Xiaomi Poco F5 Professional Overview: Style of Flagship

Xiaomi Poco F5 Professional in a nutshell

Do you keep in mind again then™ when there was fixed discuss in regards to the “flagship killer”? I believe the Poco F5 Professional is just about precisely what they meant again then: Actually sturdy SoC, crisp 2K show with 120 Hz, fats battery with 67-watt fast charging (30 watts wirelessly), and an amazing major digicam with 64 MP together with optical picture stabilization and 8K video.

As well as, there may be as much as 12 GB of RAM and as much as 512 GB of storage, an in-screen fingerprint sensor, stereo audio system, and Dolby Atmos, in addition to an IP53 certification.

Nonetheless, there isn’t any room for a reminiscence card and a headphone jack, and sure, I’m additionally aggravated that the triple cam features a 2 MP macro filler. As traditional for Xiaomi, there may be once more numerous bloatware, and the shiny and slippery again attracts fingerprints.

However, this can be a actual powerhouse that’s priced at 579 Euros. When you may nonetheless take into account ready for a Pixel 7a or shopping for a flagship from final 12 months at that value, the short-term early-bird value of 479 Euros (or 499 Euros for the 12/256 GB model) makes it an actual no-brainer. The Poco F5 Professional needs to be obtainable instantly.

• Poco F5 Professional 8/256 GB: €579.90.
• Poco F5 Professional 12/256 GB: €629.90.
• Poco F5 Professional 12/512 GB: €649.90.

Design and construct high quality

As now we have come to anticipate from Xiaomi, the Poco F5 is a well-made system that additionally feels good within the hand. One other constructive: The redesigned digicam island appears to be like far more interesting.

Execs:

• Good construct high quality.
• Simply accessible buttons.
• Much less cumbersome digicam island than traditional.
• IP53 licensed,

Cons:

• Very clean again.
• Fingerprint magnet.
• Neither 3.5 mm port nor a microSD slot.

I already talked about it above: Apparently, the cumbersome digicam elevations on Poco telephones had been a bit an excessive amount of for Xiaomi itself. Anyway, the brand new digicam structure of the Poco F5 Professional, which is 8.6 mm skinny at its thinnest level, catches my eye immediately. The system nonetheless protrudes by two millimeters, however it’s beveled on the sides. It appears to be like and feels a lot better to me.

Aside from that, the system feels comfy within the hand with the rounded again and the flat show. I can simply attain the well-made keys on the precise aspect, however they’ve a tiny little bit of play. The SIM card slot, one of many two audio system, and naturally the USB-C port are on the backside. Reverse is the infrared blaster and one other speaker. There may be nothing to see on the left aspect.

You’ll be able to already see that there isn’t any port for a headphone plug, and Xiaomi has additionally saved area by ditching reminiscence growth. That does not hassle me personally in 2023, although, to be sincere. However since I do know that many—together with you—are taking a look at it, I will be aware it on the “meh” aspect.

I discover the sleek again far more annoying, which appears to be like a bit low cost, a minimum of within the white model obtainable to me—and likewise proves itself as a fingerprint collector. By the way in which, the sleek again doesn’t hassle me in any respect by way of haptics. However if you happen to put it on a floor that isn’t utterly horizontal, for instance on a closed pocket book, it behaves like a moist bar of cleaning soap.

What else? Oh sure, there may be an IP53 certification, which implies that a minimum of splashing water can not hurt the Poco F5. I additionally discover the location of the higher speaker a bit annoying. I could not keep away from blocking it with my sausage fingers whereas gaming and watching movies.

Xiaomi Poco F5 Professional show

However, the show is convincing: 6.67″ OLED panel with 120 Hz refresh charge and excessive decision of 3200 x 1440 pixels. It’s actually vibrant, helps Dolby Imaginative and prescient and HDR 10, which is kind of spectacular within the truest sense of the phrase.

Execs:

• 2K decision.
• As much as 1,400 nits vibrant.
• 120 Hz.
• Quick in-screen fingerprint sensor.

Cons:

Someway, good OLED panels with refresh charges of 120 hertz have change into common even within the cheaper value ranges, proper? Nonetheless, the show of the Poco F5 Professional is best than what we see on common on this value phase and doesn’t have to cover behind the flagship celebrities in any approach.

Thus, we discover a WQHD+ show with a decision of 3200 x 1440 pixels right here. The DCI-P3 shade area is roofed by 100%, HDR10+ assist and Dolby Imaginative and prescient are included, and the colours are wealthy, the entire show very contrasty. Brilliant? Sure, the Poco F5 can do this as nicely: As much as 1,400 nits are potential at peak brightness.

