REVIEW: The Poco F5 Pro is a high-end phone at a mid-range price

If you've never heard of Poco phones before, don't worry, you aren't alone...

The Poco F5 Pro is facing a bit of an uphill battle pretty much immediately, as phone users can get pretty territorial when it comes to their devices. iPhone and Android users can dig their heels in with their preferences of operating systems, and those that do sway towards Google's OS will likely want to stick with the brand of phone that they've been using for years on end. In a market that already has Samsung and Pixel, why would they run the risk on a product that many of them might never have even heard of before? Well, part of that would be the pricing. More on that in detail at the very end, but when you're looking at the guts of a grand in the difference, that can mean a lot to consumers. Additionally, the Poco F5 range is offering some magnificently high-end specs, admittedly in a somewhat unique package. The latest design aesthetic from most phones, which includes having the camera lens extrude from the overall phone, is taken to another level with the Poco F5 as the camera almost looks like an appendage that could be slotted on and off the phone entirely. The rest of the phone's design is very pretty and seamless, while the camera itself features a 64MP rear camera, an 8MB ultra-wide lens, a 16MP selfie camera, and a 4K/1080p video camera. Having apparently learned many lessons from its competitors, the Poco cameras essentially cherry-picked the best-of-the-best, leading to some incredible night captures, impressive video recordings and some great in-camera editing abilities. The device also has a gorgeous display screen, a tremendously performing operation system, a great battery life (and fast-charging capabilities, as well as wireless charging for anyone with that charging option), and a base storage of 256GB. It all adds up to a lot of stuff, and while the overall package doesn't really arrive with the same next-gen snaziness you might get from a new Apple or Samsung or Google phone, it does represent enough of what you'd get in a high-end product without the high-end price tag. The Poco F5 Pro is available to buy right now for around €575, and the Poco F5 from around €440, right here. All imagery via Poco website. Related articles:

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