The Poco X3 Pro is a 249 euro smartphone with remarkably good specifications. From a 120 Hz screen and a powerful processor to a lot of working and storage memory. Is this the best budget phone of the year? Computer! Total figured it out and update you in this Poco X3 Pro review.
Poco X3 Pro
MSRP From € 249.00
Colors Black, blue, gold
OS Android 11 (MIUI)
Screen 6.67 inch LCD (2400 x 1080, 120 Hz)
Processor 2.9 GHz octacore (Snapdragon 860)
RAM 6 GB or 8 GB
Storage 128 GB or 256 GB
Battery 5,160 mAh
Camera 48, 8, 2 and 2 megapixels (rear), 20 megapixels (front)
Connectivity 4G (LTE), Bluetooth 5.0, WiFi 5, GPS, NFC
Format 16.5 x 7.7 x 0.94 cm
Weight 215 grams
Other Infrared sensor, IP53 splash-proof
Website www.po.co 8.5 Score 85 
- Pros
- 120 Hz screen
- Performance
- Long battery life and fast charging
- Negatives
- Ungainly in use
- Mediocre macro camera
- MIUI software has concerns
Poco was a subsidiary brand of the well-known Xiaomi and has recently become more independent. The Poco devices still come from the same factory as that of Xiaomi and use the same MIUI software shell. And although Xiaomi is known for the competitive price-quality ratio of its affordable smartphones, Poco wants to go one step further. I wrote about the recently released Poco X3 NFC of 229 euros that it was a groundbreaking budget smartphone. The brand new Poco X3 Pro has, among other things, a faster processor and more storage memory and costs 249 euros. Does this make it a better buy?
First something that strikes me. The sales package of the Poco X3 Pro is nice and complete. In addition to a USB-C cable and charging adapter, the manufacturer also supplies a transparent cover and a sticker sheet.
Ungainly design
When I took the Poco X3 Pro out of the box, I had to get used to the weight. With 215 grams, it is one of the heaviest smartphones at the moment. You notice that constantly when you hold the phone. It is also a large smartphone, which is due to the hefty 6.67-inch screen. If you are looking for a handy device, it is better to look further.
The build quality of the Poco X3 Pro is perfectly fine and the device is pleasant to hold. A reliable and fast fingerprint scanner is placed in the on and off button on the right side. The plastic housing has a splash-proof finish and can therefore withstand a rain shower. A nice thought. I am less charmed by the huge Poco logo on the back, which makes the smartphone a real advertising column. Fortunately, you can solve this with a cover.
The stereo speakers sound clear and can be nice and loud, although they obviously lack serious bass. The speakers are better than usual in this price range. Poco also leaves a good impression by equipping the X3 Pro with useful functions. From a headphone connection and an infrared sensor (to operate household appliances) to an NFC chip for contactless PIN in shops; it is all there.
120 Hz screen looks wonderfully smooth
Poco also scores points by putting a good screen in the smartphone. There is a good chance that it is the same screen as in the Poco X3 NFC, because the properties are identical. The Poco X3 Pro also has a 6.67-inch LCD display with beautiful colors and a sharp Full HD resolution. Thanks to the high refresh rate of 120 Hz, the screen looks much smoother than a traditional 60 Hz screen. Such a traditional display renews itself 60 times per second, where the Poco X3 Pro does that 120 times. Text reads more pleasantly, optimized games come out better and the smartphone simply feels a bit faster. Although more and more smartphones of 250 euros have a 120 Hz screen, it is certainly not yet a standard feature.
The only point of attention of the Poco X3 Pro screen is that it is not an OLED display. Comparably priced Samsung smartphones (Galaxy A51 & Galaxy M21) do have such a nicer OLED screen. The Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 Pro is a few tens more expensive and also has an OLED screen.
Hardware
The Poco X3 Pro is the first smartphone in the Netherlands with the new Qualcomm Snapdragon 860 processor. This is in fact a more powerful version of the Snapdragon 855, the best processor from 2019. And you notice it: the Poco X3 Pro is very fast, helped by a generous 6 GB of RAM. It is without a doubt the fastest phone in its price range. Heavier games also come out well. The storage memory measures 128 GB by default. You can increase the memory with a micro SD card. Poco also sells the X3 Pro with 8 GB of RAM and 256 GB of storage space. This variant is fifty euros more expensive, a remarkably competitive additional price that the competition cannot match.
Battery life and charging
The battery capacity of the Poco X3 Pro with 5160 mAh is nice and large and in practice sufficient for one and a half to two days of use. Charging is easy because the device supports fast charging. The box contains a 33 Watt fast charger and it takes a little over an hour to fully charge the battery. Charging for half an hour already lifts the battery from 0 to 50 percent.
Cameras
The Poco X3 Pro takes photos and videos with four cameras on the back and a selfie camera in a hole in the screen. That selfie camera (20 megapixels) is fine, but not special. Considering the price, you can’t expect that either. The quad camera on the back consists of a 48-megapixel main camera, an 8-megapixel wide-angle lens, a 2-megapixel macro camera and a depth sensor (2-megapixel).
The Poco X3 Pro uses the 48 megapixel main camera to squeeze four pixels together for better photos. By default, the camera shoots 12 megapixel images and they look very nice during the day. The photos look realistic, sharp and deal well with the setting sun. The wide-angle lens captures a wider photo, and although it is less impressive on all points, the quality is fine. You will especially notice the lower resolution when you view the image on your computer screen or television.
Below you can see the difference between the primary camera and wide-angle lens. The second series shows the difference between automatic mode and night mode, where I took the photos with the main camera.
With the 2 megapixel macro camera, you can take a photo up close. However, the minimum distance to an object remains quite large and the camera does not take sharp photos due to the low resolution. I therefore find the camera of limited use. The depth sensor helps to blur the background when you take a portrait photo. He does that properly.
In the comparison below you can see the main camera, macro camera and wide angle camera from left to right.
Software and update policy
The Poco X3 Pro runs on Android 11, the most recent version at the time of writing. Poco promises updates to Android 12 and 13, which is in line with the competition. The company also guarantees regular security updates for two years. Also common and good enough for an affordable smartphone. Samsung smartphones distinguish themselves with four years of updates and are therefore safe to use for longer.
The MIUI software layer that Poco puts over Android takes some getting used to. The shell makes visual changes, so you may have to search for familiar functions. The software also contains a lot of installed apps and you can only remove them in a roundabout way. Finally, Poco earns money by occasionally serving you advertisements. You can only indicate whether you want personalized advertisements or not and you have no option to buy off the advertisements in full once. A missed opportunity if you ask me.
Conclusion: buy Poco X3 Pro?
The Poco X3 Pro offers an impressive price-quality ratio and is without a doubt one of the best smartphones under 300 euros. The phone combines a beautiful screen and powerful hardware with a long battery life and will receive updates for two years. Points of attention are the extensive MIUI software and the size and weight of the smartphone. If you don’t care, you get an excellent smartphone for 249 euros. The model with more working and storage memory is fifty euros more expensive and especially interesting if you really need a lot of storage space.
Alternative smartphones worth checking out include the Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 Pro and Poco X3 NFC. The former is slightly more expensive, a bit slower and has 64 GB of storage memory as standard, but has a nicer OLED screen and better cameras. The Poco X3 NFC starts at 229 euros, is also a bit slower and also has 64 GB of storage memory. Furthermore, it is almost identical, which makes it an interesting cheaper alternative. Especially because the device is regularly on offer for 199 euros.
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