POCO X3 phone test - what no one expected!

Here is the first real POCO phone, we were the first to test it at home.

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POCO X3 Test - Introduction

There’s something nice about it when you get out of nowhere, without precedent, once an exciting phone. The POCO X3 is like this, as the manufacturer, POCO, which is one of Xiaomi’s sub-brands, has played pretty poorly so far.

Well, not because we got bad phones from them, this year’s top mobile, the POCO F2 Pro (you can read our test here), for example, became brutally strong, but because their recently introduced mobiles had already introduced themselves in China under the name Redmi before they came to us under the name POCO.

The story is also interesting because after the release of the POCO F1, which was really a success story anyway, we didn’t even hear about the POCO sub-brand for a good year, we were already starting to think that their first phone was the last. Then out of nowhere came the REDMI devices christened POCO, and now here’s the X3, which for the time being, only appeared under the banner of the POCO sub-brand.

So, at the moment, in addition to REDMI, POCO also seems to be launching, which can be seen from the fact that the X3 has reached a lot of testers, even before the official announcement that we can rush the articles to you on the day of release. It’s also surprising (though, not so familiar with Xiaomi) that the phone will be unveiled at Aliexpress’s official Xiaomi store and can be purchased there as well. Well, there is no need to doubt, the store also has Spanish and French warehouses, from where we, European buyers, will quickly get the portico.

Well, the phone has arrived and I was in the fortunate position of being able to try what it knows days before the official announcement and delivery began. Without shooting the point, I will tell you that I am not completely satisfied with why you get an answer from the article!

Wrapping

The POCO X3 came in a box dressed in the manufacturer’s colors. The black cover has a big yellow X3 marking, the cover is lifted off with a yellow box, so yellow-black is all the way it should be.

Under the box cover you will find the SIM needle, the non-slip (and anti-bacterial) back cover and the description in yellow cardboard. The latter has been printed in many languages, say no Hungarian, but at least we can find English. It seems that the device is destined for the international market.

Highlighting the box on the back cover, we find the mobile phone, and under it, the charging head, which is quite muscular, but it is also necessary, as we will be able to charge the phone with a 33-watt fast charge. Fortunately, the manufacturer now has not spared and has packed a charging head next to the device that knows it. In addition to the charger, you will find a USB Type-C cable, nothing else.

External

The manufacturer has exposed himself, the phone is of the usual quality and beauty from Xiaom. There is no camera island in the display, the camera looks at the outside world through a hole. The frames are thin, just a little wider at the bottom, but that’s not confusing either. The display has a 6,67-inch diagonal.

At the top we find a microphone and an infrared port, and as it turned out from the Youtube live presentation, a speaker hole, at the bottom we have a normal speaker grille, another microphone, a Type-C connector, and yes, there is also a jack connector, i.e. you don't have to bother with a Type-C jack if you want to plug in a wired earpiece.

From the front on the right are the usual buttons, spiced with the extra that the power button is also a fingerprint sensor. On the right, just the SIM tray, in the usual place, at the top.

We’ve already seen the back of the phone in leaked photos, so the design didn’t come as a surprise. Rather, based on the pictures, I expected that the snapshot, which looked very good anyway, would be for non-slip, but not. The back cover also got Gorilla Glass 5 cover, and while it’s really cool, it slides like the god arrow. Not to mention that he likes to collect dust and fingerprints like all other glass-backed phones.

Of course, even looking for quality in the quality of the casing and assembly, as I wrote above, it's all Xiaomis. So brutal feeling good to hold hands!

I haven’t talked about the back cameras yet, of which we get four pieces, the fifth is connected to them by a double LED flash. The camera island hasn’t gotten as beautiful as it did with the POCO F2 Pro, but this layout also looks good. It looks round because of the paint on the cover, but as you can see in the pictures, it’s not entirely.

Hardware

SoC, memory and storage

As always, SoC is the first thing I need to present. This is one of the interesting things about the phone, so it's worth wasting a word on.

Of course, it’s a Qualcomm unit, the Snapdragon 732G. AG, as we have become accustomed to, is an acronym for gamer, meaning this tile has been sharpened to run games quickly. This obviously doesn’t mean you can just play with it, as games are pretty hardware-intensive programs, so if a game runs nicely, everything else will go away.

