POCO M5 and official M5s: gaming and multimedia at an aggressive price

POCO M5 and M5s are the new mid-low-end smartphones of Xiaomi’s “rib”, which promise, respectively, a top-notch mobile gaming experienceand extraordinary audiovisual experiences. They will succeed in a price well below 200 euros?

• Screen: 6.58 ” FHD + (1.080 x 2.408 pixels, 20: 9), 90HZ (30/60/90), touch sampling rate 240Hz, brightness 500 nit, contrast 1.500: 1, Gorilla Glass
• CPU: MediaTek Helio G99 octa-core with Mali-G57 MC2 GPU
• RAM: 4/6 GB LPDDR4X
• Archiving: 64/128 GB UFS 2.2 expandable (with microSD up to 1 TB)
• Rear camera:
  • Principal: 50 megapixels, f / 1.8, PDAF
  • Macro: 2 megapixels, f / 2.4
  • Depth: 2 megapixels, f / 2.4
• Front camera: 5 megapixels, f / 2.2
• Connectivity: dual SIM 4G, dual band Wi-Fi ac, Bluetooth 5.3, GPS, NFC, infrared, audio jack, USB-C
• Dimensions: 163.99 x 76.09 x 8.9 mm
• Weight: 201 grams
• Battery: 5,000 mAh with 18Watt charging (22.5 Watt power supply included)

POCO M5 focuses on the playful experience, which for a smartphone in this price range is an uncommon aspiration. It does so with a display that reaches up to 90 HZ (variable on only three values ​​of 30, 60 and 90 Hz) and with a MediaTek processor made at 6 nm (2 high-performance Cortex-A76 up to 2.2 GHz), which supports the MediaTek HyperEngine 2.0 Lite, while the software optimization is entrusted to the Game Turbo 5.0 of the same POCO.

Among the 4 cameras present, only the main sensor stands out 50 megapixels (all to be evaluated); the other two on the back are of little consequence, and from the 5 megapixel front we do not expect any particular works of art.

Finally, the battery is generous, which should guarantee good autonomy even in the game; it’s just a pity that recharging stops at 18 Watts, now a bit low by today’s standards.

Also noteworthy is a fingerprint reader in the side power button, while 5G support is absent. On the other hand, the Bluetooth is updated to 5.3, and the 3.5 mm audio jack is present.

• Screen: 6.43 ” FHD + (1,080 x 2,400 pixels, 20: 9) AMOLED, 1,100 nits peak brightness, 4,500,000: 1 contrast, Gorilla Glass 3
• CPU: MediaTek Helio G95 octa-core with Mali-G76 MC4 GPU
• RAM: 4/6 GB LPDDR4X
• Archiving: 64/128 GB UFS 2.2 expandable (with microSD up to 1 TB)
• Rear camera:
  • Principal: 64 megapixels, f / 1.8, PDAF
  • Wide angle: 8 megapixels, f / 2.2, FOV 118 °
  • Macro: 2 megapixels, f / 2.4
  • Depth: 2 megapixels, f / 2.4
• Front camera: 13 megapixels, f / 2.4
• Connectivity: dual SIM 4G, dual band Wi-Fi ac, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS, NFC, infrared, audio jack, USB-C
• Certification: IP53
• Dimensions: 160.46 x 74.5 x 8.29 mm
• Weight: 178.8 grams
• Battery: 5,000 mAh with 33 Watt charging

POCO M5s instead loses its playful vocation to focus more on multimedia. Here then is that the display becomes AMOLEDlosing the 90 Hz, the processor is downgraded a bit, and the cameras instead rise in level, both with the main sensor, from 64 megapixels (with video in 4K), which with the adoption of a wide angle on the back and a front camera at more resolution than POCO M5; and there are also stereo speakers.

POCO M5s also adopts DC dimming, to reduce screen flicker in low light, and a 360 ° brightness sensor, for correct backlighting.

Still in terms of compromises, the battery remains at 5,000 mAh, but the charging power goes to 33 Watts, while the Bluetooth drops from 5.3 to 5.0.

It’s a bit of a “give and take” game, which M5s comes out of though as the more universal of the twothe one to be recommended most to the general public who want to save money, but still get a complete product for the most common uses.

POCO M5 and M5s are available in different variants, with early bird prices particularly tempting, thanks to a 20 euro discount compared to an already good price list.

POCO M5 will be available from 13:00 on 12 September on po.co, Amazon and mi.com, in the colors Black, Green And Yellow at the following prices:

• 4 / 64GB: € 189.90 (until 12.59 on 17 September it will be available to € 169.90).
• 4 / 128GB: € 209.90 (until 12.59 on 17 September it will be available to € 189.90).

LITTLE M5s instead it will always be available on the same date and the same sales channels, but in the colors, Gray, White And Blue:

• 4 / 64GB: € 209.90 (until 12.59 on 17 September it will be available to € 189.90).
• 4 / 128GB: € 229.90 (until 12.59 on 17 September it will be available to € 209.90).