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Poco M3 : test / review

Tests / Reviews

The Poco brand had not been used by Xiaomi since 2018 and 2020 marked the return of the brand with 3 new models. The Poco F2 Pro came first by attacking the top of the range, the Poco X3 came next by attacking the middle of the range and the little last one, the Poco M3, comes to attack the entry level with a launch for Black Friday 2020 and an announced price of 129€! [b][b]With each Poco, I have the impression that Xiaomi takes out the flattening roller to push the competition even further with ever lower prices. I’m really struggling to find credible alternatives in the same price range.[b][b]I usually think a lot before buying a phone but I bought the Poco X3 blind because I was very satisfied with the F2 Pro. I did the same with this Poco M3 and I’m curious to see what it has in store for 129€.[b][b][b]linkManufacturer web site: https://www.poco.net/global/[b]linkSite where I have bought the Poco M3: https://s.zbanx.com/r/D23tPcHW7g58[b]

Structure of my tests

– I usually buy the devices with my own money, so price is just as important as you are!
– I keep the devices for at least a few weeks (sometimes more) to see what they are worth in real conditions.
– I answer (when possible) your questions to help you decide before you buy
– no one pays me to do these reviews, so I’m completely neutral and independent…
– My pages are not filled with ads

Google Pixel 6a review, tests and photo quality
Unihertz Tank : test / review
POCO X5 5G : test / review
Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite test / review
Poco X3 Pro : test / review
Poco F3 Test / Review
Google Pixel 5 test / review
Poco X4 Pro 5G : test / review
Redmi Note 11 Pro+ 5G : test / review
Poco X4 GT : test / review

Price Poco M3

The list below shows the prices for the Poco M3 from more than 50 sites around the world. If you are not satisfied with any price, you can subscribe to a price alert to be the first to be notified when the price drops.[b]bb

XIAOMI POCO C40 Noir 4Go 64Go Smartphone…

119 EUR

Cdiscount

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Xiaomi Poco C40 3+32GB DS 4G Power Black OEM…

119 EUR

Amazon.es

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Xiaomi POCO C40 Jaune 3 Go 32 Go Smartphone…

125 EUR

Cdiscount

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Xiaomi Smartphone POCOPHONE Poco C40 6,71″ HD+ 60Hz 4G 3GB/32GB Black…

128 EUR

Amazon.es

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Poco M3 – Smartphone 4+64GB, Pantalla 6,53″ FHD+ con Dot Drop, Snapdragon 662, Cámara triple de 48 …

139 EUR

Amazon.es

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Xiaomi Poco M3 Pro 5G – Smartphone 64GB, 4GB RAM, Dual Sim, Power Black…

149 EUR

Amazon.es

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I test the phones according to a pre-established structure (see below) to provide you with as much information as possible. Unfortunately, this takes a long time. Some tests like network performance tests take several days and for photo tests I sometimes have to wait until the weather is suitable to take pictures in good conditions. I am therefore obliged to publish the tests step by step, so I invite you to come back if the test is not complete at the time of your visit.[b]- I usually buy the devices with my own money, so price is just as important as you are!- I keep the devices for at least a few weeks (sometimes more) to see what they are worth in real conditions.- I answer (when possible) your questions to help you decide before you buy- no one pays me to do these reviews, so I’m completely neutral and independent…- My pages are not filled with adsThe list below shows the prices for the Poco M3 from more than 50 sites around the world. If you are not satisfied with any price, you can subscribe to a price alert to be the first to be notified when the price drops.[b]bb

[b]

help

The above links are affiliate links from companies such as Amazon, Gearbest, Aliexpress,… If you appreciate my work, I would be grateful if you could purchase these products through these links. It costs you absolutely nothing but I get a small commission that allows me to buy the material I test. Thank you very much!

Timeline

27/11/2020 I order the Poco M3 on Aliexpress at introductory price[b][b]18/12/2020 I finally received the Poco M3, so I can start testing it.[b]

Why this phone?

As I wrote above, I tested the Poco F2 Pro and the Poco X3 earlier this year. I really liked both phones, the price/performance ratio is absolutely unbeatable. These two Poco’s have pushed the limits of what you can get for this price. The Poco M3 comes with an even lower price, so it will be available to an even wider audience.[b][b]Beyond the price of the Poco M3, its features are close to the Redmi Note 9, these two phones have a lot in common. They are the same size but the Poco is a little thicker to accommodate a larger battery. The screen has the same size and resolution. The performance is similar even if the architecture is different. It is also possible that the Poco will take over the camera from the Redmi, if this is the case I hope it won’t take over the poor colour management of the latter.[b][b]The Poco therefore looks like a Redmi Note 9 with a higher battery capacity. The comparison could therefore be interesting.[b][b]

Unpacking

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27/11/2020 I order the Poco M3 on Aliexpress at introductory price[b][b]18/12/2020 I finally received the Poco M3, so I can start testing it.[b]As I wrote above, I tested the Poco F2 Pro and the Poco X3 earlier this year. I really liked both phones, the price/performance ratio is absolutely unbeatable. These two Poco’s have pushed the limits of what you can get for this price. The Poco M3 comes with an even lower price, so it will be available to an even wider audience.[b][b]Beyond the price of the Poco M3, its features are close to the Redmi Note 9, these two phones have a lot in common. They are the same size but the Poco is a little thicker to accommodate a larger battery. The screen has the same size and resolution. The performance is similar even if the architecture is different. It is also possible that the Poco will take over the camera from the Redmi, if this is the case I hope it won’t take over the poor colour management of the latter.[b][b]The Poco therefore looks like a Redmi Note 9 with a higher battery capacity. The comparison could therefore be interesting.[b][b]

Length : 162.3
Width : 77.3
Thickness : 9.6
Weight : 198
Jack output : Yes
USB Type : Type C

First configuration

Finish

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Specifications

[b]The information below comes from the Device Info HW application. The application provides detailed technical information about the tested phone.I tested the Poco M3 in its 4Gb/64Gb version. The full features are available in the screenshots below this paragraph.[b][b]

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CPU / GPU Performance

The configuration of the Poco M3 is identical to the other models of the brand, Xiaomi has just added a possibility to exit the configuration quite quickly in case you want to make an urgent call. You can set up your e-mail box and fingerprint later.[b][b]Xiaomi has recently introduced an additional question to encourage you to sign up for the Xiaomi Cloud. They are becoming more and more insistent.[b][b] [b]The information below comes from the Device Info HW application. The application provides detailed technical information about the tested phone.I tested the Poco M3 in its 4Gb/64Gb version. The full features are available in the screenshots below this paragraph.[b][b]

CPU : Qualcomm Snapdragon 662
GPU : Qualcomm AdreNo 610
Memory (RAM) : 4 Gb
Storage : 64 Gb – 128 Gb

Benchmark Antutu/3DMark

I scored 185,000 points with Antutu, this puts the Poco M3 at a Redmi Note 9 level. The price positioning of the Poco is lower than the Redmi, the price/performance ratio is therefore favourable to the Poco.[b][b]

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Antutu score : 185690
Antutu CPU : 72074
Antutu GPU : 34783
Antutu UX : 36819
Antutu Mem : 42014
3D Mark Open GL : 1149

Number of smartphones in the ranking:151
Position of this smartphone in the ranking:82/151

