Xiaomi's budget brand, Poco, has just announced the Poco F5 and F5 Pro, two phones that pack gaming power grunt and masses of storage despite relatively modest prices.
Each phone has a few highlights, with the entry-level F5 being the first to feature a Qualcomm Snapdragon 7+ Gen 1 chip, which punches way above its modest $379 price, as does its bright, bold AMOLED display.
If you've got a little more cash to splash, then the $449 Poco F5 Pro introduces wireless charging to the line, as well as a super-sharp WQHD display and a curved glass back panel for some in-hand ooh-la-la-factor.
Poco F5
Going into a bit more detail, the Poco F5 is a no-frills spec champ. It's skinny, clocking in at just 7.9mm thin, and manages to squeeze in a headphone jack, an ample 6.67-inch AMOLED screen and a massive 5000mAh battery with nippy 67W fast charging. We got our hands on the phone and its light 181g weight really does belie the mighty set of specs inside.
Protected by Gorilla Glass 5, the phone's screen, which delivers a mighty 5,000,000:1 contrast ratio, Netflix HDR certification, and covers the DCI-P3 wide color gamut also packs a silky smooth 120Hz refresh rate.
As for the camera, it's spearheaded by a 64MP sensor matched with an f/1.8 lens. There's no OIS, but the Poco F5 does sport EIS so should be able to hold things together as well as most phones at its price point. The only area the F5 seems to drop the ball on paper is with its secondary cameras, with an 8MP ultra-wide and 2MP macro camera combo we've seen a few times from Xiaomi and Poco.
Poco F5 Pro
The Poco F5 Pro is a spec boost over the F5 in nearly every area, with a sharper screen, a little more power, and a higher battery capacity.
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Starting with the phone's design, the Poco F5 Pro is a significantly chunkier option, missing out on the svelte-appeal of the F5. That weight, coupled with the fact the phone sports a glass back (versus plastic on the vanilla F5), does add a more premium quality to the in-hand feel though.
Taking on pricier phones like the OnePlus 11 5G with gusto, the F5 Pro's screen is a pin-sharp WQHD+ resolution, which combined with its AMOLED screen tech, 120Hz refresh rate and 10-bit credentials is best-in-class for the price on paper.
A huge 5160mAh battery that quickly charges at 67W, and wirelessly charges at 30W also steals the show, out-ranking the flagship competition when it comes to capacity, while simultaneously offering wireless charging at a price we seldom see.
The F5 Pro also boosts the camera slightly over the F5, upgrading the lens with optical stabilization, which should improve night capture and handheld photography.
Like the F5, the Pro drops the ball with its secondary cameras – with an 8MP ultra-wide camera, and a 2MP fixed-focus macro camera. Despite this, given the phone's other specs, the F5 Pro could still be the best option around for a power user in need of a spec champ on a budget.
With pre-orders available from May 9, 2023, local pricing will depend on regional market availability, so if the F5 or F5 Pro check your boxes, check Xiaomi or Poco's local retail pages for more.
Looking for the best camera phone on a tight budget? Check out our guide for the best budget camera phone. You can also check out our guides for the best Android phone.
