Poco M3 Pro 5G review - an inexpensive smartphone with NFC
Miscellaneous / / August 01, 2021
The ideal machine for everyday tasks.
Poco's catalog is more or less easy to understand: flagship models are designated by the F index, mid-range devices - X, and budget models - M. So it's easy to figure out where the Poco M3 Pro 5G is in the hierarchy. This is an updated version of the budget smartphone released last November. At the same time, it costs almost the same as the M3 at the start of sales, but in terms of characteristics it is noticeably more interesting. And yes, in addition to 5G, it has NFC. But the differences between the Pro version and the usual one do not end there.
Table of contents
- Specifications
- Design and ergonomics
- Screen
- Iron
- Operating system
- Sound and vibration
- Cameras
- Autonomy
- Outcomes
Specifications
Platform | Android 11 with MIUI 12 shell |
Display | 6.5 inches, 2,400 x 1,080 pixels, IPS, FHD +, Corning Gorilla Glass 3, 90 Hz |
CPU | MediaTek MT6833 Dimensity 700 5G (7nm) |
Memory | RAM - 4/6 GB, ROM - 64/128 GB |
Cameras | Main - 48 Mp, 1/2 ″, f / 1.8; macro lens - 2 Mp, f / 2.4; depth sensor - 2 Mp; frontal - 8 Mp, f / 2.0 |
Battery | 5000 mAh, fast charging (included power supply - 22.5 W, supports 18 W) |
Dimensions (edit) | 161.8 x 75.3 x 8.9 mm |
Weight | 190 g |
Additionally | Dual SIM, NFC, fingerprint reader |
Design and ergonomics
The classic Poco yellow box contains the smartphone itself, a cable, a 22.5 W power supply, a transparent case, a sheet of stickers and a bunch of instructions. The M3 Pro is produced in three colors: in addition to the black and gray we got for the test, there are also yellow and blue.
The main visual difference from last year's M3 is in the design of the camera block on the rear panel. Whereas in the M3 it was inscribed in a horizontal black stripe, in the M3 Pro it was positioned vertically. At the same time, the block itself looks similar: three eyes on a small step, going under each other, and a flash from the side.
Another difference is that the updated smartphone has a glossy finish rather than a matte finish. And gloss, as you know, is the best magnet for prints, specks, dust particles and other contaminants. Interestingly, the plastic back seems to be voluminous, and because of this, the fingerprints on it are not so noticeable: they are hidden by the overflow of silver metallic under a transparent layer of plastic. So visually the smartphone looks quite neat.
The frames around the display are rather small, only thicker at the bottom. The front camera is mounted in the center of the upper border of the screen in a round peephole.
If the M3 had two speakers, then in the M3 Pro only one was left - on the lower edge. Adjacent to it is a USB-C connector and a microphone hole. Another microphone is on the top edge. There is also a connector for connection headphone and infrared port.
Hybrid card slot: you can install either two SIM cards, or one SIM and one microSD memory card. It is on the left side.
All buttons are on the right. This is a volume rocker, which protrudes quite strongly relative to the body, and a power button with a fingerprint sensor built into it, which, on the contrary, is slightly recessed into the sidewall. The sensor works perfectly, clearly, almost always from the first touch. In the settings, you can choose in which case it will start reading touches - immediately or when you press a button. The second option will eliminate accidental triggering.
The smartphone is not gigantic and not heavy, so it fits comfortably in the hand. He emanates a sense of normality and some kind of calm correctness - with the ergonomics of Poco you guessed it. You can easily reach all the buttons with your thumb. The key for the fingerprint scanner is not just recessed - it is also rather big, so it is very convenient to hit it. The only negative is that dust loves to accumulate near the steps with the camera block.
Screen
The Poco M3 Pro 5G has a 6.5-inch IPS display with a resolution of 1,080 × 2,400 pixels, covered with Corning Gorilla Glass 3. It turned out quite well: the margin of brightness is sufficient, even in the sun the text is visible well. The colors are pleasant, the fonts are without noticeable pixelation, and at an angle, the shades of white only slightly grayish.
The settings are no different from most smartphones on MIUI 12. You can change the color scheme, correct the color rendition, and also select the refresh rate - 60 and 90 Hz are available. During the test, we periodically switched the frequency to check how much it affects the power consumption. Spoiler alert: not as tangible as it could.
Iron
The main difference from the Poco M3 is in the hardware platform: the M3 Pro is built on the basis of the eight-core MediaTek MT6833 Dimensity 700 5G, which replaced the Snapdragon 662. The smartphone comes in two versions: with 4 GB of RAM and 64 GB of user memory, or with 6 GB of RAM and 128 GB of user memory. We got the last one for the test.
Those who are used to contactless payments will be pleased with the presence of NFC - in the usual M3 it was not. And the name of the model itself includes support for 5G networks, which is not yet very relevant for Russia. But for solving everyday tasks, the performance of the M3 Pro is quite enough for the next couple of years - and then 5G is just around the corner.
