The Xiaomi Poco M3 is a continuation of Xiaomi’s line of value midrange devices, which are pretty consistent in the market. An IPS LCD screen, a primary 48MP triple camera, 18W fast charging, a huge battery at 6000mAh, and the new midrange Qualcomm Snapdragon 662 chipset. It’s not 5G ready but then that is reflected in its final price. It ticks pretty much every box, and then some. This phone is certainly a budget powerhouse.
Design
The Xiaomi Poco M3 comes with a 6.53-inch IPS LCD screen with a center teardrop notch design for the selfie camera. it has even bezels and a very narrow chin, with a screen-to-body ratio of 83.4%. It has an aspect ratio of 19.5:9 and supports HD10 which makes it an absolute delight to consume media with. It has a plastic frame and back, and a glass Corning Gorilla 3 front panel. It is very bright and vivid, peaking at 400 nits. It’s not rated for dust and splash protection, but it surely is splashproof. Fortunately, it keeps the headphone jack. It has a fast-side-mounted fingerprint sensor, which is conveniently housed in the power button. It does support stereo speakers, offering great sound when playing media.
Performance
The Xiaomi Poco M3 brings in the heat with the latest generation Qualcomm Snapdragon 662 chipset, from the current range of Snapdragon midrange/budget 4G chips, making it very fast and excellent for gaming. It has an Octa-core CPU with storage options of 4/6 GB for RAM & 64/128 GB for ROM. It also has a dedicated expandable memory option. Paired with the smooth LCD screen, running the latest Android 10 with MIUI 12 skin on top, the performance feels very fast and premium. Xiaomi’s MIUI is rich in customizations, supporting numerous always-on-screen animations. No lags or slow transitions on this one. Everything feels fast, fluid, and rich in colour.
Cameras
The Xiaomi Poco M3 has a triple camera arrangement on the back. It comes with an excellent 48 MP primary sensor, with 8 MP picture binning for those excellent daylight photos. There is also an extra 2MP depth lens for great portrait photos and a 2MP for close-up pictures. The video can support 1080p video at 30 fps, with HDR supports & gyro-EIS stability assistance. It has a selfie camera with a generous 8MP wide sensor, capable of 1080p video at 30fps. The selfies and videos are great and well exposed.
Other features
The Xiaomi Poco M3 has decent 18W fast charging, which can charge the phone to 100% in just over an hour and a half. That in addition to the fact that it also comes with a huge Li-Po 6000mAh non-removable battery. With the low power screen, this should be a two days’ worth device. The concession is that there is no wireless charging nor wired reverse charging. It also does not support NFC for contactless paying.
Similarly, priced phones would include the Samsung Galaxy A03, Samsung Galaxy A12, Samsung Galaxy A32, and Samsung Galaxy A11. the main talking points would be the battery and the cameras. Also despite it being an IPS LCD screen, it offers an experience similar to any midrange gadget at this price point.
Even for the price, it’s a great device. Superior design, huge immersive screen, and impressive camera systems. The IPS LCD screen might feel like a concession, but the price compensates for that. It comes in Cool Blue, Poco Yellow, Power Black
Common Q & A
How much is a Xiaomi Poco M3 in Kenya: the phone is currently retailing at Ksh 18,500
Where can I buy a Xiaomi Poco M3 in Kenya: you can buy it at phonesstorekenya.com, both online and offline, with optional delivery on request.
Does Xiaomi Poco M3 have wireless charging: No. instead, it has very quick 18W fast charging that can get the phone to 100% in a little over an hour. The reason is, that the battery is huge at 6000mAh
Does Xiaomi Poco M3 support 5G: no it does not. At this price point, it wouldn’t be cost-effective, considering this is a budget device
