POCO has established itself as one of the most powerful contenders in the value flagship Android smartphone segment. The Xiaomi sub-brand has created its niche with pocket-friendly 5G smartphones. The Poco M and the Poco X series are currently the brand’s bet in this market. The latter got refreshed earlier with the Poco X4 Pro 5G. It has arrived as the successor to the Poco X3 Pro which has been one of the best mid-range phones in the country.
The new-generation model is introduced with advanced hardware such as the latest Snapdragon 600 series processor, 64MP triple camera module, and 67W fast charging technology. And you pay an asking price of Rs. 18,999 for the Poco X4 Pro 5G’s base model which packs 6GB RAM+64GB storage.
If you need some additional space or RAM, you can also go for the 6GB RAM+ 128GB storage model or the 8GB/256GB variant priced at Rs. 19,999 and Rs. 21,999 respectively. With multiple 5G Android phones available in this price bracket, does the POCO X4 Pro 5G makes the cut? Here in this review, you can read our feedback on the POCO X4 Pro 5G:
POCO X4 Pro 5G Full Review: Design And Display
The POCO X4 Pro 5G flaunts one of the most striking designs in the mid-range segment. You can buy this phone in the iconic Poco Yellow shade, Laser Blue, and Laser Black shades. We received the black color variant of the latest POCO X series phone which wears a shimmering screen that reflects patterns with light rays falling on it. POCO has used a glass-back design which definitely is one of the USPs under Rs. 20,000.
There is a large camera module that covers almost one-third of the upper panel and has a dual-tone finish and protruding design. This entire combination makes the device all premium in looks. While the glass back on the POCO X4 Pro 5G is visually appealing, it is one big fingerprint magnet.
Using a transparent TPU case will not just keep fingerprints and smudges at bay but will also let you show off the cool design while adding protection against scratches and accidental drops. Poco has kept the left panel of the X4 Pro 5G barren, placing the power key and the volume rockers on the right.
On the top panel, a 3.5mm headphone jack on the top is placed along with the speaker grille. At the bottom, you get the USB Type-C port along with the microSD card slot and another speaker grille. The IP53 certification and the flat-edge frames earn the phone’s design additional pointers. Overall, we found the POCO X4 Pro 5G’s design to be not just visually appealing but also practical for daily usage.
The panel offered by the POCO X4 Pro 5G is AMOLED. The screen size is 6.7-inches which delivers an FHD+ screen resolution of 1080 x 2400 pixels. The panel also features a high 120Hz refresh rate which along with the FHD+ resolution is definitely a good combo. The presence of the AMOLED panel itself is a big relief; specifically considering the sub Rs. 20,000 price tag.
The panel is apt for viewing shows and movies in high resolution on OTT platforms such as Netflix and Amazon Prime videos. The color production by the AMOLED panel is vivid and you will love every bit of your screen time on this POCO X series phone. The display on the POCO X4 Pro 5G is also HDR10+ certified which further enhances the overall viewing experience on online streaming platforms.
The higher refresh rate also allows for smoother frame transitions with extensive gaming. The default display profile is good enough for all content formats. However, you can also switch between standard, saturated, and vivid display models depending on the scenes.
The viewing angles are good and you won’t find the display going black if you are viewing it from the edges. The POCO X4 Pro 5G’s display panel doesn’t compromise on the brightness levels at all. Thanks to the 1300 nits peak brightness levels the panel doesn’t go dark under direct sunlight. Besides, the larger surface area courtesy of the tiny punch hole and narrow borders makes viewing the screen an enjoyable experience overall.
POCO X4 Pro 5G Review: Overall Hardware Performance
The POCO X4 Pro 5G is packed with the octa-core Snapdragon 695 5G chipset which is built on a 6nm process. This is a premium mid-range processor by Qualcomm which churns out massive power to handle daily tasks without any lags or stutters. Specifically, with general web browsing and varied application usage. POCO has introduced the X4 Pro 5G with a 6GB/8GB RAM option and 128GB/256GB storage configuration.
The multitasking experience has also been good throughout the usage. Apps fire up smoothly without any noticeable delays. We were also able to load and use multiple apps simultaneously. It is good to see that despite using a mid-range 5G chipset, the POCO X4 Pro 5G doesn’t fall short of power delivery.
The gaming experience has been decent. The gameplays don’t get jittery with the highest settings which we appreciate. The warm-up issues are mostly while charging and using the handset with extensive apps or gaming simultaneously. Otherwise, there are no prominent heating issues.
Speaking of the firmware, the POCO X4 Pro 5G boots on Android 11 OS. Now, this is an older Android version and most of the latest mid-range and even budget phones are shipping with Android 12 OS. We would have appreciated if the X4 Pro 5G also arrived with the Android 12 version out-of-the-box. But using the phone’s interface is not a bad experience.
While there is some pre-installed bloatware, the refreshed UI design with the MIUI 13 is a respite. You get a smooth user experience while scrolling through the phone’s applications. It would have been nimbler minus the pre-installed bloatware.
POCO X4 Pro 5G Camera Review: Familiar Output?
The POCO X4 Pro 5G employs triple rear cameras for primary imaging. The spec-sheet comprises a 64MP main sensor which is accompanied by an 8MP ultrawide camera and a 2MP macro sensor. Now, we have seen this setup on multiple mid-range and premium mid-range Android phones in the last few years.
The rear camera setup on the POCO X4 Pro 5G is not just good on paper but is also capable in real-life scenarios. The main sensor is capable of capturing the tiniest of details. The image clarity is specifically good with daylight shots where the cameras don’t struggle with logging the details of the subject as well as the backgrounds.
The POCO X4 Pro 5G’s AI-enabled cameras offer a high dynamic range with the captured clicks. You can also toggle on the HDR mode if you wish the images to pop out vividly. The portrait images are also good. You won’t find the background blurs artificial or gimmicky. Besides, you can also manually modify the blur intensity to further improve the output.
The camera app integrates multiple other shooting modes. The dedicated 64MP camera mode is one of them. This mode will let you capture high-resolution photos that won’t pixelate if you plan to zoom in and crop the shot later. If you scroll through the available camera modes, you’ll see the Night mode as well. Now, this mode will
help you capture detailed images in low-light backgrounds. This camera mode does a good job of reducing excess noise and grains in the night shots.
This POCO mid-range phone can record 1080p FHD videos @30fps. The camera stabilization is decent with the video recording. You also get the option to shoot slow-motion and time-lapse videos with the latest POCO X series phone. The selfie snapper offered by this phone is a 16MP lens which is also good for capturing details and color production.
Poco X4 Pro 5G: Battery Backup And Fast Charging Speeds
The POCO X4 Pro 5G has a 5,000 mAh battery unit for power delivery. Now, this battery capacity has become a standard in the mid and budget smartphone segment. The handset stores enough juice to run through an entire day on a single charge.
You would need to re-plug it to a charger twice only if you are hooked to the screen for hours for gaming or media playback (specifically high-resolution videos). The 67W fast charging technology comes to the rescue here. It can refuel the handset in just over 30 minutes (zero to 100 percent).
POCO X4 Pro 5G Review: Final Verdict
The POCO X4 Pro 5G is among the few pocket-friendly Android phones that has 5G network support in India. The asking price below Rs. 20,000 and quality internals makes the POCO X4 Pro 5G a hard-to-miss deal in its league. We have used the handset for a long and have not experienced any issues with both general as well as extensive usage. You should consider the POCO X4 Pro 5G if you have slight budget constraints yet you don’t wish to compromise on the user performance.
