Unlike before, most people can now settle on a sub-Php10,000 smartphone to get a passable and reliable experience. In fact, there are tons of options out there that it’s hard to pick. So today, we’d be comparing two of your best options.
First, we have the latest Infinix Note 10 Pro. Launched alongside the Note 10, it brags a lot of features that we never thought we rarely see on a device under Php10,000.
We’d be comparing that to the POCO M3 Pro 5G, which is one of the cheapest 5G phones in the market.
That said, here in our Infinix Note 10 Pro versus POCO M3 Pro specifications and features comparison, we’ll see which one offers the best possible features for the money.
| Infinix Note 10 Pro | POCO M3 Pro 5G | |
| Operating System | Android 11 XOS 7.6 | Android 11 MIUI 12 |
| SIM | Dual SIM Dual standby | Dual SIM Dual standby |
| Display | 6.95-inch FHD+ IPS 2460 x 1080 pixel resolution 386ppi 1500:1 contrast ratio 90Hz refresh rate 180Hz touch sampling | 6.5-inch FHD+ IPS 2400 x 1080 pixel resolution 404ppi DynamicSwitch refresh rate (30Hz/50Hz/60Hz/90Hz) 1500:1 contrast ratio 1100-nits 360-degree ambient light sensor |
| Processor | 2.05GHz MediaTek Helio G90T octa-core | 2.2GHz MediaTek Dimensity 700 5G octa-core |
| RAM | 8GB | 4GB/6GB |
| GPU | Mali G76 MP4 | Mali-G57 MC2 |
| Storage | 128GB UFS 2.2 expandable via microSD | 64GB/128GB UFS 2.2 expandable via microSD |
| Front Camera | 16-megapixel | 8-megapixel |
| Rear Camera | 64-megapixel 8-megapixel (ultra-wide) 2-megapixel (mono) 2-megapixel (depth sensor) quad-LED flash | 48-megapixel (f/1.8, PDAF) 2-megapixel (macro) 2-megapixel (depth sensor) LED flash |
| Audio | Headphone jack Stereo speakers DTS audio | Headphone jack Single loudspeaker Hi-Res audio |
| Security | Side-mounted fingerprint scanner Face unlock | Side-mounted fingerprint scanner Face unlock |
| Connectivity | HSPA+, 4G LTE WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band Bluetooth GPS, GLONASS FM Radio USB Type-C | HSPA+, 4G LTE, 5G WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band Bluetooth 5.1 GPS, A-GPS, Galileo, GLONASS, BDS NFC IR Blaster USB Type-C |
| Dimensions | 172.7 x 78.32 x 7.8mm | 161.81 x 75.34 x 8.92mm |
| Weight | – | 190g |
| Body | – | Front: Corning Gorilla Glass 3 Back: Plastic Frame: Plastic |
| Colors | 95°Back Nordic Secret 7°Purple | Power Black Cool Blue POCO Yellow |
| Battery | 5,000mAh non-removable 33W X-charging | 5,000mAh non-removable 18W fast charging |
| Price | Php9,990 | 4GB/64GB: Php8,990 6GB/128GB: Php11,990 |
Design and Build Quality
Like we always say, whether a smartphone looks good or not will depend on your personal preference.
As you can see, Infinix went with a more elegant look with the Note 10 Pro. It has a shiny back panel that is split into two textures in the middle. It’s available in purple and black, but we all know which one most people would get, the Nordic Secret color with orange, violet, and blue color gradient.
Meanwhile, the POCO M3 Pro 5G has an edgier look. There’s a black accent that highlights the cameras and a bold POCO logo. Like the Note 10 Pro, it has two boring and one very interesting color, the POCO Yellow.
Build quality should be identical. We’re not sure what Infinix used on theirs, but POCO confirmed that the M3 Pro is protected with Gorilla Glass 3 and plastic all around. We suspect the Note 10 Pro is built similarly, if not inferior, on the front.
Display and Audio
Having a 360-degree ambient light sensor looks good on paper. But in reality, it only has a secondary sensor on the back for 360-degree coverage. Together with its higher 1100-nits peak brightness, this could make the POCO M3 Pro 5G interesting.
However, we’re kind of leaning towards the Infinix Note 10 Pro. It may lack an advanced ambient light sensor or a brighter backlight, but it does have a much larger size of 6.95-inch, giving you more room to multitask or make games/movies more immersive.
Speed should be identical as they share the same 90Hz refresh rate and responsive 180Hz touch sampling. Albeit, it would be nice if the Note 10 Pro also has a dynamic refresh rate like the M3 Pro 5G, which can switch from 30Hz to 90Hz depending on the task to save battery.
As an icing on the cake, the Note 10 Pro also features a stereo speaker setup, while the M3 Pro 5G settles for a single loudspeaker.
Hardware and Performance
Here’s a clear win for the POCO M3 Pro 5G. Its Dimensity 700 processor has a slightly faster CPU and better battery efficiency. And of course, there’s the high-speed 5G connectivity, making it future-proof for the years to come.
However, the Mali-G76 MP4 graphics of the Infinix Note 10 Pro is more powerful than the Mali G57 MC2 of the M3 Pro 5G. This means it should offer better gaming performance than the latter. Albeit, we expect a non-substantial difference for you to drop all the advantages the M3 Pro 5G offers for this one.
Camera
Here’s a clear win for the Infinix Note 10 Pro. As you can see, it offers a sharper 64-megapixel main camera that could provide more details when taking pictures. It also has an 8-megapixel ultra-wide lens, which the latter lacks.
As a bonus, you’re also getting a quad-LED flash if you’re one of the few who actually uses flash when snapping pictures at night. Plus, a 16-megapixel front-facing camera for sharper selfies.
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Battery
Both devices share the same 5,000mAh battery. But since the Dimensity 700 is more power-efficient, the POCO M3 Pro 5G may last longer — unless you browse on 5G a lot, of course.
Overall, we gotta hand the win to the Infinix device on this one. As you an see, it has a much faster 33W charger, which the company claims can already provide two hours of gaming with a quick 5-minute charge.
Conclusion
As you just saw, the Infinix Note 10 Pro won more rounds on this specs comparison. It nailed the display department, camera, and charging.
However, those things may be collectively become less significant considering that the POCO M3 Pro has 5G connectivity. One of the main features that most people are looking for if they want a device that will stay relevant for years.
Besides, the POCO device’s display, battery, and charging are not too bad, either, so the trade-off may be worth it.
Pricing shouldn’t be a big issue since they’re fairly similar. The Note 10 Pro has an 8GB/128GB configuration for Php9,990. The M3 Pro 5G is capped at 6GB/128GB for Php11,990, but it does have a cheaper 4GB/64GB for Php11,990.
Bottom line is, you have to decide if having 5G is of utmost importance. If so, then go with the POCO M3 Pro 5G. If not, then get the Infinix Note 10 Pro and just upgrade to a 5G device after 1-3 years once the 5G network in the Philippines becomes more widely available and reliable.