Examining the specifications in depth reveals that they nearly reflect those of the Redmi Note 14 5G, which was released last week. The major difference between the two cellphones is in their price. The big issue today is whether the Poco M7 Pro, with its new processor, Sony sensor, and OLED display, can pique the curiosity of customers in this price range. To answer this question, we spent some time with the Poco M7 Pro 5G, and here is our feedback.
Poco M7 Pro 5G Price & Availability
Poco M7 Pro 5G comes in two storage configurations :-
- 6GB RAM+128GB storage-Rs. 14,999
- 8GB RAM+256GB storage-Rs. 16,999
It comes in Lunar Dust, Lavender Frost, and Olive Twilight shades. As part of launch offers, ICICI, SBI, and HDFC bank card holders will get Rs. 1000 off which brings down the effective price to Rs. 13,999 and Rs. 15,999 respectively.
Pros
- Slim design
- 120Hz AMOLED display
- Decent performance in the budget category
- Large battery
- Fast Charging
Cons
- Loads of bloatware
- Underwhelming front camera
- Lack of ultrawide sensor at the back
Box Content
Poco M7 Pro came inside a yellow-colored box which contained :-
- Poco M7 Pro handset
- Quick Guide
- Silicone cover
- 45W adapter
- USB-A to USB-C cable
Poco M7 Pro 5G Review: Design and Build
The Poco M7 Pro has a good appearance, although it may not be very eye-catching. Its design is simple and basic, with plastic panels and a metal frame. The gadget has a flat display, and the back panel is a combination of two colours. We looked at the Lavender Frost variation, which has a pattern that is somewhat solid and partly marble-like in appearance.
Despite being made of plastic, the clear camera module on the back panel looks like glass. This module has an LED flash and two noticeable camera cutouts that protrude outward. Furthermore, the camera module has the POCO trademark. The smartphone’s colour is unique and enticing, especially to younger consumers who could find the lavender shade alluring. There is also a black version for people who want more muted and traditional hues.
The device has a 6.67-inch display on the front that is flanked by small bezels, which is favourable. The frame is made of metal, and the right edge features a power button and volume controls. These buttons are haptic and conveniently positioned, providing accurate and responsive performance.
The device’s lower edge houses the SIM tray, USB Type-C connector, microphone, and speaker grille. In contrast, the upper edge includes a 3.5mm headphone connector, which is becoming increasingly unusual. In addition, the top edge includes an additional speaker, which is a useful feature for a low-cost smartphone. The Poco M7 Pro 5G also comes with an IR Blaster and a backup microphone.
Using the phone one-handed seemed hard for me, probably because of my previous experience with a smaller device. While the phone remained safe in my palm, its flat corners and matte surface on the back panel made it manageable. Furthermore, the bulk of the rear surface is fingerprint-resistant, albeit the camera module attracts them.
Corning Gorilla Glass 5 protects the display and ensures its longevity. Furthermore, the accompanying thin cover provides top quality protection for the rear panel. The smartphone’s weight is well-balanced; it is neither too heavy nor too light, and it feels pleasant to handle without being cumbersome.
Overall, the design components of the Poco M7 Pro are not surprising given its pricing range.
Poco M7 Pro 5G Review: Display
The Poco M7 Pro 5G has a 6.67-inch FHD+ AMOLED screen with a 120Hz refresh rate and an amazing brightness of 2100 nits. Like the Redmi Note 14 Series, it has three separate colour profiles: Vivid for bright and vivid colours, Standard for more moderate tones, and Saturated for increased colour intensity.
The display is brilliant, and the colours are startling, yet they lack a natural look. The dynamic range is decent, but not extraordinary. We generally used Standard mode, though we did play with Vivid mode for a while. When the colours seemed washed out, we raised the brightness to improve visibility in sunshine. However, in darker settings, lowering the brightness made the screen seem virtually black.
The 120Hz refresh rate offers a smooth scrolling experience; nevertheless, the majority of programs use a 60Hz refresh rate. Even when we increased the refresh rate for gaming, titles like COD still returned to 60Hz during gameplay.
The monitor also supports HDR, which I tried on YouTube. With a peak brightness of 2100 nits, the smartphone performed well in outdoor environments without excessive reflection.
Poco M7 Pro 5G Review: Speakers
The Poco M7 Pro has a dual-speaker configuration, with the primary speaker at the bottom and the secondary speaker at the top. Both speakers support Dolby Atmos, providing a strong audio experience; unfortunately, the sound quality leaves something to be desired. During our testing with various tracks, we discovered that the audio quality was acceptable at moderate volume levels. However, boosting the level produced a jumbled mix of singers and instruments. On the plus side, the gadget has a headphone socket and Bluetooth connectivity, so users may listen to music with either connected or wireless headphones.
