construction and design
The Poco X4 Pro 5G is a completely different mid-range phone from the X3 Pro, taking inspiration from the Redmi Note 11 both in its build and in part in its design. It doesn’t offer the original look we saw in its predecessor, but it does bring some unique details that only Poco has.
For example, the location of the cameras is the same as on Redmi smartphones, but the highlight of the X4 Pro is that it has a module that covers almost a third of the back of the device, very similar to the one above. Mi 11 Ultra line.
However, unlike what we saw in the “more powerful cousin”, here we don’t have a secondary screen or huge sensors to occupy the extra space of the module, just embossed branding that adds nothing to the look .
In particular, I don’t like this identity of the Poco smartphone, mainly because it brings little or no visual detail to the device. I must admit, though, that it’s great to see brands trying new things in Brazil – even if it doesn’t work out.
connections and slots
The Poco X4 Pro doesn’t have the same powerful chipset as the Poco X3 Pro, but it should win over users already looking for 5G connectivity, which is increasingly happening in smartphones.
However, the rest of the connections are still there: Bluetooth 5.1, NFC, infrared sensors to control other devices such as remote controls, USB-C 2.0 and dual-band Wi-Fi ac. There’s also a microSD card slot and headphone jack, which is great news for audiophiles.
buttons
As for the buttons, there are a total of three, the volume button and the power button. Both are on the right side and have the same frame construction, which I find interesting.
The power button is also a fingerprint reader. Unlocking isn’t the fastest, which is a bit strange considering this format is generally accurate and fast. But if you know your limitations, you won’t have much trouble.
Screen
The Poco X4 Pro 5G’s screen is one of the best in Xiaomi’s mid-range portfolio. In addition to rendering darker tones than LCD monitors, AMOLED panels also provide excellent color reproduction.
Combined with Full HD resolution and the HDR10 standard, our monitor is very similar to some of the more entry-level tops like the Edge 20 Pro and the old Poco F3. I also have to praise its excellent brightness intensity, hitting a respectable 1,300 nits in sunny environments – it’s the same value as the Galaxy S21 and very close to the recent S22.
Other highlights of the Poco X4 Pro include a 120 Hz refresh rate, which will make system navigation and gaming smoother. The problem, as I’ve noticed on other Xiaomi smartphones, is that the MIUI interface is too cumbersome, resulting in a sluggish experience.
Settings and performance
The main downgrade of the new Poco X4 Pro 5G over its predecessor is the chipset. The brand chose to exchange the Snapdragon 860, a high-end platform with 4G, for an intermediary that is already compatible with the new mobile network technology, in this case the Snapdragon 695 5G.
Of course, in practice you will notice the disadvantage of the Poco X4 Pro over the X3 Pro, especially in a heavy game like Dead By Daylight. In my tests, the new smartphone ran the title successfully, but with very limited graphics, which was not the case with the previous generation.
Don’t get me wrong: good quality by intermediate standards. The Snapdragon 600 series chipsets are generally simpler than the 700 and 800 series but perform surprisingly well, running Free Fire, Call of Duty Mobile and Asphalt 9 well on auto settings.
I also had no problems running or switching apps, showing good management of the 6GB of RAM. It also comes with 8GB of RAM and 128GB or 256GB of internal storage options.
System and interface
One of my main criticisms of Xiaomi smartphones these days, which I cannot fail to mention, is the MIUI 13 interface. As I noticed on the Redmi Note 11T, it also comes with a custom launcher, navigation is often truncated, and going to a higher refresh rate doesn’t affect the experience much.
Also, what bothers me is that the new version of MIUI adds buttons and shortcuts every time, and the interface is very polluted. For example, on each screen you will find many shortcuts and functions that are not very useful, just saying that it is an easy to use launcher.
Still, I have to admit that MIUI is still one of the most interesting options for you who like to make your phone look “fat”. It has a lot of customization possibilities, and separating apps by category is what I would like to see in other interfaces.
