Xiaomi Poco X3 GT vs X3 Pro vs Poco F3 | Which is the Better Mid-Range Poco Phone?
Poco has been my favorite sub-brand of Xiaomi in recent years. Poco phones come with exactly what I look for in a phone. They are superfast, putting much costlier phones to shame. They offer excellent battery life, along with a decent camera setup. Check out our Xiaomi Poco X3 Pro vs Poco F3 comparison for all the details.
While Mi phones are a more complete package and aimed at a much wider audience, Poco is aimed at enthusiasts on a budget. And I am one of them, including most of you, reading this.
Related: Check out out list of the Best Xiaomi Phones!
The launch of Poco X3 Pro and Poco F3 has got me very excited, they should offer tremendous value and blazing fast performance. Read on to know how they fare against each other and which one would be better for you.
Related: Latest Xiaomi Smartphones in India!
After having compared the Xiaomi Poco X3 Pro vs Poco F3 based on various factors like design, performance, battery, display, function, features, price and much more; my team and I found out that:
The Xiaomi Poco X3 Pro is just a beefed-up version of the Poco X3 and the Poco F3 is Globally rebranded and the Redmi K40. While both phones have their pros/cons and are similar in price range, the Poco F3 is the clear winner with its better display and performance. It is even better than the Poco X3 Pro with regards to other technology such as connectivity.
Here we do up a good review of Poco X3 GT vs X3 Pro too!
POCO X3 GT Review
Image from POCO Global
At S$429 SRP, the POCO X3 GT is hands down the best value smartphone of 2021. With an emphasis on speed and performance, the POCO X3 GT is fast and highly capable. Favored by gamers and non-gamers alike for its snappy performance and outstanding price-to-power ratio, the POCO X3 GT is a budget-friendly smartphone for hardcore power users.
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Pros |
Cons |
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Key Features
- New MediaTek Dimensity 1100 is fast and gaming-oriented
- Vibrant and large 6.6” 120Hz LCD Display with HDR10
- 67W Fast Charging, charging brick included
- Stereo speakers professionally tuned by JBL
- Impressive main camera performance
- 5G dual-SIM capable with NFC
POCO X3 GT Review
The POCO X3 GT is spec-for-spec the best bang for your buck if you’re looking for a budget smartphone that delivers flagship-like performance. Outfitted with the latest MediaTek Dimensity 1100 chipset, this smartphone runs like a buttery-smooth dream no matter what you throw at it. Games, videos, demanding productivity apps, and more run effortlessly smoothly thanks to the high-end, gaming-oriented SoC, and look and feel even better thanks to the display. The POCO X3 GT comes with an FHD+ IPS LCD display that runs at 120Hz with a really smart adaptive refresh technology called DynamicSwitch which matches the refresh rate to the content you’re viewing. That's a smoother user experience and better battery performance all in one go.
Speaking of battery, the POCO X3 GT comes with a large 5,000 mAh all-day battery that should get you through a whole day of intensive tasks - or even up to two days of normal use on a single charge. Plus, in case your battery does run low, topping up to full takes just 42 minutes thanks to the 67W fast charging capability.
While the POCO X3 GT does focus on speed and performance above all else, it still delivers some decent functionality in other areas as well. You’re getting dual-5G SIM capabilities with NFC, and with its professionally-tuned JBL speaker system, the POCO X3 GT delivers exceptional stereo audio quality that’s punchy and robust. The camera system is fantastic for the price you pay. It’s a triple-camera system with a 64 mp main sensor that’s enhanced by AI to help you capture the best photos and videos in all kinds of conditions, all on an S$429 smartphone - not to mention the wide array of camera features like Pro Time Lapse. Build quality on the POCO X3 GT is also amazing - you’re getting the same Gorilla Glass Victus protection - the most advanced smartphone glass to date - that you get on thousand-dollar flagships like the Mi 11 Ultra and the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra.
Of course, there are some compromises and some drawbacks to the budget-friendly POCO X3 GT, but depending on your specific needs, they’re nothing too major. We’re sad to see POCO drop micro SD support on the POCO X3 GT, but with up to 256GB of fast UFS 3.1 storage, we won’t complain. The front camera is nothing special, and the plastic back is a total fingerprint magnet, but that’s not enough to take our attention away from the flagship-level performance, high-end display, and overall capability that the POCO X3 GT has to offer.
Xiaomi Poco X3 Pro vs Poco F3
Design & Build
The Poco X3 Pro and Poco F3 are phones that fall in different price categories and you can tell that from their design and build. But they do share some similarities. Check out Xiaomi Poco X3 Pro vs Poco F3 comparison for all the details.
Both phones from the front have the same design language, they have a hole punch in the top center of the screen. They also have the same display size too, there’s not much to tell them apart if you look at them from the front side.
