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Xiaomi Poco M5 Smartphone review – Affordable phone that packs a lot of power

Budget powerhouse. The Xiaomi Poco M5 attempts to stand out in the sub-200-euro price range with a powerful processor. However, the camera is less than stellar, and the phone also has issues with location tracking. Is the Xiaomi Poco M5 then just another budget phone in the crowd?
Xiaomi Poco M5

There are quite a number of budget Xiaomi phones on the market, and most of them offer great specs for their price. The Poco M5 costs around 200 Euro (US$210) and features a fairly fast processor, a Full HD display with a 90Hz refresh rate, and a large battery.

That said, even Xiaomi can't do wonders and is unable to offer consumers a phone with 5G capability at this low price point. In this review, we'll take a closer look at whether the phone continues Xiaomi's tradition of offering great value for money.

Xiaomi Poco M5 (Poco M Series)
Processor
Mediatek Helio G99 8 x 2 - 2.2 GHz, Cortex-A76 / A55
Graphics adapter
Memory
4 GB 
Display
6.58 inch 20:9, 2408 x 1080 pixel 401 PPI, capacitive touchscreen, IPS, Gorilla Glass, glossy: yes, 90 Hz
Storage
128 GB UFS 2.2 Flash, 128 GB 
, 108 GB free
Connections
1 USB 2.0, USB-C Power Delivery (PD), 1 Infrared, Audio Connections: 3.5mm, Card Reader: microSD (dedicated, up to 1TB) , 1 Fingerprint Reader, NFC, Sensors: accelerometer, proximity, compass
Networking
802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (a/b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/ac = Wi-Fi 5/), Bluetooth 5.3, 2G (850/​900/​1800/​1900), 3G (B1/​B2/​B4/​B5/​B8), 4G (B1/​B2/​B3/​B4/​B5/​B7/​B8/​B20/​B28/​B38/​B40/​B41), Dual SIM, LTE, GPS
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 8.9 x 164 x 76.1 ( = 0.35 x 6.46 x 3 in)
Battery
5000 mAh Lithium-Polymer, 18 watt charging
Charging
fast charging / Quickcharge
Operating System
Android 12
Camera
Primary Camera: 50 MPix f/​1.8, phase detection AF, LED flash, videos @1080p/​30fps (camera 1); 2.0MP, f/​2.4, macro lens (camera 2); 2.0MP, f/​2.4, depth of field (camera 3)
Secondary Camera: 5 MPix f/​2.2, videos @1080p/​30fps
Additional features
Speakers: mono speaker, charger, USB cable, SIM tool, silicone bumper, 24 Months Warranty, SAR: 0.520W/​kg Head, 0.832W/​kg Body , fanless
Weight
201 g ( = 7.09 oz / 0.44 pounds) ( = 0 oz / 0 pounds)
Price
210 Euro
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Comparison with possible competitors

Rating
Date
Model
Weight
Drive
Size
Resolution
Best Price
78.9 %
11/2022
Xiaomi Poco M5
Helio G99, Mali-G57 MP2
201 g128 GB UFS 2.2 Flash6.58"2408x1080
77.3 %
11/2022
Samsung Galaxy A13 4G A137F
Helio G80, Mali-G52 MP2
195 g64 GB eMMC Flash6.60"2408x1080
74.4 %
11/2022
Xiaomi Poco C40
JR510, Mali-G52 MP1
204 g32 GB eMMC Flash6.71"1650x720
76 %
08/2022
Realme Narzo 50A Prime
T612, Mali-G52 MP1
192.5 g64 GB UFS 2.2 Flash6.60"2408x1080
75.1 %
05/2022
Motorola Moto G22
Helio G37, PowerVR GE8320
185 g64 GB eMMC Flash6.50"1600x720

Case – Fingerprint-resistant leatherette

We like the leatherette design on the phone's body. It is resistant to fingerprints and feels comfortable to the touch. The camera module extends across the entire width of the chassis, meaning the phone doesn't wobble when it is placed flat on a table.

Xiaomi is bold when it comes to colour selection. In addition to a more understated green and black (as you might expect), the Poco M5 is available in yellow as well. The phone has great fit and finish and feels very sturdy for its price. Xiaomi claims that the display is protected by Gorilla Glass but doesn't specify which version is used on the phone.

Xiaomi Poco M5
Xiaomi Poco M5
Xiaomi Poco M5
Xiaomi Poco M5
Xiaomi Poco M5
Xiaomi Poco M5

Size comparison

169.6 mm / 6.68 inch 76.6 mm / 3.02 inch 9.2 mm / 0.3622 inch 204 g0.4497 lbs165.1 mm / 6.5 inch 76.4 mm / 3.01 inch 8.8 mm / 0.3465 inch 195 g0.4299 lbs164 mm / 6.46 inch 76.1 mm / 3 inch 8.9 mm / 0.3504 inch 201 g0.4431 lbs164.4 mm / 6.47 inch 75.6 mm / 2.98 inch 8.1 mm / 0.3189 inch 192.5 g0.4244 lbs164 mm / 6.46 inch 75 mm / 2.95 inch 8.5 mm / 0.3346 inch 185 g0.4079 lbs148 mm / 5.83 inch 105 mm / 4.13 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 1.5 g0.00331 lbs

Specifications – NFC included

In Central Europe, all models of the Poco M5 come with 4 GB of RAM (a version with 6 GB of RAM is also available in other markets). The phone starts at 189.99 Euro (US$167) for 64 GB of storage and costs 20 Euro (US$21) more for 128 GB of storage.

Like many budget phones, the Xiaomi Poco M5 still has a headphone jack. Charging is done through the USB-C port, which only supports the very sluggish USB 2.0 speeds for data transfer. One unique feature of the phone is its IR blaster, which you can use to control devices such as a television.

There is also NFC on board – which isn't always a given for phones under 200 Euro (US$210). This means you can use mobile payment services (e.g. Google Pay) on the Poco M5.

Top: 3.5 mm audio jack, IR blaster
Top: 3.5 mm audio jack, IR blaster
Bottom: Speaker, USB-C port, microphone
Bottom: Speaker, USB-C port, microphone
Left: Volume rocker, power button
Left: Volume rocker, power button
Right: SIM slot
Right: SIM slot

microSD card reader

The smartphone can accommodate two Nano SIM cards at the same time. There is also a separate microSD card slot for storage expansion. The card reader was quite fast and reliable when we tested it with our reference microSD card (Angelbird V60).

SD Card Reader - average JPG Copy Test (av. of 3 runs)
Samsung Galaxy A13 4G A137F
Mali-G52 MP2, Helio G80, 64 GB eMMC Flash (Angelbird V60)
30.6 MB/s +24%
Xiaomi Poco M5
Mali-G57 MP2, Helio G99, 128 GB UFS 2.2 Flash (Angelbird V60)
24.6 MB/s
Motorola Moto G22
PowerVR GE8320, Helio G37, 64 GB eMMC Flash (Angelbird V60)
24.3 MB/s -1%
Realme Narzo 50A Prime
Mali-G52 MP1, T612, 64 GB UFS 2.2 Flash (Angelbird V60)
18.7 MB/s -24%
Xiaomi Poco C40
Mali-G52 MP1, JR510, 32 GB eMMC Flash (Angelbird V60)
16.8 MB/s -32%

Cross Platform Disk Test (CPDT)

