Xiaomi had called us for POCO’s biggest event of the year and it has finally been released. The Xiaomi POCO X3 Pro is official, being part of the first line of mobiles of the brand of this 2021.
Thus, it is a mobile that gives a qualitative leap compared to the POCO X3 NFC, in terms of the processor and the “Pro” name. Hence it inherits a somewhat more upmarket status and closer to that of the POCO F2 Pro at this level, but in terms of the other aspects, it is a smartphone similar to the X3.
Xiaomi POCO X3 Pro Specifications
| XIAOMI POCO X3 PRO | |
|---|---|
| Dimensions and Weight | 165.3 x 76.8 x 9.4 mm 215 g |
| Screen | IPS 6.67 inches 120 Hz 240 Hz touch, 450 nits Gorilla Glass 6, HDR10 |
| Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon 860 |
| RAM | 6/8 GB LPDDR4X |
| Storage | 128/256 GB UFS 3.1 (up to 1 TB with microSD) |
| Main Cameras | 48 MP, f/1.79, AF UGA 8 MP, f/2.2, 119° 2 MP macro, f/2.4, FF 2 MP depth, f/2.4, FF |
| Front Camera | 20 MP, f / 2.2 |
| Battery | 5,160 mAh Fast charge 33 W |
| Operating System | Android 11 + MIUI 12 |
| Connectivity | 4G, Bluetooth 5.0, WiFi 5, NFC |
| Others | Jack 3.5 mm Stereo Infrared Dual Sim (hybrid) Charger included Side fingerprint reader |
| Price | 6 GB + 128 GB = €249 (€199 special launch offer) 8 GB + 256 GB = €299 (€249 special launch offer) |
A design with a better finish
Part of those features that remind us of the POCO X3 is in that back, which makes us instantly associate it with the brand, with the large module centered in the middle and the two stripes on the sides with a differentiated pattern. Of course, although the mold looks the same, in this case, they point out that the finish is matte and so the fingerprints are reduced.
Thus, there is a large central hump where the four rear cameras and the flash are embedded, and the brand logo in the center. The front camera peeks through a hole, as in its predecessor (and of the same diameter), and the fingerprint reader is on the side.
This happens to be an IPS technology panel, specifically the 6.67-inch display with FullHD+ resolution and maximum refresh rate of 120 Hz that the POCO X3 NFC already had. It supports HDR10 and has a maximum touch refresh rate of 240 Hz, which is not bad.
Power and mAh up
The Pro name is based on the leap we see at the processor level, which is why at this level it would scale to the high end according to what Qualcomm establishes in its series of chips. In this case, the POCO X3 Pro debuts the Snapdragon 860, a processor halfway between the Snapdragon 855 and the Snapdragon 865, both Qualcomm flagships for 2019 and 2020.
It is accompanied by 6 or 8 GB of LPDDR4X RAM with storage versions of 128 or 256 GB, so there are the following variants, in both cases with the possibility of adding a microSD to have up to 1 TB of space in total:
- POCO X3 Pro with 8 GB of RAM and 256 GB of storage.
- POCO X3 Pro with 8 GB of RAM and 256 GB of storage.
At the battery level, there is no variation compared to the X3 NFC but this is not necessarily negative: it is a 5,160 mAh battery, a capacity that is considerable and already gave good results than its predecessor. The battery promises up to 2 days of autonomy, with 11 hours of gaming or up to 117 hours of music playback. Also, the 33 W fast charge is maintained, the charger being delivered with the mobile.
The POCO X3 Pro has stereo sound, a good incentive that fortunately is also popularizing among the more affordable phones, and a 3.5 mm jack. Besides, the IR port is maintained, a trademark of the company, and the NFC that we saw in the previous X3.
Four rear cameras to meet minimum requirements
In the cameras, there is a perhaps predictable choice that is not very different from that of the X3, although the main camera and the wide-angle camera have lower resolution sensors. The main one is a slightly smaller sensor, but there is a lens with a slightly larger aperture.
- 48-megapixel main sensor (1/2 inch, 1.6 μm pixels) and lens with f/1.79 aperture. AF, 6P.
- Ultra wide-angle f/2.2 with an 8-megapixel sensor.
- Macro with f/2.4 aperture and 2-megapixel sensor (FF).
- 2-megapixel sensor for depth reading with f/2.4 aperture lens.
- Front camera with a 20-megapixel sensor and f/2.2 aperture lens.
Night mode supports both the rear and front camera and other functions such as long exposure modes are maintained. As always, we will have to wait for the review to see how everything performs and what we can expect from the cameras beyond the numbers.
Prices and Availability of Xiaomi POCO X3 Pro
The POCO X3 Pro will be available in 3 colors (Phantom Black, Frost Blue, and Metal Bronze) in the following versions:
- POCO X3 Pro with 6 GB RAM and 128 GB storage: €249, with a special launch offer of €199.
- POCO X3 Pro with 8 GB RAM and 256 GB storage: €299, with a special launch offer of €249.
