Smartphones have been a powerful tool for mobile gamers and movie/series fans as they allowed them to play games or binge-watch anytime, anywhere. However, not a lot of phones can handle such tasks impressively. Either they overheat easily, games will lag in critical moments, the display is not bright enough for outdoor use, and more.
If you’re a hardcore gamer or love watching TV shows, you should ask yourself the right questions before making your next smartphone purchase.
UPDATE: The POCO F5 series is now official. Check out their prices below.
- 8GB/256GB — Php20,999
- 12GB/256GB — Php22,999
- 8GB/256GB — Php24,999
- 12GB/256GB — Php28,999
- 12GB/512GB — Php30,999
Today, we’ll take a look at the POCO F5, a device set to be launched on the 9th of May at 8PM (20:00, GMT+8) Beijing time, and we’ll see if this device can answer all those questions correctly, talk about its different functions for daily use, and ultimately see if it’s a great entertainment device. Let’s begin.
Love playing games? Pick the right chipset
Avid gamers know this: your phone’s processing performance and speed can also affect your gaming performance. With that, you might want to get a device with a capable processor.
One of the most reliable chips in the market comes from Qualcomm. Its flagship Snapdragon 8 series can handle pretty much any game today. It’s followed by the 7-series for midrange devices and the 6-series and 4-series for entry-level.
Obviously, if you want to play any type of mobile game smoothly, you should go with Snapdragon 8 series processor — but that would cost a lot of money. As an alternative, you can go with the latest Snapdragon 7+ Gen 2 chipset found on the POCO F5, which comes from the same mold as the high-end Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 — only cheaper. This new chip is made from the same 4nm ARM flagship architecture.
The new Snapdragon 7+ Gen 1 is completely different from its predecessor, the Snapdragon 7 Gen 1. The CPU performance is 50% faster, while the GPU prowess is two times better. It’s so powerful that this midrange CPU even beat older Snapdragon 8 series flagship chips (SD 888 and 870) in AnTuTu with a score of over 950,000. This Snapdragon 7-series is essentially the equivalent of a flagship chip.
But having a powerful chipset is only the foundation. To ensure that your game will run continuously smoothly, you’d also need an effective cooling system. Fortunately, the POCO F5 is rigged with an upgraded LiquidCool 2.0 and HyperBoost optimization technology.
With this newly-designed, high-efficient vapor chamber with steam channels, the heat generated by the CPU will dissipate more quickly, so the frequencies are stable, with no sudden brightness reduction, and other issues that may occur when you’re hardcore gaming.
See its limitless power through the Flow AMOLED display
Being your daily companion, you’d be looking at your phone’s square-ish display constantly. Plus, its quality will greatly affect your gaming and watching experience.
Most phones don’t offer the best viewing experience due to their thick borders. Plus, they make the screen look smaller than they should. This is the reason why flagship phones are always aiming for ultra-narrow bezels.
The POCO F5 is one of them. It is equipped with an advanced Flow AMOLED display. This type of screen has better plasticity, which makes sure that the panel is tough and durable.
It also made the borders really thin as all four of them are only under 2.3mm, so the display looks cleaner and bigger for a more immersive gaming and binge-watching experience.
One issue that some users notice — especially those with keen eyes — on their phone displays is color inaccuracy. Some notice that their screens look yellowish and greenish, and the color transition is off especially when watching highly produced blockbuster films with stunning colors. Such problems can ruin the audio-visual effect and take you out of the moment.
That’s the reason why the POCO F5 uses a panel that can display 68 billion colors that don’t only show accurate colors, but also make the color transition look more natural. You’ll really appreciate its benefits when watching vibrant and colorful scenes like nature documentaries.
One external factor that affects display performance is light. See, it’s hard to see your smartphone’s display, let alone play games or watch TV series with it if you’re in sunny outdoors and your screen doesn’t get bright enough.
That’s one of the reasons why flagship phones aim for higher screen brightness — and the POCO F5 surely got that covered thanks to its peak brightness of 1,000 nits. You’d be able to see the display clearly, even if you’re playing or watching movies under the sun.
Great cameras, attractive design
Being an all-out device, the POCO F5 is more than just its performance and display. Thanks to its 64-megapixel OIS triple camera, and that powerful Snapdragon 7+ Gen 2 processor, the POCO F5 provides a fast and capable shooting performance.
One of its key features is something called a “film camera” that provides a unique look with its retro looks and classic film effect that will allow you to easily take creative photos.
Moreover, the POCO F5 is now much slimmer than its predecessor making it more comfortable for daily use. It’s noticeably thinner and lighter compared to flagship phones today, as some of them weigh more than 200g. You can definitely use and hold the device for a long time without getting tired, even with one hand. Plus, for a better feel in the hands, the POCO F5 has smoother edges while also adding better grip.
Bottom line, if you are a hardcore gamer or a binge-watcher of TV series or movies, and you want a device that can provide an immersive, smooth, and stable experience while doing those, then the POCO F5 will be a great choice for you.
So, if you’re interested in the POCO F5 and want to learn more about it, stay tuned for its official product launch happening on May 9, 8PM GMT+8 Beijing and PH time. A lot of surprises are expected for the said launch event.
What are your initial thoughts about the new POCO F5? How much do you think it will cost? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.