Introduction and specifications
The Poco M5, just like the 5G Poco M4 announced in August, is one of the most affordable Xiaomi phones in the portfolio. Both phones are quite similar, but the M5 lacks 5G connectivity and is available in multiple markets around the world. There’s also an Indian variant of the M5, which is mostly identical to its global counterpart, so it’s safe to use this review as a reference if you’re in India and deciding whether to buy the Poco M5.
While the Poco M4 5G offers a Dimensity chipset while the newer M5 is based on an apparently less powerful Helio G99 (according to MediaTek’s naming scheme), there shouldn’t be any major differences in performance. The Dimension 700 on the M4 5G has a 5G modem and is based on a 7nm manufacturing process, while the Helio G99 uses the same octa-core CPU, same Mali-G57 MC2 GPU but omits the 5G part. So, in a sense, these two are 4G and 5G variants of the same phone.
Xiaomi Poco M5 • Xiaomi Poco M5 (Italy)
That said, we already know what to expect from the Poco M5, but there may be some marginal differences, if any, in battery life and perhaps photography. Even though the G99 is positioned further down the Dimenisty 700 in MediaTek’s hierarchy, it has the more capable ISP of both and supports higher refresh rate displays. And of course, the Poco M5 (also the one in India) has a more powerful 50MP main sensor.
The Xiaomi Poco M5 specifications at a glance:
- Body: 164.0 x 76.1 x 8.9mm, 201g; Glass front (Gorilla Glass 3), plastic frame, plastic back.
- Screen: 6.58″ IPS LCD, 90Hz, 500 nits (HBM), 1080x2408px resolution, 20.07:9 aspect ratio, 401ppi.
- chipsets: MediaTek MT8781 Helio G99 (6nm): Octa-core (2×2.2GHz Cortex-A76 and 6×2.0GHz Cortex-A55); Mali-G57 MC2.
- Memory: 64GB 4GB RAM, 128GB 4GB RAM, 128GB 6GB RAM; UFS 2.2; microSDXC (dedicated slot).
- Operating system/software: Android 12, MIUI 13.
- Rear camera: Broad (main): 50MP, f/1.8, PDAF; Macros: 2MP, f/2.4; Depth: 2MP, f/2.4.
- Front camera: 5 MP, f/2.2, (wide), 1/5.0″, 1.12µm.
- Video capture: Rear camera: 1080p@30fps; Front camera: 1080p@30fps.
- Battery: 5000mAh; 18W wired.
- Various: Fingerprint reader (side-mounted); NFC; FM Radio; Infrared port; 3.5mm jack.
However, just like the Poco M4 5G, the M5 offers good value for money with a large battery, a mature and reliable MIUI 13 Android skin, and adequate photography capabilities in the context of a low-end device. Let’s take a deeper dive beyond the specs on the following pages.
Unboxing of the Xiaomi Poco M5
The box of the Poco M5 is quite generous. In addition to the standard user manuals and the wall charger with USB-A to USB-C connector, the package also offers a transparent silicone protective case.
There is also a screen protector to apply. It doesn’t come pre-installed, which is pretty cool.
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