and a headphone jack. 

Moreover, the smartphone has a brilliant, well-calibrated 120 Hz OLED display screen in addition to just right sufficient efficiency for on a regular basis use and for taking part in a recreation or two. 

The Poco X5 provides an ideal general bundle for a mid-range instrument.

Its primary digital camera left a just right affect on us, too. In just right lighting fixtures stipulations, you’ll be able to take crisp, detailed pictures. In darker stipulations, the telephone nears its limits – however for the fee, that is to be anticipated. Its ultra-wide perspective lens may also be observed as somewhat one thing for use when there is not any different choice.

The X5 might nonetheless include Android 12, however Android 13 is to be had to obtain. The device runs easily and you’ll be able to delete the pre-installed bloatware. The telephone by no means has any problems with overheating.

Our handiest factor with the telephone these days is its battery existence – a minimum of compared to its competition. Different gadgets such because the Samsung Galaxy A23 or the Motorola Moto G53 ship a lot better runtimes from a 5,000 mAh battery. At this degree, Poco may just indubitably rectify this with an replace.

The Poco X5 5G with 6 GB RAM and 128 GB garage will also be bought on Amazon for $226.

The model with 8 GB RAM and 256 GB garage will also be bought for $272.99.