[REVIEW] POCO F3 is a reincarnated flagship killer and quite possibly the best piece for 300 €

We have recently been visited by a very popular and popular smartphone, which we can call with peace of mind, even as a flagship killer. There's none other than that smartphone POCO F3.

Of course, we couldn't miss POCO F3, so we bought it as soon as possible. Some time has passed since the smartphone was finished so we bring you a detailed review in which we answer the question of whether it is worth buying this phone.

You can buy it conveniently in the EU warehouse

We recommend that you purchase this smartphone through our certified EdWayBuy dealer, who has it in European stock and where we bought it for review. In order to pay in euros, you have to go through the shopping process in German, but the price is very advantageous and the transport will be express.

POCO F3 is also available from a more well-known seller Banggood in a Chinese warehouse. Both 6GB and 8GB variants are available with coupons and reliable EU shipping Priority Line.

Current discount coupons for POCO F3

If you are interested, we recommend that you buy a smartphone from the seller EdWayBuy, due to faster transport from the EU warehouse.

Return of the flagship killer

The POCO F3 smartphone was introduced together with the model LITTLE X3 Pro, while both devices offer premium hardware for their price. However, the price-performance ratio of the POCO F3 smartphone exceeds almost all expectations.

The F3 smartphone is the successor to the legendary POCO F1, which is still used by many happy owners. The reason why POCO F1 was so popular is mainly its performance, for which it earned the label "flagship killer".

The POCO F3 continues in the footsteps of its predecessor, which is reflected in the first-class hardware, which it combines with a very attractive price. However, fans of mobile photography will not be so excited about the smartphone, as the main advantages of this smartphone are performance and display.

High level processing

The design of a smartphone can only be viewed subjectively, as each of us likes and dislikes something different. We rate the design of the POCO F3 as successful. We simply like the elegant black together with the modern processing of the camera module.

We must also praise the durable Corning Gorilla Glass 5th generation protective glass on the front and back, as well as the protective film on the display glued by the manufacturer. The high visibility of even the smallest prints on the back or the plastic frame is less pleasing.

The problem with leaving fingerprints is solved by the included translucent silicone case, which even slightly exceeds the camera module. In addition to the case, the package includes a charging adapter, a charging cable, a USB Type-C 3,5 mm jack adapter, a needle for removing the socket for SIM cards, stickers and manual.

The overall impression of the smartphone is at a very high level. It holds really well in the hand and even the relatively large dimensions did not cause us any problems during use. The manufacturer also did not forget the increased degree of protection IP53, which protects against splashing water for 5 minutes. In terms of design, we have nothing to complain about the manufacturer.

Stereo speakers, lightning fast reader

At the top and bottom of the device we find stereo speakers with Dolby Atmos support. The surround sound effect is excellent, the maximum volume is fully sufficient and the sound quality is also at a very high level.

On the side of the smartphone is the volume control along with the unlock button. A very fast fingerprint reader is built into it, which greatly improved the experience of use. The smartphone is also equipped with a slot for two SIM cards, an IR blaster designed to control household appliances or a high-quality haptic response. You won't find an SD card slot here.

Display - the pride of a smartphone

If someone is interested in purchasing a POCO F3 smartphone, one of the main reasons will be the display. The POCO F3 mobile phone has a front side 6,67” Samsung E4 AMOLED DotDisplay display that catches the eye at first glance.

The display offers resolution Full HD + (1080 x 2400 pixels), brightness up to 1300 rivets, refresh rate 120 Hz, touch response 360 Hz, 20: 9 aspect ratio, 5: 000 contrast and even HDR000 + support.

As you can see from the above parameters, this display ranks at the very top. Using a smartphone is really pleasant and pleasing to the eye thanks to its vivid colors and high refresh and sampling frequency.

The MIUI superstructure allows you to adjust the color rendering of the display to the smallest detail. If the factory calibration of the display does not suit you, you can win with the colors to saturation.

We didn't even have a problem with readability in direct sunlight. The basic brightness of 900 rivets and the maximum brightness of 1300 rivets will not be ashamed even during the strong afternoon sun. Simply put, it will be very difficult to take a look away from this smartphone.

We can't complain about the performance

Under the hood of this year's flagship killer under the wings of POCO is currently the second most powerful chipset from the portfolio of the American Qualcomm called Snapdragon 870 5G. As you probably already know from the name of this processor, in addition to high performance, it also lacks the support of fifth-generation networks.

The processor itself ranks among the most premium in terms of performance. In the AnTuT test, Snapdragon scored 870 points, which is reflected in the system's instantaneous responses and smooth animations.

The processor seconds 6 / 8 GB LPDDR5 RAM a 128 / 256 GB internal storage UFS 3.1. Reading and writing files is also very fast, and we can also praise the efficient use of RAM, where the smartphone can keep several demanding applications in the background without the need to reload.