Note: this ranking only contains the phones I tested as well as a few others that I added for reference.
[b]Gaming[b]To test the performance in game, I download the mobile PUBG game and evaluate the in-game experience, graphics level and depth of vision. This game is quite demanding and should help you evaluating the performance of a phone.[b][b]The Poco M3 is not intended for a gaming audience but it does very well on PUBG Mobile, this is at the expense of the fluidity of the image and the level of detail of the textures. These are normal degradations for a phone of this type and it will not prevent you from playing this kind of game as long as it offers a low graphics mode.[b][b]

Network performance

The Poco M3 supports most of the 3G/4G frequencies used in Europe, and has become a standard at Xiaomi where 2 years ago this was not the case at all. The B28 / 700 Mhz frequency is also available.[b][b]

[b]Top 10 – performance ranking based on Antutu1. Poco F4 Gt – 8530162. Realme Gt – 8118583. Black Shark 4 Pro – 7599864. Poco X4 Gt – 7145775. Oppo Find X2 Pro – 6051846. Oneplus 8t – 5950007. Poco F3 – 5896778. Xiaomi Mi 10t Pro – 5816509. Oneplus 8 Pro – 57941710. Xiaomi Mi 10 – 579114Number of smartphones in the ranking:151Position of this smartphone in the ranking:82/151Note: this ranking only contains the phones I tested as well as a few others that I added for reference.[b][b]To test the performance in game, I download the mobile PUBG game and evaluate the in-game experience, graphics level and depth of vision. This game is quite demanding and should help you evaluating the performance of a phone.[b][b]The Poco M3 is not intended for a gaming audience but it does very well on PUBG Mobile, this is at the expense of the fluidity of the image and the level of detail of the textures. These are normal degradations for a phone of this type and it will not prevent you from playing this kind of game as long as it offers a low graphics mode.[b][b] The Poco M3 supports most of the 3G/4G frequencies used in Europe, and has become a standard at Xiaomi where 2 years ago this was not the case at all. The B28 / 700 Mhz frequency is also available.[b][b]

3G frequencies : B1 (2100), B2 (1900), B4 (1700/2100 AWS A-F), B5 (850), B8 (900)
4G frequencies : B1 (2100), B2 (1900), B3 (1800), B4 (1700/2100 AWS 1), B5 (850), B7 (2600), B8 (900), B20 (800), B28 (700), B38 (TDD 2600), B40 (TDD 2300), B41 (TDD 2500)
Bluetooth : Bluetooth 5.0 LE
Volte : Yes
NFC : No
Number measurements : 1116
Average signal (reference) : -92.09
Average signal (telephone) : -91.74
Average deviation reference/telephone : 0.35
Min/Max signal (reference) : -88 / -98
Min/Max signal (phone) : -90 / -99

Signal 4G (before december 2020)[b]The ability to pick up the network correctly is an essential element for a phone but it is only very rarely measured. To measure a phone’s ability to pick up the network, I perform a large number of measurements on the same cells to be able to compare phones under similar conditions. The signal is measured in dBm, a value of -90dBm indicates a worse signal than -70dBm. These measurements are therefore taken under real conditions and not in a laboratory, they are not scientific but give a good indication of performance. [b][b]Network signal sensitivity ratingPhone tested:Average signal (dBm)Number of measurements:Xiaomi Mi 9t Pro-881600Xiaomi Redmi Note 5-91.305600Xiaomi Mi 9 Lite-93788Samsung Galaxy A70-94.5111975Nokia 5.3-94.98531Realme 6-95.142301Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 Pro-95.9221599Xiaomi Mi A3-95.951000Huawei Y6 2019-95.951199Doogee S58 Pro-96.22856Redmi 9a-96.481000Meizu Note 9-96.68937Motorola G8 Power-96.881032Xiaomi Redmi Note 7-97.011430Redmi 9c-97.041000Umidigi S3 Pro-97.131200Xiaomi Redmi Note 8-97.34879Samsung Galaxy A21s-97.781000Umidigi F1-97.82298Ulefone Armor 7e-98.71000Xiaomi Mi Note 10 Lite-991000Honor 9x-99.14899Xiaomi Redmi Note 9s-99.41860Poco F2 Pro-99.81247Xiaomi Redmi Note 9-100.791785Xiaomi Mi 10 Lite 5g-100.881198Poco X3-101.19821Umidigi F2-101.47712Signal 4G (from December 2020)[b]I decided to change the methodology for measuring the network because I noticed that the configuration of the mobile network changes over time. This makes it more difficult to compare phones because the conditions are no longer exactly the same.[b][b]To overcome this problem, I set up a device that captures 24 hours a day about ten parameters from the mobile network (ex: cell id, rssi, rsrq, snr, frequency,…). I then place the phone next to the device for 24 to 48 hours taking the same measurements so that I can compare them. [b][b] Overview of the phones tested with this methodology[b][b]Phone tested:MeasurementsAvg signal (reference)Avg signal (phone)Min/Max (reference)Min/Max (phone)Samsung Galaxy S10+457-93.06-97.39-89 / -98-97 / -99Xiaomi Mi 9t Pro669-93.69-95.84-90 / -95-92 / -98Poco F2 Pro1438-91.02-94.99-89 / -94-94 / -96Xiaomi Mi 10 Lite 5g1645-90.77-95.02- 88 / -98-95 / -100Poco X3821-94.89-103.19-91 / -97.7-101 / -104Umidigi Bison2343-92.71-96.46-90 / -99-94 / -102Oukitel C211101-92.04-94.99-90 / -97-92 / -95Poco M31116-92.09-91.74-88 / -98-90 / -99Xiaomi Mi 10t Pro1071-90.61-94.03-88 / -94-94 / -96Umidigi A9 Pro981-90.40-94.01-88 / -95-93 / -95Redmi Note 9t1201-92.149-91.71-90 / -97-91 / -97Xiaomi Redmi Note 10999-92.35-93.99-88 / -97-92 / -98Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 Pro877-89.72-90.56- 88 / -92-89 / -95Poco X3 Pro1876-91.45-92.91-90 / -94-90 / -96Poco F31382-90.79-94.2-89 / -94-93 / -98Oneplus Nord N100896-91.23-96.005-88 / – 99-96 / -99Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite2875-91.36-91.49-87 / -96-90 / -96Samsung Galaxy A521427-89.27-93.39-87 / -98-92 / -96Doogee S96 Pro1259-94.2-91.21-90 / -102-88 / -95Xiaomi Redmi Note 10s957-92.07-97.62-90 / -102-96 / -102Poco M3 Pro1247-91.76-102.97-99 / -104-88 / -98Realme Gt843-96.49-94.02-93 / -101- 92 / -96F150 R20221002-92.4-105.1-90 / -97-98 / -110Umidigi Bison Pro936-94.2-104.98-91 / -98-95 / -105Redmi 102141-94.74-100.92-92 / -98-99 / -101Tcl 10 Pro871-93.43-94.001-92 / -96-93 / -95Poco M4 Pro570-93.71-96.78-91 / -98-95 / -99Google Pixel 51444-91.02-97.02-90 / -94-97 / -101Xiaomi 11t1576-92.305-92.003-90 / -96-92 / -93Redmi Note 111223-92.5-91.32-92/-97-90 / -93Black Shark 4 Pro2383-95.178-95.42-90 / -100-93 / -101Redmi Note 11 Pro349-95.33-93-89 / -101-92 / -94Poco M4 Pro 4g1202-90.85-88.95-87 / – 95-88 / -98Tcl 30 Se567-92.11-92.85-88 / -98-99 / -93Poco X4 Pro562-92.06-94.01-90 / -95-95 / -93Redmi Note 11 Pro Plus 5g945-93.5-93.54-91 / -97-92 / -97Poco F4 Gt832-95.02-93.09-90 / -99 -93 / -97Oukitel Wp181351-95.94-92.92-91 / -97-92 / -97Poco X4 Gt387-96.99-96.505-96 / -98-95 / -98Poco F4524-95.78-95.04-93 / -99-94/-96Oneplus Nord 2t1340-98.83-96.305-95 / -102-90 / -99Redmi 10a707-89.026-97.97-87 / -91-97 / -103Poco M5762-95.18-95.07-98 / -93-99 / -94Unihertz Tank1426-91.21-93.97-90 / -95-89 / -96Poco X5 5g2234-92.3-99.1-91 / -95- 100 / -98Download/Upload speed[b]To test the download speed, I have identified some 4G cells offering good performance where I test all my devices several times to see what download and upload speed they can achieve.[b]Top 10 – speed ranking in download
1. Samsung Galaxy S20 D:351Mbps U: 20Mbps
2. Poco X3 D:232Mbps U: 55Mbps
3. Xiaomi Mi 10 Lite 5g D:223Mbps U: 52Mbps
4. Poco F2 Pro D:207Mbps U: 53Mbps
5. Xiaomi Mi Note 10 Lite D:153Mbps U: 68Mbps
6. Xiaomi Mi A3 D:150Mbps U: 60Mbps
7. Xiaomi Redmi Note 9s D:150Mbps U: 60Mbps
8. Xiaomi Mi 8 Lite D:149Mbps U: 60Mbps
9. Samsung Galaxy A21s D:147Mbps U: 51Mbps
10. Huawei Y6 2019 D:145Mbps U: 61Mbps

