Poco X4 Pro 5G review: Versatile and affordable

Design: a rugged defender

When first taken in hand, we immediately understand that it is a beautiful baby. Although it is more slender than its predecessor, the X4 Pro looks like a beautiful brick with rounded contours (164.2 x 76.1 x 8.1 mm) which makes its weight, 205 g in hand all the same.

However, there is no glass here, the chassis is made of plastic and the back is made of polycarbonate, its heavy 5000 mAh battery certainly being responsible for this roundness.

So obviously, it is difficult to handle with one hand, in a pocket it makes itself felt, however it is not totally unsightly. Almost edge to edge, except for the lower edge which offers a slight black band of 3 mm, the screen occupies approximately 86% of the surface, while the back of the smartphone reflects what is needed light to offer us some variegated reflections .

Occupying almost the entire width of the phone, the photo island is imposing (to put it mildly) but not necessarily misshapen. It fits rather well into the whole thanks to a slight gradient of black.

On the other hand, impossible to miss the brand name written roughly at the top right of the block. As with the M4 Pro, Poco has this annoying tendency to take us for sandwich men. Or maybe the manufacturer just wants to give a boost to those who have immediate memory problems? Just to remember the smartphone we bought… Obviously, everyone will have their own assessment of this ostentatious sign, we have just given you ours.

Its imposing appearance still gives it an advantage, an impression of solidity. For almost a month, we abused it between our pockets full of coins and keys and our tote bags full of wacky objects. Our clumsiness even allowed us to drop it three or four times and yet it shows no scratches.

To be even totally honest, when it dropped, we were even almost confident picking it up. The X4 Pro is a solid guy, nothing to complain about. On the other hand, for fingerprints, it’s another story, it’s a little slut.

Screen: it has everything from the “Box-to-Box” environment

Compared to last year, the X4 Pro has gained from the trunk. The heaving LCD panel gives way here to Full HD+ AMOLED display (2400 x 1080 px) 6.67 inches. For the refresh rate, we will have the choice between 60 Hz, the default option, or 120 Hz, to be adjusted preferably during your gaming sessions.

Big highlight, the screen shines with its ability to project itself without problem in the two opposite surfaces of the brightness. In the sun, the visual experience is very correct, at night, the reading comfort is there.

On the other hand, the factory colorimetry appears rather cold making certain colors unnatural, in particular blue and green. After a short passage in the options to switch from “Intense” mode to “Standard”, the impression is better, but not completely perfect. You will suddenly have to play manually on the color temperature in order to establish a more neutral rendering.

With its two powerful speakers, located on the edges at the top and bottom, the X4 Pro proves to us that it knows how to shout if the need arises. The sound reproduction is of good quality and the power is appreciable, although a lack of depth can be felt at high volume. A generally satisfactory rendering, especially since it can be enjoyed wired, the smartphone indeed having a 3.5 mm jack.

A final word on the interface, lThe X4 Pro runs Android 11 with the MIUI 13 for POCO overlay. The overall experience is quite similar to that on a Xiaomi smartphone, just a little messier.

Performances: the good pick of the leader coming from Ligue 2

While its predecessor was running Snapdragon 860, our athlete of the day has a lower category SoC under its hood, the Snapdragon 695. Is this purely technical regression problematic for everyday use? Not really.

Coupled with 6 GB of RAM in our test version, the X4 Pro offers good fluidity in all basic tasks, even with many applications in the background. Even for gaming, it does not back down. It manages to run many games without problem or overheating, including some gourmet references like Asphalt 9.

For the top 5 most muscular games or for heavier photo or video editing apps, it logically begins to show signs of slowing down, but it is not originally cut out for this type of exercise.

This ease is explained by the fact that the Snapdragon 695 has already dragged its carcass over many terrains. As a result, Poco knows this old veteran perfectly and can thus perfectly optimize it to get the best out of it. Often, older chips are certainly less efficient on paper, but they are also much better controlled by manufacturers.

Photo: a fake 9 harvesting at night

For the first time, Poco equips one of its smartphones with a 108 MP main sensor, whose lens opens at f/1.9. For the rest, the X4 Pro has an ultra wide-angle of 8 Mpx (f / 2.2), as well as an anecdotal macro module (f / 2.4). At the front, there is a 16MP lens for selfies.

Indoors, the shots are excellent and the management of lights and shapes really well mastered.

Outdoors during the day, the main sensor is also comfortable, the colorimetry proves to be correct and the junction zones between the shadows and the reflections of the sun are well transcribed. However, it can sometimes be criticized for a lack of detail on the edges of the frame, as well as a tendency to sometimes turn dark. This problem seems to be solved, in part, when we focus on the development.

Unsurprisingly in this price range, the ultra wide-angle is not a nugget. The sensor is struggling to contain the distortion effect, so that on some shots, we could believe in the scene of the movie Inception in Paris. Also, oddly, colors saturate slightly more when using this lens.

At the end of the day, this impression of darkness logically increases with the main sensor and grain begins to appear.

In full darkness, it will imperatively be necessary to use the “Night” mode which will try, as best it can, to come and lighten the edges of the photo and to offer a semblance of sharpness on the forms. Below, we notice that without it, some buildings would be practically imperceptible.

At last, portrait mode is fine and succeeds in delineating the background of the subject well. The level of detail is satisfactory as can be seen on the folds of the shirt and on the ends of the hair.

Autonomy: a goalkeeper ready for extra time

A penalty shootout at the end of an interminable and stifling evening? The X4 Pro is not afraid of it. With its substantial battery of 5000 mAh is a bulwark against the black screen. With typical use during a working day (namely around 4:45 in front of the screen including a series in streaming and a little reading in the evening) it still has energy when it comes time to turn off the lights.

The next day, he even remained focused until early evening. With more intensive use, a good hour of 3D gaming at 120 Hz and numerous photos, it easily held up for a whole Sunday, only being taken on the wrong foot the next day at the start of the afternoon.

For his recovery, the X4 Pro can count on a 67 W charger which will make it regain 50% of its colors in just over 20 minutes. You can count on him on this point, he seems capable of stringing together matches quickly.

Our opinion after the Poco X4 Pro 5G test

When composing, a good coach first ensures balance on each line. With its tight budget, the X4 Pro makes coherent choices, failing to be able to register as a cantor of the beautiful game.

In the cages, his autonomy is as comfortable on his line as on his feet. For its design, certainly it is far from the aesthetics of an Argentinian libero, but its defensive base remains appreciable. In terms of its screen and its performance, Poco is aiming right thanks to its clever recruitment. In photos, he sometimes lacks lucidity in front of goal, but does not spare his efforts.

As said in the preamble, the X4 Pro is a good all-round smartphone. That doesn’t just mean that he can pretty much do everything averagely. Versatility can also be seen as the ability to transform one’s weaknesses into strengths.

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