If you are looking for a flagship experience of use, do not hesitate and reach for the POCU. This smartphone offers everything you need for regular use. System jams are a significant rarity with the POCO F3.

The smoothness of the system is respectable

The MIUI superstructure (together with the launcher directly for POCO smartphones) is intertwined with various functions, tweaks and a number of system applications. All of these things can often be very useful, but some smartphones, especially those with a weaker processor, can suffer from annoying jams and slow system reactions.

But this is definitely not the case with the POCO F3 smartphone. The whole system built on the latest Android 11 operating system runs beautifully fast, applications open in a few moments, scrolling through social networks is, thanks to the 120 Hz display, very smooth. Simply put, we can't complain about the speed of the smartphone.

Some people may be hindered by the presence of ads in system applications, but they can be turned off without any problems. We even brought a clear article on our websitewhich will show you how you can stop these ads once and for all.

Cameras are not a strength

So far, we have only praised POCO F3 in all aspects. As with the POCO F1, the manufacturer once again focused on high performance and a high-quality display, with the quality of the cameras being relegated to the second track.

The rear side consists of three sensors in the composition of the main 48 MPx Sony IMX582 sensor (f / 1.79), 8 MPX Sony IMX355 wide angle lens (f / 2.2) and 5 MPx macro sensor (f / 2.4). The front selfie camera has a resolution 20 MPx and luminosity f / 2.45.

The main camera produces beautiful photos during the day with plenty of detail, true colors and excellent dynamitechnical scope. As the light fades, the quality of the photos is noticeably worse, but for that reason, the presence of the night mode will please.

The wide-angle lens ranks worse in quality. During the day, the photos are relatively decent, although in some scenes the software has driven the colors to unrealistically rich colors, but during the evening the quality is low. Night mode brightens the photo a bit and draws shadows, but the photo lacks detail and sharpness.

The 5 MPx macro is surprisingly quite solid and with a suitable composition, this sensor can create very interesting images. The front selfie camera is a better average and 4K video at 30 FPS along with electronic stabilization looks good on this price tag.

During the photo test, we tried to compare the photos with those from the GCam application at the initiative of readers, but we did not notice significant differences, except for the increased color saturation. In the attached line, full quality photos from the built-in Camera application are watermarked, those from the GCam application are without it. Most likely you need to wait for a better tuned version of GCam.

You will find photos in full quality in high resolution on this link.

Despite everything, POCO F3 produces very solid photos, for which the manufacturer definitely does not have to be ashamed. It should not be forgotten that photos are not a priority for the POCO F3 smartphone, but even so, the pictures from this smartphone are more than decent.

We praise the battery and endurance again

After a short critique, we return to the wave of praise. The POCO F3 smartphone has a battery with a capacity of 4520 mAh, which may not seem like a lot at first glance, but optimization has played a big role in this case.

The smartphone managed two days of average use and 1,5 days of heavy use (photography, gaming, YouTube, Netflix, social networks, emails). For endurance per charge, we must unequivocally praise POCO F3 without exception.

A quick replenishment of "juice" will be taken care of quickly 33 W charging that can charge the battery from 0 to 100% in just 52 minutes. So if it happens to you that you are in a hurry and you have a few percent, plug your smartphone into the charger for a few minutes and you can set off for a while with a charged battery.

Rich connectivity

The POCO F3 phone, as you probably already know from its specifications, supports the latest fifth generation (5G) networks. This support will definitely go to the future, but we will have to wait a few more years to use 5G in our region.

In addition, the smartphone has an NFC chip for contactless payments, Dual Band Wi-Fi connection (2,4 / 5 GHz), Bluetooth 5.1, support for A-GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO and there is also an infrared port for controlling household appliances. But you will look for an FM radio with a 3,5 mm jack here in vain.

Additional information:

If you followed the events surrounding the POCO F3 smartphone in more detail, you must have noticed several problems that this phone encountered. Above all, it was about reducing the maximum brightness of the display when overheating (the so-called "screen dimming") and quickly draining the battery.

POCO and MIUI developers, respectively, noticed this problem and worked quickly to fix it. With the latest MIUI 12.0.5.0 update, both issues have been successfully resolved, bringing the user experience to a high level again.

POCO F3: Final evaluation

The POCO F3 smartphone left a very impressive impression on us. The main task, which was to bring the true and long-awaited successor of the legendary POCO F1, was fulfilled by the F3 model to excellent. This smartphone is suitable for those who are looking for a flagship experience of use, great endurance or quality speakers.

When it comes to photos, we recommend you look around for another model. In all other cases, you will definitely be extremely satisfied with the flagship killer in the form of POCO F3.

If you have any other questions related to this smartphone, do not hesitate to write them to us in the discussion below the review and we will try our best to answer them. If you do not want to miss other quality reviews on interesting products, follow our Facebook page and subscribe to notifications.