Number of smartphones in the ranking:30
Position of this smartphone in the ranking:0/30

Note: the theoretical maximum speed of a telephone is often limited by the configuration of the mobile network and the congestion of the network at the time of the measurement. So maybe you could get a higher speed on another network
[b][b]

Wifi performance

To test a phone’s ability to receive the network properly, I take measurements near my router and then remotely (and always at the same place). This gives me an average in dBm where a value of -90 dBm indicates poorer performance than a value at -30 dBm.[b]

[b]The ability to pick up the network correctly is an essential element for a phone but it is only very rarely measured. To measure a phone’s ability to pick up the network, I perform a large number of measurements on the same cells to be able to compare phones under similar conditions. The signal is measured in dBm, a value of -90dBm indicates a worse signal than -70dBm. These measurements are therefore taken under real conditions and not in a laboratory, they are not scientific but give a good indication of performance. [b][b]Network signal sensitivity rating[b]I decided to change the methodology for measuring the network because I noticed that the configuration of the mobile network changes over time. This makes it more difficult to compare phones because the conditions are no longer exactly the same.[b][b]To overcome this problem, I set up a device that captures 24 hours a day about ten parameters from the mobile network (ex: cell id, rssi, rsrq, snr, frequency,…). I then place the phone next to the device for 24 to 48 hours taking the same measurements so that I can compare them. [b][b] Overview of the phones tested with this methodology[b][b][b]To test the download speed, I have identified some 4G cells offering good performance where I test all my devices several times to see what download and upload speed they can achieve.[b]Top 10 – speed ranking in download1. Samsung Galaxy S20 D:351Mbps U: 20Mbps2. Poco X3 D:232Mbps U: 55Mbps3. Xiaomi Mi 10 Lite 5g D:223Mbps U: 52Mbps4. Poco F2 Pro D:207Mbps U: 53Mbps5. Xiaomi Mi Note 10 Lite D:153Mbps U: 68Mbps6. Xiaomi Mi A3 D:150Mbps U: 60Mbps7. Xiaomi Redmi Note 9s D:150Mbps U: 60Mbps8. Xiaomi Mi 8 Lite D:149Mbps U: 60Mbps9. Samsung Galaxy A21s D:147Mbps U: 51Mbps10. Huawei Y6 2019 D:145Mbps U: 61MbpsNumber of smartphones in the ranking:30Position of this smartphone in the ranking:0/30Note: the theoretical maximum speed of a telephone is often limited by the configuration of the mobile network and the congestion of the network at the time of the measurement. So maybe you could get a higher speed on another network[b][b] To test a phone’s ability to receive the network properly, I take measurements near my router and then remotely (and always at the same place). This gives me an average in dBm where a value of -90 dBm indicates poorer performance than a value at -30 dBm.[b]

Wifi frequencies : 802.11a , 802.11b , 802.11g , 802.11n , 802.11n 5GHz , 802.11ac
Download speed : 112
Signal / close : -21
Signal / distant : -63

Wifi signal[b]I got a -21 dBm signal near my router and a -63 dBm signal at a distance. The Poco M3 is not the best in terms of wifi sensitivity, it is not bad either, it is somewhere in the middle of the ranking.[b][b][b]Top 10 – wifi sensitivity ranking
1. Poco F2 Pro -11dBm
2. Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 Pro -12dBm
3. Realme Gt -12dBm
4. Samsung Galaxy A21s -13dBm
5. Redmi Note 11 Pro -13dBm
6. Oneplus Nord N100 -15dBm
7. Poco X3 Pro -15dBm
8. Poco F3 -15dBm
9. Redmi Note 9t -15dBm
10. Black Shark 4 Pro -15dBm

Number of smartphones in the ranking:69
Position of this smartphone in the ranking:38/69

[b]Download/Upload speed[b]To test the speed in Wifi, I connect to my router in 2.4Ghz and 5Ghz (if available) and use the Ookla application to measure the speed.[b]Top 10 – wifi download speed ranking
1. Redmi Note 11 Pro Plus 5g 866Mbps
2. Poco F4 866Mbps
3. Poco F4 Gt 866Mbps
4. Poco X4 Gt 866Mbps
5. Oneplus Nord 2t 866Mbps
6. Black Shark 4 Pro 866Mbps
7. Google Pixel 6a 833Mbps
8. Poco M4 Pro 4g 433Mbps
9. Poco X5 5g 433Mbps
10. Poco M5 433Mbps

Number of smartphones in the ranking:68
Position of this smartphone in the ranking:60/68

Note: I have a 400Mbps line and a modem capable of delivering higher speed, but I can never be sure how much bandwidth is available when doing a test.
[b]

GPS performance

[b]To test the quality of the GPS signal I use the Offline Maps application and I make the same train trip in pedestrian mode. Why? In pedestrian mode, the GPS does not artificially correct the signal to stick to the road, it has no markings, so you can see the actual position. I then use an application to measure the accuracy of the signal. [b][b]I obtained a GPS signal accuracy of 4 metres, which is below average. The first “fix” with the GPS network was also quite long.[b][b]The Poco M3 does not seem to offer dual GPS because I only see one frequency per network.[b][b][b]Top 10 – GPS accuracy ranking
1. Poco M5 1m
2. Poco X4 Gt 1m
3. Unihertz Tank 1m
4. Oukitel C21 1m
5. Redmi 9a 1m
6. Redmi 10a 1m
7. Doogee S96 Pro 1m
8. Xiaomi Redmi Note 10s 1m
9. Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 1m
10. Umidigi Bison Pro 1m

