Poco M3 Pro 5G review - an inexpensive smartphone with NFC

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

The ideal machine for everyday tasks.

The Poco catalog is more or less easy to understand: flagship models are designated by the index F, mid-range devices - X, and budget devices - M. So it's easy to understand where the Poco M3 Pro 5G occupies in the hierarchy. This is an updated version of the budget smartphone that was released last November. At the same time, it costs almost as much as the M3 at the start of sales, but in terms of characteristics it is noticeably more interesting. And yes, in addition to 5G, it has NFC. But the differences between the Pro version and the usual one do not end there.

Table of contents

• Specifications
• Design and ergonomics
• Screen
• Iron
• Operating system
• Sound and vibration
• Cameras
• Autonomy
• Outcomes

Specifications

Platform	Android 11 with MIUI 12 shell
Display	6.5 inches, 2,400 x 1,080 pixels, IPS, FHD +, Corning Gorilla Glass 3, 90 Hz
CPU	MediaTek MT6833 Dimensity 700 5G (7nm)
Memory	RAM - 4/6 GB, ROM - 64/128 GB
Cameras	Main - 48 Mp, 1/2 ″, f / 1, 8; macro lens - 2 Mp, f / 2, 4; depth sensor - 2 Mp; frontal - 8 MP, f / 2.0
Battery	5000 mAh, fast charging (included power supply - 22.5 W, supports 18 W)
Dimensions (edit)	161.8 x 75.3 x 8.9 mm
The weight	190 g
Additionally	Dual SIM, NFC, fingerprint reader

Design and ergonomics

The classic Poco yellow box contains the smartphone itself, a cable, a 22.5 W power supply, a transparent case, a sheet of stickers and a bunch of instructions. The M3 Pro is produced in three colors: in addition to the black and gray we got for the test, there are also yellow and blue.

The main visual difference from last year's M3 is in the design of the camera block on the rear panel. Whereas in the M3 it was inscribed in a horizontal black stripe, in the M3 Pro it was positioned vertically. At the same time, the block itself looks similar: three eyes on a small step, going under each other, and a flash from the side.

Another difference is that the updated smartphone has a glossy finish rather than a matte finish. And gloss, as you know, is the best magnet for prints, specks, dust particles and other contaminants. Interestingly, the plastic back seems to be voluminous, and because of this, fingerprints on it are not so noticeable: they are hidden by the overflow of silver metallic under a transparent layer of plastic. So visually, the smartphone looks quite neat.

The frames around the display are rather small, only thicker at the bottom. The front camera is mounted in the center of the upper border of the screen in a round peephole.

If the M3 had two speakers, then in the M3 Pro only one was left - on the lower edge. Adjacent to it is a USB-C connector and a microphone hole. Another microphone is on the top edge. There is also a headphone jack and an infrared port.

Hybrid card slot: you can install either two SIM cards, or one SIM and one microSD memory card. It is on the left side.

All buttons are on the right. This is a volume rocker, which protrudes quite strongly relative to the body, and a power button with a fingerprint sensor built into it, which, on the contrary, is slightly recessed into the sidewall. The sensor works perfectly, clearly, almost always from the first touch. In the settings, you can choose in which case it will start reading touches - immediately or when you press a button. The second option will eliminate accidental triggering.

The smartphone is not gigantic and not heavy, so it fits comfortably in the hand. From him emanates a sense of normality and some kind of calm correctness - with the ergonomics Poco guessed it. You can easily reach all the buttons with your thumb. The key for the fingerprint scanner is not just recessed - it is also rather big, so it is very convenient to hit on it. The only negative is that dust loves to accumulate near the steps with the camera block.

Screen

The Poco M3 Pro 5G has a 6.5-inch display based on an IPS matrix with a resolution of 1,080 × 2,400 pixels, covered with a protective Corning Gorilla Glass 3. It turned out quite well: the margin of brightness is sufficient, even in the sun the text is visible well. The colors are pleasant, the fonts are without noticeable pixelation, and at an angle, the shades of white only slightly grayish.

The settings are no different from most smartphones on MIUI 12. You can change the color scheme, correct the color rendition, and also select the refresh rate - 60 and 90 Hz are available. During the test, we periodically switched the frequency to check how much it affects the power consumption. Spoiler alert: not as tangible as it could.

Iron

The main difference from the Poco M3 is in the hardware platform: the M3 Pro is built on the basis of the eight-core MediaTek MT6833 Dimensity 700 5G, which replaced the Snapdragon 662. The smartphone comes in two versions: with 4 GB of RAM and 64 GB of user memory or with 6 GB of RAM and 128 GB user. We got the last one for the test.

Those who are used to contactless payments will be pleased with the presence of NFC - in the usual M3 it was not. And the name of the model itself includes support for 5G networks, which is not yet very relevant for Russia. But for solving everyday tasks, the performance of the M3 Pro is quite enough for the next couple of years - and then 5G is just around the corner.