05101520253035404550556065707580Tooltip
Xiaomi Poco M5 Mali-G57 MP2, Helio G99, 128 GB UFS 2.2 Flash; SDCard Sequential Write 0.5 GB; Angelbird V60: Ø37.7 (21.8-45.3)
Samsung Galaxy A13 4G A137F Mali-G52 MP2, Helio G80, 64 GB eMMC Flash; SDCard Sequential Write 0.5 GB; Angelbird V60: Ø36.1 (18.4-50)
Xiaomi Poco C40 Mali-G52 MP1, JR510, 32 GB eMMC Flash; SDCard Sequential Write 0.5 GB; Angelbird V60: Ø34.6 (25.1-45)
Realme Narzo 50A Prime Mali-G52 MP1, T612, 64 GB UFS 2.2 Flash; SDCard Sequential Write 0.5 GB; Angelbird V60: Ø31.6 (20.7-48.6)
Motorola Moto G22 PowerVR GE8320, Helio G37, 64 GB eMMC Flash; SDCard Sequential Write 0.5 GB; Angelbird V60: Ø35.9 (20.7-46.1)
Xiaomi Poco M5 Mali-G57 MP2, Helio G99, 128 GB UFS 2.2 Flash; SDCard Sequential Read 0.5 GB; Angelbird V60: Ø76 (40-79.1)
Samsung Galaxy A13 4G A137F Mali-G52 MP2, Helio G80, 64 GB eMMC Flash; SDCard Sequential Read 0.5 GB; Angelbird V60: Ø72.7 (46.8-80.1)
Xiaomi Poco C40 Mali-G52 MP1, JR510, 32 GB eMMC Flash; SDCard Sequential Read 0.5 GB; Angelbird V60: Ø68.2 (48.1-73.5)
Realme Narzo 50A Prime Mali-G52 MP1, T612, 64 GB UFS 2.2 Flash; SDCard Sequential Read 0.5 GB; Angelbird V60: Ø73.4 (28.2-83.5)
Motorola Moto G22 PowerVR GE8320, Helio G37, 64 GB eMMC Flash; SDCard Sequential Read 0.5 GB; Angelbird V60: Ø72.5 (27.9-75.8)

Software – Only Android 12 for now

MIUI 13 is based on Android 12. The security patches on the phone were dated October 2022 and were thus still very up to date at the time of this review. Unlike the Xiaomi Poco M5s, the Poco M5 isn't on the list of Xiaomi devices that are certfied for Google's AER programme and for which the update support period has been specified. Based on our experience with previous Xiaomi devices, though, we would expect at least one OS update as well as security updates until 2024. 

Many apps have been preinstalled on the phone right out of the box, some of which are third-party apps that Xiaomi gets paid to install on the device (including games). If you like your system clean, you'll need to manually remove any unwanted apps first. 

Software Xiaomi Poco M5
Software Xiaomi Poco M5
Software Xiaomi Poco M5

Connectivity and GNSS – No 5G support for the Poco M5

As previously mentioned, you won't get any 5G connectivity with the Xiaomi Poco M5. Most 5G phones are considerably more expensive than 200 Euro (US$210). 

If you wish to travel with a Poco M5, we recommend that you check whether the device is compatible with the cellular data network in the destination country. This affordable device is not a phone for travelling the world.

During our test with the reference router Asus ROG Rapture AXE11000, the Wi-Fi 5 chip in the Poco M5 delivered great results and outperformed the wireless solutions in most smartphones in this price range. Internet access is quick and stable over Wi-Fi.

Networking
iperf3 receive AXE11000
Average of class Smartphone
  (34.8 - 1875, n=205, last 2 years)
648 MBit/s +82%
Xiaomi Poco M5
Mali-G57 MP2, Helio G99, 128 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
356 (333min - 363max) MBit/s
Motorola Moto G22
PowerVR GE8320, Helio G37, 64 GB eMMC Flash
326 (305min - 332max) MBit/s -8%
Samsung Galaxy A13 4G A137F
Mali-G52 MP2, Helio G80, 64 GB eMMC Flash
305 (282min - 324max) MBit/s -14%
Xiaomi Poco C40
Mali-G52 MP1, JR510, 32 GB eMMC Flash
272 (225min - 331max) MBit/s -24%
Realme Narzo 50A Prime
Mali-G52 MP1, T612, 64 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
259 (196min - 267max) MBit/s -27%
iperf3 transmit AXE11000
Average of class Smartphone
  (40.5 - 1810, n=206, last 2 years)
683 MBit/s +85%
Motorola Moto G22
PowerVR GE8320, Helio G37, 64 GB eMMC Flash
370 (351min - 376max) MBit/s 0%
Xiaomi Poco M5
Mali-G57 MP2, Helio G99, 128 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
370 (332min - 381max) MBit/s
Samsung Galaxy A13 4G A137F
Mali-G52 MP2, Helio G80, 64 GB eMMC Flash
369 (321min - 376max) MBit/s 0%
Xiaomi Poco C40
Mali-G52 MP1, JR510, 32 GB eMMC Flash
364 (299min - 378max) MBit/s -2%
Realme Narzo 50A Prime
Mali-G52 MP1, T612, 64 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
351 (317min - 366max) MBit/s -5%
020406080100120140160180200220240260280300320340360380Tooltip
Xiaomi Poco M5; iperf3 receive AXE11000; iperf 3.1.3: Ø355 (333-363)
Xiaomi Poco M5; iperf3 transmit AXE11000; iperf 3.1.3: Ø371 (332-381)
GPS test outdoors
GPS test outdoors
Available satellite networks
Available satellite networks

Outdoors, the phone's location tracking is accurate to roughly 2 metres (6.6 feet). The Poco M5 is able to communicate reliably with major global satellite networks and even uses SBAS to further enhance accuracy.

Nevertheless, a theory remains a theory. For our real-life test, we hopped on our bike and took it for a ride. During this test, the Xiaomi Poco M5 definitely exhibited some issues with location tracking accuracy: the phone indicated that we mostly cycled through houses and front gardens rather than on the road. Corners and turns were often cut short, and most of the time, we are unable to correctly tell which side of the street we were riding on.

So if you rely a lot on your smartphone for navigation, there are much more accurate options available, even in this price range.

Locattion tracking Xiaomi Poco M5 – overview
Locattion tracking Xiaomi Poco M5 – overview
Locattion tracking Xiaomi Poco M5 – turning point
Locattion tracking Xiaomi Poco M5 – turning point
Locattion tracking Xiaomi Poco M5 – bridge
Locattion tracking Xiaomi Poco M5 – bridge
Location tracking Garmin Venu 2 – overview
Location tracking Garmin Venu 2 – overview
Location tracking Garmin Venu 2 – turning point
Location tracking Garmin Venu 2 – turning point
Location tracking Garmin Venu 2 – bridge
Location tracking Garmin Venu 2 – bridge

Call functions and voice quality – Speech could use more fullness

The Xiaomi Poco M5 uses Google's phone calling app, which works well and has a very clean design. Other calling apps can also be installed on the phone, but you should exercise caution and choose one from a reputable developer. 

During our test call, the person on the other end sounded quite far away and not very full through the built-in ear speaker. Our voice, however, was clear and understandable and didn't have any background noises. When we were using the hands-free microphone and built-in speaker, the other person sounded clearer on our end, but their voice was accompanied by some minor noises. In hands-free mode, the phone picked up our voice clearly, even when we spoke softly.

Cameras – Standard fare in the budget segment

Taken with the front camera
Taken with the front camera

The main camera on the back has a 50MP Samsung sensor and is only flanked by a 2MP macro camera and a depth camera. The camera setup is similar to what you'll find on many other budget phones. For instance, the realme Narzo 50A Prime has almost the same camera specs as the Poco M5. 