Number of smartphones in the ranking:41
Position of this smartphone in the ranking:40/41

Note: An accuracy of 3 meters or less can easily be corrected by a good GPS application. Phone performance also plays a role in how fast your display updates, so good accuracy could be compromised by too slow a display.
[b]

Battery range

[b]I got a -21 dBm signal near my router and a -63 dBm signal at a distance. The Poco M3 is not the best in terms of wifi sensitivity, it is not bad either, it is somewhere in the middle of the ranking.[b][b][b]Top 10 – wifi sensitivity ranking1. Poco F2 Pro -11dBm2. Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 Pro -12dBm3. Realme Gt -12dBm4. Samsung Galaxy A21s -13dBm5. Redmi Note 11 Pro -13dBm6. Oneplus Nord N100 -15dBm7. Poco X3 Pro -15dBm8. Poco F3 -15dBm9. Redmi Note 9t -15dBm10. Black Shark 4 Pro -15dBmNumber of smartphones in the ranking:69Position of this smartphone in the ranking:38/69[b][b]To test the speed in Wifi, I connect to my router in 2.4Ghz and 5Ghz (if available) and use the Ookla application to measure the speed.[b]Top 10 – wifi download speed ranking1. Redmi Note 11 Pro Plus 5g 866Mbps2. Poco F4 866Mbps3. Poco F4 Gt 866Mbps4. Poco X4 Gt 866Mbps5. Oneplus Nord 2t 866Mbps6. Black Shark 4 Pro 866Mbps7. Google Pixel 6a 833Mbps8. Poco M4 Pro 4g 433Mbps9. Poco X5 5g 433Mbps10. Poco M5 433MbpsNumber of smartphones in the ranking:68Position of this smartphone in the ranking:60/68Note: I have a 400Mbps line and a modem capable of delivering higher speed, but I can never be sure how much bandwidth is available when doing a test.[b] [b]To test the quality of the GPS signal I use the Offline Maps application and I make the same train trip in pedestrian mode. Why? In pedestrian mode, the GPS does not artificially correct the signal to stick to the road, it has no markings, so you can see the actual position. I then use an application to measure the accuracy of the signal.[b][b]I obtained a GPS signal accuracy of 4 metres, which is below average. The first “fix” with the GPS network was also quite long.[b][b]The Poco M3 does not seem to offer dual GPS because I only see one frequency per network.[b][b][b]Top 10 – GPS accuracy ranking1. Poco M5 1m2. Poco X4 Gt 1m3. Unihertz Tank 1m4. Oukitel C21 1m5. Redmi 9a 1m6. Redmi 10a 1m7. Doogee S96 Pro 1m8. Xiaomi Redmi Note 10s 1m9. Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 1m10. Umidigi Bison Pro 1mNumber of smartphones in the ranking:41Position of this smartphone in the ranking:40/41Note: An accuracy of 3 meters or less can easily be corrected by a good GPS application. Phone performance also plays a role in how fast your display updates, so good accuracy could be compromised by too slow a display.[b]

Capacity : 6000
Fast charge : Yes
W max : 18
Range (100% brightness) : 842.00
Range (50% brightness) : 1898.00
Charging time : 217.00
Discharge speed (100%) : 0.12
Discharge score (100%) : 7.13
Discharge speed (50%) : 0.05
Discharge score (50%) : 3.16
Charging speed : 0.46
Charging score : 27.65

Battery life – methodology
To test the battery life, I measure the battery consumption every minute in strictly identical conditions to be able to compare phones and also to allow you to evaluate your phone in the same conditions. I rule out any influence of applications that could interfere with the measurement. The autonomy is not linear, the battery sometimes discharges much faster at the end. This is a frustrating phenomenon but with my measurements, you will know if you need to find a charger quickly.

Battery life
The battery of the Poco M3 has a capacity of 6000 mAh and has discharged from 100% to 1% in 842.00 minutes with 100% brightness, it has discharged from 100% to 1% in 1898.00 minutes with 50% brightness. I obtain in this way an average discharge speed of 0.12% per minute with 100% luminosity and 0.05% per minute with 50% luminosity, the consumption is therefore 7.13 mA per minute with 100% luminosity and 3.16 with 50% luminosity. To be able to compare the efficiency of the phone and its influence on the battery, you have to compare the 7.13 (or 50%) score with that of other smartphones, the figure should be as low as possible.

Charging time – methodology
To test the charging time, I always use the same charger with the same cable. I measure the charging time minute by minute to see the evolution of the charge as well as the charging speed. The charging speed of a battery is not linear, it is often faster at the beginning and slower at the end. The charger is compatible with fast charging.

Charging time
The battery of the Poco M3 has a capacity of 6000 mAh and has been charged from 1% to 100% in 217.00 minutes. This gives me an average charging speed of 0.46% per minute and therefore an increase of 27.65 mA per minute. To compare the performance of the Poco M3 compared to other phones, you should use the 27.65 per minute score, this score should be as high as possible.

Important note: the charging speed is not always linear, the graph below gives you an indication of the battery behaviour.

The following table lists the phones tested with the technical battery test, they are ranked in order of efficiency. A higher battery capacity should logically result in a higher battery life but it is not always the case and it does not give any indication of the efficiency of a phone.

