POCO M4 PRO - This SMARTPHONE changes the vision of everything
As already mentioned for POCO X4 PRO 5G also the POCO M4 PRO is a copy of another terminal that we have already seen and reviewed, namely the Redmi Notes 11S, except for some small details. Compared to the previous review, however, I opened my mind and wanted to confront the new terminal of the brand in a more correct way, thinking it for the user to whom it is intended. What came out I will tell you in this review.
On offer on Amazon
As usual we start from the unboxing experience, which remains quite satisfying, considering that inside the sales package we already find everything you need to start using the smartphone, with the exception of wired headphones. Inside, therefore, we will find:
- POCO M4 PRO;
- Battery charger with European socket and max 33W output;
- USB Type-C cable for charging and data transfer;
- Pin for removing the SIM tray;
- Manuals and warranty;
- Transparent silicone cover;
- Plastic film to protect the screen already applied by the company.
SAR-Value: Head: 0,592 W / Kg, Body: 0.845 W / Kg (distance 5 mm).
The similarities of POCO M4 PRO with the older brother are many, at times iconic even if a little tacky, I am referring to the eye-catching bumper camera in which only 3 optics and an LED flash are hidden as well as the eye-catching writing POCO, while the shell is made of plastic, shiny but free from oleophobic treatment, thus going to dirty and retain fingerprints as if there was no tomorrow.
The side frame is also made of plastic, but all in all it is not really a bad thing, as it increases the grip with the device considering the dimensions at the limit of manageability, equal to 159,87 x 73,87 x 8,09 mm and a weight of 179,5 grams.
Despite the plastics, I have to admit that POCO M4 PRO is well assembled as well as offering a good equipment that sees the IR transmitter, the 3,5 mm jack, the second microphone for reducing the hiss in call as protagonist on the upper profile and the first of the two stereo speakers that boast the telephone, independent of the ear capsule.
The second speaker is located on the lower profile accompanied by the Type-C charging port with OTG support (no video output) and the main microphone. On the right frame, on the other hand, the volume rocker and the power button are positioned, which also incorporates the biometric sensor for unlocking the device, a technology that, although it may not be exactly up to date, always remains reliable and quick in its task and it is also possible to associate some quick functions with him, such as the recall of the calculator, the flashlight, voice assistant, etc. Finally on the left there is the SIM cart, which allows you to use two SIM cards in nano format at the same time, as well as offering one memory expansion micro SD slot with support up to 1TB.
Taking immediately into analysis the sound quality, released through the two stereo speakers, this is decidedly good, with generous volume without distortions at the highest levels and all in all also a good dose of bass. Even in speakerphone, always stereo type, the call quality is crystal clear and never robotic or muffled. The connectivity of POCO M4 PRO instead is only of the 4G LTE type and, at least in my specific case, I have never been able to travel in 4G +, but all in all the browsing speeds are so good that I do not regret the absence of 5G.
It is on the front that this device gives its best, offering a 6,43-inch AMOLED screen with HD + resolution and 90 Hz refresh rate, the latter not of the dynamic type, but overall this makes it even more fluid and satisfying the playful experience in general, also counting on a sampling frequency at the touch of 180 Hz and DCI-P3 support.
Unfortunately there is no support for HDR content but the Widevine L1 DRM is well present with recognition on platforms such as Prime Video, thus benefiting from high definition streaming. Good peak brightness that reaches 1000 nits with excellent readability of screen contents under direct sunlight, on the contrary the brightness sensor is a bit "stingy" in dark conditions. The proximity sensor also reacts well but in reality what I want to express is the excellent color calibration of the panel, without having to use the settings available through the MIUI 13 software. I must instead make a criticism of the vibration feedback when pressed, a little too noisy.
POCO M4 PRO is an economic device or rather, offered at the right price and with the right hardware, perhaps not for fanatics of the technical data sheet but still equipped with elements that make the smartphone run at its best. Under the body we find the MediaTek Helio G96 processor, an SoC with 12nm production process, octa-core solution with maximum clock at 2.05 GHz flanked by 6/8 GB of LPDDR4X RAM and 128/256 GB of UFS 2.2 storage, while the GPU is the dear Mali-G57 MC2.
Leaving aside the benchmarks, which often do not give the right perception of the tested device, in everyday life the POCO M4 PRO carries out every required task, without signs of uncertainty and / or slowdowns. Gaming is also brought home, albeit with more avid titles such as Call of Duty Mobile and Asphalt 9, the graphic details are not at the highest levels, but the frame rate is always constant and the performances never suffer from freezing or overheating.
The good result obtained with the performance by POCO M4 PRO is certainly also due to the software, still based on Android 11 with January patch but with MIUI 13 graphic interface. to general optimization.
All this also has a positive effect on the autonomy that really goes beyond all limits, using a 5000 mAh battery, supporting fast charging at 33W which in about an hour gives you 100% charge. Apart from this, the average user can easily take home two full days of use, but even the most geek could arrive in the evening without problems with still a good 25/30% of remaining charge. I personally have exceeded 7 hours of active screen.
Croce e delizia is the photographic sector of POCO M4 PRO, which in general won me over, at least for the results obtained during the day. Everything is achieved by means of 3 lenses, the main one being a 64 MP, f / 1,8 unit with PDAF focus but without optical stabilization and 4 in 1 pixel binning technology, which is accompanied by an ultra- wide 8 MP, f / 2.2 and 118 ° FOV as well as a 2 MP, f / 2,4 Macro lens, placed overall more for marketing than for utility.
That said, the shots obtained are beautifully detailed and with balanced and realistic colors, with good definition even if we make some image crops. The wide-angle camera puts us in front of some compromises, but nothing so serious if not for less bright and less defined shots. The night mode is present at the software level, but this only for the primary room, but most of the tools we already know from the MIUI stock camera remain.
MACRO MACRO
What I really can't digest is the only possibility to record videos at 1080p 30fps, despite the hardware that allows us to go further, all with results that are sometimes painful if combined with the absence of stabilization. The 16 MP selfie camera, in some scenarios, works even better than the rear one, but above all in general I liked the portrait effect, very cinematic. Overall a good budget camera phone in relation to the selling price.
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Finally to complete the overall picture of the smartphone, I add that POCO M4 PRO offers an excellent Bluetooth 5.0 module, WiFI 802.11a / b / g / n / ac, GPS with coupling of Galileo and NFC satellites with full support for Google Pay and similar to transform the smartphone into a digital wallet.
On offer on Amazon
PROJECTED IMPACT
As mentioned at the beginning of the article, POCO M4 PRO is aimed at average users, which does not mean being satisfied, quite the contrary. The device of the Asian brand manages to enhance the user experience at 360 degrees, giving satisfactions above the competitors. Perhaps the price clashes with that of the 5G variant, which came out on the market some time ago and which perhaps convinces more also for the technical data sheet, but overall POCO M4 PRO is a device that I promote and that I recommend, on the other hand, under 200 euros you will hardly find better.
Telephone with major deficiencies:
- the data connection is very slow, it does not have 4G +, many times it is difficult to go beyond a few Mbps.
- the proximity sensor is missing and the screen does not always turn off
- the ear capsule does not allow for privacy, the sound can be heard from the outside
are the foundation for a decent phone.
Hello, in the meantime, congratulations on your review, I would like to know if you hear the fm radio. Thank you