Interestingly though, the designs of both these phones are not new and they are borrowed from predecessors. The Poco F3 borrows its design from the Redmi K40, while the Poco X3 Pro uses the same design found on the regular Poco X3. The Poco F3, the costlier one looks better and feels like a well-refined design.
Another similarity is that both phones have the volume rocker and power button on the right side of the phone. And this is pretty much where the similarity ends in terms of design for these newly launched phones.
Once you flip them over, you will notice that these are two different phones as they look completely different from the back. And the most visually noticeable difference is the camera island and Poco branding.
The Poco X3 Pro has a circular camera island that houses 4 sensors. On the other hand, the Poco F3 has a triple camera setup with the lens residing under an oval-shaped glass similar to Mi 11. It is also placed towards the top left corner compared to the top center positioning on the Poco X3 Pro.
The Poco X3 Pro also has an obnoxiously large POCO branding on the bottom of the phone. I am not a fan of aggressive branding on phones but your taste may vary. Poco X3 Pro also uses two shades of color while the Poco F3 uses a single color.
All things considered, I like the design of the Poco F3 better as it is cleaner and more minimalistic. The aggressive Poco branding and two-tone color on the back of Poco X3 Pro aren't helping in my opinion. The Poco F3 has a much more premium look to it as it is also the costlier of the two.
Related: Check out our list of the Various Types of Xiaomi Phones!
Display
Both the Poco X3 Pro and Poco F3 have displays of the same size and resolution. So, you may not be wrong to think that they are the same displays, but in reality, they are not.
The Poco F3 being the more premium model comes with a 6.67-inch FHD+ AMOLED display with up to 120Hz refresh rate. The AMOLED screen is the same found on the Redmi K40. Poco F3’s display also features a 360Hz touch sampling rate and a peak brightness of 1300 nits. Check out Xiaomi Poco X3 Pro vs Poco F3 comparison for all the details.
In comparison, the Poco X3 Pro comes with a 6.67-inch FHD+ display with a 120Hz refresh rate. It is also an LCD display and maxes out at only 450 nits of brightness. The touch sampling rate is also lower at 240Hz, which is still plenty fast. This is also the same display found on the regular Poco X3 but maxes out at a lower brightness level which is a bummer since it costs more.
Since I have tested both the Redmi K40 and Poco X3, I can safely say that the Poco F3 will have a significantly better display. The AMOLED on the Poco F3 screen will be brighter, more vivid, and faster. Don’t get me wrong, Poco X3 Pro’s display is also great but only for the price, while the Poco F3 display will take the fight to much costlier phones.
Related: Best Xiaomi Gaming Phones!
Internals
The Poco X3 Pro is basically just an old phone with buffed-up internals. On the other hand, the Poco F3 is a rebranded Redmi K40. Check out Xiaomi Poco X3 Pro vs Poco F3 comparison for all the details.
The Poco X3 Pro comes with a significant upgrade as it uses the newly launched Snapdragon 860. It is so much better compared to the Snapdragon 732G found on the non-pro model. The Snapdragon 860 is not a brand-new processor, it is a higher binned Snapdragon 855+. This allows it to clock higher making it faster than the Snapdragon 855+.
The Poco X3 Pro also comes with 6 or 8 GBs of LPDDRX RAM and 128 or 256 GBs of superfast UFS 3.1 storage. While the Poco F3 comes with faster 6 or 8 GBs of LPDDR5 RAM with the same 128 or 256 GBs of UFS 3.1 storage.
The Poco F3 on the other hand comes with a Snapdragon 870, the same one found in the Redmi K40 and Motorola Edge S. The Snapdragon 870 is a higher binned Snapdragon 865+, making it reach higher clocks. This makes it quite a bit faster and makes it the second-fastest processor for Android phones.
I am more excited for the Poco X3 Pro as it is the first phone Snapdragon 860 and it comes in at just 250 dollars making it an amazing value. I have tested the Snapdragon 870 on the Redmi K40 and it's an impressive chip too. Both Poco X3 Pro and Poco F3 come with probably the best internal hardware for their price.
Related: Mi Phone Price in Singapore
Camera
The camera setup for these phones is different, with the Poco X3 Pro sporting a quad-camera setup while the Poco F3 houses a triple camera setup.
The Poco X3 Pro comes with a primary 48 MP sensor, an 8 MP ultra-wide sensor, a 2 MP macro lens, and a 2 MP depth sensor. It comes with a 20 MP selfie camera too. This setup is different from the regular Poco X3 and performs better too from my testing so that’s great news.
The Poco F3 sports a 48 MP main sensor and an 8 MP ultra-wide sensor which are the same ones found on the X3 Pro. The Poco F3 also features a 5 MP telemacro lens, which in my opinion is better than the 2 MP macro and 2 MP depth sensors on the Poco X3 Pro. The selfie camera is a 20 MP lens but it's not the same as the Poco X3 Pro.
