Poco X5 Pro vs Poco X4 Pro: Will the wait be worth it?

According to leaks and many teasers, POCO is about to introduce its next big thing for the POCO X-series. The new generation comes under the POCO X5 series moniker and will bring compelling upgrades over the last year’s generation. As usual, the POCO X5 Pro is the device that POCO fans are eagerly waiting for. However, the big question that remains is whether it will be worth the wait.

The legacy of POCO X3 Pro

The POCO X-series was introduced way back in 2020 with the POCO X2. However, it was the POCO X3 that put the series among the big stars of the smartphone industry. In September of the same year, POCO introduced the POCO X3 NFC with very appealing specs. In 2020, it was rare to see mid-range smartphones with high-refresh-rate displays, fast charging, and even NFC. POCO decided to make a “jack of all trades” with the POCO X3 NFC. The device brought a 120 Hz panel, a 5,160 mAh battery with 33W fast charging, a 64-Megapixel camera, and more. It was one of the most appealing mid-range smartphones of its time. However, POCO wanted more for this particular device, and a few months later introduced the POCO X3 Pro.

The POCO X3 Pro arrived in the market under the $300 price tag with a very appealing Snapdragon 860. That chipset was basically a revamped Snapdragon 855+, offering the flagship level of performance. It was miles above the Snapdragon 732 on the regular X3. Of course, POCO had to cut some corners and downgraded the 64-Megapixel camera to a 48-Megapixel unit. Furthermore, it didn’t have 5G connectivity. However, that was not enough to compromise the sales. The POCO X3 Pro was hit.

The POCO X4 Pro’s performance didn’t overcome its predecessor, but still, the phone brought some upgrades

POCO X4 Pro and POCO X3 Pro

Last year, the expectations were high for the POCO X4 Pro. However, the device failed to surpass its predecessor in terms of performance. POCO had to bring 5G, and to keep the appealing price, decided to go with the Snapdragon 695. It was a good chipset, but the performance was not on par with the Snapdragon 8xx series. To make the smartphone more appealing, POCO brought a 108-Megapixel camera to the handset.

This year, the expectations are high for the POCO X5 Pro, but the big question that remains is, will it be better than the POCO X5 Pro? We’ll find out through this comparison article.

POCO X4 Pro vs POCO X5 Pro

One thing is sure, the POCO X5 Pro will not have the same appeal the POCO X3 Pro had for the series. Apparently, in these tough times, it’s hard for a brand to bring a flagship-level SoC to mid-range prices. So, the POCO X5 Pro will not be aiming at a Snapdragon 8x series. However, the upgrade will still be significant.

Performance

We’ll start this comparison with the performance, and I’ll give a spoiler, yes the POCO X5 Pro will be above the POCO X4 Pro. The last year’s model has the Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 5G (6nm) SoC. It’s a mid-range chip with 2 x Cortex-Ayu cores clocked at up to 2.2 GHz, and 6 x ARM Cortex-A55 cores clocked at up to 1.7 GHz. When it comes to the GPU it boasts an Adreno 619.

The POCO X5 Pro will pack the Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G. The chipset is getting old at this point but is still efficient and fast enough for the mid-range segment. This chipset has 1 x ARM Cortex-A78 core at up to 2.42 GHz, 3 x ARM Cortex-A78 cores at up to 2.2 GHz, and 4 x ARM Cortex-A55 cores at up to 1.9 GHz. The performance here is better as the chipset has more BIG cores with higher clock speeds. That should be significant, especially in games. Moreover, the Adreno 642L in this SoC is way beyond the 619. With this chipset, you’ll get better performance on games and overall tasks.

In terms of performance, the POCO X5 Pro will definitively win the match. It’s good for newcomers, but maybe for POCO X4 Pro, this shouldn’t be enough for an upgrade. Everything depends on what you do with your smartphone. If you’re into gaming, then the Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G is much better.

RAM and Storage

The POCO X4 Pro has up to 8 GB of RAM and up to 256 GB of Internal Storage. Moreover, you can easily expand that amount with a micro SD card. The POCO X5 Pro will get a higher variant with 12 GB of RAM and 256 GB of Storage. Unlike its predecessor, the phone may ditch the micro SD card slot. None of the Redmi Note 12 series phones have it, so we assume that POCO X5 Pro will also drop this signature feature.

Worth noting that we don’t know exactly which variants of the Redmi Note 12 Pro Speed will come as POCO X5 Pro. Therefore, the arrival of the higher variant is not confirmed. That would put the POCO X5 Pro in the same territory as the X4 Pro, and the lack of a micro SD card may count as a drawback for some.

