Since its debut as a Xiaomi sub-brand back in 2018, POCO has slowly cemented its place in the smartphone industry. Well-known for its mid-range devices that offer competitive specs at an affordable price, the POCO X5 5G we're reviewing today is no exception.
Launched alongside its higher-end sibling in February 2023, the X5 5G faces tough competition in this market segment. Starting at RM1099, is this the perfect mid-ranger for you? Well, continue reading to find out!
Design - Clean and minimalistic
At first glance, the X5 5G looks incredibly similar to the X4 GT, especially with our review unit's black colour. Like the X4 GT, the device's rear sports a flat matte surface with a slight sheen, reflecting light when viewed at certain angles.
The matte finish makes the back less of a fingerprint magnet. This is definitely welcomed, especially if you like to rock your smartphone without a case. In terms of colours, the X5 5G is also available in green and blue.
Upon closer inspection, subtle design tweaks can be observed that make the X5 5G more refined. The most notable is the slightly darker shade of black bearing the POCO logo around the camera module.
Rear
Front: The display is bright and usable even in direct sunlight
A closer look at the camera module
There's a transparent silicone case included inside the box
Besides that, the X5 5G features flat sides with bevelled edges that make it more ergonomic and comfortable to hold for long periods. The volume rocker and the power button are located on the right side of the device, with the latter housing the fingerprint sensor.
The hybrid dual-SIM and microSD card slot sit on the left side, while the top houses the 3.5mm audio jack, an IR blaster and a mic hole. At the bottom, you'll find the USB-C port, another mic hole and the mono speaker grilles.
Right: Volume rocker and power button with an embedded fingerprint scanner
Left: The dual SIM and MicroSD hybrid slot
Top: An IR blaster, mic hole and a 3.5mm audio jack
Bottom: USB-C port, a mic hole and speaker grilles
Overall, the X5 5G's design is rather cookie-cutter and a tad boring, especially in this black colour variant. Nevertheless, it's still really clean and minimalistic, perfect for those who prefer low-profile smartphones.
Tech specs & features
Check out the full specs of the X5 5G below:
- 6.67-inch Full HD+ (1080 x 2400) AMOLED screen, 120Hz refresh rate, 85% screen-to-body ratio, 700 nits (HBM) 1200 nits (peak)
- Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 5G chipset
- 6GB or 8GB RAM
- 128GB or 256GB of UFS2.2 storage
- 48MP main + 8MP ultra-wide + 2MP macro
- 13MP front camera
- 5000mAh battery
- 33W fast charging
- Android 12 via MIUI 13.0.5
- Side-mounted fingerprint sensor
- 3.5mm audio jack
- IP53 dust and splash resistance
- Bluetooth 5.1
- NFC
- USB Type-C 2.0, OTG
- Dual SIM
- microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot)
- Colours - Green, Blue and Black
The OS specs for the X5 5G
The standout feature of the device has got to be its screen. Not only are you getting a high 120Hz refresh rate screen with Full HD+ resolution, but it's also an AMOLED panel, which means it has vibrant colours and deep blacks.
It's also relatively bright at a max brightness of 700 nits and a peak brightness of 1200 nits, making it highly usable even in direct sunlight. Viewing content and playing games on this screen is a pleasure, with all these display features usually available only in higher-priced devices.
The 120Hz AMOLED panel has vibrant colours, deep blacks, and can get quite bright
Under the hood, the X5 5G is powered by the tried-and-tested Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 5G SoC found in many other mid-range smartphones. While the chipset is starting to show its age, it's still a capable processor that breezes through daily tasks such as browsing the web and scrolling social media feeds. More importantly, the SoC supports 5G connectivity, something that's fast becoming a requirement for many users nowadays.
In terms of battery, the X5 5G sports a 5000mAh cell with support for 33W fast charging. The battery life on this device has been excellent, and the charging speed was more than adequate. Hey, at least the charger is included inside the box!
The X5 5G runs Android 12 via MIUI 13.0.5, which is easy to use but can be quite cluttered. It has a variety of settings, allowing you to change the look of your UI while playing games and more.
Personally, I'm not a fan of MIUI's design and much prefer stock Android, though I can definitely see the appeal with its vibrant colours and customizability. The flurry of pre-installed bloatware is definitely a turnoff, but luckily you can easily uninstall them.
MIUI 13.0.5 user interface
In terms of biometric lock/unlock, the fingerprint scanner embedded in the power button is reliable and works super fast. Face recognition is also competently responsive, except when in pitch-dark environments. We don't recommend using face unlock though, as it's not as secure as the fingerprint scanner.