SmartphoneCapacity (mAh)Battery life (minutes)Efficiency ScoreBattery life (minutes) / 50%Efficiency Score / 50%Charging time.Score chargingOukitel C214000497.008.051324.003.02167.0023.95Nokia 5.34000549.007.291096.003.65199.0020.10Samsung Galaxy S204000565.007.081217.003.29136.0029.41Honor 9×4000770.005.191333.003.00151.0026.49Google Pixel 54080773.005.281559.002.6281.0050.37Umidigi A9 Pro4150552.007.521562.002.66112.0037.05Xiaomi Mi 10 Lite 5g4160749.005.551541.002.70163.0025.52Realme 64300704.006.111104.003.89162.0026.54Samsung Galaxy A524500652.006.901239.003.63165.0027.27Realme Gt4500574.007.841057.004.2687.0051.72Tcl 10 Pro4500465.009.68889.005.06133.0033.83Black Shark 4 Pro4500425.0010.59937.004.8029.00155.17Poco F44500554.008.1211413.949845.92Oneplus Nord 2t45006936.4914923.0212137.19Redmi Note 11 Pro Plus 5g4500525.008.5712113.7224187.50Poco F34520657.006.881840.002.46122.0037.05Poco F4 Gt4700365.0012.8810824.3438123.68Poco F2 Pro47001150.004.091536.003.06180.0026.11Poco M3 Pro5000657.007.611647.003.04131.0038.17Poco X4 Pro5000643.007.7813613.677467.57Xiaomi Redmi Note 10s5000636.007.861556.003.21161.0031.06Redmi 105000664.007.531684.002.97165.0030.30Tcl 30 Se50006507.691 225.004.0817229.07Poco M4 Pro 4g5000723.006.921 500.003.3377.0064.94Umidigi Bison Pro5000610.008.201632.003.06255.0019.61Poco M4 Pro5000634.007.891600.003.13123.0040.65Xiaomi 11t5000476.0010.501204.004.1597.0051.55Oneplus Nord N1005000808.006.191278.003.91663.007.54Motorola G8 Power5000912.005.482792.001.79311.0016.08Xiaomi Redmi Note 105000691.007.241728.002.89193.0025.91Redmi Note 9t5000766.006.532054.002.43148.0033.78Redmi 10a50006827.3318202.7516330.67Samsung Galaxy A21s5000729.006.861283.003.90166.0030.12Poco X5 5g500049310.1410584.7322821.93Redmi 9a5000694.007.201902.002.63195.0025.64Umidigi Bison5000550.009.091471.003.40238.0021.01Redmi 9c5000656.007.621915.002.61170.0029.41Redmi Note 115000592.008.451 376.003.6369.0072.46Xiaomi Redmi Note 9s5020663.007.571876.002.68224.0022.41Xiaomi Redmi Note 95020650.007.721808.002.78162.0030.99Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 Pro5020625.008.031557.003.22213.0023.57Poco X4 Gt5080726.007.0015383.3011344.96Umidigi F25150927.005.561854.002.78299.0017.22Poco X35160653.007.901654.003.12181.0028.51Poco X3 Pro5160648.007.961688.003.06138.0037.39Doogee S58 Pro5180845.006.131908.002.71177.0029.27Xiaomi Mi Note 10 Lite5260827.006.361609.003.27208.0025.29Ulefone Armor 7e5500768.007.161140.004.82179.0030.73Poco M36000842.007.131898.003.16217.0027.65Doogee S96 Pro6350929.006.841405.004.52424.0014.98F150 R20228300879.009.441498.005.54243.0034.16Oukitel Wp18125002 733.004.5728594.3736234.53

From March 2020, I replaced my subjective battery test with a technical test to better measure the real behaviour of the battery. Now I test the autonomy and charging time under absolutely identical conditions. I perform several measurements, so this test alone takes several days during which I cannot use the phone for anything else.To test the battery life, I measure the battery consumption every minute in strictly identical conditions to be able to compare phones and also to allow you to evaluate your phone in the same conditions. I rule out any influence of applications that could interfere with the measurement. The autonomy is not linear, the battery sometimes discharges much faster at the end. This is a frustrating phenomenon but with my measurements, you will know if you need to find a charger quickly.The battery of the Poco M3 has a capacity of 6000 mAh and has discharged from 100% to 1% in 842.00 minutes with 100% brightness, it has discharged from 100% to 1% in 1898.00 minutes with 50% brightness. I obtain in this way an average discharge speed of 0.12% per minute with 100% luminosity and 0.05% per minute with 50% luminosity, the consumption is therefore 7.13 mA per minute with 100% luminosity and 3.16 with 50% luminosity. To be able to compare the efficiency of the phone and its influence on the battery, you have to compare the 7.13 (or 50%) score with that of other smartphones, the figure should be as low as possible.To test the charging time, I always use the same charger with the same cable. I measure the charging time minute by minute to see the evolution of the charge as well as the charging speed. The charging speed of a battery is not linear, it is often faster at the beginning and slower at the end. The charger is compatible with fast charging.The battery of the Poco M3 has a capacity of 6000 mAh and has been charged from 1% to 100% in 217.00 minutes. This gives me an average charging speed of 0.46% per minute and therefore an increase of 27.65 mA per minute. To compare the performance of the Poco M3 compared to other phones, you should use the 27.65 per minute score, this score should be as high as possible.Important note: the charging speed is not always linear, the graph below gives you an indication of the battery behaviour.The following table lists the phones tested with the technical battery test, they are ranked in order of efficiency. A higher battery capacity should logically result in a higher battery life but it is not always the case and it does not give any indication of the efficiency of a phone.

help

How to read these figures?
The battery capacity is an important element in determining the autonomy of a phone but it is not the only factor. A phone with a large battery may have a shorter battery life if it consumes more power. If I had to take an example from everyday life, I would use the universe of the car. If a car has a large fuel tank, it should be able to drive a longer distance unless its average fuel consumption is higher. The battery efficiency score works the same way, it should be as low as possible and represents the energy consumption of the phone. These differences in efficiency are often related to the brightness of the screen, large bright screens will tend to consume more energy and even if they have a large battery, their range will be shorter.

In summary The Poco M3 has a huge 6000 mAh battery, which is clearly above average. This battery offers an autonomy of 2 to 3 days in normal use but it is not the most efficient battery.[b][b]With the display on at 100%, I got a battery life of 842 minutes, that’s a good score but I have tested other phones that offer better battery life with a lower capacity battery. This can be explained by the brightness of the screen which is above average.[b][b]With the display on at 50%, I obtained a battery life of 1898 minutes, this is also a good score but here again I have tested other phones that do better with a smaller battery.[b][b]The consumption according to the lighting of the screen is therefore almost linear, the consumption at 50% is almost half of the consumption at 100%. So there are no surprises here unlike some phones where I have a much higher ratio.[b][b]

Photo camera test

To test the quality of photos produced by a phone, I do a technical test (resolution, sharpness, chromatic aberration,…) in studio (identical conditions) to evaluate the technical part objectively. From the second half of 2020, I built my own laboratory to take completely objective technical measurements. I then take pictures in real conditions to see how the camera performs. I then evaluate these photos according to my criteria but I publish the photos so that you can evaluate the result according to your criteria.[b]

Hardware

The battery capacity is an important element in determining the autonomy of a phone but it is not the only factor. A phone with a large battery may have a shorter battery life if it consumes more power. If I had to take an example from everyday life, I would use the universe of the car. If a car has a large fuel tank, it should be able to drive a longer distance unless its average fuel consumption is higher. The battery efficiency score works the same way, it should be as low as possible and represents the energy consumption of the phone. These differences in efficiency are often related to the brightness of the screen, large bright screens will tend to consume more energy and even if they have a large battery, their range will be shorter.In summary The Poco M3 has a huge 6000 mAh battery, which is clearly above average. This battery offers an autonomy of 2 to 3 days in normal use but it is not the most efficient battery.[b][b]With the display on at 100%, I got a battery life of 842 minutes, that’s a good score but I have tested other phones that offer better battery life with a lower capacity battery. This can be explained by the brightness of the screen which is above average.[b][b]With the display on at 50%, I obtained a battery life of 1898 minutes, this is also a good score but here again I have tested other phones that do better with a smaller battery.[b][b]The consumption according to the lighting of the screen is therefore almost linear, the consumption at 50% is almost half of the consumption at 100%. So there are no surprises here unlike some phones where I have a much higher ratio.[b][b]To test the quality of photos produced by a phone, I do a technical test (resolution, sharpness, chromatic aberration,…) in studio (identical conditions) to evaluate the technical part objectively. From the second half of 2020, I built my own laboratory to take completely objective technical measurements. I then take pictures in real conditions to see how the camera performs. I then evaluate these photos according to my criteria but I publish the photos so that you can evaluate the result according to your criteria.[b]

