In India, the mid-range smartphone market is flooded with numerous devices, but only a handful provide an optimal combination of processor, camera, and battery life. POCO has been a brand that consistently delivers superior performance at a reasonable price. In the past, it was only recognized by smartphone enthusiasts, but it is now returning to its performance-oriented roots with the POCO F5 5G, a phone that is perfect for anyone on a budget. There is little to criticize about this phone, making it a great choice for users who want to get the most value for their money.

The POCO F5 5G is designed with a squarish yet lightweight and comfortable-to-hold frame that resembles the Redmi Note 12 Turbo. Its 6.67-inch 120Hz FHD+ AMOLED screen is very bright, and the phone can be easily used in bright sunshine. The colors on the display are vibrant, and the tuning is just right. The device is ideal for streaming videos on the go, and it comes with Corning Gorilla Glass 5 protection. Although a few other smartphones from Samsung, OnePlus, and Xiaomi have slightly better display panels, the pricing of the POCO F5 5G justifies the device’s features.

The phone’s stereo speaker setup is another standout feature, with two separate speakers providing well-balanced and big sound. Moreover, the company has retained the 3.5mm port for the headphone jack. However, the frosty design on the rear panel is unimpressive, and users will likely want to use a phone case instead. The device’s sleek bezels, on the other hand, are noteworthy.

The POCO F5 5G excels in performance, boasting a Snapdragon 7+ Gen2 chipset, which is similar to the Snapdragon 8+ Gen1. The device can handle Call of Duty Mobile at 120fps, and most games and applications run smoothly. Apps launch quickly, and the vapor cooling chamber mechanism keeps the phone cool, allowing for sustained performance. There are few issues when using the device for browsing or sending emails, and apps launch quickly. Frame drops are barely noticeable when playing games.

The cameras are impressive for a mid-range phone, with the main camera featuring 64MP, offering good color tuning. The colors are slightly punchy at times, but this is acceptable for social media. The night mode works on all cameras in low-light settings, and the results are shareable if you can stay reasonably still. The 8MP ultrawide camera performs well under good lighting, with minimal color shift between the main and ultrawide cameras. The ultrawide camera also performs decently under low light, while the macro camera is unremarkable. The device can shoot up to 4K@30fps for video, while the selfie camera is limited to 1080p@60fps.

There are a few things that require updating, including the charging cable, which is USB-A to USB-C, and the preloaded bloatware apps that take up storage space. However, the box comes with a 67W charging brick for the 5,000mAh battery, and the device is power-efficient, providing a day’s worth of battery life with rapid charging.

In conclusion, the POCO F5 5G is almost a perfect mid-range device, providing excellent gaming performance, high charging speed, great design, and very good audio output. Despite a few minor issues, having this phone in your shopping cart is a no-brainer.