The real kicker is the pricing.
The Poco X4 Pro 5G is basically the Redmi Note 11 Pro+ with a tweaked design and watered-down 64MP primary camera. The real kicker is the pricing. You can get the X4 Pro for as little as Rs 18,999 (6GB/64GB). The 6GB/128GB version of the phone costs Rs 19,999. That’s Rs 1,000 cheaper than an equivalent Note 11 Pro+. Its 8GB/128GB model will set you back by Rs 21,999, again Rs 1,000 less than the Note 11 Pro+ alternative. HDFC Bank card users are eligible for Rs 1,000 discount on the X4 Pro 5G bringing the price down further. There’s also the bit about Redmi’s introductory pricing. The Redmi Note 11 Pro+ will be available at the mentioned prices until March-end only. That is not the case with the X4 Pro. It goes without saying, the Poco X4 Pro 5G—with everything it packs inside—instantly becomes top draw for most value for money phone under Rs 20,000. The Note 11 Pro+ was already getting a lot of heat for crossing the 20K price point and let’s just say, Poco isn’t making things easier.
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From a series perspective, the X4 Pro takes a slight detour from Poco’s usual proceedings. This new phone is not targeted squarely at gamers, like its predecessor. While the X3 Pro was about getting the most powerful chip that you could possibly muster at the lowest price imaginable, the X4 Pro looks beyond a single dimension even as Poco tries to appeal to a wider audience (obviously this also means that the Snapdragon 860-powered X3 Pro’s value proposition from a pure performance perspective remains unbeaten to this day). The X4 Pro, instead, packs a Qualcomm Snapdragon 695, a chip we’ve seen in multiple phones already –at a similar price point—right from the Vivo T1 5G to Motorola’s G71 5G. The Redmi Note 11 Pro+ has the same exact chip, too, albeit at a higher asking price.
The Snapdragon 695, while not as powerful as the Snapdragon 860, is more efficient (6nm versus 7nm) and also dependable for day-to-day use and some gaming. We will have more to say about the phone’s performance in our full review but let it be known that the X4 Pro is by no means, a slouch. The one area where we can see a downgrade—owing to the chipset possibly—is in video recording. Like the Note 11 Pro+, the X4 Pro also tops out at 1080p@30fps (the Poco X3 Pro could go up to 4K@30fps using the rear camera).
Aside from that, the X4 Pro comes with improvements in almost every perceivable area, be it the screen, cameras, or battery. It adds 5G connectivity (7-band support) to the mix and boasts of a new design, too.
The X4 Pro has a glass back and Corning Gorilla Glass 5 screen protection. The frame is made of plastic. The phone is IP53 certified for dust and splash resistance. Though it is based on the Redmi Note 11 Pro+ core design scheme with a flat frame and 2.5D glass – which is glossy but somehow doesn’t pick up many fingerprints – Poco has added enough visual elements that set it apart and even make it stand out from the competition.
The biggest differentiator is the rectangular camera island that occupies a good chunk at the top. The arrangement not only adds a distinct identity to this phone, but it also helps negate the camera bump which is to say it is one of the few phones that doesn’t wobble on a flat surface. The X4 Pro comes in laser blue, laser black, and Poco’s hallmark yellow that’s both eye-catching and unique looking at the same time without going overboard or anything.
On the front, you get a 6.67-inch 120Hz AMOLED with 1080p resolution, up to 1200nits peak brightness and hole punch cutout at the centre. We have absolutely no complaints with this display so far. It’s fantastic to look at. You also get dual speakers, headphone jack, micro-SD storage expansion, and IR blaster. Biometrics are handled by a side-mounted fingerprint reader. The package is fuelled by a 5,000mAh battery with 67W fast charging. A compliant charger ships in the box.
The X4 Pro has three cameras on the back—64MP (Samsung GW3) main, 8MP ultrawide, and another 2MP macro. On the front, it has a 16MP camera.
Poco X4 Pro 5G first impressions
If you were eyeing the Redmi Note 11 Pro+ 5G and its price has been a downer, the Poco X4 Pro 5G comes as a no-brainer. The hardware is good. The design, attractive. Software-wise, too, you get some distinction in that a Poco phone doesn’t show you as many as ads though the bloatware situation could surely be better. The phone runs MIUI 13 which still is based on Android 11—a bummer. But as we mentioned earlier, the most striking aspect of the X4 Pro is its low price. Poco has priced it well and it would be interesting to see if it will be able to keep up with the demand. The Poco X3 Pro, in case you’re wondering, is no longer on sale in India. Watch this space for our full review of the Poco X4 Pro 5G.
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