Images produced by the main camera look quite dark, could do better in terms of sharpness and are not very detailed upon closer examination. In low-light conditions, dark areas simply appear black, and images turn out very grainy. The setup is adequate for snapshots, but there are much better phone cameras out there.

The phone lets users record 1080p videos at up 30 fps. The exposure correction does its job well, but the autofocus could be slightly faster. You also shouldn't expect vibrant colours from the camera.

Xiaomi has installed a front camera with a measly 5MP resolution. Selfies taken with the camera may look quite good at first glance, but darker areas are lacking in sharpness and details on closer inspection.

Image Comparison

Choose a scene and navigate within the first image. One click changes the position on touchscreens. One click on the zoomed-in image opens the original in a new window. The first image shows the scaled photograph of the test device.

Hauptkamera BlumeHauptkamera UmgebungHauptkamera Low Light
click to load images

We also put the main camera through its paces in our lab. Under optimal lighting, the camera produced photos that are dull but have good contrast. There is also a considerable decrease in sharpness towards the edges. At a light intensity of just 1 lux, brighter colours are still perceptible, but the image ends up being very grainy.

ColorChecker
6.1 ∆E
7.1 ∆E
8.8 ∆E
8.2 ∆E
8.5 ∆E
6.6 ∆E
7.4 ∆E
6.4 ∆E
6.3 ∆E
3.5 ∆E
7.8 ∆E
6.7 ∆E
4.4 ∆E
7.8 ∆E
5.7 ∆E
4.4 ∆E
6.1 ∆E
7.7 ∆E
7.2 ∆E
7.5 ∆E
7.9 ∆E
6.8 ∆E
4.9 ∆E
7.5 ∆E
ColorChecker Xiaomi Poco M5: 6.72 ∆E min: 3.54 - max: 8.77 ∆E
ColorChecker
30 ∆E
52.7 ∆E
40.2 ∆E
35.3 ∆E
46.8 ∆E
60.4 ∆E
51.5 ∆E
36.5 ∆E
41.4 ∆E
29.4 ∆E
62.6 ∆E
62.7 ∆E
31.9 ∆E
47.6 ∆E
36.6 ∆E
72.6 ∆E
44.3 ∆E
42.5 ∆E
75.4 ∆E
68.6 ∆E
51.6 ∆E
37.5 ∆E
24.4 ∆E
13.9 ∆E
ColorChecker Xiaomi Poco M5: 45.68 ∆E min: 13.91 - max: 75.38 ∆E

Accessories and warranty – Charger included

The Poco M5 comes with a fairly substantial range of accessories: a charger, USB-C cable, SIM ejector tool and silicone protective case are all included in the box, meaning you won't have to buy anything else right away for everyday use.

Xiaomi provide a 24-month warranty on the Poco M5 in the EU. However, warranty terms and conditions may vary by country. You can refer to Poco's warranty page for more information.

Input devices and operation – Speedy fingerprint sensor

The touchscreen is pleasant to use and highly reliable. It also run very smoothly thanks to its 90Hz refresh rate and 240Hz touch sampling rate.

The fingerprint sensor is integrated into the power button on the right side of the chassis. It is able to recognise fingers very reliably and unlocks the phone more or less instantly.

You can also use your face to unlock the phone. Whilst this method works just as well, it is slightly less secure.

Keyboard in landscape mode
Keyboard in landscape mode
Keyboard in portrait mode
Keyboard in portrait mode

Display – High-resolution, but not quite bright

Subpixel array
Subpixel array

Even today, you still won't find a Full HD display on every phone under 200 Euro (US$210). The Poco M5 does well in this department and features a 1080p screen.

Unfortunately, the same can't be said about the display's brightness: the screen didn't get any brighter than 402 cd/m² even when the ambient light sensor was exposed to intense light. This peak brightness is significantly lower than what the competitors are capable of.

That said, brightness distribution is very even. And the display manages to deliver a reasonable level of contrast due to its low black level.

389
cd/m²
402
cd/m²
396
cd/m²
387
cd/m²
400
cd/m²
399
cd/m²
386
cd/m²
401
cd/m²
400
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 402 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 395.6 cd/m² Minimum: 0.9 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 96 %
Center on Battery: 400 cd/m²
Contrast: 1481:1 (Black: 0.27 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 1.26 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5
ΔE Greyscale 1.5 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
93.9% sRGB (Calman 2D)
Gamma: 2.298
Xiaomi Poco M5
IPS, 2408x1080, 6.58
Samsung Galaxy A13 4G A137F
PLS, 2408x1080, 6.60
Xiaomi Poco C40
IPS, 1650x720, 6.71
Realme Narzo 50A Prime
IPS, 2408x1080, 6.60
Motorola Moto G22
IPS LCD, 1600x720, 6.50
Screen
-77%
-113%
-77%
-123%
Brightness middle
400
492
23%
468
17%
540
35%
451
13%
Brightness
396
453
14%
450
14%
523
32%
431
9%
Brightness Distribution
96
87
-9%
92
-4%
93
-3%
90
-6%
Black Level *
0.27
0.37
-37%
0.4
-48%
0.39
-44%
0.5
-85%
Contrast
1481
1330
-10%
1170
-21%
1385
-6%
902
-39%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
1.26
4.34
-244%
4.53
-260%
4.39
-248%
5.82
-362%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
2.45
5.94
-142%
8.96
-266%
6.65
-171%
9.3
-280%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
1.5
4.7
-213%
6.5
-333%
4.7
-213%
5
-233%
Gamma
2.298 96%
2.398 92%
2.191 100%
2.261 97%
2.776 79%
CCT
6658 98%
7668 85%
8122 80%
7597 86%
7683 85%

* ... smaller is better

Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)

To dim the screen, some notebooks will simply cycle the backlight on and off in rapid succession - a method called Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) . This cycling frequency should ideally be undetectable to the human eye. If said frequency is too low, users with sensitive eyes may experience strain or headaches or even notice the flickering altogether.
Screen flickering / PWM not detected

In comparison: 53 % of all tested devices do not use PWM to dim the display. If PWM was detected, an average of 18071 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 3846000) Hz was measured.

In terms of colour reproduction, none of the other phones in this price range measure up to the Xiaomi Poco M5. The phone's display reproduces colours very faithfully and doesn't exhibit any blue tint when showing shades of grey.

CalMAN Greyscale
CalMAN Greyscale
CalMAN Colour accuracy
CalMAN Colour accuracy
CalMAN sRGB colour gamut
CalMAN sRGB colour gamut
CalMAN AdobeRGB colour gamut
CalMAN AdobeRGB colour gamut
CalMAN DCI P3 colour gamut
CalMAN DCI P3 colour gamut
CalMAN saturation
CalMAN saturation

Display Response Times

Display response times show how fast the screen is able to change from one color to the next. Slow response times can lead to afterimages and can cause moving objects to appear blurry (ghosting). Gamers of fast-paced 3D titles should pay special attention to fast response times.
       Response Time Black to White
20 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 11 ms rise
↘ 9 ms fall
The screen shows good response rates in our tests, but may be too slow for competitive gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 37 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is similar to the average of all tested devices (21.6 ms).
       Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey
33 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 18 ms rise
↘ 15 ms fall
The screen shows slow response rates in our tests and will be unsatisfactory for gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.2 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 38 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is similar to the average of all tested devices (33.9 ms).

The highly reflective display makes the phone difficult to use outdoors in direct sunlight, though you can still partially make out what is on the screen.

The perceived screen brightness only changes slightly with your viewing angle. Otherwise, contents on the screen are easily readable regardless of where you are viewing it from.

