Poco X5 Pro Review: The Best Mid-Range 5G Smartphone Under $300?
In-depth review of Xiaomi's Poco X5 Pro 5G budget phone - benchmark test results, camera sample analysis and how it compares to the Pixel 6a and OnePlus Nord for performance, battery life and iOS emulation.

Blog post by Divyanshu Saini - Published at 1/28/2024
Introduction
- Poco X5 Pro specs overview (Snapdragon processor, storage, 5G, battery capacity)
- Xiaomi's mid-range value flagship positioning
- Our evaluation criteria

Design & Build Quality
- Glass sandwich design
- Weight and dimensions
- Looks compared to Poco X4 GT
- Water/dust resistance rating?
Display Quality
- Peak brightness test results
- Color accuracy benchmarks
- Touch sampling rate
- Is the lack of high refresh rate a disadvantage?
- 6.67" FHD+ AMOLED panel testing

Performance & Hardware
- Snapdragon 778G Plus benchmark scores
- How does CPU/GPU performance fare against Pixel 6a
- Does AI Engine accelerate camera and apps?
- Memory options - 6GB vs 8GB RAM
Software & UI
- MIUI 13 on top of Android 12
- iOS style tweaks and customizations
- Preloaded apps & bloatware situation
Camera results
- 108MP main sensor image samples
- Ultrawide and macro lens analysis
- Low light photography evaluation
- 4K video recording benchmarks
Battery & Charging
- 5000 mAh typical usage times
- Charging speed tests
- Battery optimization features
Other Features
- Stereo speakers audio test
- Haptics motor evaluation
- Side mounted fingerprint scanner accuracy
- 5G network speeds in Bay Area on T-Mobile
- Dual SIM + MicroSD card slot functionality
Specifications:
- Display: 6.67-inch (2400 x 1080 pixels) FHD+ OLED display; 120Hz Touch Sampling Rate
- Chipset: Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G Plus 4nm Mobile Platform (Octa-core processor up to 2.5GHz, Adreno 642L GPU)
- Memory & Storage: 6/8GB LPDDR5 RAM, 128GB/256GB UFS 3.1 storage; expandable with MicroSD card
- Software & UI: Android 12.0 operating system with MIUI 13
- Main Camera: Triple camera (108MP (f/1.9 primary) + 8MP (f/2.2 ultra-wide) + 2MP (f/2.4 macro) with Dual LED flash; 4K video recording
- Selfie Camera: 16MP (f/2.4) front camera with 1080p video capability
- Battery: 5000mAh battery; 67W fast charging
- Connectivity: 5G SA/NSA, 4G VoLTE, Bluetooth 5.2, WiFi 6 a/b/g/n/ac/ax, GPS, USB Type-C port
- Other Features: Side-mounted fingerprint sensor; Face Unlock; Stereo speakers; Dual Microphones; Dual SIM support + dedicated MicroSD slot
- Headphone jack
- Protection: Corning Gorilla Victus protection; IP53 water and dust resistance
- Dimensions & Weight: 156.7 x 69.9 x 7.9mm; 181 grams
- Colors: Blue, Gray, Yellow
- Bay Now