For heavy games like PUBG Mobile the platform is not strong enough: at medium settings, stable 30 frames are released, but the frequency does not rise higher. At the same time, under load, the smartphone does not turn into a stove and even after an hour of play it barely heats up at the top. But the same Pokemon Go only plants the battery, but does not require serious resources.
Operating system
The M3 Pro is based on Android 11, covered with MIUI 12 shell. Our version ran on MIUI 12.0.9, there was no update to 12.5. In terms of settings, everything is standard: you can adjust almost any interface element for yourself. How MIUI 12 works, we devoted a whole detailed material.
The main nuisance is advertising, but, fortunately, it turns off. The interface itself, in combination with the hardware platform and the 90 Hz screen, behaves smoothly, clearly and does not slow down.
Sound and vibration
Although there is only one speaker, it is loud and clear. If you twist it to the maximum, it does not lose detail and does not begin to wheeze.
In headphones via cable with sound, everything is about the same as in Redmi Note 10S: the smartphone can still rock the in-ear models, but the full-size ones will be too serious a load for it.
Only AAC, SBC and LDAC codecs are available via Bluetooth. aptX and aptX HD from Qualcomm are not, which is understandable: the smartphone is built on the platform of another brand.
Cameras
The main camera module includes a 48 megapixel sensor, a 2 megapixel macro lens and a 2 megapixel depth sensor. The camera interface is standard for MIUI 12: a slider with mode switching at the bottom of the screen, several settings buttons at the top.
The camera is not bad for its level: quite detailed, clear, sharp. Sometimes the white balance suffers, and the photo seems to be overexposed, even in good daylight. This can be corrected manually in the "Pro" mode. But ordinary photographs also turn out to be pleasant - juicy and artistic to the right extent.
Filming with the main camera, daylight. Photo: Alina Rand / Lifehacker
Filming with the main camera, daylight. Photo: Alina Rand / Lifehacker
Filming with the main camera, daylight. Photo: Alina Rand / Lifehacker
Filming with the main camera, daylight. Photo: Alina Rand / Lifehacker
Filming with the main camera, daylight. Photo: Alina Rand / Lifehacker
Filming with the main camera, daylight. Photo: Alina Rand / Lifehacker
Filming with the main camera, daylight. Photo: Alina Rand / Lifehacker
Filming with the main camera, approaching twilight. Photo: Alina Rand / Lifehacker
Filming with the main camera, twilight. Photo: Alina Rand / Lifehacker
Shooting with the main camera, artificial light. Photo: Alina Rand / Lifehacker
As soon as there is less light, the detail drops, but remains acceptable for a gadget of this price range. Apparently, the macromodule was set from the principle “everyone has it, so let it be here too”. Here, as in most smartphones, it is better to get macro by cropping images from the main lens.
The blur in portrait mode is not as subtle and deep as in other models. Perhaps, this is due to the low resolution of the camera by modern standards.
Shooting with the main camera without blur. Photo: Alina Rand / Lifehacker
Shooting with the main camera with blur in portrait mode. Photo: Alina Rand / Lifehacker
As standard, the main lens shoots in Quad Bayer format, combining pixels of four. But there is an opportunity to take full-size pictures at 48 megapixels.
Shooting in Quad Bayer mode. Photo: Alina Rand / Lifehacker
Shooting in 48 megapixel mode. Photo: Alina Rand / Lifehacker
Unlike the M3, the M3 Pro has stabilization when shooting at 1,080p. She works well, but she still can't cope with running.
Autonomy
The battery is a little thinner than the Poco M3 in the Pro version: here there is a unit for 5,000, not 6,000 mAh. However, the smartphone in normal use - a couple of hours Pokemon go, constant scrolling through social networks and chatting, about an hour of YouTube, 30 minutes of conversations - withstood a day and a half. In this case, the refresh rate of the screen was 90 Hz. From 60 Hz, he could hold out for almost two days.
The M3 Pro supports 18W charging. From a native power supply from zero to half, it charges in about 50 minutes, and completely in a little less than 2 hours.
Outcomes
Poco M3 Pro 5G demonstrated everything that we once loved the brand for: a balance of functionality, performance and cost. It is a smartphone with a nice design, correct ergonomics and an unexpectedly fingerprint-tolerant glossy design.
It has a decent sun screen and a solid battery. The images from the camera can be described with the phrase “simple but good”, and for a smartphone of this level this is an excellent verdict.
All in all, the Poco M3 Pro 5G is a very successful upgrade to the regular M3. The presence of NFC and 5G with a slightly more productive platform and maintaining the same pricing policy (our version is now costs 16,990 rubles with discounts, without them - 19,990) for many can become a decisive factor when choosing a new smartphone.
Buy
The author thanks Xiaomi for the device provided for testing. The company had no way to influence its outcome.
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