It is worth remembering that the modifications that come with the Poco X4 Pro come from Poco itself, so you will still have many similarities with the traditional MIUI, but with some specificities of the Poco Launcher, such as icons closer to traditional Android — — However, it is no different .
cameras
The Poco X4 Pro marks the debut of a 108 MP camera on a Chinese brand mobile phone. Of course, the resolution draws a lot of attention because of its numbers, but also because it promises better photos.
But just powerful hardware doesn’t make much sense, because most of the work is done by software – we’ve seen great examples of this with the entire iPhone 13 lineup. That’s where Poco’s smartphone disappoints.
Obviously, thanks to a sensor with many MPs, the sharpness is very good, even with the technology that splits the pixels to provide excellent quality. You can even use 108 MP mode, which is better for editing or printing images.
However, I noticed that the photos were quite flawed in darkening the trees and naturally darker areas. I even thought it was an AI detection issue because it got in the way more than it helped, but even with the feature turned off, the results persisted.
Post-processing also struggles to detect white balance, often erasing the areas closest to the light, such as lights and the sun. Also, the dynamic range is very limited, making any environment dull.
When the software gets it right, which doesn’t happen very often, we get interesting photos with vivid colors, but nothing impressive. This is your typical very basic mid-range phone camera.
Ultra wide and macro are horrible and I wouldn’t recommend using them for any occasion. They produce photos with very low sharpness, faded colors and, with wider lenses, severe distortion.
battery and charging
The battery capacity of the Poco X4 Pro is 5,000 mAh, slightly lower than the 5,160 mAh of the X3 Pro. However, the autonomy is still good, as I proved in my tests.
In the streaming scene, with 3 hours of Netflix at 50% brightness and volume, and connected to Wi-Fi, the Poco X4 Pro uses only 14% battery, which is a good deal for the autonomy of the mid-range category. It is very close to the Redmi Note 11 series.
On a day-to-day basis, Poco’s smartphone also performed well. The Snapdragon 695 5G chipset doesn’t heat up, even for a few minutes of Dead by Daylight, so it doesn’t consume much.
Sound system
Another improvement on the Poco X4 Pro is the dual sound system. Basically, Poco has put two speakers from the Redmi Note 11 series in its project.
In fact, our quality is far superior to almost all Motorola mid-rangers, for example, due to the stereo. Additionally, these clips only provide powerful clarity when the content is not playing at full volume.
direct competitors
In Brazil, the Poco X4 Pro competes with Motorola smartphones precisely because they are basically in the same departments, such as cameras and software. Among the competing models, the Moto G71 is the most suitable.
In addition to bringing the same Snapdragon 695 5G chipset, the G71 also brings a beautiful AMOLED screen, albeit 6.4 inches, compared to the rival’s 6.67. It also comes with a headphone jack, which has become less common these days.
The 5,000 mAh battery also attracts attention, as it can last up to two days depending on use. In cameras, the two differ only in the main aspects, 50 MP for the G71 and 108 MP for the Poco X4 Pro. However, Motorola phones are of better quality.
In addition, the Motorola model is much cheaper, being sold for around R$ 2,300.
Is it worth buying the Poco X4 Pro 5G?
The Poco X4 Pro brings some good news over its predecessor, such as better build, OLED screen and 5G. Until then, however, it ignored the main difference of the X-Series: performance.
Not that the X4 Pro disappoints in this regard, as I was surprised by the performance of the Snapdragon 695 5G, especially since it’s a model in Qualcomm’s more entry-level mid-range lineup.
However, it is no different from competitors who already have the latest chipsets in the Snapdragon 700 series. Many people buy the Poco X3 Pro precisely because of the relatively low power cost it offers.
In addition, one cannot fail to mention the camera’s performance, which is much lower than the Poco X3 Pro sold in Brazil and other intermediaries. If you’re going to buy it for the 108 MP sensor, you’d better reconsider.