Selfie / resolution : 8
Resolution : 48
Sensor : Samsung S5KGM1
mm wide angle : 4.71mm

Photoquality

Photo test / studio[b]

add_a_photo

Photo test / sunny[b]

add_a_photo

Photo test / cloudy[b]Not yet available / tested[b][b][b]Test photo / night[b]Not yet available / tested[b][b][b]

Video quality

Stabilisation[b][b][b]The Poco M3 does not have video stabilisation, which is no surprise, I have not yet tested effective stabilisation in this price range.[b][b]Video normale conditions[b][b]The Poco M3 is capable of producing 1080p video at 30fps. The video produces colours that are a bit too warm, the trees should not be so orange and the dynamic range is not very high because the sky is often overexposed. The change of exposure is visible but quite fast.[b][b]The Poco M3 produces videos with a quality equivalent to what we find in this price range there.[b][b]Video low light[b]Not yet available / tested[b][b]

Audio quality

To test the quality of the phone’s audio output, I connect the device’s audio output to a measuring tool, then play sounds on all frequencies and measure the differences between the original sound and the sound produced by the phone. In this way I measure the phone’s ability to correctly reproduce all sounds.[b]

The Poco M3 is equipped with a Samsung S5KGM1 sensor that is also found in many other phones such as the Redmi Note 9 where the image processing was catastrophic. However, this sensor has proven itself on other models by offering good photo quality, so I hope that Xiaomi has not made the same mistake with this Poco M3.[b][b][b]The default photo application of the Poco M3 is identical to the other Xiaomi phones running MIUI 12. Xiaomi gradually simplified the photo application because it had become complex to use with too many choices on the same screen. However, there is still the same problem of displaying the parameters over the photo, these parameters are unreadable if you are photographing a very bright scene.[b][b][b] [b][b][b]Not yet available / tested[b][b][b][b]Not yet available / tested[b][b][b] [b][b][b]The Poco M3 does not have video stabilisation, which is no surprise, I have not yet tested effective stabilisation in this price range.[b][b][b][b]The Poco M3 is capable of producing 1080p video at 30fps. The video produces colours that are a bit too warm, the trees should not be so orange and the dynamic range is not very high because the sky is often overexposed. The change of exposure is visible but quite fast.[b][b]The Poco M3 produces videos with a quality equivalent to what we find in this price range there.[b][b][b]Not yet available / tested[b][b] To test the quality of the phone’s audio output, I connect the device’s audio output to a measuring tool, then play sounds on all frequencies and measure the differences between the original sound and the sound produced by the phone. In this way I measure the phone’s ability to correctly reproduce all sounds.[b]

Frequency Respons : +0.01 / -0.1
Noise Level : -97.1
Dynamic Range : 94.5
THD : 7.275
Intermodulation : 5.789
Stereo crosstalk : -90.3

Frequency Response[b]This test is intended to test the device’s ability to correctly reproduce all frequencies. The white line in the middle of the graph is the ideal situation and the other colors come from tests on different phones. A deviation from the reference line indicates a deviation from the ideal situation. To see good sound at all frequencies, it is therefore necessary to get as close as possible to the reference line. Dynamic Range[b]This test is designed to test a phone’s ability to play sounds at different volume levels. Here too, the phones must be as close as possible to the reference.Noise Level[b]This test aims to identify if the device under test is able to reproduce sounds without too much noise. A high score indicates a low parasite rate, a lower score indicates a higher presence of parasites.Concert recording[b]The purpose of this test is to measure the recording quality of the phone when there is a lot of ambient noise. Since I don’t have the opportunity to go to a concert every time I test a phone, I simulate the noise of a concert in a closed environment.

Screen quality

To test the screen, I use a colorimetric probe that measures the color accuracy of a screen, as well as other parameters to see if a screen is able to correctly reproduce an image. I also test the brightness level to determine if the screen will be able to display an image in full sunlight.[b]

[b]This test is intended to test the device’s ability to correctly reproduce all frequencies. The white line in the middle of the graph is the ideal situation and the other colors come from tests on different phones. A deviation from the reference line indicates a deviation from the ideal situation. To see good sound at all frequencies, it is therefore necessary to get as close as possible to the reference line.[b]This test is designed to test a phone’s ability to play sounds at different volume levels. Here too, the phones must be as close as possible to the reference.[b]This test aims to identify if the device under test is able to reproduce sounds without too much noise. A high score indicates a low parasite rate, a lower score indicates a higher presence of parasites.[b]The purpose of this test is to measure the recording quality of the phone when there is a lot of ambient noise. Since I don’t have the opportunity to go to a concert every time I test a phone, I simulate the noise of a concert in a closed environment. To test the screen, I use a colorimetric probe that measures the color accuracy of a screen, as well as other parameters to see if a screen is able to correctly reproduce an image. I also test the brightness level to determine if the screen will be able to display an image in full sunlight.[b]

Screen size : 6.53
Resolution : 1080 x 2340
Ratio : 19.5:9
Protection : Corning Gorilla Glass 3
Type : LTPS LCD
% occupancy : 83
dE white : 3.2
dE red : 1.0
dE green : 1.4
dE blue : 0.8
dE jaune : 1.1
dE cyan : 1.9
dE magenta : 0.4
White temperature : 6451
Contrast : 1800:1
Brightness : 440

Colorimetry[b]
1. Poco X4 Gt dE = 0.6
2. Xiaomi Mi 10 Lite 5g dE = 0.73
3. Xiaomi Mi 10t Pro dE = 0.83
4. Redmi Note 11 dE = 0.91
5. Google Pixel 6a dE = 1.01
6. Google Pixel 5 dE = 1.11
7. Realme Gt dE = 1.17
8. Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite dE = 1.19
9. Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 dE = 1.2
10. Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 dE = 1.23

Number of smartphones in the ranking:71
Position of this smartphone in the ranking:15/71

Note: the colorimetric difference is measured in dE. After three, the human eye will perceive a colorimetric difference, so the dE should be the lowest. The tests were all carried out with a colorimetric probe.
[b]Brightness / Contrast[b]The Poco M3 offers a maximum brightness of around 390 cd/m² but with the “sun mode”, this brightness can rise to 440 cd/m². So you should be able to use this phone outdoors on sunny days but I think you may need to tilt the screen to avoid glare and poor readability.[b][b]Light Absorption/Reflection[b]The smartphone screen reflect light and sometimes turn them into a real mirror. This mirror effect makes it harder to read. [b][b]The absorption index below indicates the percentage of light absorbed by the screen. The readability of a screen is better when the absorption index is high.[b][b]Phone tested:% light absorptionSamsung Galaxy S10+58Xiaomi Mi 9T Pro52Honor 9x65Redmi Note 9s55Motorola G8 Power60Realme 654Umidigi F248Poco F2 Pro52Redmi Note 956Xiaomi Mi Note 10 Lite53Samsung Galaxy S2047Samsung Galaxy A21s53The phones tested have an average absroption rate of54 %

Biometry

Most of the Xiaomi/Poco/Redmi phones I have tested over the past few months have had a fingerprint sensor on the side. Before this type of sensor appeared on the market, I preferred phones with a fingerprint sensor on the back but since Xiaomi introduced a side sensor, I prefer this type of sensor. This sensor is well positioned for the thumb and is fast (even on the Poco M3 which is a slower phone).[b][b]

Operating system

[b]

Encoutered bugs

Not yet available / tested[b][b]

Accessories Poco M3

To better enjoy your experience with your smartphone, I offer links to all kinds of accessories that you might find useful

Protective cover / case poco m3
Screen protection film poco m3
Memory card poco m3
USB Cable / Charger poco m3
Headphones poco m3
Bike rack poco m3

Compare Poco M3 with the others

I assigned a score of 1 to 10 for each test that determines the strengths and weaknesses of a product. I am using 0 for criteria that have not (yet) been tested. A score of 1 to 3 indicates poor performance (and yes, it does), a score of 4 to 6 indicates average performance, a score of 7 to 8 indicates good performance, and a score of 9 and 10 indicates exceptional performance. .
The score is calculated based on my measurements and when there are no measurements, it is a subjective opinion based on my experience.

