Xiaomi’s new budget device will be one of the first to make use of Mediatek’s updated Helio G99 – but will it be enough to be relevant in the competitive environment it’s entering?
Xiaomi launches smartphones at a breakneck pace with the help of its in-house brands Redmi and Poco, and the very existence of certain models often feels like a mystery – with the new Poco M5 and Poco M5s fitting that general description well, with improvements Modest and even some low compared to the previous generation but at the same time also prices that may be low enough to make most interested people refrain from it.
The Poco M5 looks almost like a twin of the Poco M4 5G that was introduced a few weeks ago and as a more modest version of the Poco M4 Pro 5G that has gained relatively great popularity in the price category of under NIS 1,000 in our local market in the last year – with an IPS panel of 6.58 inches with 1080p resolution, with a maximum brightness of up to 500 nits in HBM mode (High Brightness Mode) and a refresh rate of up to 90 Hz, Android 12 system and MIUI 13 interface on top of it, internal UFS 2.2 storage of 64GB or 128GB including the option to expand with microSD cards, LPDDR4X memory of 4GB or 6GB and an octagonal Helio G99 chip from Mediatek which is a relatively strange combination of old and new.
Unlike other Helio G9X chips that are based on an old 12 nm production process and are irrelevant to almost any consumer who is able to invest more than NIS 600 or 700 in their next smart device – the Helio G99 switches to a significantly more recent and efficient 6 nm production process, but nevertheless continues to Using a pair of old Cortex-A76 cores and a simple and modest graphic Mali G57-MC2 core, plus a built-in cellular modem without fifth generation support. In other words, it is a parallel competitor to Qualcomm’s controversial Snapdragon 680 – and another model that is generally better to stay away from as long as it is possible to get any device with a chip from the Dimension family or a device with a Snapdragon 695/Snapdragon 750G for a similar amount.
The Poco M5 includes a headphone jack, a built-in side fingerprint scanner, a built-in NFC chip, an infrared transmitter, an FM radio receiver, dual-channel Wi-Fi 802.11ac connectivity, Bluetooth 5.3 connectivity, a modest 5-megapixel selfie camera inside a notch A ‘drop’ with a somewhat nostalgic design, a rear camera setup with a main 50 megapixel sensor and another pair of 2 megapixel secondary sensors and a 5,000mAh battery with 18 watt wired charging – when its plastic body will be available in yellow, green or black with a starting price of 180 euros Including VAT, or about NIS 610 in direct conversion.
The Poco M5s benefits from a brighter and smaller AMOLED panel of 6.43 inches with FullHD resolution and a “classic” refresh rate of 60 Hz, basic official IP53 protection against water and dust, UFS 2.2 storage of 64GB or 128GB alongside 4GB or 6GB of dynamic memory, Square rear camera setup with a 64-megapixel main sensor, an 8-megapixel sensor for wide-angle photography and another pair of basic 2-megapixel secondary sensors, a 13-megapixel selfie camera, a 5,000mAh battery with support for 33-watt wired charging – and a chip Helio G95 which includes a set of general processing cores very similar to that of the Helio G99, alongside a Mali G76-MC4 graphics core and a 12 nm manufacturing process. An improvement in charging, the photography setup and even a design that becomes partially waterproof compared to the regular Poco M5, but at the same time that is significantly lower in the expected efficiency of the processing.
The Poco M5s will be available in gray, white or blue with a starting recommended price of 210 euros including tax, or NIS 710 approximately. Both models have already begun their gradual rollout process and are available for purchase through AliExpress at festive launch prices of only $140 to $160 as a base which are significantly lower than the prices intended for the launch in Europe – but these prices from the Chinese retail platform are before a potential tax surcharge with Landing in Israel, worth noting. Also, in some European countries a special launch price will be offered to quick consumers which will shave an additional 20 euros from the minimum prices of the M5 and M5s – on the way to a payment of 170 euros and 190 euros including tax respectively.
Is there any justification for this dual launch of Poco and Xiaomi, or is this a duo that users should quickly forget about? Let us know what you think in the comments.