Outdoor use
Outdoor use
Viewing angle
Viewing angle

Performance – Packs a lot of punch

The Poco M5 features an SoC that delivers a lot performance for this price point. The MediaTek Helio G99 has a total of eight cores distributed across two clusters with clockspeeds of up to 2.2 GHz. As a result, the Poco M5 sometimes scored two or even three times higher than other phones under 200 Euro (US$210) in Geekbench's CPU benchmark.

In day-to-day use, this means that you can navigate menus without any stutters for the most part and that the phone has enough performance to handle slightly more demanding apps.

Geekbench 5.5
Single-Core
Average of class Smartphone
  (119 - 2138, n=214, last 2 years)
900 Points +64%
Xiaomi Poco M5
Mediatek Helio G99, Mali-G57 MP2, 4096
548 Points
Average Mediatek Helio G99
  (490 - 576, n=12)
545 Points -1%
Realme Narzo 50A Prime
UNISOC T612, Mali-G52 MP1, 4096
346 Points -37%
Samsung Galaxy A13 4G A137F
Mediatek Helio G80, Mali-G52 MP2, 4096
300 Points -45%
Motorola Moto G22
Mediatek Helio G37, PowerVR GE8320, 4096
172 Points -69%
Xiaomi Poco C40
JLQ JR510, Mali-G52 MP1, 3072
164 Points -70%
Multi-Core
Average of class Smartphone
  (473 - 6681, n=214, last 2 years)
2947 Points +53%
Xiaomi Poco M5
Mediatek Helio G99, Mali-G57 MP2, 4096
1924 Points
Average Mediatek Helio G99
  (1670 - 1981, n=12)
1831 Points -5%
Realme Narzo 50A Prime
UNISOC T612, Mali-G52 MP1, 4096
1311 Points -32%
Motorola Moto G22
Mediatek Helio G37, PowerVR GE8320, 4096
947 Points -51%
Xiaomi Poco C40
JLQ JR510, Mali-G52 MP1, 3072
818 Points -57%
Samsung Galaxy A13 4G A137F
Mediatek Helio G80, Mali-G52 MP2, 4096
790 Points -59%
Antutu v9 - Total Score
Average of class Smartphone
  (102602 - 1650926, n=151, last 2 years)
738649 Points +119%
Xiaomi Poco M5
Mediatek Helio G99, Mali-G57 MP2, 4096
337968 Points
Average Mediatek Helio G99
  (229468 - 337968, n=5)
306004 Points -9%
Xiaomi Poco C40
JLQ JR510, Mali-G52 MP1, 3072
119447 Points -65%
Motorola Moto G22
Mediatek Helio G37, PowerVR GE8320, 4096
111952 Points -67%
PCMark for Android - Work 3.0
Average of class Smartphone
  (4761 - 21385, n=209, last 2 years)
11643 Points +21%
Average Mediatek Helio G99
  (8973 - 11027, n=12)
9779 Points +2%
Xiaomi Poco M5
Mediatek Helio G99, Mali-G57 MP2, 4096
9587 Points
Realme Narzo 50A Prime
UNISOC T612, Mali-G52 MP1, 4096
7610 Points -21%
Samsung Galaxy A13 4G A137F
Mediatek Helio G80, Mali-G52 MP2, 4096
5589 Points -42%
Motorola Moto G22
Mediatek Helio G37, PowerVR GE8320, 4096
4922 Points -49%
Xiaomi Poco C40
JLQ JR510, Mali-G52 MP1, 3072
4780 Points -50%
CrossMark - Overall
Average of class Smartphone
  (200 - 1474, n=160, last 2 years)
830 Points +38%
Xiaomi Poco M5
Mediatek Helio G99, Mali-G57 MP2, 4096
602 Points
Average Mediatek Helio G99
  (526 - 602, n=7)
573 Points -5%
Xiaomi Poco C40
JLQ JR510, Mali-G52 MP1, 3072
280 Points -53%
Motorola Moto G22
Mediatek Helio G37, PowerVR GE8320, 4096
232 Points -61%
BaseMark OS II
Overall
Average of class Smartphone
  (411 - 11438, n=162, last 2 years)
5686 Points +86%
Xiaomi Poco M5
Mediatek Helio G99, Mali-G57 MP2, 4096
3050 Points
Average Mediatek Helio G99
  (2855 - 3120, n=7)
3016 Points -1%
Motorola Moto G22
Mediatek Helio G37, PowerVR GE8320, 4096
1226 Points -60%
Xiaomi Poco C40
JLQ JR510, Mali-G52 MP1, 3072
411 Points -87%
System
Average of class Smartphone
  (2376 - 16475, n=162, last 2 years)
9595 Points +45%
Xiaomi Poco M5
Mediatek Helio G99, Mali-G57 MP2, 4096
6637 Points
Average Mediatek Helio G99
  (5261 - 6776, n=7)
6247 Points -6%
Xiaomi Poco C40
JLQ JR510, Mali-G52 MP1, 3072
2651 Points -60%
Motorola Moto G22
Mediatek Helio G37, PowerVR GE8320, 4096
2565 Points -61%
Memory
Average of class Smartphone
  (670 - 12306, n=162, last 2 years)
6206 Points +63%
Xiaomi Poco M5
Mediatek Helio G99, Mali-G57 MP2, 4096
3802 Points
Average Mediatek Helio G99
  (3454 - 4152, n=7)
3754 Points -1%
Xiaomi Poco C40
JLQ JR510, Mali-G52 MP1, 3072
1428 Points -62%
Motorola Moto G22
Mediatek Helio G37, PowerVR GE8320, 4096
1210 Points -68%
Graphics
Average of class Smartphone
  (697 - 58651, n=162, last 2 years)
13856 Points +405%
Average Mediatek Helio G99
  (2683 - 3002, n=7)
2822 Points +3%
Xiaomi Poco M5
Mediatek Helio G99, Mali-G57 MP2, 4096
2744 Points
Motorola Moto G22
Mediatek Helio G37, PowerVR GE8320, 4096
1017 Points -63%
Xiaomi Poco C40
JLQ JR510, Mali-G52 MP1, 3072
764 Points -72%
Web
Average of class Smartphone
  (10 - 2145, n=162, last 2 years)
1487 Points +19%
Average Mediatek Helio G99
  (1201 - 1325, n=7)
1259 Points +1%
Xiaomi Poco M5
Mediatek Helio G99, Mali-G57 MP2, 4096
1250 Points
Motorola Moto G22
Mediatek Helio G37, PowerVR GE8320, 4096
718 Points -43%
Xiaomi Poco C40
JLQ JR510, Mali-G52 MP1, 3072
10 Points -99%
UL Procyon AI Inference for Android - Overall Score NNAPI
Average of class Smartphone
  (207 - 84787, n=146, last 2 years)
21887 Points +131%
Xiaomi Poco M5
Mediatek Helio G99, Mali-G57 MP2, 4096
9493 Points
Average Mediatek Helio G99
  (6453 - 9695, n=6)
8873 Points -7%
Motorola Moto G22
Mediatek Helio G37, PowerVR GE8320, 4096
2514 Points -74%
Xiaomi Poco C40
JLQ JR510, Mali-G52 MP1, 3072
207 Points -98%
AImark - Score v3.x
Average of class Smartphone
  (298 - 245629, n=99, last 2 years)
16322 Points +1734%
Average Mediatek Helio G99
  (877 - 982, n=5)
910 Points +2%
Xiaomi Poco M5
Mediatek Helio G99, Mali-G57 MP2, 4096
890 Points

The Poco M5 also outclasses other similarly priced phones when it comes to graphics performance.

