POCO M3 Pro 5G is now available for just $204. Six months after the introduction of the POCO M3 model, POCO launched an updated version, the M3 Pro. The standard M3 performs relatively well on many entry-level 4G models. So can the M3 Pro do well with entry-level 5G phones?
The POCO M3 Pro 5G is currently available on Aliexpress for just $ 169. Use coupon code 10M3PRO to get another $ 10!
We received the phone in advance to try out the brand’s latest entry-level 5G phone.
POCO M3 Pro 5G Review: Design
The appearance of the M3 Pro is different from that of the M3, and changes have been made again. The lens module is still a triple vertical camera, but the large black rectangular design has been removed. The M3 Pro has a new rear cover design with two rounded rectangles at the lens and the POCO logo on the inside.
The leather-like material on the back has been replaced by a mirror-reflective coating, a fingerprint magnet. While this patterned pattern on the back is unique and beautiful, I prefer the standard M3 design as it makes a deeper impression. The fingerprint sensor is still on the side of the body. And the M3 Pro not only comes with a 3.5mm headphone jack and an IR blaster but also features NFC, which is not available in the standard version of the M3. However, we noticed a few more minor drawbacks, such as the omission of the dual speakers in the standard version.
POCO M3 Pro 5G Review: Display
However, the M3 Pro brings much-needed screen upgrades. While it is still an LCD 1080P screen, the refresh rate is increased to 90Hz and the water drop screen has also been replaced with a punch screen. The hole size is larger, but the surrounding shadows are better controlled. The screen looks pretty average, but since this is just an entry-level 5G phone, a 90Hz display is ahead of many other phones in the same price range.
POCO M3 Pro 5G Review: Hardware And Games
The POCO M3 Pro uses the MTK Dimensity 700 SOC, one of the entry-level 5G chips. Hence, it makes sense to use it. The phone scored 329087 points on AnTuTu, while it scored 558 points in the Geekbench 5 single-core test and around 1734 in the multi-core test.
That score is slightly better than the M3’s Snapdragon 662, but not by much. Since it is an entry-level chip, the gaming performance is not very good. PUBG has no way to enable HDR images and extreme frame rate. You cannot activate the ultra frame rate in HD images. So if you want to play PUBG at 40fps, you have to enable Balanced Graphics or Smooth Graphics. The good news is that it still works fine with Balanced Graphics.
Genshin Impact and Brightridge turned out to be too much for this chip, and even with Genshin Impact disabled on medium graphics and motion blur, the frame rate is not high. And although the temperature is only 42 degrees Celsius, the CPU frequency will still decrease in the later stages. POCO M3 Pro 5G Genshin Impact Review 08 Brightridge averages just 12fps with the highest special effects. While it is not recommended to play these games on an entry-level phone, it is still possible to play some games that do not require high performance, such as PUBG.
Poco M3 Pro 5G Price and Availability
The price for the Poco M3 Pro 5G is 159 euros (about Rs. 14,100) for the basic storage option 4 GB + 64 GB. The storage option for 6 GB + 128 GB costs 179 EUR (approximately Rs. 15,900). It will be available in three colors: Cool Blue, Power Black, and Poco Yellow. The phone is currently available for purchase through AliExpress.
POCO M3 Pro 5G Review: Camera Performance
Main camera
The lens is still configured with a 48-megapixel main camera and a depth of field lens and a macro lens. There is no such thing as an ultra-wide-angle lens. The picture style is relatively realistic, with moderate HDR intensity, but the colors of the flowers bleed when the AI is turned on. The same situation where AI corrupts the images also occurs in the evening. The control of highlights with the AI turned on is not as good as with the AI turned off. Perhaps POCO thinks brighter lights are more pleasing to the eye. However, the best night performance is still night mode. The marker control is better than when the AI is turned off. However, it is likely due to the limited capabilities of CMOS that the detail portion of the image is not significantly enhanced.
Portrait mode
One of the nicer surprises is the portrait mode. Due to the depth of field lens support, tactile errors are rare. Even if the subject is not a person, the depth of field can be correctly identified.
As for the video, the M3 Pro only supports 1080P and 720P 30fps recording, but image stabilization is included. Daily intake is therefore not a problem.
POCO M3 Pro 5G Review Battery Life
In terms of battery, the POCO M3 Pro is the same as the M3. It only supports 18 W charging power, but the box is equipped with a 22.5 W charger. 18W charging power is still slow to fill the 5000 mAh battery. Half an hour costs 35% and an hour 67%. It takes 116 minutes to fully charge to 116%. Poor SOC performance also means more energy savings. Half an hour of Tik Tok uses 7%, half an hour of online video uses 6%. 23 minutes PUBG release 5% and a half-hour Genshin Impact only about 10%. This battery life is enough for a whole day.
This makes the POCO M3 Pro the first 5G entry-level mobile phone from POCO this year.
What do you think? Did the phone meet your expectations?
Compared to the M3, the main upgrade point of the M3 Pro is its support for 5G and a high refresh rate of 90 Hz. Want to use the phone for two or three years.
The POCO M3 Pro 5G is currently available on Aliexpress for just $ 169. Use code 10M3PRO to get another $ 10!