But why is the SD732G interesting to us? Because the POCO X3 is the first phone in the world to build on this chipset. It would be even more exciting if it weren’t for the wrinkled version of the SG730G. Moreover, the crease stitching here essentially only affected the clock signals, i.e. now the cores of the upper cluster no longer run at 2,2- but 2,3 GHz.

The manufacturer claims that all of the GPU’s software support has also been tuned, giving a 730 percent increase in graphics performance over the 15G. How true this is from the tests will be revealed!

Regarding the processor, it is important to highlight the new liquid cooling (LiquidCool Technology 1.0 Plus), which is expected to have a positive effect on performance, because using this, the heating will not be significant, so the cores can work for a longer time at full clock.

What’s extremely painful to me - and here I drew the first big black dot in the checker - is that Wi-Fi 6 support has been missed. This hurts because, like the Snapdragon 730, the 732 supports Wi-Fi 6, or ax-standard modems, so all it takes is for the manufacturer to build one into the phone next to the central unit.

The fact that Wiomi Fi 10, which was unveiled at the end of last year, was not yet a forgivable sin in Wi-Fi 6, but that it is not in POCO X3, which will be released in September this year, is not. Here we are in the age of Wi-Fi 6, thousands of Wi-Fi 6 routers can be bought at a better price, so I ask, why should a Wi-Fi 6 modem be reserved for high-end phones?

In addition to the SoC, the phone also comes with a lot of memory and normal sized storage. The cheaper packaging comes with 6GB of RAM and 64GB of built-in storage, the larger ones come with 6GB and 128GB.

Hardware tests

Qualcomm’s promised 15 percent improvement in graphics speed is very exciting, as is the fact that, according to press reports, the Antutu score is over 300. The latter is exciting because the Mi Note 000 with the Snapdragon 10G on board pushed me 730 points, so if the new SoC is really capable of scoring over 263, it should be bottled.

Well, there is a breath of difference between the press material and the actual measurement, unfortunately. I’m not juggling, I just start the test with no programs running in the background, but Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, for example, are turned on at brightness maximum, so I think it’s real use.

Well, as you can see from the table below, my score was 280, which isn’t bad, and pretty much justifies that 786 percent acceleration. Well, that's not 15 either.

It is clear from the table that there was progress. There is a significant increase in PCMark tests simulating general use, while in 3DMark we see roughly the same rate of improvement as in the Antutu result. The point, then, is that the performance gains promised by Qualcomm are real, but the measure seen in the POCO X3 press releases, at least for me, has not been proven.

Display

I could rage on the display, but I don’t, I just draw a tiny black dot in the checker in pretty quiet. The POCO X3 does not have an AMOLED but an IPS panel. It is no coincidence that the fingerprint sensor on the power button is there, it could not be placed under the display.

I have already written the panel size above, but repeat, 6,67 inches is the diagonal. Well, what can I say, it didn't get small. The resolution is 1080 x 2400 pixels, meaning FHD + is the notation. The aspect ratio is 20: 9 and the pixel density is 395 ppi. These are all nice figures, but why not AMOLED?

Well, as I wrote, I could be outraged, but I don’t. I don’t because Xiaomi packs the IPS into the phones in the mid-range, at least at the larger manufacturer that falls under it, Redmin. For the POCO F2 Pro, since it’s a top phone, the AMOLED was clear, but for the X3 it’s not at all!

What’s very important, though, is perhaps even more important for a gamer phone than whether it’s AMOLED or IPS, image refresh.

In the case of the POCO F2 Pro, I was outraged that in a delightfully powerful and fairly expensive high-end phone designed primarily for gamers, it didn’t fit the 120-hertz image refresh. Well, we got that in POCO X3 (finally). Some games do require this knowledge in order for the image to run nicely and smoothly. You simply need this knowledge in a 2020 phone for gamers.

Of course, in order to benefit from this image refreshment, you don't have to be a player, the image runs noticeably smoother during everyday use, even if you scroll through the program icon.