Nonetheless, the phone only hit 60 fps during very basic graphics benchmarks and quickly fell below the 30 fps mark. You probably shouldn't expect the phone to run graphically demanding applications well.

3DMark / Wild Life Extreme Unlimited
Xiaomi Poco M5
Mali-G57 MP2, Helio G99, 128 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
323 Points
Samsung Galaxy A13 4G A137F
Mali-G52 MP2, Helio G80, 64 GB eMMC Flash
171 Points -47%
Realme Narzo 50A Prime
Mali-G52 MP1, T612, 64 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
111 Points -66%
3DMark / Wild Life Extreme
Xiaomi Poco M5
Mali-G57 MP2, Helio G99, 128 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
342 Points
Samsung Galaxy A13 4G A137F
Mali-G52 MP2, Helio G80, 64 GB eMMC Flash
171 Points -50%
Realme Narzo 50A Prime
Mali-G52 MP1, T612, 64 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
115 Points -66%
3DMark / Wild Life Unlimited Score
Xiaomi Poco M5
Mali-G57 MP2, Helio G99, 128 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
1155 Points
Samsung Galaxy A13 4G A137F
Mali-G52 MP2, Helio G80, 64 GB eMMC Flash
682 Points -41%
Realme Narzo 50A Prime
Mali-G52 MP1, T612, 64 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
410 Points -65%
3DMark / Wild Life Score
Xiaomi Poco M5
Mali-G57 MP2, Helio G99, 128 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
1205 Points
Samsung Galaxy A13 4G A137F
Mali-G52 MP2, Helio G80, 64 GB eMMC Flash
682 Points -43%
Realme Narzo 50A Prime
Mali-G52 MP1, T612, 64 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
411 Points -66%
Motorola Moto G22
PowerVR GE8320, Helio G37, 64 GB eMMC Flash
Points -100%
3DMark / Sling Shot Extreme (Vulkan) Unlimited Physics
Xiaomi Poco M5
Mali-G57 MP2, Helio G99, 128 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
2838 Points
Realme Narzo 50A Prime
Mali-G52 MP1, T612, 64 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
2526 Points -11%
Samsung Galaxy A13 4G A137F
Mali-G52 MP2, Helio G80, 64 GB eMMC Flash
2310 Points -19%
Motorola Moto G22
PowerVR GE8320, Helio G37, 64 GB eMMC Flash
2145 Points -24%
3DMark / Sling Shot Extreme (Vulkan) Unlimited Graphics
Xiaomi Poco M5
Mali-G57 MP2, Helio G99, 128 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
2378 Points
Samsung Galaxy A13 4G A137F
Mali-G52 MP2, Helio G80, 64 GB eMMC Flash
1205 Points -49%
Realme Narzo 50A Prime
Mali-G52 MP1, T612, 64 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
812 Points -66%
Motorola Moto G22
PowerVR GE8320, Helio G37, 64 GB eMMC Flash
584 Points -75%
3DMark / Sling Shot Extreme (Vulkan) Unlimited
Xiaomi Poco M5
Mali-G57 MP2, Helio G99, 128 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
2467 Points
Samsung Galaxy A13 4G A137F
Mali-G52 MP2, Helio G80, 64 GB eMMC Flash
1348 Points -45%
Realme Narzo 50A Prime
Mali-G52 MP1, T612, 64 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
956 Points -61%
Motorola Moto G22
PowerVR GE8320, Helio G37, 64 GB eMMC Flash
657 Points -73%
3DMark / Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Unlimited Physics
Xiaomi Poco M5
Mali-G57 MP2, Helio G99, 128 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
3727 Points
Realme Narzo 50A Prime
Mali-G52 MP1, T612, 64 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
2909 Points -22%
Samsung Galaxy A13 4G A137F
Mali-G52 MP2, Helio G80, 64 GB eMMC Flash
2636 Points -29%
Xiaomi Poco C40
Mali-G52 MP1, JR510, 32 GB eMMC Flash
1840 Points -51%
Motorola Moto G22
PowerVR GE8320, Helio G37, 64 GB eMMC Flash
1283 Points -66%
3DMark / Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Unlimited Graphics
Xiaomi Poco M5
Mali-G57 MP2, Helio G99, 128 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
2413 Points
Samsung Galaxy A13 4G A137F
Mali-G52 MP2, Helio G80, 64 GB eMMC Flash
1192 Points -51%
Realme Narzo 50A Prime
Mali-G52 MP1, T612, 64 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
829 Points -66%
Xiaomi Poco C40
Mali-G52 MP1, JR510, 32 GB eMMC Flash
508 Points -79%
Motorola Moto G22
PowerVR GE8320, Helio G37, 64 GB eMMC Flash
460 Points -81%
3DMark / Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Unlimited
Xiaomi Poco M5
Mali-G57 MP2, Helio G99, 128 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
2618 Points
Samsung Galaxy A13 4G A137F
Mali-G52 MP2, Helio G80, 64 GB eMMC Flash
1357 Points -48%
Realme Narzo 50A Prime
Mali-G52 MP1, T612, 64 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
986 Points -62%
Xiaomi Poco C40
Mali-G52 MP1, JR510, 32 GB eMMC Flash
605 Points -77%
Motorola Moto G22
PowerVR GE8320, Helio G37, 64 GB eMMC Flash
536 Points -80%
3DMark / Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1)
Xiaomi Poco M5
Mali-G57 MP2, Helio G99, 128 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
2535 Points
Samsung Galaxy A13 4G A137F
Mali-G52 MP2, Helio G80, 64 GB eMMC Flash
1329 Points -48%
Realme Narzo 50A Prime
Mali-G52 MP1, T612, 64 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
979 Points -61%
Xiaomi Poco C40
Mali-G52 MP1, JR510, 32 GB eMMC Flash
607 Points -76%
Motorola Moto G22
PowerVR GE8320, Helio G37, 64 GB eMMC Flash
453 Points -82%
3DMark / Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Graphics
Xiaomi Poco M5
Mali-G57 MP2, Helio G99, 128 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
2356 Points
Samsung Galaxy A13 4G A137F
Mali-G52 MP2, Helio G80, 64 GB eMMC Flash
1182 Points -50%
Realme Narzo 50A Prime
Mali-G52 MP1, T612, 64 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
826 Points -65%
Xiaomi Poco C40
Mali-G52 MP1, JR510, 32 GB eMMC Flash
512 Points -78%
Motorola Moto G22
PowerVR GE8320, Helio G37, 64 GB eMMC Flash
383 Points -84%
3DMark / Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Physics
Xiaomi Poco M5
Mali-G57 MP2, Helio G99, 128 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
3450 Points
Realme Narzo 50A Prime
Mali-G52 MP1, T612, 64 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
2773 Points -20%
Samsung Galaxy A13 4G A137F
Mali-G52 MP2, Helio G80, 64 GB eMMC Flash
2347 Points -32%
Xiaomi Poco C40
Mali-G52 MP1, JR510, 32 GB eMMC Flash
1734 Points -50%
Motorola Moto G22
PowerVR GE8320, Helio G37, 64 GB eMMC Flash
1265 Points -63%
GFXBench (DX / GLBenchmark) 2.7 / T-Rex Onscreen
Xiaomi Poco M5
Mali-G57 MP2, Helio G99, 128 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
54 fps
Motorola Moto G22
PowerVR GE8320, Helio G37, 64 GB eMMC Flash
29 fps -46%
Xiaomi Poco C40
Mali-G52 MP1, JR510, 32 GB eMMC Flash
28 fps -48%
GFXBench (DX / GLBenchmark) 2.7 / T-Rex Offscreen
Xiaomi Poco M5
Mali-G57 MP2, Helio G99, 128 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
64 fps
Motorola Moto G22
PowerVR GE8320, Helio G37, 64 GB eMMC Flash
22 fps -66%
Xiaomi Poco C40
Mali-G52 MP1, JR510, 32 GB eMMC Flash
19 fps -70%
GFXBench 3.0 / Manhattan Onscreen OGL
Xiaomi Poco M5
Mali-G57 MP2, Helio G99, 128 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
36 fps
Motorola Moto G22
PowerVR GE8320, Helio G37, 64 GB eMMC Flash
18 fps -50%
Xiaomi Poco C40
Mali-G52 MP1, JR510, 32 GB eMMC Flash
18 fps -50%
GFXBench 3.0 / 1080p Manhattan Offscreen
Xiaomi Poco M5
Mali-G57 MP2, Helio G99, 128 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
40 fps
Motorola Moto G22
PowerVR GE8320, Helio G37, 64 GB eMMC Flash
12 fps -70%
Xiaomi Poco C40
Mali-G52 MP1, JR510, 32 GB eMMC Flash
11 fps -72%
GFXBench 3.1 / Manhattan ES 3.1 Onscreen
Xiaomi Poco M5
Mali-G57 MP2, Helio G99, 128 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
22 fps
Xiaomi Poco C40
Mali-G52 MP1, JR510, 32 GB eMMC Flash
13 fps -41%
Motorola Moto G22
PowerVR GE8320, Helio G37, 64 GB eMMC Flash
12 fps -45%
GFXBench 3.1 / Manhattan ES 3.1 Offscreen
Xiaomi Poco M5
Mali-G57 MP2, Helio G99, 128 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
25 fps
Motorola Moto G22
PowerVR GE8320, Helio G37, 64 GB eMMC Flash
7.5 fps -70%
Xiaomi Poco C40
Mali-G52 MP1, JR510, 32 GB eMMC Flash
6.6 fps -74%
GFXBench / Car Chase Onscreen
Xiaomi Poco M5
Mali-G57 MP2, Helio G99, 128 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
12 fps
Xiaomi Poco C40
Mali-G52 MP1, JR510, 32 GB eMMC Flash
7.4 fps -38%
Motorola Moto G22
PowerVR GE8320, Helio G37, 64 GB eMMC Flash
5.4 fps -55%
GFXBench / Car Chase Offscreen
Xiaomi Poco M5
Mali-G57 MP2, Helio G99, 128 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
15 fps
Xiaomi Poco C40
Mali-G52 MP1, JR510, 32 GB eMMC Flash
4.2 fps -72%
Motorola Moto G22
PowerVR GE8320, Helio G37, 64 GB eMMC Flash
3.5 fps -77%
GFXBench / Aztec Ruins High Tier Onscreen
Xiaomi Poco M5
Mali-G57 MP2, Helio G99, 128 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
8.8 fps
Samsung Galaxy A13 4G A137F
Mali-G52 MP2, Helio G80, 64 GB eMMC Flash
5.1 fps -42%
Motorola Moto G22
PowerVR GE8320, Helio G37, 64 GB eMMC Flash
5 fps -43%
Xiaomi Poco C40
Mali-G52 MP1, JR510, 32 GB eMMC Flash
4.5 fps -49%
Realme Narzo 50A Prime
Mali-G52 MP1, T612, 64 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
3 fps -66%
GFXBench / Aztec Ruins High Tier Offscreen
Xiaomi Poco M5
Mali-G57 MP2, Helio G99, 128 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
5.8 fps
Samsung Galaxy A13 4G A137F
Mali-G52 MP2, Helio G80, 64 GB eMMC Flash
3.3 fps -43%
Realme Narzo 50A Prime
Mali-G52 MP1, T612, 64 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
2 fps -66%
Motorola Moto G22
PowerVR GE8320, Helio G37, 64 GB eMMC Flash
1.5 fps -74%
Xiaomi Poco C40
Mali-G52 MP1, JR510, 32 GB eMMC Flash
1.4 fps -76%
GFXBench / Aztec Ruins Normal Tier Onscreen
Xiaomi Poco M5
Mali-G57 MP2, Helio G99, 128 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
14 fps
Samsung Galaxy A13 4G A137F
Mali-G52 MP2, Helio G80, 64 GB eMMC Flash
8.1 fps -42%
Motorola Moto G22
PowerVR GE8320, Helio G37, 64 GB eMMC Flash
7 fps -50%
Xiaomi Poco C40
Mali-G52 MP1, JR510, 32 GB eMMC Flash
7 fps -50%
Realme Narzo 50A Prime
Mali-G52 MP1, T612, 64 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
4.7 fps -66%
GFXBench / Aztec Ruins Normal Tier Offscreen
Xiaomi Poco M5
Mali-G57 MP2, Helio G99, 128 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
16 fps
Samsung Galaxy A13 4G A137F
Mali-G52 MP2, Helio G80, 64 GB eMMC Flash
9.2 fps -42%
Realme Narzo 50A Prime
Mali-G52 MP1, T612, 64 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
5.4 fps -66%
Motorola Moto G22
PowerVR GE8320, Helio G37, 64 GB eMMC Flash
4 fps -75%
Xiaomi Poco C40
Mali-G52 MP1, JR510, 32 GB eMMC Flash
3.9 fps -76%