As well as, there’s a fingerprint sensor within the heart of the decrease a part of the show—and it responds in a short time and reliably. It might have been positioned a bit larger for me, however that’s complaining on a excessive degree.

Xiaomi Poco F5 Professional software program

Android 13 is offered right here within the MIUI 14 “taste”—thus with the standard many customization choices, however sadly additionally the standard quantity of bloatware.

Execs:

• Versatile and engaging overlay
• Typical many helpful options beneath MIUI 14

Cons:

Would you really discover if I had been to cheekily copy the software program half from the overview of the Xiaomi 13 Professional or the Poco X5 5G take a look at right here? Hmm, okay—you’re good, so you’d absolutely discover it. However it’s also principally simply in order that you already know what to anticipate if you take your first take a look at the Poco F5 Professional if you’re updated within the MIUI cosmos.

Okay, the comparability to the Poco X5 5G is a bit lame, as a result of Xiaomi nonetheless shipped it with Android 12 and MIUI 13. Just like the greatest Xiaomi smartphones, the Poco F5 Professional additionally runs Android 13, so if you’re already an MIUI person, you may anticipate a well-known assortment of numerous design customization choices and helpful helpers. For instance, I just like the screenshot gesture (swipe from high to backside with three fingers), which saves me the historically awkward mixture.

I already talked about a number of instances that I desire the modern, plain vanilla Android interfaces. However no matter that, I can very nicely come to phrases with MIUI 14. As all the time, Xiaomi shoots a buttload of bloatware at us. That’s annoying, however there are methods to take away adverts and bloatware from Xiaomi smartphones. Nonetheless, I can typically tolerate these price-cutting preinstalled purposes higher in a mid-priced product than in high-priced units just like the Xiaomi 13 Extremely examined just a few weeks in the past.

Xiaomi has not too long ago caught up with Samsung by way of replace coverage, a minimum of within the flagships. Nonetheless, we don’t but know what number of Android and MIUI updates we will anticipate for the Poco F5 Professional. We assume that you can be supplied with two main Android updates minimal.

Xiaomi Poco F5 Professional efficiency

The Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 is a flagship SoC—thus, the Poco F5 Professional additionally delivers flagship efficiency with this chipset. Sure, generally it truly is that easy.

Execs:

• Actually good efficiency.
• No extreme heating.
• Liquid Cool 2.0 cooling expertise.

Cons:

Whereas the Snapdragon 7+ Gen 2 is a brand new SoC child on the block with the Poco F5, now we have to take care of an previous acquaintance within the Poco F5 Professional, particularly the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1. Annoyingly, 3DMark has failed up to now, which generally occurs with brand-new units. Logically, I’ll submit the outcome as quickly because the Poco F5 Professional is unlocked for testing.

Nonetheless, you may already check out the way it compares to its smaller brother. I additionally in contrast the F5 Professional with the Xiaomi 12T Professional (overview) and the Motorola Edge 30 Extremely (overview), two smartphones with equivalent SoCs:

We will a minimum of see that the efficiency in accordance with Geekbench 6 is considerably higher than that of the Xiaomi 12T Professional and barely worse than that of the Motorola Edge 30 Extremely.

I additionally seen that the Poco F5 Professional stayed as chilly as an excellent beer within the benchmark take a look at in addition to throughout gaming. Thus, no extreme warmth improvement, for which we will pat the put in LiquidCool expertise 2.0 on the again. As traditional, I attempted Genshin Impression and Honkai: Star Rail, each of which ran easily.

The players amongst Xiaomi customers in all probability know the Sport Mode that Xiaomi places on a few of its units. Sport Turbo offers you with a really complete menu that lets you view numerous smartphone information, together with load, and alter your gaming expertise.

A fast phrase about connectivity: Sure, the Poco F5 Professional after all makes use of the 5G community, Bluetooth 5.3 is supported, and NFC for cellular funds is after all additionally obtainable.

Xiaomi Poco F5 Professional digicam

The 64 MP major digicam is convincing, even at evening. 16 MP selfies and eight MP ultra-wide-angle photographs are okay, however this damnable 2 MP macro digicam …

Execs:

• Nice daytime pictures with the primary digicam.
• Optical picture stabilization.
• Helpful ultra-wide-angle cam.
• Okay evening photographs with the primary digicam.
• Profitable selfies.

Cons:

• Macro sensors needs to be retired.
• Solely mediocre ultra-wide-angle photographs at evening.

Xiaomi depends on the OV64B sensor from OmniVision for the primary digicam, which has a decision of 64 MP. It generally delivers actually good outcomes throughout the day. As well as, the ultra-wide-angle digicam with 8 MP is a bit weak, which is particularly noticeable at evening. The 2MP macro digicam could be safely ignored.