For 120 Hz image refresh, it is important that the phone is able to switch dynamically between 60 and 120 Hz, ie it switches higher for games if the application so wishes (if set to 60 Hz by default). This definitely gives you some battery life.

It will also be important for players that the touch detection is 240 Hz, so the phone responds to control with lightning speed without delay.

It’s also important to mention that this display also has HDR10 + capability, so there’s no shortage of vibrant colors.

But what is the quality of the picture? I don't think anyone will complain about it. As I have described several times, IPS technology was first developed for monitors used by graphic designers. If a graphic designer was good at the color fidelity, contrast, and viewing angle that IPS could give, I think it would be good for us too.

As a whole, the backlight could fail, but the POCO X3 excels in this area. The lighting is beautiful, even, and most importantly strong, so you’ll love it!

Kamerák

It should be noted that the POCO X3 is not a device specifically designed for photography, much more for general use, but even more so, it will be a good solution for mid-range gamer phone seekers.

The phone has a total of five optics, four of which we can use for photography, the fifth is a back depth sensor with a resolution of 2 megapixels.

With a self-contained camera of 20 megabytes, this is acceptable, as are its capabilities. The aperture is f / 2.2, the viewing angle is wide (27 millimeters), the sensor size is 1/3 4 ”, and the pixel size is 0,8 micrometers. As I wrote, it is acceptable.

There are four cameras on the back. The main camera is 64 megapixels and the sensor is manufactured by Sony. To be quite accurate, this is a Sony IMX682 sensor that is one of the best these days. This is quite great, the aperture value is f / 1.9. The pixels are smaller than in a self-timer camera, which is understandable because although the physical dimensions of the sensor are also larger, there are many more pixels.

With this camera, it’s worth going into a little bit of detail as well, because we’re going to take not only photos, but videos as well. The maximum resolution at 30 frames can be 4K, and in 1080p we can go up to 120 FPS, which is not a bad thing. The usual really good 960 FPS is only available in 720p resolution, but this is the least disturbing because the quality of this Xiaomi It's also forgetful on a POCO phone.

Of course, the camera uses pixel merging in 4-1, so the images taken are 16 megapixels. Of course, there is a way to switch, so we can take up to 64 megapixel images.

The rest of the cameras, at least with which you can take pictures, don’t require a lot of words. We’ve come across these in a million and a cell phone already, and although now that I’m writing the specification, I haven’t seen what images are shot yet, I dare to envelope the result.

The point. We have an ultra-wide-angle camera that is 13 megapixels with an aperture of f / 2,2 and we have a macro camera that is 2 megapixels with an aperture of f / 2,4.

The camera software in the MIUI 12 on the phone was redesigned again and noticeably improved. It’s not like MIUI’s camera software has been bad, but interestingly, they always find so much carving on it that we feel even more handy.

Now, for example, we’ve got a separate menu where we can find extras like mockup effect, slow motion or clone and vlog mode, in the latter the phone cuts together nice transition videos for us.

When videotaping, we get a slider that allows us to zoom in very distantly and beautifully on distant things. The effect is like a professional camera, the quality is like a software zoom, because that's all there is to it. It's good to have!

Interestingly, the clone mode mentioned above is also available from the software, which is a whole new thing for me. This, similar to Vlog mode - where the phone effects the crop image instead of us - adds interesting effects to our videos. Specifically, we can clone people in the video. You have to add the clone first, then when you start another video, you put the human figure of the first video on the second video. Have fun, just be careful not to move the phone in the meantime so the effect will be perfect.

If that’s still not enough of the specials, we also have the option to record video with the front and back camera at the same time. In this case, we view the image of one camera on one half of the image and the other on the other.

And what was the quality of the pictures?

Of course, I also took photos and videos with the phone, my experiences are mixed.

Unfortunately, the 13 mega ultra-wide and macro cameras only bring the level previously expected. Macro images are of good quality for social sharing, but unsuitable for anything else, just because of the image size. Anyway, there is nothing wrong with the photos you take, of course you need light, but if you have it, you can enjoy the quality.

