Xiaomi’s sub-brand POCO, has launched its newest mid-range contender, the POCO X3 NFC, last month and Xiaomi fans were abuzz.
This is because it promises quality and performance that go beyond what most smartphones of the same price point can offer. Xiaomi may already be known for impressive phones with lesser prices, but for the POCO X3 NFC, it seems that they really pushed the boundaries of what one can get for the prices of P10,990 (6GB+64GB variant) and P12,990 (6GB+128GB variant).
Xiaomi has been kind enough to let us have a try at a POCO X3 NFC, 6GB+128GB variant with a Shadow Gray finish (it also comes in Cobalt Blue!). After a week of using this device, here’s my review on this so-called Mid-range Champion.
At first glance.
When it comes to looks, the POCO X3 NFC’s wide and bright display is, first and foremost, a charmer. Its dot drop camera lets you focus on content consumption and gameplay, while having an already generous screen size of edge-to-edge 6.67” FHD+ DotDisplay. This screen is protected by a Corning Gorilla Glass 5 which can survive 1.2-meter, waist-high drops onto hard and rough surfaces, according to Corning.
It has slim volume rackers accompanied by a subtle power button that also acts as the phone’s fingerprint scanner for quick access. Still, this phone is not saved from having a protruding camera setup at the back. Speaking of the phone’s rear, it sports a smooth glass-like finish with the POCO brand that creates a multi-colored shine in the glint of light. The only downside is that it’s prone to finger and handprints.
Once booted up, you will be impressed by its responsiveness just scrolling up and down through the app rack. Being a Xiaomi device, it is already packed with apps, some of which are from software from Xiaomi. You can also expect that its UI is sprinkled with ads, but hey, if this business model allows them to provide more budget-friendly smartphones, it doesn’t seem too big a deal.
My gaming experience.
Its performance is truly impressive for its price point, and it’s no surprise that there’s a hype around the device. After all, it sports a Qualcomm Snapdragon 732G and boasts of a 120Hz ultra-high refresh rate. To give you an idea, I tested it with three of the most played mobile games right now, namely Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, Call of Duty: Mobile, and Genshin Impact.
Playing Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, the POCO X3 NFC really handled it like a champ. I didn’t experience any lags and its responsiveness is on point. Its vivid and generous display went very well with the game’s most recent updates on graphics.
Call of Duty: Mobile is also just as smooth and responsive, as long as the in-game graphic quality and frame rate are set to “High”. When set to “Very High”, my Deathmatch games went just as smooth but the Battle Royale Mode didn’t fare well. That’s when I experienced some lags. But in my opinion, putting the graphic quality and frame rate to just “High” isn’t a huge deal, and I don’t really see much of a difference except that you can play continuously without lags.
Playing the hefty 5-gigabyte Genshin Impact is also a pleasant experience with this device. The stunning world and characters of the game can really pop with the display. Just like with CoD, I don’t recommend pushing the POCO X3 NFC to its limits by tweaking the settings to the highest graphics and frame rate. But for a mid-range device, it can still handle the game impressively with medium settings.
Playing graphics-heavy games, you can expect the device to get warm in 30 minutes, but not at a temperature that’ll concern you already. You can also expect a decline in performance as the battery gets lower than 15% or as the device gets too warm after hours of continuous gameplay. Those should be your cues to take a break and charge up your phone before going back to gaming.
As an added treat to the gaming experience, the device also sports dual stereo speakers coming from opposite sides, so you wouldn’t get too conscious with your hand muffling the sounds of your game.
Battery life.
POCO has promised that its 5160mAh(typ) can charge 100% in just about an hour, and it did. Specifically, this POCO X3 NFC went from 1% to 57% in 30 minutes charging idly. In exactly an hour, the phone has filled up 96% of its battery.
As for battery consumption, it goes down 8% less in every 20 minutes of continuous heavy gameplay. It can also last for more than a day with moderate use, and according to POCO, this device can last 17 hours of video consumption so you can plan a late-night binge without being stuck near your electrical outlet.
Camera setup.
While the POCO X3 NFC’s 64MP main camera and 13MP ultrawide camera can yield nice photos with great detail, the phone falls victim to the common quad-camera setup fillers, having a 2MP macro lens and 2MP depth sensor.
It can do 4k video recording with up to 30fps and 1080p with up to 120fps. It also comes with electronic image stabilization so you can capture smoother footage. The device also has a generous 20MP front camera for your clear selfies and vlogs with its capability of shooting up to 1080p at 30fps.
Conclusion
The POCO X3 NFC really shines bright in the mid-range segment. It feels premium with its sizable display and promising performance, that many would probably be surprised that it’s below P13,000. So if you’re a mobile gamer who believes that you need to pay a lot more for the advantage of smoother gameplay, then don’t worry about breaking the bank because the POCO X3 NFC is here. As its tagline goes, it is “Exactly what you need.”
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You can purchase the POCO X3 NFC at authorized Mi stores, Shopee, and Lazada. For more information, visit the phone’s official webpage on the Mi Philippines website.
