The Poco brand has made a name for itself by offering high-performance smartphones at budget-friendly prices. With the release of the Poco X7 Pro, the company has continued to follow this formula, offering an affordable option that promises solid gaming performance, a smooth user experience, and an attractive design. However, as the demand for well-rounded smartphones increases, users are often left wondering how these budget devices perform in key areas, especially camera quality.
In this review, we dive deep into the Poco X7 Pro, exploring its performance, design, camera capabilities, and value for money to determine whether this smartphone can truly be considered a budget gaming champion.
Poco X7 Pro: Design and Build
The Poco X7 Pro adopts a sleek and modern design, one that feels premium despite its budget-friendly price tag. The phone features a 6.67-inch AMOLED display with a 90Hz refresh rate, offering vibrant colors and a smooth experience while browsing, gaming, or watching content. The display is sharp, and the punch-hole camera is placed conveniently at the top center, providing an immersive viewing experience with minimal distractions.
The build quality is solid, with a plastic frame and a glossy back panel that shines when it catches the light. While the glossy finish may attract fingerprints, it still looks and feels stylish. The phone is also lightweight and ergonomic, ensuring that it fits comfortably in your hand even during extended gaming sessions or movie watching.
The Poco X7 Pro is available in a range of attractive colors, making it appealing to a wide audience, including younger users who want their phone to reflect their personal style.
Performance: A Budget Gaming Champ
When it comes to gaming performance, the Poco X7 Pro does not disappoint. It is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 chipset, which is a solid mid-range processor that provides the processing power needed for a smooth gaming experience on a budget. Coupled with 6GB/8GB RAM options, the phone can handle most games, even graphics-heavy titles, with ease.
During testing, popular games like Call of Duty Mobile, PUBG Mobile, and Asphalt 9 ran smoothly at medium to high settings, with minimal lag or stuttering. The 90Hz refresh rate display further enhances the gaming experience by delivering smoother animations and responsiveness, which is crucial for fast-paced games that require precise control and quick reflexes.
The Poco X7 Pro also handles multitasking well, with apps switching quickly and without much slowdown. While it may not compete with flagship-level smartphones in terms of raw processing power, the X7 Pro delivers an excellent gaming experience at a budget price point.
The device is also equipped with a 5000mAh battery, ensuring long-lasting power even during intensive gaming sessions. The phone supports 33W fast charging, which can top up the battery from 0 to 50% in around 30 minutes, making it convenient for gamers who need quick recharges.
Software: MIUI 13 on Android 12
The Poco X7 Pro runs MIUI 13, which is based on Android 12. MIUI has always been a bit polarizing due to its heavy customizations, but it remains one of the most feature-rich skins available. On the X7 Pro, MIUI offers a wide range of personalization options, including themes, widgets, and an intuitive control center.
MIUI 13 also brings several performance improvements, ensuring smooth day-to-day use. The Game Turbo feature helps optimize gaming performance by providing quick access to gaming tools like notifications, system resource management, and other settings that ensure an uninterrupted gaming experience.
While MIUI’s bloatware (pre-installed apps) can sometimes be a downside, users can easily disable or uninstall most of them to streamline the experience. The phone receives regular software updates, making it a solid choice for those who value timely updates.
Camera: Budget-Friendly, but Can It Compete?
One of the most critical areas where budget phones tend to fall short is the camera. The Poco X7 Pro is no exception, as it features a 64MP main camera, 8MP ultra-wide lens, and a 2MP macro sensor. On paper, these specifications seem promising, but how does it perform in real-world scenarios?
Daylight Performance
In well-lit conditions, the Poco X7 Pro’s 64MP camera impresses with sharp details and vibrant colors. Images taken in daylight are clear and crisp, with good dynamic range. The camera does an excellent job of retaining details in both the highlights and shadows, which is a crucial factor in outdoor photography. The color reproduction is accurate, with the camera capturing vibrant hues without making the images look oversaturated.
The 8MP ultra-wide lens is a useful addition for capturing wider shots, but it does suffer from some loss of detail and distortion at the edges. Still, it’s a great option for landscapes or group shots when you need to fit more into the frame.
Low-Light Performance
Low-light performance is where budget devices typically show their limitations, and the Poco X7 Pro is no different. While it does have a Night Mode that helps brighten up images in low light, the results are often grainy, and details can get smudged. The 64MP main camera still performs decently in dim environments, but it’s clear that it isn’t as capable as premium smartphones in low-light conditions.
Macro and Portrait Mode
The 2MP macro sensor is fairly basic, producing images that lack the sharpness and detail of more expensive smartphones. Macro shots are often softer and have a noticeable drop in quality, which limits its practical use. For those who rarely take close-up shots, this lens might not add much value.
The Portrait Mode, powered by AI, performs admirably, offering decent edge detection and creating a blurred background effect. However, like many budget phones, it can sometimes struggle with fine details, especially around hair and other complex textures.
Selfies
The 16MP front camera offers clear and vibrant selfies with good skin tone reproduction. It is equipped with AI beautification features, which can be adjusted according to personal preference. Selfies in good lighting conditions look great, and the camera performs decently in low light, though some noise can be observed in dim environments.
Conclusion: Is the Poco X7 Pro the Best Budget Gaming Phone?
The Poco X7 Pro offers an impressive gaming experience, solid performance, and a sleek design, all while remaining budget-friendly. With a capable Snapdragon 695 chipset, 90Hz AMOLED display, and long-lasting 5000mAh battery, it positions itself as one of the best budget smartphones for gaming in its price range.
However, when it comes to the camera, the Poco X7 Pro doesn’t quite hit the mark for users who prioritize photography. The 64MP main camera performs well in daylight but struggles in low-light conditions, and the additional lenses (ultra-wide and macro) are not groundbreaking in terms of quality.
Overall, if you’re a gamer who doesn’t want to break the bank, the Poco X7 Pro is an excellent choice. If, however, camera performance is a top priority, you may want to look elsewhere or be prepared to make compromises in that department. For users seeking a well-rounded, budget-friendly device for everyday use and gaming, the Poco X7 Pro remains a top contender.