For web browsing, the Poco M5 is likewise much snappier than other similarly priced phones.

Websites are rendered promptly on the phone, and images are often already available while the user is still scrolling. Even complex HTML5 pages load quickly on the M5 most of the time.

Jetstream 2 - Total Score
Average of class Smartphone (13.8 - 351, n=170, last 2 years)
103.9 Points +122%
Average Mediatek Helio G99 (46.9 - 73.5, n=6)
60.6 Points +29%
Xiaomi Poco M5 (Chrome 107)
46.877 Points
Motorola Moto G22 (Chrome101)
21.156 Points -55%
Speedometer 2.0 - Result
Average of class Smartphone (14.9 - 445, n=154, last 2 years)
104.4 runs/min +333%
Average Mediatek Helio G99 (24.1 - 65.5, n=6)
43.4 runs/min +80%
Xiaomi Poco M5 (Chome 107)
24.09 runs/min
Motorola Moto G22 (Chrome101)
15.01 runs/min -38%
Xiaomi Poco C40 (Chome 106)
14.9 runs/min -38%
WebXPRT 4 - Overall
Average of class Smartphone (22 - 202, n=153, last 2 years)
98.7 Points +153%
Average Mediatek Helio G99 (39 - 81, n=6)
62 Points +59%
Xiaomi Poco M5 (Chrome 107)
39 Points
Xiaomi Poco C40 (Chrome 106)
25 Points -36%
WebXPRT 3 - Overall
Average of class Smartphone (37 - 304, n=119, last 2 years)
131 Points +49%
Average Mediatek Helio G99 (80 - 112, n=5)
91.2 Points +4%
Xiaomi Poco M5 (Chrome 107)
88 Points
Xiaomi Poco C40 (Chrome 106)
46 Points -48%
Motorola Moto G22 (Chrome101)
37 Points -58%
Octane V2 - Total Score
Average of class Smartphone (4633 - 89112, n=205, last 2 years)
33314 Points +93%
Average Mediatek Helio G99 (17228 - 25005, n=12)
20237 Points +17%
Xiaomi Poco M5 (Chrome 107)
17228 Points
Samsung Galaxy A13 4G A137F (Chrome 107)
12253 Points -29%
Xiaomi Poco C40 (Chrome 106)
5975 Points -65%
Motorola Moto G22 (Chrome101)
5648 Points -67%
Mozilla Kraken 1.1 - Total
Motorola Moto G22 (Chrome101)
9051.2 ms * -309%
Xiaomi Poco C40 (Chrome 106)
8973 ms * -305%
Xiaomi Poco M5 (Chrome 107)
2213.3 ms *
Average Mediatek Helio G99 (1922 - 2444, n=6)
2168 ms * +2%
Average of class Smartphone (388 - 9999, n=168, last 2 years)
1658 ms * +25%

* ... smaller is better

The UFS 2.2 storage in the Poco M5 has impressively high read/write speeds, particularly in this price range. Of all the devices in our comparison, only the realme Narzo 50A Prime comes close to keeping up with the M5.