For heavy games like PUBG Mobile, the platform is not strong enough: at medium settings, stable 30 frames come out, but the frequency does not rise higher. At the same time, under load, the smartphone does not turn into a stove and even after an hour of playing it barely heats up in the upper part. But the same Pokemon Go only plants the battery, but does not require serious resources.

Operating system

The M3 Pro is based on Android 11, covered with MIUI 12. Our version ran on MIUI 12.0.9, there was no update to 12.5. In terms of settings, everything is standard: you can adjust almost any interface element for yourself. We have devoted a whole detailed material to how MIUI 12 works.

The main nuisance is advertising, but, fortunately, it turns off. The interface itself, in combination with the hardware platform and the 90 Hz screen, behaves smoothly, clearly and does not slow down.

Sound and vibration

Although there is only one speaker, it is loud and clear. If you twist it to the maximum, it does not lose detail and does not begin to wheeze.

In the headphones via cable with sound, everything is about the same as in the Redmi Note 10S: the in-ear models can still rock the smartphone, but the full-sized ones will be too serious a burden for it.

Only AAC, SBC and LDAC codecs are available via Bluetooth. aptX and aptX HD from Qualcomm are not, which is understandable: the smartphone is built on a platform of another brand.

Cameras

The main camera module includes a 48 megapixel sensor, a 2 megapixel macro lens and a 2 megapixel depth sensor. The camera interface is standard for MIUI 12: a slider with mode switching at the bottom of the screen, several settings buttons at the top.

The camera is not bad for its level: quite detailed, clear, sharp. Sometimes the white balance suffers, and the photo seems to be overexposed, even in good daylight. This can be corrected manually in the "Pro" mode. But ordinary photographs also turn out to be pleasant - juicy and artistic to the right extent.

Filming with the main camera, daylight. Photo: Alina Rand / Lifehacker

Filming with the main camera, daylight. Photo: Alina Rand / Lifehacker

Filming with the main camera, daylight. Photo: Alina Rand / Lifehacker

Filming with the main camera, daylight. Photo: Alina Rand / Lifehacker

Filming with the main camera, daylight. Photo: Alina Rand / Lifehacker

Filming with the main camera, daylight. Photo: Alina Rand / Lifehacker

Filming with the main camera, daylight. Photo: Alina Rand / Lifehacker

Filming with the main camera, approaching twilight. Photo: Alina Rand / Lifehacker

Filming with the main camera, twilight. Photo: Alina Rand / Lifehacker

Shooting with the main camera, artificial light. Photo: Alina Rand / Lifehacker

As soon as there is less light, the detail drops, but remains acceptable for a gadget of this price range. Apparently, the macromodule was set from the principle “everyone has it, so let it be here too”. Here, as with most smartphones, it is better to get macro by cropping images from the main lens.

The blur in portrait mode is not as subtle and deep as in other models. Perhaps, this is due to the low resolution of the camera by modern standards.

Shooting with the main camera without blur. Photo: Alina Rand / Lifehacker

Shooting with the main camera with blur in portrait mode. Photo: Alina Rand / Lifehacker

As standard, the main lens shoots in Quad Bayer format, combining pixels of four. But there is an opportunity to take full-size pictures at 48 megapixels.

Shooting in Quad Bayer mode. Photo: Alina Rand / Lifehacker

Shooting in 48 megapixel mode. Photo: Alina Rand / Lifehacker

Unlike the M3, the M3 Pro has stabilization when shooting at 1,080p. She works well, but she still can't cope with running.

Autonomy

The battery is a little thinner than the Poco M3 in the Pro version: here there is a unit for 5,000, not 6,000 mAh. However, the smartphone in normal use - a couple of hours of Pokemon Go, constant scrolling through social networks and chatting, about an hour of YouTube, 30 minutes of conversations - withstood a day and a half. In this case, the refresh rate of the screen was 90 Hz. From 60 Hz, he could hold out for almost two days.

The M3 Pro supports 18W charging. From a native power supply from zero to half, it charges in about 50 minutes, and completely in a little less than 2 hours.

Outcomes

Poco M3 Pro 5G demonstrated everything that we once loved the brand for: a balance of functionality, performance and cost. It is a smartphone with a nice design, correct ergonomics and an unexpectedly fingerprint-tolerant glossy design.

It has a decent sun screen and a solid battery. The images from the camera can be described with the phrase “simple but good”, and for a smartphone of this level this is an excellent verdict.

All in all, the Poco M3 Pro 5G is a very successful upgrade to the regular M3. The presence of NFC and 5G with a slightly more productive platform and maintaining the same pricing policy (our version now costs 16,990 rubles with discounts, without them - 19,990) for many can become a decisive factor when choosing a new smartphone.