Moving towards imaging, the camera setup of the X5 5G is something you'd expect from a mid-range device. At the rear, you'll find a 48MP main + 8MP ultra-wide + 2MP macro triple-camera setup. Meanwhile, at the front, there's a 13MP selfie camera housed inside the screen's punch-hole cutout at the top-center.
The camera UI and available features
Performance
Next, let's dive into the X5 5G's performance. Here are the Geekbench 5 and 3DMark benchmark results for the smartphone:
3DMark scores compared to other devices
Geekbench 5 comparison
For daily tasks, the Snapdragon 695 5G SoC performs admirably. And the X5 5G has more than enough RAM to ensure a smooth experience, especially when you turn on the Dynamic RAM Expansion Technology 3.0. Paired with the excellent 120Hz display, we have no complaints about the smartphone's user experience.
In terms of gaming, don't expect flagship-level blazing speeds, as this is an entry-level mid-range device after all. With that in mind, the X5 5G is more than capable of running popular mobile game titles such as PUBG Mobile and Mobile Legends smoothly. While running on high graphics is possible, we recommend lowering it to medium or low settings for a more enjoyable experience.
Here are some gameplay screenshots of the X5 5G and the graphic settings that popular mobile games defaulted to on the device:
PUBG Mobile gameplay and graphics settings that the game defaulted to
Genshin Impact gameplay and graphics settings that the game defaulted to
Unfortunately, the gorgeous screen is not complemented with comparable audio, as the X5 5G was only equipped with a mono speaker. For a more enjoyable experience playing games and streaming content, you'd have to use either a pair of Bluetooth earbuds or a wired headset via the 3.5mm audio jack.
Moving towards battery life, the X5 5G's 5000mAh cell provides impressive endurance that can easily last you two days with regular use. Heck, it's hard to kill off the battery with heavy use. With intermittent use, the battery can even last up to 5 days.
Besides that, there are several power-saving modes to prolong battery life. As for charging speeds, the 33W fast charging can fully recharge the device from 0 per cent in just under 1 hour 25 minutes. Overall, battery life is one of the X5 5G's strong suits.
Battery life with heavy use (GPS and screen on for long hours)
Battery life with regular to intermittent use
Charging from 0 to 100 per cent takes just under 1 hour and 25 minutes
Next up, let's discuss photography. Like most mid-range devices, the X5 5G's camera setup can take excellent photos in well-lit conditions. As expected, the 48MP main camera is the most capable of the three sensors at the rear, with the secondary sensors being below par and seemingly only included to make up the numbers.
In low-light conditions, the 48MP main camera takes great-looking shots with decent details. The Night Mode makes night-time photos look better, though it does have the tendency to oversharpen the image.
As for the 8MP ultra-wide, it takes decent shots in bright conditions, and the wide FOV is definitely welcomed. The same can't be said about the 2MP macro camera though, as it produces below-average and sometimes blurry images.
Sample shot from the ultra-wide rear camera
Sample shot from the 48MP main camera
5x digital zoom with the 48MP main camera
Night mode with the 48MP main camera
2x digital zoom with the main camera and Night Mode on
The ultra-wide can produce decent HDR photos
Sample HDR shot from the 48MP main camera
Sample shot from the main camera in a not-well-lit situation
Sample shot from the 13MP selfie camera
The 13MP front-facing camera yields good-quality images in decent lighting and has a decent field of view. More than enough for all your selfie needs!
The X5 5G is subpar in terms of video quality, producing noisy footage with anything less than ideal lighting conditions. It's also capped at 1080p60 for the rear camera setup and 1080p30 for the selfie camera, which is a bummer. However, that is to be expected at this price range.
Conclusion
For RM1099 (6/128GB) and RM1199 (8/256GB), the X5 5G is competitively positioned in the mid-range segment. The combination of the tried-and-tested Snapdragon 695 5G SoC and the gorgeous 120Hz AMOLED panel makes this a solid device while keeping your bank account happy. It's excellent for everyday use, adequate for running popular mobile games and above all, has a long-lasting battery.
If your budget is within this price range, the X5 5G is a sound purchase. But one thing you should consider is whether to spend more for the X5 Pro 5G (RM1299). With the higher-end sibling, you'd get a better screen, a faster 67W charging speed, a 108MP main camera, dual stereo speakers and a much faster Snapdragon 778G SoC. That's a lot of upgrades for an additional RM200!
Another option is the realme 10 (RM999), which has comparable specs but is RM100 cheaper. However, you do have to settle for a 90Hz AMOLED display and no 5G connectivity.
That's it for our X5 5G review! So, what do you guys think of this POCO mid-range device? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below, and as always, make sure to stay tuned to TechNave for more news and reviews such as this!
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