The scores are not static, they change over time because the performance of new products changes and this must be taken into account.

Poco M3Finish quality6.56.00Battery performance7.008.00CPU performance6.56.5GPU performance6.56.5Screen quality7.007.00Photo quality6.55.00Video quality6.55.00Wi-Fi performance6.007.00Mobile download speed6.005.00Mobile network sensitivity8.006.00Frequency coverage7.007.00Audio quality7.006.00GPS performance6.006.00Operating system8.008.00Overall score94.589
1. Black Shark 4 Pro 114 / 140
2. Realme Gt 112.5 / 140
3. Poco F2 Pro 111.5 / 140
4. Oneplus Nord 2t 111.5 / 140
5. Samsung Galaxy S20 111 / 140
6. Poco F4 Gt 110.5 / 140
7. Google Pixel 5 109.6 / 140
8. Poco F3 108.5 / 140
9. Poco X4 Gt 108 / 140
10. Poco X3 Pro 107.5 / 140
11. Samsung Galaxy S10+ 107 / 140
12. Xiaomi 11t 107 / 140
13. Redmi Note 11 Pro Plus 5g 106.5 / 140
14. Xiaomi Mi 9t Pro 106 / 140
15. Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 Pro 105.5 / 140
16. Tcl 10 Pro 104 / 140
17. Samsung Galaxy A52 104 / 140
18. Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite 104 / 140
19. Redmi Note 11 Pro 103 / 140
20. Poco X4 Pro 102.5 / 140
21. Poco M4 Pro 4g 102 / 140
22. Xiaomi Redmi Note 10s 102 / 140
23. Poco M4 Pro 101.5 / 140
24. Redmi Note 11 101 / 140
25. Xiaomi Mi Note 10 Lite 101 / 140
26. Xiaomi Mi 10 Lite 5g 101 / 140
27. Poco X3 101 / 140
28. Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 101 / 140
29. Redmi Note 9t 100.5 / 140
30. Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 Pro 100 / 140
31. Poco X5 5g 98.5 / 140
32. Poco M3 Pro 98 / 140
33. Xiaomi Mi 9 Lite 98 / 140
34. Poco F4 98 / 130
35. Doogee S96 Pro 98 / 140
36. Xiaomi Redmi Note 9s 98 / 140
37. Redmi 10 97.5 / 140
38. Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 97 / 140
39. F150 R2022 95 / 140
40. Umidigi Bison Pro 95 / 140
41. Poco M3 94.5 / 140
42. Xiaomi Redmi Note 7 94 / 140
43. Realme 6 93 / 140
44. Tcl 30 Se 92 / 140
45. Umidigi A9 Pro 92 / 140
46. Umidigi Bison 92 / 140
47. Oukitel C21 89.5 / 140
48. Motorola G8 Power 89 / 140
49. Nokia 5.3 89 / 140
50. Xiaomi Mi A3 89 / 140
51. Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 89 / 140
52. Oneplus Nord N100 88.5 / 140
53. Honor 9x 88 / 140
54. Xiaomi Mi 8 Lite 86 / 140
55. Meizu Note 9 86 / 140
56. Unihertz Tank 85 / 120
57. Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 85 / 140
58. Poco M5 84.5 / 120
59. Umidigi S3 Pro 83 / 140
60. Samsung Galaxy A21s 82 / 140
61. Umidigi F2 82 / 140
62. Redmi 9a 81 / 140
63. Oukitel Wp18 81 / 140
64. Ulefone Armor 7e 80 / 140
65. Redmi 9c 80 / 140
66. Doogee S58 Pro 78.5 / 140
67. Honor 8x 78 / 140
68. Umidigi F1 77 / 140
69. Huawei Y6 2019 74 / 140
70. Xiaomi Mi 10t Pro 57 / 70
71. Google Pixel 6a 31 / 40
72. Redmi 10a 14 / 20
73. Elephone U5 0 / 0

Test / Review conclusion

[b]I still have to test the camera at night but as this is probably not going to change the conclusion, I allow myself to draw the conclusion before finishing my test.[b][b]The Poco brand hit hard in 2020 with the Poco F2 Pro to shake up the top end, the Poco X3 to shake up the mid-range and now the Poco M3 to shake up the entry level. The three new Poco models didn’t come with any new features or big innovations, that was probably not the point. Poco has assembled phones with a very interesting price/quality ratio and this Poco M3 has done just as well as the first two models.[b][b]It’s an entry-level phone, so you can’t compare it with a phone costing more than 200€. If I compare it to other phones around 100€, I can’t see anything that could oppose the Poco M3. There are credible alternatives on some aspects of my tests but overall the Poco scores better.[b][b]For just over €100, the Poco offers good autonomy, a good screen, good network sensitivity and sufficient performance to take full advantage of all the phone’s features.[b][b]The Poco M3 is clearly not a performance machine and this is sometimes felt in use, but in this price range it’s normal. The level of finish is not exceptional, the Umidigi A9 Pro does much better but it is also a matter of taste. [b][b]The camera of the Poco is not exceptional but again, in this price range, the quality of the photos is quite good. Gcam works on this phone, so you can take full advantage of the sensor’s qualities by using your own settings. Thanks to the raw RAW and/or Gcam mode, you can take really interesting pictures.[b][b]So the conclusion is quite simple…The Poco M3 is not perfect but for around 100€ you won’t find such a versatile phone.[b][b]Strengths[b]Value for money[b]Good screen[b]Good battery life[b]Photos in RAW mode and compatible with Gcam[b][b][b]Weaknesses[b]Average performance for games[b]Some slowdowns[b]Average wifi performance[b][b][b]Alternatives to this product[b][b]The Poco M3 offers a performance comparable to the Redmi Note 9 but costs less and scores better overall. The Umidigi A9 Pro is probably the closest phone to the Poco, it offers a better finish but overall it scores lower than the Poco.[b][b]The Poco has therefore succeeded in establishing itself as a reference in this price segment.[b][b]

laurent willen

Laurent Willen

Instead of watching nonsense on TV or YouTube, I spend my time in the evenings testing products and sharing my passion for technology, travel and photography.

I run this site in my own name and completely independently, no one pays me to do so.