Camera

The next department is the camera. Overall, we believe that there will be a lot of similarities between the two phones. The global version of the POCO X4 Pro brings a 108-Megapixel f/1.9 main camera, 8-Megapixel f/1.8 ultrawide, and 2-Megapixel f/2.4 macro camera. The phone also has a 16-Megapixel selfie snapper.

According to the leaks, the POCO X5 Pro camera setup will be almost identical. It has a 108-Megapixel shooter with f/1.9 aperture, 8-Megapixel ultrawide, and a 2-Megapixel macro camera. It will also bring a 16-Megapixel selfie snapper.

In terms of the camera, we have a tie. Unfortunately, the Redmi Note 12 Pro Speed, on which the POCO X5 Pro is based, does not bring OIS. It’s the only Pro of the Redmi Note 12 series to miss OIS. It would be a good upgrade over the POCO X4 Pro. Without OIS, the camera setup is basically the same. We may see a few improvements here and there, but don’t expect miracles.

Anyway, things should be better for the Indian market. The POCO X4 Pro that arrived there has a lesser 64 MP camera. So, if the POCO X5 Pro indeed comes with a 108 MP unit, then it will be an upgrade over its predecessor.

Display

In the display department, it seems that the POCO X4 Pro has certain advantages. The POCO X5 Pro is yet to go official, so this is based on the Redmi Note 12 Pro, but considering the specs, the X4 Pro has a better display.

The POCO X4 Pro brings a 6.67-inch Super AMOLED display with a 120 Hz refresh rate. The panel has 700 nits of brightness and 1,200 nits of peak brightness. It brings a Full HD+ resolution and a Gorilla Glass 5 coating.

Redmi Note 12 Pro Speed vs POCO X4 Pro

The POCO X5 Pro display is described as “OLED”, so it probably isn’t from Samsung. The brightness is lower with 500 nits of brightness, and 900 of peak brightness. Also, there is no mention of Gorilla Glass there. Apart from these differences, we also get a 6.67-inch panel with a 120 Hz refresh rate.

In terms of display, the POCO X5 Pro seems to be a downgrade over its predecessor. So we’ll have to compare both units.

Charging and Misc

The POCO X4 Pro brings Wi-Fi 5, Bluetooth 5.1, IR Blaster, NFC, USB Type C, and FM Radio. The phone has a side-mounted fingerprint scanner. It draws power from a 5,000 mAh battery with 67W fast charging. The phone also boasts stereo speakers.

The POCO X5 Pro will bring Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.2, NFC, IR Blaster, and a USB Tpe-C port. We don’t know whether it will bring FM Radio or not. The device has the same side-mounted fingerprint scanner. Also, it draws power from the same 5,000 mAh battery with the same 67W charging.

We would appreciate 120W fast charging and a 5,000 mAh battery on the new smartphone. This set of specifications is available with the Redmi Note 12 Pro+, however, it won’t make way to the POCO X5 Pro.

The two smartphones are very similar, with incremental upgrades for the POCO X5 Pro. Wi-Fi 6 probably is the most notable upgrade here. However, for some users, it may not be enough to upgrade.

Pricing

The pricing of the POCO X4 Pro is around $267 or INR 17,999 for India. Right now, we don’t know how much the POCO X5 Pro will cost, but we don’t think it will be more expensive. POCO will likely aim at a similar price tag. Its price may sit between $270 ~ and $300. We don’t recommend paying more than $300 for these specs, honestly.

Conclusion – is the POCO X5 Pro a true upgrade?

Well, considering everything we’ve seen, we don’t think the POCO X5 Pro is a true upgrade if you’re looking for anything but performance. The Snapdragon 778G is better than the Snapdragon 695, however, the smartphone is identical to its predecessor in other aspects. The POCO X4 Pro gets the lead in the display department, and its camera setup isn’t outdated compared to the newer model. The POCO X5 Pro is mostly an incremental upgrade with newer technologies.

It’s up to you to decide if the POCO X5 Pro is worth the wait, but apparently, it’s mostly an incremental update. We can only dream of a new smartphone that matches what the POCO X3 Pro was in its days. The new smartphone would be a much better upgrade if POCO opted for a mix between the Redmi Note 12 Pro+ and the Redmi Note 12 Pro Speed. The Snapdragon 778G with the same specs as the Pro+ (200MP camera, 120W fast charging) would make a significant difference here.