Poco F5 Review: Strong Resume, Strong Candidate

Performance and Software: On August 29, 2018, Poco shook up the smartphone market with the release of Poco F1, which offered amazing features at an affordable price. Fast forward to today, Poco F5 boasts impressive features such as Snapdragon 7+ Gen 2, up to 12GB RAM, and 256GB of UFS 3.1 storage. The on-paper power translates into real-world performance, as it scores high points in benchmark apps and offers a great gaming experience. However, the MIUI 14 on top of Android 13 is filled with bloatware.

Design: In terms of design, the frosted glass back panel on the Poco F5 looks great, and the sides are made of aluminum, making the phone feel solid to hold in hand. This phone also features a headphone jack, IR blaster, and IP53 rating.

Display: Poco F5 offers flagship-level specs on display, with a 12Bit AMOLED panel that can change its refresh rate from 30Hz to 120Hz. The brightness levels are also decent, and the display is color accurate.

Camera: The main camera on the Poco F5 takes decent photos but struggles to maintain highlights. The same problem is present with the 8MP ultra-wide camera as well. However, the movie frame feature on Poco F5 is amazing, and when combined with portrait mode, it can take some stunning shots. Video quality is also decent at 4k 30fps.

Battery: The 5000mAh battery is more than enough for one day of usage, and Poco does not struggle to achieve that at all. Plus, the 67W charger can top up the battery in just 45 minutes.

Verdict: Poco F5 is like a candidate whose work is as shiny as their resume. Just don't rely too much on the camera, otherwise, it is a great buy at 30k.