I have more than 20 years of experience in the digital world, I have managed and developed many high traffic websites in companies in Belgium such as Mobistar, Microsoft, Immoweb, BrusselsAirlines, Proximus, Orange,…

[b]1. Poco X4 Gt dE = 0.62. Xiaomi Mi 10 Lite 5g dE = 0.733. Xiaomi Mi 10t Pro dE = 0.834. Redmi Note 11 dE = 0.915. Google Pixel 6a dE = 1.016. Google Pixel 5 dE = 1.117. Realme Gt dE = 1.178. Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite dE = 1.199. Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 dE = 1.210. Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 dE = 1.23Number of smartphones in the ranking:71Position of this smartphone in the ranking:15/71Note: the colorimetric difference is measured in dE. After three, the human eye will perceive a colorimetric difference, so the dE should be the lowest. The tests were all carried out with a colorimetric probe.[b][b]The Poco M3 offers a maximum brightness of around 390 cd/m² but with the “sun mode”, this brightness can rise to 440 cd/m². So you should be able to use this phone outdoors on sunny days but I think you may need to tilt the screen to avoid glare and poor readability.[b][b][b]The smartphone screen reflect light and sometimes turn them into a real mirror. This mirror effect makes it harder to read. [b][b]The absorption index below indicates the percentage of light absorbed by the screen. The readability of a screen is better when the absorption index is high.[b][b]The phones tested have an average absroption rate of54 %Most of the Xiaomi/Poco/Redmi phones I have tested over the past few months have had a fingerprint sensor on the side. Before this type of sensor appeared on the market, I preferred phones with a fingerprint sensor on the back but since Xiaomi introduced a side sensor, I prefer this type of sensor. This sensor is well positioned for the thumb and is fast (even on the Poco M3 which is a slower phone).[b][b] [b]Not yet available / tested[b][b]To better enjoy your experience with your smartphone, I offer links to all kinds of accessories that you might find usefulI assigned a score of 1 to 10 for each test that determines the strengths and weaknesses of a product. I am using 0 for criteria that have not (yet) been tested. A score of 1 to 3 indicates poor performance (and yes, it does), a score of 4 to 6 indicates average performance, a score of 7 to 8 indicates good performance, and a score of 9 and 10 indicates exceptional performance. .The score is calculated based on my measurements and when there are no measurements, it is a subjective opinion based on my experience.The scores are not static, they change over time because the performance of new products changes and this must be taken into account.1. Black Shark 4 Pro 114 / 1402. Realme Gt 112.5 / 1403. Poco F2 Pro 111.5 / 1404. Oneplus Nord 2t 111.5 / 1405. Samsung Galaxy S20 111 / 1406. Poco F4 Gt 110.5 / 1407. Google Pixel 5 109.6 / 1408. Poco F3 108.5 / 1409. Poco X4 Gt 108 / 14010. Poco X3 Pro 107.5 / 14011. Samsung Galaxy S10+ 107 / 14012. Xiaomi 11t 107 / 14013. Redmi Note 11 Pro Plus 5g 106.5 / 14014. Xiaomi Mi 9t Pro 106 / 14015. Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 Pro 105.5 / 14016. Tcl 10 Pro 104 / 14017. Samsung Galaxy A52 104 / 14018. Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite 104 / 14019. Redmi Note 11 Pro 103 / 14020. Poco X4 Pro 102.5 / 14021. Poco M4 Pro 4g 102 / 14022. Xiaomi Redmi Note 10s 102 / 14023. Poco M4 Pro 101.5 / 14024. Redmi Note 11 101 / 14025. Xiaomi Mi Note 10 Lite 101 / 14026. Xiaomi Mi 10 Lite 5g 101 / 14027. Poco X3 101 / 14028. Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 101 / 14029. Redmi Note 9t 100.5 / 14030. Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 Pro 100 / 14031. Poco X5 5g 98.5 / 14032. Poco M3 Pro 98 / 14033. Xiaomi Mi 9 Lite 98 / 14034. Poco F4 98 / 13035. Doogee S96 Pro 98 / 14036. Xiaomi Redmi Note 9s 98 / 14037. Redmi 10 97.5 / 14038. Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 97 / 14039. F150 R2022 95 / 14040. Umidigi Bison Pro 95 / 14042. Xiaomi Redmi Note 7 94 / 14043. Realme 6 93 / 14044. Tcl 30 Se 92 / 14045. Umidigi A9 Pro 92 / 14046. Umidigi Bison 92 / 14047. Oukitel C21 89.5 / 14048. Motorola G8 Power 89 / 14049. Nokia 5.3 89 / 14050. Xiaomi Mi A3 89 / 14051. Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 89 / 14052. Oneplus Nord N100 88.5 / 14053. Honor 9x 88 / 14054. Xiaomi Mi 8 Lite 86 / 14055. Meizu Note 9 86 / 14056. Unihertz Tank 85 / 12057. Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 85 / 14058. Poco M5 84.5 / 12059. Umidigi S3 Pro 83 / 14060. Samsung Galaxy A21s 82 / 14061. Umidigi F2 82 / 14062. Redmi 9a 81 / 14063. Oukitel Wp18 81 / 14064. Ulefone Armor 7e 80 / 14065. Redmi 9c 80 / 14066. Doogee S58 Pro 78.5 / 14067. Honor 8x 78 / 14068. Umidigi F1 77 / 14069. Huawei Y6 2019 74 / 14070. Xiaomi Mi 10t Pro 57 / 7071. Google Pixel 6a 31 / 4072. Redmi 10a 14 / 2073. Elephone U5 0 / 0[b]I still have to test the camera at night but as this is probably not going to change the conclusion, I allow myself to draw the conclusion before finishing my test.[b][b]The Poco brand hit hard in 2020 with the Poco F2 Pro to shake up the top end, the Poco X3 to shake up the mid-range and now the Poco M3 to shake up the entry level. The three new Poco models didn’t come with any new features or big innovations, that was probably not the point. Poco has assembled phones with a very interesting price/quality ratio and this Poco M3 has done just as well as the first two models.[b][b]It’s an entry-level phone, so you can’t compare it with a phone costing more than 200€. If I compare it to other phones around 100€, I can’t see anything that could oppose the Poco M3. There are credible alternatives on some aspects of my tests but overall the Poco scores better.[b][b]For just over €100, the Poco offers good autonomy, a good screen, good network sensitivity and sufficient performance to take full advantage of all the phone’s features.[b][b]The Poco M3 is clearly not a performance machine and this is sometimes felt in use, but in this price range it’s normal. The level of finish is not exceptional, the Umidigi A9 Pro does much better but it is also a matter of taste. [b][b]The camera of the Poco is not exceptional but again, in this price range, the quality of the photos is quite good. Gcam works on this phone, so you can take full advantage of the sensor’s qualities by using your own settings. Thanks to the raw RAW and/or Gcam mode, you can take really interesting pictures.[b][b]So the conclusion is quite simple…The Poco M3 is not perfect but for around 100€ you won’t find such a versatile phone.[b][b][b]Value for money[b]Good screen[b]Good battery life[b]Photos in RAW mode and compatible with Gcam[b][b][b][b]Average performance for games[b]Some slowdowns[b]Average wifi performance[b][b][b][b][b]The Poco M3 offers a performance comparable to the Redmi Note 9 but costs less and scores better overall. The Umidigi A9 Pro is probably the closest phone to the Poco, it offers a better finish but overall it scores lower than the Poco.[b][b]The Poco has therefore succeeded in establishing itself as a reference in this price segment.[b][b]