Both phones have the same primary and secondary camera lenses but I expect the Poco F3 to perform better since it has a better processor with a better image processing system.
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Battery
Xiaomi phones are expected to have large batteries especially on budget and mid-range phones. Both of these phones have large batteries so we can expect good battery life.
The Poco X3 Pro edges out the Poco F3 with a better battery setup as it comes with a 5160mAh battery compared to the 4520mAh battery on Poco F3. Both phones support 33W fast charging so that puts them on the same level in terms of charging speeds.
I am betting the Poco X3 Pro to last a bit longer than the Poco F3 when it comes to battery life.
Specifications
| Poco X3 Pro | Poco F3 | |
| Display | 6.67-inch LCD FHD+ 120Hz refresh rate 240Hz touch sampling rate HDR10Gorilla Glass 6 |
6.67-inch AMOLED FHD+ (2,400 x 1,080) 120Hz refresh rate 360Hz touch sampling rate HDR10+ Gorilla Glass 5 |
| ProcessorGPU | Qualcomm Snapdragon 860Adreno 640 | Qualcomm Snapdragon 870Adreno 650 |
| RAM | Min: 6GB LPDDR4X Max: 8GB LPDDR4X |
Min: 6GB LPDDR5 Max: 8GB LPDDR5 |
| Storage | Min: 128GB UFS 3.1 Min: 256GB UFS 3.1 microSD card support (up to 1TB) |
Min: 128GB UFS 3.1 Min: 256GB UFS 3.1 No microSD card support |
| Battery | 5,160mAh battery 33W fast wired charging In-box 33W charger No wireless charging |
4,520mAh battery 33W fast wired charging In-box 33W charger No wireless charging |
| Camera | Rear:48MP main 1/2-inch sensor, 1.6μm, ƒ/1.79 Auto-focus8MP ultra-wide 119-degree FoV, ƒ/2.22MP macro Fixed focus (4cm), ƒ/2.42MP depth sensor Fixed focus, ƒ/2.4Front:20MP, ƒ/2.2, Rear: |
Rear:48MP main 1/2-inch sensor, 1.6μm, ƒ/1.79 Auto-focus 8MP ultra-wide 119-degree FoV, ƒ/2.2 5MP "telemacro" Auto-focus (3cm - 7cm), ƒ/2.4Front:20MP, ƒ/2.45 |
| Sound | Audio, Dual speakers 3.5mm headphone jack |
Dual speakers Dolby Atmos No headphone jack |
| Connectivity | USB-C Dual-SIM or Single SIM+microSD Wi-Fi 5 Bluetooth 5.0 NFC support IR blaster, USB-C |
Dual-SIM Wi-Fi 6 Bluetooth 5.1 NFC support IR blaster |
| Security | Side-mounted fingerprint sensor Face unlock (insecure)No IP rating |
Side-mounted fingerprint sensor Face unlock (insecure) No IP rating |
| Software | Android 11 MIUI 12 for POCO |
Android 11 MIUI 12 for POCO |
Price and Release Date
While there has been no official pricing for the US for both these phones, they are still expected to come in at affordable prices going by the Europe launch prices. Check out Xiaomi Poco X3 Pro vs Poco F3 comparison for all the details.
The Poco X3 Pro for the 6GB RAM +128GB storage option is priced at €249 (~$296), but you can expect an early-bird price of €199 (~$237). Its 8GB RAM + 256GB storage variant will cost €299 (~$356), with an early-bird price of €249 (~$296). The Poco X3 Pro launched on the 24th of March.
Meanwhile, the Poco F3 is a bit more expensive, starting at €349 (~$416) for the 6GB RAM + 128GB storage model. There's an early bird price of €299 (~$356). The 8GB RAM and 256GB storage variant of Poco F3 starts at €399 (~$475) with an early bird price of €349 (~$416). The Poco F3 will go on sale on the 27th of March.
Final Thoughts
Xiaomi has struck again by offering top-of-the-line specs for affordable prices under their Poco sub-brand. Both these phones should offer excellent value and super-fast performance.
Along with the blazing-fast processors, you are getting beautiful high refresh rate screens, large batteries, features like dual speakers, and more. If you are limited by budget, the Poco X3 Pro should be excellent for you, but I would advise you to go for the Poco F3 just for the screen and extra performance.
The Poco X3 Pro is beefed up Poco X3 while the Poco F3 is a rebranded Redmi K40 for the global market. I am looking forward to both devices, and it will be a treat for budget buyers to get such specs at an affordable price. Check out Xiaomi Poco X3 Pro vs Poco F3 comparison for all the details.
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