Sadly, the solar solely appeared very timidly on the finish of my photographs, however you may see from the outcomes that the photographs are fairly detailed. If the sunshine performs alongside, we’re blissful about crisp, sharp footage, even shifting objects are captured exactly. I used to be additionally capable of take some very cool snapshots with the ultra-wide-angle digicam. Nonetheless, I seen that the richness of element decreases considerably in direction of the image’s edge and the photographs look a bit washed on the market.

At evening, the primary digicam makes good use of the evening mode. Typically, nonetheless, the impact is barely noticeable. That is much more excessive with the ultra-wide-angle digicam, which affords very noisy footage relying on the lighting state of affairs. I’m already fascinated about the macro sensor and getting offended once more!

Allow us to due to this fact somewhat briefly point out that the selfie cam takes actually helpful photographs, whereby the portrait mode additionally works reliably and exactly blurs the background. On the video entrance, we also needs to point out that even 8K clips are potential at 24 fps—if you happen to want it… Zooming is feasible digitally as much as tenfold magnification, however you may wish to chorus from far more than two or threefold magnification.

All in all, I actually like the primary sensor, however for an actual “flagship killer” I’d have appreciated a extra versatile digicam lineup. Oh, about macro once more: It’s higher to change on to the portrait mode of the primary digicam, the outcomes are actually higher.

Xiaomi Poco F5 Professional battery

The battery with a capability of 5,160 mAh does what it’s presupposed to: It lasts lengthy, prices in a short time (20 minutes to half-full), even prices wirelessly—and the charger is included within the field.

Execs:

• Fast Charging with 67 watts.
• Wi-fi charging with 30 watts.
• Charger included within the field.

Cons:

Antoine and I not too long ago debated about fast charging. For me, fast charging would not play a giant function, whereas it cannot be quick sufficient for Antoine. I am due to this fact nicely offered for with the 67 W provided. Even wi-fi charging—nonetheless a uncommon function on this value vary—is offered with a full 30 W.

With the assistance of the included charger, I introduced it as much as …:

• 4 minutes to 10 p.c
• 12 minutes to 30 p.c
• 20 minutes to 50 p.c
• 31 minutes to 75 p.c
• 53 minutes to 100%

I discover lower than an hour for five,160 mAh completely okay, an excellent half hour for 75 p.c anyway. Thus, I’ve nothing to complain about in any respect. The battery benchmark take a look at from PCMark introduced it to 12 hours and 49 minutes—that can be completely okay, though it’s not a high worth.

Xiaomi Poco F5 Professional technical specs

Technical information
Product
Picture
Show	6.67″ OLED
	3,200 x 1,440 px
	120 Hz refresh charge
SoC	Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1
Working reminiscence	8 / 12 GB LPDDR5X RAM
Reminiscence	256 / 512 GB UFS 3.1
Reminiscence growth?	❌
OS	Android 13 / MIUI14
Digital camera	Fundamental (OV64B): 64 MP, f/1.79 aperture, OIS Extremely extensive angle: 8 MP, f/2.2 Macro: 2 MP, f/2.4
Selfie digicam	16 MP, aperture f/2.45
Battery	5,160 mAh 67 W wired charging, charger included 30 W wi-fi charging
Connectivity	5G / LTE / Wi-Fi 6 / Wi-Fi Direct / Bluetooth 5.3 / NFC
IP certification	IP53
Colours	Black, White
Dimensions and weight	162.78 x 75.44 x 8.59 mm, 205 g

Conclusion

Sure, now we have already had numerous enjoyable collectively, Poco F5 Professional and me. Particularly on the early-bird value of lower than 500 Euros (round 550 USD), you get an outrageously sturdy smartphone. The mixture of an excellent show and flagship SoC alone makes the system the proper multimedia smartphone. The primary digicam is especially interesting, players will get their cash’s value, and the battery will get you thru the day easily and prices each rapidly and wirelessly.

Factors of criticism are the not-always-convincing ultra-wide-angle cam and particularly the pointless macro catastrophe. Truthfully, Xiaomi: Go away that crap out straight away. Both give us a telephoto sensor or just set up a dual-cam, and that is it. I didn’t discover any issues with the software program, both, apart from just a few too many annoying preinstalled apps. You’ll be able to get pleasure from stereo sound with Dolby Atmos and a minimum of get IP53 safety in opposition to splashing water.

Contemplating the early-bird value of 479 or 499 Euros, I give a benevolent 4.5 stars for a telephone that provides a style of the flagship class in a number of disciplines. Nonetheless, I achieve this with a considerably admonishing undertone in direction of Xiaomi to please set up a extra versatile digicam within the subsequent mannequin, which is able to then match the good show and the great efficiency higher.