POCO recently launched the F5 series in the Philippines, and now, we’re testing the base model to see if it’s a worthy mid-range option.
From the looks of it, the F5 has all the makings of a strong mid-range contender, especially because of its specs. After all, this is the first phone to be powered by a Snapdragon 7+ Gen 2 Processor in the global market. For reference, this is Qualcomm’s latest 7-series processor which is just a step below its flagship SoC.
Though before we get into the phone’s performance, let’s first take a look at its design. The F5 has an interesting look from the back that, upon closer inspection, has a carbon fiber-like pattern. Though its back isn’t made from carbon fiber as it’s instead made of a glossy material.
The phone looks sleek thanks to this interesting design, though take note that the glossy finish makes it a bit of a fingerprint magnet, so you may want to use it with the included clear case if you want it too look pristine. Though if you prefer going caseless, the glossy finish is only at the back as the flat sides of the phone has a grippier material, meaning the phone shouldn’t accidentally slip out when in use (while gaming for instance).
Moving to the front, the POCO F5 has a large 6.67-inch AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate and and FHD+ resolution. Based on the specs, the screen seems to be the same as the one used on the POCO X5 Pro which was released earlier this year.
Whether it’s the same screen or not, the F5’s display is quite impressive as it has vibrant colors thanks to being an AMOLED panel. Plus, the 120Hz refresh rate helps it feel snappy when in use. Of course, before we can give a verdict on its binge-watching capabilities, we’ll have to spend a bit more time with it.
As mentioned above, the F5 has a Snapdragon 7+ Gen 2 Processor, and this is paired with up to 12GB of RAM. Since we’re still putting the phone through its paces, we can’t yet fully give a verdict on its gaming capabilities.
But from what we’ve tried, this phone should be capable gaming partner, whether you love popular esports titles or play the most popular and demanding mobile games. It should also have no problems with heat as the phone has packs POCO’s LiquidCool Technology 2.0. But again, we’ll have to play more games with it to determine if this does help the F5 stay cool after a marathon gaming session.
For its cameras, the phone has a 64MP f/1.8 main + 8MP f/2.2 ultrawide + 2MP f/2.4 macro triple rear camera setup, as well as a 16MP front shooter.
While the 64MP main camera may not be as impressive as other phones with 108MP shooters, megapixels aren’t everything, so we’re keen on trying them out especially as the main camera packs optical and electronic image stabilization.
The phone also has 67W fast charge support for its large 5,000mAh battery, meaning you should be able to quickly top the phone up when it needs some extra juice. Though it remains to be seen if the battery can keep up with its new processor and large display.
POCO’s new mid-ranger also has a side-mounted fingerprint scanner for easy unlocking. Though the F5 sadly lacks a microSD card slot, but it at least has a 3.5mm headphone jack.
From our initial time with the POCO F5, this phone has all the makings of a great mid-range smartphone, especially for those who want to get the best bang-for-buck in terms of performance. This is because the phone has a price tag that starts at just PHP 20,999. Sure, that’s higher than other mid-rangers, but the specs can rival phones that are way more expensive.
Of course, we’ll have to test it out more before we can give our final verdict. So, watch out for our review soon!
POCO F5 Specs:
- Snapdragon 7+ Gen 2 Processor
- Adreno 725 GPU
- 8/12GB RAM
- 6.67-inch AMOLED FHD+ display, 120Hz refresh rate, with Corning Gorilla Glass 5 protection
- 256GB storage
- 64MP f/1.8 main + 8MP f/2.2 ultrawide + 2MP f/2.4 macro triple rear camera setup
- 16MP f/2.5 wide front camera
- 3G, LTE, 5G Dual SIM
- WiFi, Bluetooth, GPS, fingerprint scanner (side), USB Type-C
- 5000mAh battery with 67W fast charge support
- Android 13, MIUI 14 for POCO
- Price:
- 8GB+256GB: PHP 20,999
- 12GB+256GB: PHP 22,999