Poco X7 review: A budget performer with premium features

The Poco X7 kicks off 2025 in style, delivering a solid blend of features and performance for a starting price of ₹21,999. While it sits in the shadow of its Pro sibling, the X7 carves its niche with a sleek design, solid display, and reliable battery life. Here’s how it stacks up:

Design and Build: Sleek Yet Practical

The Poco X7 boasts a 3D curved display and a curved back panel, making it an ergonomic delight. It feels light at 190 grams and is just 8.63 mm thick, fitting comfortably in the hand. However, the glossy back panel is a fingerprint magnet, requiring frequent cleaning unless paired with a case. Its standout feature is the IP66, IP68, and IP69 certifications, offering superior dust and water resistance, a rare find in this price bracket.

Display: Bright and Immersive

The 6.67-inch AMOLED display is one of the phone’s highlights, offering a 1220x2712 resolution, 120Hz refresh rate, HDR10 certification, and Dolby Vision. With 3,000 nits of peak brightness, it remains legible even under direct sunlight, delivering vibrant visuals. Paired with stereo speakers, the Poco X7 offers an excellent multimedia experience.

Cameras: Decent for Daylight, Middling at Night

The triple-camera setup features a 50MP primary sensor, 8MP ultrawide, and 2MP macro shooter. Daylight shots are detailed with vibrant, warm tones, while portraits offer good edge detection. However, low-light performance falters, with noticeable noise and reduced sharpness. The AI Night Mode helps but doesn’t fully resolve these issues. The 20MP front camera delivers decent selfies in daylight but struggles with softness in low-light conditions.

Performance: Smooth but Not for Gamers

Powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 7300 Ultra, the Poco X7 handles everyday tasks like streaming, browsing, and social media smoothly. However, gaming performance is underwhelming, with occasional frame drops and touch delays in demanding titles. On the bright side, heat management is excellent, ensuring the device stays cool under pressure.

Software: Clean but Cluttered

Running Android 14-based HyperOS, the software is smooth and feature-rich, with additions like Google Gemini AI and Photomoji. However, the presence of 65 pre-installed apps detracts from the experience, though most can be uninstalled. POCO promises three years of OS updates and four years of security patches, ensuring reasonable longevity.

Battery: Long-Lasting but Slow to Charge

The 5,500mAh battery comfortably lasts a full day of moderate use, from browsing to streaming. While the 45W fast charging is sufficient, it pales compared to competitors offering faster charging solutions, leaving some users wanting more.

Verdict: A Balanced Mid-Ranger

The Poco X7 is a well-rounded device that excels in its design, display, and daylight camera performance. While it stumbles in gaming and low-light photography, its build quality, multimedia capabilities, and battery life make it a compelling option in the sub-₹25,000 range. If you’re looking for a premium-looking phone with solid everyday performance, the Poco X7 is a worthy contender.