Poco M7 Pro 5G Review: Software
The Poco M7 Pro 5G runs HyperOS, which is based on Android 14, from the start. The maker has agreed to provide two years of Android upgrades and three years of security fixes. Our earlier assessment of the Redmi Note 14 Pro found that the two devices’ user interfaces are generally equivalent. Furthermore, the Poco M7 Pro comes pre-installed with a slew of bloatware, including multiple games, Glance ads on the lock screen, and apps like as LinkedIn, Snapchat, and others.
Poco M7 Pro 5G Review: Performance
The Poco M7 Pro 5G comes with the MediaTek Dimensity 7025 Ultra chipset, which is an improvement over the Dimensity 7025 SoC. This CPU also appears in the recently introduced Redmi Note 14. Given the device’s low cost, its performance is impressive. I had no performance delays during a full day of use that included system navigation, photography, benchmark testing, and activities like Instagram and YouTube streaming, as well as WhatsApp use. While the gadget is not intended for serious gaming, it performs casual gaming with ease.
I played Call of Duty for a while and encountered intermittent frame rate decreases. High visuals and frame rates cannot be achieved at the same time; yet, gameplay may still approach 30-35 fps. Light gaming is possible on this smartphone.
To acquire a better understanding of its performance, we ran benchmark tests on the Poco M7 Pro 5G. The findings are presented below.
Poco M7 Pro 5G Review: Cameras
The Poco M7 Pro 5G has a dual-camera setup on the back. It features a 50MP Sony LYT 600 sensor with optical image stabilisation (OIS) and a wide f/1.5 aperture, which is a substantial upgrade for its price point. In addition to the main camera, there is a 2MP macro sensor. For selfies, the gadget has a 20MP front-facing camera.
- Main: 50MP Sony LYT 600 sensor, OIS, f/1.5 aperture, 1/1.96-inch
- Macro: 2MP depth sensor, f/2.4 aperture
- Rear camera video resolution: 1080p @30 fps
- Front: 20MP front camera
- Front camera video recording: 1080p @ 30fps
The device’s main sensor is extremely impressive for its price point. It takes amazing photographs with vibrant, lifelike colours. The photographs are detailed, although the dynamic range may be improved, which is acceptable for a smartphone under $15,000. Both interior and outdoor images look great.
The primary sensor performed satisfactorily even in low-light circumstances. There is also a Night Mode function, which increases brightness but reduces detail. While low-light photographs may contain some noise, they are still good for publishing on social media.
The second sensor has a 2MP depth camera for shooting portrait pictures. We tried with numerous portrait pictures, which proved to be fairly excellent. The gadget successfully provides a nice blur effect in the backdrop while preserving natural colour tones. However, the degree of detail is fairly limited; when zoomed in, considerable noise may be seen in the photos. Focus on the topic and edge detection are typically satisfactory, while edge detection suffers in low-light conditions.
The Poco M7 Pro has a 20MP front-facing camera, however its performance did not reach my expectations. While it takes good shots outside, it struggles to preserve detail indoors. Although the colours seem realistic and the skin tones are appropriately portrayed, the overall performance is still poor.
Overall, the photographs produced with the Poco M7 Pro provided a diverse experience, with more favourable shots than unfavourable ones, which is excellent for a smartphone at this price point. The main disadvantage is the selfie camera’s performance.
Poco M7 Pro 5G Review: Battery Performance
The Poco M7 Pro 5G comes with a powerful 5100mAh battery that supports 45W wired fast charging. In compared to its predecessor, the M6 Pro, Poco has improved the rapid charging performance on this model. The kit includes a 45W adaptor, which charges the battery from 0 to 100% in about an hour.
Now, let’s talk about battery performance. We used the Poco M7 Pro for almost a week, and after a full day of moderate activities—such as surfing social media, watching videos, making calls, gaming, and taking photos—there was still a substantial amount of juice left by the evening. With its powerful 5110mAh battery, we believe the Poco M7 Pro will last a whole day for the majority of users.
Should you buy the Poco M7 Pro 5G ?
- Design and Build: 8/10
- Display: 8/10
- Software: 7/10
- Speaker & Haptics:7.5/10
- Performance:8/10
- Cameras: 7.5/10
- Battery Life & Charging:8/10
The Poco M7 Pro has been introduced in India at a starting price of Rs. 13,999. This smartphone has an appealing appearance and is built with Corning Gorilla Glass, making it an excellent affordable option. Additionally, Poco has included a 120Hz AMOLED display and a more powerful CPU, as seen by its amazing benchmark test results.
The Poco M7 Pro, which costs less than 15,000, has a Sony LYT 600 sensor and takes great images for its budget. This smartphone has a bigger battery, with charging speed increased from 18W to 45W, a major boost. Poco has agreed to provide two years of software upgrades and four years of security patches. Given these features, the Poco M7 Pro looks to be a good choice. However, it may not be the best choice in its price range, as it competes with the Moto G64, iQOO Z9x, and CMF Phone 1, all of which provide equivalent performance. While the CMF Phone 1 may have marginally better performance, the Poco M7 Pro shines at photographic skills.
