POCO X5 Pro review: the first best buy of 2023

Inside the black packaging of POCO X5 Pro we find a USB / USB-C cable, a fast (but compact) power supply of 67W and a transparent silicone cover.

POCO X5 Pro it is a simple and still recognizably LITTLE smartphone, not only for the flashy writing on the back, but also for the “familiar” lines. Compared to the “non Pro” model, the profile is more squared and in the hand it can still be used with simplicity. It is entirely made of plastic and this is noticeable. It can’t be classified as a defect, but you certainly won’t think you’re dealing with a higher-end smartphone when you handle it. However, there are a number of advantages to list: it is 7.9 mm thin, it weighs just 181 grams and above all it is resistant to splashes and dust according to the IP53 standard.

We obviously don’t expect top-of-the-range hardware, but the improvements compared to the already tested variant of this POCO X5 Pro are still obvious.

The big difference is in the processor, a very good one Snapdragon 778G octa core at 2.2 GHz made in 6 nanometers. We then have 6 or 8 GB of RAM and hand in hand 128 or 256 GB of UFS 2.2 internal memory. Not very fast, but as fast as low in the price range. Unfortunately there is no possibility to expand the memory, which is really a shame for the category. Then we have 5G connectivity, the Wi-Fi 6Bluetooth 5.2 and of course NFC for mobile payments.

The fingerprint reader is embedded in the side power button and works well. The presence of the 3.5 mm audio jack and also the infrared emitter is also good. The removable trolley then offers two nanoSIM slots. Good for the “throwback” with a classic proximity sensor that makes us forget the last troubled years of virtual proximity sensors.

Compared to POCO X5, in this X5 Pro variant we find a higher level main camera.

Let’s talk about the 108 megapixel ƒ / 1.9 sensor, accompanied by an 8 megapixel ƒ / 2.2 wide angle and a too little useful, given its resolution, 2 megapixel ƒ / 2.4 for macros.

The quality of the shots of this POCO X5 Pro positively surprised us, especially after an experience certainly not the most brilliant of the cheaper model. The photos are sharp, with a good color balance and also a good balance of lights. HDR will not be as effective as in some smartphones premium but as you can see from the shots below, it still defends itself very well. Even at night the photos are still sharp and digital noise does not “destroy” the shots. The night mode significantly increases the amount of light in the shots, even if it does not distort the final result, which is also good in automatic mode. On the other hand, the wide-angle camera is subdued, which offers shots that are not very defined even in good light.

Finally, the 16 megapixel ƒ/2.4 front camera is more than discreet.

The videos are also discreet 4K a 30fps from the main camera, going to fill what was one of the biggest flaws of the cheaper model. From the wide angle, however, you can only make videos in Full HD, as well as from the front camera.

The screen that we find on this smartphone does not differ from what is seen on the younger brother model. POCO X5 Pro features a 6.67″ screen AMOLED a 120 Hz, with automatic adaptation of the refresh rate between 60 and 120 Hz. The peak brightness reaches 900 nits and the screen supports touch sampling at 240 Hz. The resolution is the “classic” FullHD + of 1080 x 2400 pixels. The screen is protected by glass Gorilla Glass 5. Again shame about the presence of a always-on display which remains active for only 10 seconds. So definitely not always.

POCO X5 Pro it is of course equipped with an Android-based MIUI software. Specifically, it is the new MIUI 14 on Android 12. The first consideration is that the new one MIUI 14 it does not bring particular novelties, which it does instead in the Asian market. It is now some versions of this Xiaomi software that we notice a certain immobility and we hope to soon be able to see a slightly more proactive push in this sense. The other consideration concerns the fact of launching smartphones with Android 12 in the days when the first beta of Android 14 comes out. Why update the MIUI but not make an extra effort also for its Android “base”? Would we have instant benefits? No, but that would have guaranteed the phone probably one more version update in its lifetime.

The software is as always very fluid and shows only some micro loss of frames in some circumstances, but for this we could not define it as “defective”, but rather only a limitation of its medium-range hardware.

We have many useful features of MIUI, such as the game turbo or the sidebar and then we also find the POCO drawer. There are many pre-installed apps, but with a little patience you will get rid of them.

POCO X5 Pro is equipped with a generous battery of 5.000 mAh which, coupled with a low-energy processor, guarantees excellent autonomy. Ending the day with intense use is the norm and with average use you can even exceed two full days on a single charge. In essence, you could free yourself from the need to charge your smartphone every night. This is because the smartphone supports fast charging as well 67Wwhich is not at all obvious in mid-range smartphones and not even in many top of the range.

This smartphone is available in denominations 6/128 and 8/256 at €349 and €399. For the promotional period, they are discounted by €50, thus reaching €299 and €349, excellent figures for mid-range smartphones, the price of which the competition has already started to raise.