When Poco comes with a new device, it is advisable to pay attention. The devices often have a good price-quality ratio. We saw that before with the Poco X3 Pro, but what about the Poco X4 Pro 5G? We take a closer look at the device.
Poco X4 Pro 5G
Recommended retail price From € 299,-
Colors Black, Blue, Purple, Green
OS Android 11 (MIUI 13)
Screen 6.67 inch OLED (2400 x 1080, 120 Hz)
Processor Snapdragon 695
RAM 6GB or 8GB
Storage 128GB or 256GB
Battery 5,000 mAh
Camera 108.8 and 2 megapixels (rear), 16 megapixels (front)
Connectivity 5G, 4G (LTE), Bluetooth 5.2, Wi-Fi 6, GPS, NFC
Format 163.7 x 76.2 x 8.3mm
Weight 27 grams
Other Infrared sensor, headphone jack
Website www.po.co 6 Score 60 
- Pros
- OLED screen
- design
- Long battery life and fast charging
- 5g
- Negatives
- Processor
- Camera system
- Update Policy
- Software
Although we are dealing with a budget smartphone here, you can’t see that from it. Both the front and back are fitted with glass. The build quality is quite solid, and that shows confidence, while the weight of 207 grams also radiates something premium. For 299 euros it does not feel like you have a cheap Chinese smartphone at home.
The buttons are on the right side of the device, with the fingerprint scanner in the power button, and everything is easily accessible. In addition, it is nice to see that the device has both a USB-C and a headphone connection. On the back is a fairly large camera module, which includes a 108-megapixel camera.
Less fast processor
So the first impressions are good. But if we technically analyze the device, the processor quickly stands out. This is a Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 processor. While this is a fairly new chipset, it’s also a lot slower than the processor in the X3 Pro. And not so economical: the three-year-old Snapdragon 860 processor is up to 35 percent faster, according to tests.
Fortunately, you hardly notice this in daily use, but for video games it can kill the experience. Take Pokémon Go for example; although the game is playable, you notice that the device has a hard time with it. There is also 6 to 8 GB of RAM and 128 to 256 GB of storage space.
Why then does Poco opt for a less powerful processor? Probably to support 5G networks. although 5G in the Netherlands (still) has not been rolled out as widely as providers sometimes lead to believe, it may now be wise to buy a smartphone that supports such networks. If you use your smartphones for a long time, you also know for sure that you will not need a new model soon.
The Poco X4 Pro 5G also has a battery with a capacity of 5,000 mAh, which can easily last two days. Charging is also nice and fast with the supplied adapter: it charges at a speed of 67 watts. Not unique, but very cool.
It is very nice to see that Poco opts for an OLED screen this time, also of 6.67 inches. Compared to devices that have LCD screens, such as the Poco X3, this results in a significant difference in color reproduction. The viewing angle is also much wider. Colors look beautiful on this screen and details in photos come out well.
In addition, it is great that the refresh rate can be set to 120 Hertz, which makes scrolling through the menu feel very fast. The stereo speakers in the phone deliver clearly intelligible sound. Audio messages on WhatsApp, podcasts and YouTube videos all sound nice. But there is – logically – no question of a bass layer.
Software remains a pain point
When the Poco X3 Pro came out almost a year ago, the device was running the then just available Android 11. Now that Android 12 is available, you might expect the Poco X4 Pro 5G to support that version, but nothing could be further from the truth. Unfortunately, the device runs on somewhat old software. There is also uncertainty about the update policy, as Poco does not seem to guarantee that you will receive two upgrades and three years of security updates.
That is a double slap in the face of the consumer: no Android 14 and no guarantee on security updates. In addition, you should keep in mind that there are quite a few apps pre-installed.
Add to that the fact that the Android experience on this device deviates enormously from the norm and you have a sub-optimal experience. The MIUI software shell was taken directly from Xiaomi. This is not surprising, since Poco used to be a subsidiary. The layout is very similar to iOS and that is a conscious choice. But everything works just a little differently. The way you manage notifications, open the quick menu and generally set up the device.
It doesn’t have to be a major drawback, especially for repeat consumers. But if this is your first device from Poco (or by extension: Xiaomi), it does take some getting used to.
Camera system performs well
The camera system looks less extensive than on the Poco X3 Pro. The main camera has a 108-megapixel sensor. That seems like a big step forward, but that’s not the complete story. The system has pixel binning. This means that nine pixels are compressed into one pixel. Photos therefore look sharper and clearer, since more light is absorbed.
In addition, there is an eight-megapixel wide-angle lens and a two-megapixel macro lens. The wide-angle lens has a viewing angle of 118 degrees. Both lenses feel a bit basic and arouse little enthusiasm; but how do you like the system?
Since we are still dealing with a budget device, we should not set expectations too high. Nevertheless, we are impressed with the camera quality. The images look colorful, sharp and detailed, especially in environments with sufficient light. Since there is no telephoto lens, zooming is done completely digitally. That is less desirable.
But when you shoot in the largest possible resolution, the result is not that bad. Unfortunately, there is no good night mode available and we also miss an optical image stabilizer, so that photos sometimes come out a bit blurry or unclear. But that’s not very surprising given the price point.
Also read: Can you also take beautiful photos with a budget phone?
You probably use the other two lenses less often. The images that come from the wide-angle lens look a bit softer compared to the main camera. But otherwise the colors and the level of detail look equivalent. The macro lens is well hidden within the standard camera app, and it may be for a reason. Because the quality is nothing to write home about. The camera has trouble focusing and that is exactly what it is intended for.
Finally, the selfie camera of sixteen megapixels is fine. You can use the photos perfectly for social media or video calling conversations. It cannot be called special; but for this price functional is just okay.
Poco X4 Pro 5G – conclusion
All in all, the Poco X4 Pro 5G leaves a mixed impression. We are enthusiastic about the design and the premium feel of the device. This is partly due to the weight and the fantastic screen. In addition, the battery is nice and large and we are happy with the USB-C and headphone connections. The camera system is nice and functional and good for this price point.
However, the old Android version, the amount of apps, the lack of clarity about updates and the slower processor really throw a spanner in the works. We understand that you make concessions for budget smartphones, but the proportions are very skewed. Especially in the field of software.
We cannot therefore highly recommend the device. Not until there is more clarity about the update policy. The other negative qualities may weigh a little less, because those are things you can take into account.
In any case, take a look at our overview of smartphones under 300 euros; there may be something in between that will give you much more. For example, the Samsung Galaxy A22 5G scores very high and the Poco X3 Pro may also be slightly better. Otherwise, you still have the OnePlus Nord CE 2 or the Oppo A74 5G that you can look at. In short: there is no lack of competition, which means that Poco cannot drop such stitches.
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