Xiaomi Poco M5Samsung Galaxy A13 4G A137FXiaomi Poco C40Realme Narzo 50A PrimeMotorola Moto G22Average 128 GB UFS 2.2 FlashAverage of class Smartphone
AndroBench 3-5
-70%
-80%
-35%
-86%
-31%
19%
Sequential Read 256KB
976.4
300.6
-69%
281.7
-71%
852.8
-13%
215.45
-78%
708 ?(303 - 1038, n=59)
-27%
1471 ?(215 - 4512, n=213, last 2 years)
51%
Sequential Write 256KB
870.7
230.3
-74%
129.8
-85%
266
-69%
112.78
-87%
517 ?(105.3 - 903, n=59)
-41%
1084 ?(57.5 - 3678, n=213, last 2 years)
24%
Random Read 4KB
247.6
94.5
-62%
29.2
-88%
145.3
-41%
39.32
-84%
187.1 ?(89.3 - 297, n=59)
-24%
243 ?(22.2 - 543, n=213, last 2 years)
-2%
Random Write 4KB
257.8
61.5
-76%
67.7
-74%
212.5
-18%
16.34
-94%
181 ?(68.8 - 419, n=59)
-30%
267 ?(13 - 709, n=213, last 2 years)
4%

Gaming – Rarely above 30 fps

Despite offering great value for money, the Poco M5 isn't a true gaming phone. This is underscored by the games we tested on the device. The fast-paced shooter Armajet only managed to run at 30 fps on the phone. Although this is adequate for basic gaming, the game itself feels sluggish to play.

Similarly, in the graphically more demanding PUBG Mobile, the Poco M5 delivered no more than 40 fps at low settings. The game is admittedly playable, but at higher settings you'll have to put up with some stutters that can be the difference between winning and losing. We measured the frame rates using the software from GameBench.

PUBG Mobile
PUBG Mobile
Armajet
Armajet
0510152025303540Tooltip
Xiaomi Poco M5; Armajet; 1.61.6: Ø29.8 (29-31)
Xiaomi Poco M5; PUBG Mobile; Smooth; 2.3.0: Ø39.9 (38-41)
Xiaomi Poco M5; PUBG Mobile; HD; 2.3.0: Ø29.9 (28-31)

Emissions – Hardly any heat, weak speaker

Temperature

The Xiaomi Poco M5 only got moderately warm (40.1°C, or 104.2°F), but never hot, even after running at full load for an extended period. 

The phone was able to cope extremely well with the 3DMark stress tests and only exhibited minimal performance loss after 20 loops.

Max. Load
 40.1 °C
104 F
33.7 °C
93 F
30.9 °C
88 F
 
 38.9 °C
102 F
33.2 °C
92 F
30.9 °C
88 F
 
 37.3 °C
99 F
33.3 °C
92 F
31 °C
88 F
 
Maximum: 40.1 °C = 104 F
Average: 34.4 °C = 94 F
29.8 °C
86 F
32.9 °C
91 F
37.7 °C
100 F
30.9 °C
88 F
33.7 °C
93 F
37.5 °C
100 F
31.3 °C
88 F
34.3 °C
94 F
36.3 °C
97 F
Maximum: 37.7 °C = 100 F
Average: 33.8 °C = 93 F
Power Supply (max.)  39.9 °C = 104 F | Room Temperature 20.2 °C = 68 F | Fluke t3000FC (calibrated), Voltcraft IR-260
(±) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 34.4 °C / 94 F, compared to the average of 32.7 °C / 91 F for the devices in the class Smartphone.
(±) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 40.1 °C / 104 F, compared to the average of 35 °C / 95 F, ranging from 21.9 to 56 °C for the class Smartphone.
(+) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 37.7 °C / 100 F, compared to the average of 33.8 °C / 93 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 21.8 °C / 71 F, compared to the device average of 32.7 °C / 91 F.

3DMark Wild Life Stress Test

3DMark
Wild Life Stress Test Stability
Xiaomi Poco M5
Mali-G57 MP2, Helio G99, 128 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
98.7 %
Samsung Galaxy A13 4G A137F
Mali-G52 MP2, Helio G80, 64 GB eMMC Flash
97.9 % -1%
Wild Life Extreme Stress Test
Samsung Galaxy A13 4G A137F
Mali-G52 MP2, Helio G80, 64 GB eMMC Flash
98.2 % 0%
Xiaomi Poco M5
Mali-G57 MP2, Helio G99, 128 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
97.8 %
01234567Tooltip
Xiaomi Poco M5 Mali-G57 MP2, Helio G99, 128 GB UFS 2.2 Flash; Wild Life Extreme Stress Test; 1.1.0.2: Ø2.05 (2.02-2.07)
Samsung Galaxy A13 4G A137F Mali-G52 MP2, Helio G80, 64 GB eMMC Flash; Wild Life Extreme Stress Test; 1.1.0.2: Ø1.044 (1.037-1.056)
Xiaomi Poco M5 Mali-G57 MP2, Helio G99, 128 GB UFS 2.2 Flash; Wild Life Stress Test Stability; 0.0.0.0: Ø7.44 (7.37-7.47)
Samsung Galaxy A13 4G A137F Mali-G52 MP2, Helio G80, 64 GB eMMC Flash; Wild Life Stress Test Stability; 0.0.0.0: Ø4.12 (4.05-4.14)
Heatmap front
Heatmap front
Heatmap rear
Heatmap rear

Speaker

The mono speaker on the Poco M5 produces really thin and tinny sound and makes music sound more akin to a mushy mess – especially when many instruments are present at the same time. Well, at least voices are intelligible through the speaker.