The 13 mega ultra wide angle camera is suitable for shooting. If there is light, the pictures can be used, the distortion is not dangerous either, it will be good for property owners to photograph room interiors. It can be used even in medium brightness, it does not like dark situations alone. The software effectively and beautifully eliminates lens distortion and barrel wear. When you consider that we still took photos with 12 megapixel main cameras a few years ago and didn’t cry because of them, I don’t think we need to because of the 13 mega. In fact, compared to today’s leading cameras, neither the resolution nor the aperture can be said to be outstanding, but this is offset by our main camera there!

Selfie - 20 MP	Wide angle - 13 MP

The main camera brings the level you expect from a Sony sensor 64 megabyte unit in a Xiaomi phone. Of course, we can also see the usual problem here, the image is getting blurred towards the edges, the detail is less and less, but this is not the fault of the phone, but the small sensor and lens system, ie essentially every camera built into the phone.

At the same time, I’m really glad that the Samsung sensor wasn’t forced (Mi Note 10, true for the 108 megabytes) because Sony is much more percussive in my opinion, and as I wrote above, the IMX682 is a distinctly quality sensor.

In Pro mode, of course, you can also choose the real 64 megapixel resolution, and in some cases you can see the benefits of that. See the photo of the statue in the pictures. But, for example, landscapes and cityscapes are completely unnecessary to use, we don't gain anything, only the size of the completed images and the reservation of storage space increases.

Main camera - 16 MP	Main camera - 64 MP

If you want to edit your photos, here, as with other Xiaomi phones, RAW mode is available, and you can make the images you take with a better image manipulation program, even for a professional eye.

The quality of the captured images is average or slightly better. The quality compensates for the shortcomings of the other two cameras, the interface is good, and we can take quite enjoyable pictures and videos, either in a quality that we can put in our most important photos or even print them small.

Video recording is similar. Below you will find a test video, the quality of which varies, to put it mildly, depending on which camera I took with that particular scene. The great news is that vibration reduction is available not only for 1080p but also for 4K shots, which is quite unusual for a phone at this price point.

The software allows you to switch cameras, work with this and that, and the built-in zoom slider is also great for zooming in or out. However, as you can see in the video, it should be noted that the quality of the cameras is not nearly the same, and although we have the option of 4K resolution, we prefer FHD, i.e. 64p, with the exception of the 1080 mega camera.

Macro - 2 MP	Macro - 2 MP

In any case, it is worth using the 64 mega sensor for video recording, even if you do not want to take advantage of 4K recording. The quality will be good with this, at least if we don't want to zoom in on the image, because then we may encounter a "drop" of checkering. Unfortunately, I feel the angle of view is a bit narrow, so we’re forced to reach for the 13 mega sensor, especially for close-ups, which opens up the image as needed.

Other skills

We got a new vibration motor that can mimic up to 170 kinds of vibrations. We got stereo sound and find Game Turbo 3.0 technology that directs resources to games while games are running.

These capabilities, coupled with a 120 Hz display, 240 Hz touch sensitivity and liquid cooling, make the POCO X3 an ideal mid-range gaming phone.

The battery of the X3 has a capacity of 5160 mAh, for which we get the 33 watt charge. According to the manufacturer, 10 hours of continuous play and 14 hours of movie viewing can be achieved on a single charge. I would add that the two days are a bit more intense than normal, I think the three can be with normal use.

As I wrote above, only version five of Wi-Fi, i.e. the ac standard, got into the phone. Of course, this supports dual-channel networks in addition to 2,4, as well as 5 GHz. With Bluetooth 5.0, that's good news, but not surprisingly, a minimum expectation from a new phone.

Navigation includes support for GPS, GLONASS and BDS satellite systems. There’s also NFC, which is becoming an increasingly important feature, and what Xiaomi has fondly left out of its mid-range mobiles.

I’ve mentioned above that the sound is stereo and sounds pretty good. Okay, it’s also just a mobile, but as much as the sound is as dynamic as possible, I almost dare say it’s deep in it.

Szoftver

The POCO X3 already comes with MIUI12, Xiaomi’s latest system based on Android10. The last security update on the phone that came for the test was a month ago, so we can say that Xiaomi will pay attention to the updates on this phone as well.

