Verdict
The POCO X7 5G is a solid choice for anyone seeking a multimedia-focused smartphone with excellent battery life. Its durable build, vibrant display, and commendable daylight camera performance make it a well-rounded offering. Additionally, POCO’s promise of three years of major OS updates, even for the standard X7, ensures decent software support. However, the abundance of pre-installed apps detracts from the software experience, which the brand should address.
Price: The POCO X7 5G is priced starting at $299 USD, making it a competitive option in its segment.
Design and Display
This year, POCO refreshed the design of the X7 series, bringing back the iconic POCO yellow color to the X7 5G. It also introduces a 3D curved display to the X-lineup for the first time. The back features a large camera island with a black textured strip at the center, accented by yellow edges. The POCO branding is prominent on the rear panel, though it might not appeal to everyone.
The textured faux leather finish does an excellent job of resisting fingerprints and smudges. At the bottom, you’ll find the USB-C port, SIM tray, and one of the stereo speakers, while the top houses the second speaker. The power and volume buttons are conveniently placed on the right.
| Weight | Thickness | IP Rating |
|---|---|---|
| POCO X7 5G | 190 grams | 8.63 mm |
| Moto Edge 50 Neo | 171 grams | 8.1 mm |
| iQOO Z9s | 182 grams | 7.49 mm |
The phone offers robust dust and water resistance with IP66, IP68, and IP69 ratings. While it survived showers during testing, further water exposure isn’t recommended despite its protection.
The 6.67-inch AMOLED display boasts a 1,220 x 2,712p resolution, 120Hz refresh rate, HDR10 certification, Dolby Vision support, and 100% DCI-P3 color gamut. The display delivers vivid visuals, making it a standout feature in this price range. Coupled with the stereo speaker setup, which delivers loud and clear sound, the multimedia experience is excellent.
The 3,000 nits peak brightness ensures readability even under direct sunlight. The Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 offers additional durability. The in-display fingerprint sensor, enhanced with Wet Touch 2.0 technology, performs reliably, even with wet hands.
| Display | Peak Brightness |
|---|---|
| POCO X7 5G | 6.67-inch AMOLED |
| Moto Edge 50 Neo | 6.4-inch pOLED |
| iQOO Z9s | 6.78-inch AMOLED |
Cameras
The POCO X7 5G features a 50MP Sony LYT 600 primary camera with OIS and EIS, alongside an 8MP ultra-wide camera. For selfies, it includes a 20MP front camera.
In daylight, the primary camera captures detailed images with good sharpness and vibrant colors. However, low-light performance lags behind, producing softer images with noticeable noise. The AI Night Mode improves low-light shots but leaves room for improvement in sharpness and detail.
The front camera delivers decent selfies in daylight, though facial details are slightly smoothed. In low light, selfies lose sharpness and exhibit noise.
Comparison with Competitors
- Daylight: The POCO X7 captures warmer and more appealing images compared to the Moto Edge 50 Neo, though the latter provides slightly better details. The iQOO Z9s offers a closer-to-reality color tone but lacks the vibrancy of the POCO X7.
- Portraits: The Moto Edge 50 Neo excels in edge detection thanks to its telephoto lens, but the POCO X7 produces better colors. Compared to the iQOO Z9s, the POCO X7’s portraits are sharper, though the iQOO Z9s offers better color accuracy.
- Low-Light: The Moto Edge 50 Neo captures more details in low light, while the iQOO Z9s offers sharper images with slightly exaggerated colors compared to the POCO X7.
Performance and Software
Powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 7300 Ultra chipset, the POCO X7 is paired with up to 8GB LPDDR4X RAM and 256GB UFS 3.1 storage. While the phone handles everyday tasks smoothly, it doesn’t dominate in performance benchmarks compared to its peers.
| Device | Pre-installed Apps | Software Updates |
|---|---|---|
| POCO X7 5G | 65 | 3 years OS + 4 years security |
| Moto Edge 50 Neo | 33 | 5 years OS + 5 years security |
| iQOO Z9s | 51 | 2 years OS + 3 years security |
Gaming on the POCO X7 is a mixed experience, with frame drops and touch delays in games like COD: Mobile and BGMI. However, the device manages heat well, staying cooler than its competitors during gaming sessions.
The phone runs on Android 14-based HyperOS, which is smooth and feature-rich, including Google Gemini features. However, the abundance of pre-installed apps detracts from the experience. POCO’s promise of three years of OS updates is limited by the device launching with Android 14, making it less competitive in terms of future updates.
Battery and Charging
The POCO X7 5G is equipped with a 5,500mAh battery and supports 45W fast charging. While the charging speed is reduced compared to its predecessor, the battery easily lasts a full day with moderate usage.
| Battery | Charging Time |
|---|---|
| POCO X7 5G | 5,500mAh |
| Moto Edge 50 Neo | 4,310mAh |
| iQOO Z9s | 5,500mAh |
Final Thoughts
The POCO X7 5G is a well-rounded device, offering a sturdy design, excellent display, and reliable battery life. Its camera performance in daylight is commendable, though low-light capabilities need improvement.
Price: At $299 USD, the POCO X7 5G stands as an attractive option in its category.
Comparison with Competitors:
- iQOO Z9s: Offers better raw performance at a lower price but falls short in camera quality.
- Moto Edge 50 Neo: Matches the POCO X7 in cameras and performance but has weaker battery life, making it less suitable for heavy users.
If you prioritize multimedia consumption, gaming, and long battery life, the POCO X7 5G is a strong contender in its price segment.