You can also easily connect external audio devices (e.g. headphones and speakers) to the phone via Bluetooth or the 3.5 mm audio jack. The M5 supports a wide range of Bluetooth audio codecs, including aptX TWS+ and LHDC 4.

dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2036.6342538.431.33129.428.64033.1345033.936.86325.227.18022.122.710018.220.112516.117.816014.324.920012.831.625012.140.83159.446.240010.953.450012.659.663012.761.38001561.310001569.2125012.570.5160011.272.5200011.667.2250012.570.1315013.165.3400014.865.4500015.569.9630016.671800017.467.41000017.370.41250017.464.41600018.154.4SPL26.680.7N0.846.7median 14.3median 64.4Delta2.112.248.648.447.648.839.741.631.538.435.230.645.43340.530.138.930.537.225.330.328.723.137.921.645.620.848.624.157.521.460.321.8652369.122.872.823.472.619.571.819.674.117.374.916.876.814.778.312.180.214.275.212.771.110.568.410.565.210.362.232.786.91.864.3median 20.8median 68.44.111.1hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseXiaomi Poco M5Motorola Moto G22
Frequency diagram (checkboxes can be checked and unchecked to compare devices)
Xiaomi Poco M5 audio analysis

(±) | speaker loudness is average but good (80.7 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 34.2% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (11.1% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(±) | higher mids - on average 5.5% higher than median
(±) | linearity of mids is average (7.9% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 4.1% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (5.7% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (25.7% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 58% of all tested devices in this class were better, 8% similar, 35% worse
» The best had a delta of 12%, average was 38%, worst was 134%
Compared to all devices tested
» 75% of all tested devices were better, 5% similar, 20% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Motorola Moto G22 audio analysis

(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (86.9 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 32.3% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (10.1% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(±) | reduced mids - on average 5.1% lower than median
(±) | linearity of mids is average (7.2% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(±) | higher highs - on average 6.6% higher than median
(+) | highs are linear (5.4% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (26.3% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 61% of all tested devices in this class were better, 7% similar, 32% worse
» The best had a delta of 12%, average was 38%, worst was 134%
Compared to all devices tested
» 78% of all tested devices were better, 4% similar, 18% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Battery life – Great stamina

Power consumption

Under high load, the Poco M5 consumes slightly more power than similar smartphones. However, the device's power usage is quite typical at idle.

The 5,000 mAh battery in the phone can be charged at up to 18 watts using the included power adapter. It takes slightly more than two hours to fully charge the M5.

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0 / 0.1 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 0.9 / 1.3 / 1.9 Watt
Load midlight 4.6 / 6.8 Watt
 color bar
Key: min: dark, med: mid, max: light        Metrahit Energy
Currently we use the Metrahit Energy, a professional single phase power quality and energy measurement digital multimeter, for our measurements. Find out more about it here. All of our test methods can be found here.
Xiaomi Poco M5
5000 mAh
Xiaomi Poco C40
6000 mAh
Motorola Moto G22
5000 mAh
Average Mediatek Helio G99
 
Average of class Smartphone
 
Power Consumption
3%
11%
-19%
-7%
Idle Minimum *
0.9
1.2
-33%
0.9
-0%
0.855 ?(0.7 - 1, n=6)
5%
0.896 ?(0.42 - 2.37, n=159, last 2 years)
-0%
Idle Average *
1.3
1.5
-15%
1.2
8%
1.975 ?(1.1 - 4.02, n=6)
-52%
1.449 ?(0.69 - 4.26, n=159, last 2 years)
-11%
Idle Maximum *
1.9
1.7
11%
1.5
21%
2.22 ?(1.33 - 4.07, n=6)
-17%
1.629 ?(0.79 - 4.45, n=159, last 2 years)
14%
Load Average *
4.6
3.5
24%
4.5
2%
5.56 ?(4.5 - 7.49, n=6)
-21%
5.51 ?(2.3 - 16.5, n=159, last 2 years)
-20%
Load Maximum *
6.8
4.9
28%
5.2
24%
7.58 ?(6.5 - 10.1, n=6)
-11%
8.19 ?(4.32 - 20.8, n=159, last 2 years)
-20%

* ... smaller is better

Power consumption: Geekbench (150 cd/m²)

0123456Tooltip
Xiaomi Poco M5; Geekbench 5.5 Power Consumption 150cd: Ø4.74 (2.91-6.79)
Xiaomi Poco M5; Idle 150cd/m2: Ø1.241 (0.963-1.783)

Power consumption: GFXBench (150 cd/m²)

012345Tooltip
Xiaomi Poco M5; 1920x1080 Aztec Ruins Normal Offscreen: Ø5.17 (4.7-5.89)
Xiaomi Poco M5; Idle 150cd/m2: Ø1.241 (0.963-1.783)

Battery life

The 5,000 mAh battery managed to keep the M5 going for 15 hours and 16 minutes in our Wi-Fi test. This is a great result for a device in this price category. Nonetheless, there are other phones with even longer battery life in our comparison, such as the Motorola Moto G22. The review model should have no problem lasting two days on a single charge with moderate use.

The device also has excellent power management whilst running at full load, so you can expect over six hours of battery life with heavy use.

Battery Runtime
Idle (without WLAN, min brightness)
41h 43min
WiFi Websurfing
15h 16min
Big Buck Bunny H.264 1080p
18h 07min
Load (maximum brightness)
6h 08min
Xiaomi Poco M5
5000 mAh
Samsung Galaxy A13 4G A137F
5000 mAh
Xiaomi Poco C40
6000 mAh
Realme Narzo 50A Prime
5000 mAh
Motorola Moto G22
5000 mAh
Battery Runtime
-2%
18%
-5%
6%
Reader / Idle
2503
2856
14%
2785
11%
H.264
1087
1249
15%
1196
10%
WiFi v1.3
916
896
-2%
1205
32%
874
-5%
1101
20%
Load
368
402
9%
298
-19%

Pros

+ excellent performance for the money
+ zippy storage
+ support for many Bluetooth codecs
+ no throttling under load
+ accurate and fast fingerprint sensor
+ good data transfer rates with Wi-Fi 5
+ charger included in the box

Cons

- no promise of updates
- no 5G support
- squawky speaker
- inaccurate location tracking

Verdict – Decent specs and a lot of power for the money

Reviewed: Xiaomi Poco M5. Review unit kindly provided by:
Reviewed: Xiaomi Poco M5. Review unit kindly provided by:
notebooksbilliger.de

Xiaomi's Poco M5 does what is required of a smartphone that costs around 200 Euro (US$210). It also offers fast and stable Internet connectivity, a high-resolution display, a stylish chassis and, most importantly, a great deal of performance.

Other advantages of the product include support for many Bluetooth codecs, the range of accessories provided (charger included) and the accurate fingerprint sensor.

On the other hand, navigation and location accuracy are not the strong suits of the phone in everyday use. The inexpensive Xiaomi smartphone fails to impress in those aspects. Similarly, the cameras are average at best for a device in this price range, and the speaker sounds very tinny. You should also look elsewhere if you are in the market for a very lightweight smartphone.

The Xiaomi Poco M5 delivers superb performance within its price category and offers great specs for the money. Nevertheless, it also has weaknesses in terms of its cameras, speaker and location tracking capability.

The manufacturer truly managed to pull off a coup with the choice of SoC, making the Poco M5 a great recommendation for budget-conscious consumers who don't want to compromise on performance.

The Poco C40 and Motorola Moto G22 both have longer battery life, but you'll have to make do with significantly less performance. The realme Narzo 50A Prime features very fast storage and charging technology, but lacks NFC support. 

Price and availability

In Germany, the Poco M5 can be purchased directly from the manufacturer at a discounted price of roughly 170 Euro (US$176) for the 64 GB base version. Or you can spend 20 Euro (US$21) more to get the 128 GB model.

The Poco M5 with 128 GB of storage is currently available for just £165 on Amazon.co.uk. You can visit Poco's global website for more information on the phone's international availability.

Xiaomi Poco M5 - 11/24/2022 v7
Florian Schmitt

Chassis
81%
Keyboard
65 / 75 → 87%
Pointing Device
92%
Connectivity
46 / 70 → 66%
Weight
88%
Battery
91%
Display
90%
Games Performance
27 / 64 → 42%
Application Performance
72 / 86 → 84%
Temperature
93%
Noise
100%
Audio
50 / 90 → 56%
Camera
51%
Average
73%
79%
Smartphone - Weighted Average

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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > Reviews > Xiaomi Poco M5 Smartphone review – Affordable phone that packs a lot of power
Florian Schmitt, 2022-11-30 (Update: 2022-11-30)