Assessing the value: Upgrading from Poco M5 to Poco M6 Pro 5G
Delhi : The Poco M6 Pro 5G is a minor improvement over the Poco M5. In truth, the M6 Pro does provide some significant advancements over the Poco M5 for a beginning price of Rs 10,999, which is Rs 1,500 more than the Poco M5's starting price, including 5G, a newer chipset, and a modified design. So the issue is: Should you purchase this new Poco cheap phone, or even consider upgrading from the Poco M5? I'll do my best to respond to this for you.
Comparing the Poco M6 Pro to the Poco M5, a lot of design-related things are done correctly. The premium glass rear, which is now flat, has replaced the curved, textured plastic back. Although the camera rings are somewhat protruding, the raised camera island from the Poco M5 is now flush on the Poco M6 Pro. Additionally, the Poco M6 Pro has IP53 dust and splash protection, which the Poco M5 lacks.
The arrangement of the buttons and the side frame are identical. Instead of the tear-drop notch, the display now has a hole-punch design, which is a pleasant change. Returning to the buttons, they provide excellent tactile feedback, and the power button contains an inbuilt fingerprint reader. Like one would anticipate from physical sensors, quick and responsive. The type-C port and single speaker arrangement at the bottom are the only other changes. Additionally to the IR blaster and headphone jack at top.
Also of note is the hybrid SIM slot found on the Poco M6 Pro, which is a plus. I was hoping for two SIM slots and a separate slot for storage expansion in the cheap bracket, though. Overall, the Poco M6 Pro does not give you the impression that you are holding a low-end phone. The phone feels more like an item costing between Rs. 20,000 and Rs. 25,000 due to its sturdy construction, IP53 protection, flat design, and glass back. And yes, one more thing: why doesn't Poco come in yellow?
The display specifications on the newer model are the same, including an IPS LCD display with a 90Hz refresh rate, Gorilla Glass 3 protection, and a slightly increased brightness from 500 nits on the M5 to 550 nits on the M6 Pro, aside from the slight increase in size, from 6.58" on the Poco M5 to 6.79" on the Poco M6 Pro.
In addition, the M6 Pro has a fairly good panel for the price. Despite being an IPS panel, I found the Poco M6 Pro's display to be extremely bright, and I believe most people would love this because the colors really look visually appealing. Also in terms of brightness, the phone has you covered indoors. However, it's not the ideal experience to use the phone outside in direct sunlight. Again, though, given the cost, there isn't much to be upset about. Additionally, there is a single bottom-firing speaker that, while not as full and rich sounding as a stereo setup would, nevertheless does the job. Overall, the multimedia experience is good for the price thanks to the calibrated panel and speaker.
With up to 6GB of RAM and up to 128GB of storage, the latest Snapdragon 4 Gen 2 processor powers the Poco M6 Pro. With the promise of 2 years of future OS upgrades and 3 years of security patch updates, MIUI 14 sits atop Android 13. In terms of software, MIUI 14 is jam-packed with features and has a similar look and feel to MIUI on a high-end Xiaomi phone. However, the experience isn't the fastest due to the entry-level processor and a ton of bloatware. The program is pretty responsive for ordinary use and scrolling, with the occasional hiccup or frame loss. But when you put any pressure on it, you can see the phone lagging behind. However, since it's a cheap phone, some wiggle room can be allowed.
Okay, the performance of the 5,000mAh battery is fairly good. In addition, Poco includes a 22.5W charger in the box, albeit support is limited to 18W. As a result of its low price, tiny display, and resource-conserving engine, this phone has excellent battery life. On certain days, I was even able to go more than a day and a half between charges.Overall, the Poco M6 Pro performs admirably for typical tasks while maintaining a reasonable pricing. For those who are interested in 5G, there is also the option, and the battery life is good. Despite this, the Poco M6 Pro struggles to handle demanding tasks; but, with a starting price of Rs 10,999, Poco isn't aiming for performance fans with this device.
The 50MP primary rear camera on the Poco M6 Pro is paired with a 2MP depth sensor. This does not include the M5's macro camera. On paper, the 8MP lens on the front is an improvement over the 5MP lens in the M5. The majority of the photographs taken with the 50MP primary sensor under good lighting were impressive due to their fine details and wide dynamic range. The Poco M6 Pro has trouble maintaining consistency, and HDR performance can be hit or miss. Again, if there is a reasonable amount of artificial light present, you may expect to get respectable results for night shots that are okayish in terms of color and contrast. Also take note that the Poco M6 Pro lacks a dedicated night mode.
In conclusion
In light of everything, let's start by saying that if you already own a Poco M5, you don't necessarily need to upgrade to the Poco M6 Pro 5G unless and until you truly need the 5G experience. Because even if the design and chipset are fresh, they do not substantially outperform the Poco M5. For potential consumers seeking for a low-cost 5G smartphone, I believe the revised design of the Poco M6 Pro, which features a flat persona and a glass back and feels and looks great, and of course 5G connection, are the two most significant modifications. So, for about Rs 11,000 right now, the Poco M6 Pro is a wise purchase if you're looking for a phone that has strong performance, looks well, has excellent endurance, and has 5G.