The interface, like other POCO phones, is POCO Launcher, which is a modified version of the basic MIUI. While the basic software, such as the camera operator, is the same, POCO Launcher also provides an application interface where programs are automatically grouped by topic according to what they can be used for.

MIUI, in my opinion, is one of today, if not the best Android-based system, beating the basic Android capabilities highly. POCO LAuncher does just that with a paddle, who makes what, the basic MIUI or POCO Launcher, is mostly a matter of taste.

Use and experience

I’m in the fortunate position that the phone arrived almost a week before the official presentation, so I had enough time to hang up and use it as my primary phone.

What is absolutely important to say is that this phone is a Xiaomi, hairy, leathery, as they say. The design, the materials, the exterior, as usual, are impeccable, I wouldn't write too much about it, I've done it a thousand times already.

Of course, the sensors, Bluetooth, navigation, and Wi-Fi are also flawless, although, in connection with the latter, it really hurts to miss Wi-Fi 6. At first, the fingerprint reader seemed inaccurate, but an unexpected help solved the problem. The problem is that the size of the sensor integrated with the power button is much smaller than what we were used to with the back panels.

When I set up the phone it happened that I could unlock it on many attempts. The trouble lasted until I put the silicone back cover on the phone. The help is probably that the opening in the back “guides” my finger to the right place, so it has worked really fast and accurately.

There is no problem with the speed of the phone. I didn’t have it with the Mi Note 10 anymore, though the fact is, these mid-range procs are noticeably lagging behind the strongest pieces. However, I still feel that today’s high-end processors don’t have too much practical use, there’s hardly anyone who can harness their capabilities, and the mid-range, half price, is perfect for normal use.

You can see how much muscle is trapped in the phone from the test numbers. Sufficient.

As you read above, the display is not AMOLED. This, in turn, is unfortunately also felt. It can be felt even though such a bright IPS is rare, so it stays usable even in sunlight, but you see, it’s an AMOLED, even an AMOLED. I understand that it didn’t fit the price, and the players don’t play on the scorching day anyway, plus the 120 image refresh is more important to them.

As I’ve written above, this ability not only benefits gamers, the image “slides” on the screen noticeably smoother.

All in all, for the user experience, I can write that anyone who has tried a category of Xiaomit can take it by trying it all out. It doesn’t hang out on the line either, this company is one of the best manufacturers today and not by chance. The POCO X3 has once again become an extremely lovable phone.

Let's sum it up

The POCO X3 became a player phone in the first place and a device focused on everyday life in the second.

Most of his knowledge is used to make the player and the multimedia experience perfect, but this of course also means that those who will not play on it can benefit a lot from these abilities. The screen refresh, the advanced vibration motor, the stereo sound, the liquid cooling are all features that have a noticeable advantage during daily use.

This phone is a bit like the Xiaomi Mi Note 10. While the Xiaomi has packed a perfect camera system into a mid-range device, it has now packed a flawless solution for gamers around a powerful mid-range processor. Keep in mind, though, that the Xiaomi Note 10 was priced well over $ 400, while we get my POCO X3 for half that. That doesn't really matter.

Even though the X3 didn’t become a photo-sharpened phone, as I wrote above, we can’t complain about the cameras either. In addition to the obvious weaknesses (2 mega macro camera), the Sony sensor 64 meg main camera is the main prize for those who want to take photos and videos.

The price remained at the end. In the introductory promotion, they ask for just € 64 for the phone, at least for a piece with 200GB of storage. This can be said to be a gift price for this mobile. POCO is visibly on the path set by Redmi, beating the competition with their phones, not only in terms of quality but also in terms of price-performance.

You can buy the phone from a Spanish or French warehouse with a delivery time of just one week at Aliexpress's official manufacturer's store, so you also get product support and a two-year warranty. Another good news is that until the tenth of September, we can bring the first 5000 pieces at a discounted price. To do this, in the 64 meg version, the POCOX3DDM5, for the 128 GB version aPOCOX3DDM10 you must use a coupon code.

Buy here:

POCO X3 6/64 GB or 6/128 GB

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