There’s no denying that Xiaomi, under its POCO sub-brand, offers some of the most interesting flagship killers below Php20,000.
The latest one is the POCO X3 GT, which just came out a few weeks ago carrying a whopping set of features that could rival flagships with a midrange price.

We’ll see how it’s different from the POCO F3, which came out a few months earlier with a similar price and killer specs that make it one of the most appealing smartphones to buy.

In our POCO X3 GT versus POCO F3 specifications and features comparison, we’ll see what’s the difference between the two, and ultimately, we’ll let you decide which one to get.
POCO X3 GT | POCO F3 | |
Operating System | Android 11 MIUI 12.5 for POCO | Android 11 MIUI 12 for POCO |
SIM | Dual SIM Dual stand-by | Dual SIM Dual stand-by |
Display | 6.67-inch FHD+ IPS 2400 x 1080 pixel resolution 399ppi 120Hz refresh rate 240Hz touch sampling rate DCI-P3 360-degree ambient light sensor | 6.67-inch FHD+ AMOLED 2400 x 1080 pixel resolution 395ppi 120Hz refresh rate 360Hz touch sampling HDR10+ MEMC 100% DCI-P3 |
Processor | 2.6GHz MediaTek Dimensity 1100 octa-core LiquidCool Technology 2.0 | 3.2GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 870 5G octa-core Water cooling |
RAM | 8GB | 6GB/8GB |
GPU | Mali-G77 MC9 | Adreno 650 |
Storage | 128GB/256GB UFS 3.1 non-expandable | 128GB/256GB UFS 3.1 non-expandable |
Front Camera | 16-megapixel | 20-megapixel |
Rear Camera | 64-megapixel (f/1.8, PDAF) 8-megapixel (ultra-wide, f/2.2) 2-megapixel (macro, f/2.4) LED flash | 48-megapixel (f/1.8, PDAF) 8-megapixel (ultra-wide, f/2.2) 5-megapixel (telemacro, f/2.4) One-Click AI Cinema Triple array microphone LED flash |
Audio | No headphone jack Stereo speakers Dolby Atmos Hi-Res audio Hi-Res wireless audio X-axis haptic | No headphone jack Stereo speakers Dolby Atmos Hi-Res audio Hi-Res wireless audio X-axis haptic |
Security | Side-mounted fingerprint sensor AI Face Unlock | Side-mounted fingerprint scanner Face unlock |
Connectivity | HSPA+, 4G LTE, 5G WiFi 6 Bluetooth 5.2 GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, QZSS, BDS NFC USB Type-C | HSPA+, 4G LTE, 5G WiFi 6, dual-band Bluetooth 5.1 dual-band GPS, A-GPS, GALILEO, GLONASS, QZSS, NavIC NFC IR Blaster USB Type-C |
Dimensions | 163.3 x 75.9 x 8.9mm | 163.7 x 76.4 x 7.8mm |
Weight | 193g | 196g |
Body | Front: Corning Gorilla Glass Victus Back: Glass Frame: Aluminum | Front: Corning Gorilla Glass 5 Back: Corning Gorilla Glass 5 Frame: Aluminum |
Colors | Wave Blue Cloud White Stargaze Black | Deep Ocean Blue Night Black Arctic White |
Battery | 5,000mAh non-removable 67W Turbo Charging | 4,520mAh 33W fast charging |
Price | 8GB/128GB: Php15,990 8GB/256GB: Php17,990 | 6GB/128GB: Php17,990 8GB/256GB: Php20,990 |
Design and Build Quality
As we always say, what smartphone looks good will depend on your preference. That said, we’ll let you decide on this part.

On this case, both devices actually look similar, with their only distinguishing features are the camera glass. As you can see, the X3 GT has a more prominent rectangular glass with a silver accent highlighting the main camera.
Meanwhile, the F3 has a cleaner oblong glass with a less conspicuous silver ring highlighting the main camera.

We may have a tie for the build quality. While the POCO F3 is sandwiched with Gorilla Glass 5, the POCO X3 GT has a much sturdier Gorilla Glass Victus on the front and a fingerprint-resistant ribbed texture on the back.
Display and Audio
The duo shares the same 6.67-inch display size, 120Hz refresh rate, and an FHD+ resolution. But thanks to its more colorful AMOLED screen, a more responsive 360Hz touch sampling, and HDR10+ support, the POCO F3 takes the cake on this one.

They also share the same audio features from having stereo speakers setup, support for Dolby Atmos, Hi-Res Audio, Hi-Res wireless, and been X-axis haptic feedback for more realistic vibrations. Sadly, neither have a headphone jack, which should be fine in an era of wireless headphones.
Hardware and Performance
While the MediaTek Dimensity 1100 chip of the POCO X3 GT offers one of the best performances for a midrange chip, there’s no denying that the POCO F3 wins this one.

It uses a Qualcomm Snapdragon 870 chip, which is a proper flagship processor you’d rarely see on a device at this price. It also has a higher CPU clock speed and better support for apps.
Related
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Cameras
The POCO X3 GT may have a lower-resolution selfie camera and lacks a fancy “telemacro” lens. Still, I think people are more interested in what the main camera offers as it’s actually the camera they’d use most of the time.

That said, this one has a 64-megapixel main sensor, while the F3 settles for a 48-megapixel one. But to the F3’s credit, it does have three microphones for improved audio when video recording.
Battery
An instant win for the POCO X3 GT, thanks to its 5,000mAh battery, which can offer better longevity than the 4,520mAh of the F3.

What’s more, it has a 67W Turbo Charger, which is twice the speed as what the latter offers.
Verdict
The POCO X3 GT offers a really compelling value for the price. There’s a fast screen, capable processor, better cameras, sturdy glass, bigger battery, and much faster charging.

But if performance is the top priority, the POCO F3 and its Snapdragon 870 is possibly the most powerful device you can get for the price. As a bonus, it also has a high-refresh-rate AMOLED screen.
But that flagship chip warrants a higher asking price. The base model is available for Php17,990. That’s Php2,000 more than the Php15,990 price of the other. But if you’re already spending that much money in this range, the price difference shouldn’t be a big issue.