While the Pro model, understandably, gets most of the bells and whistles, the X7 more than holds its own, offering some truly excellent features at a great price point. The smartphone comes in three colours, the signature POCO yellow, Cosmic Silver (my review unit), and Glacier Green. It packs 8 GB of RAM and up to 256 GB of storage, startiing at ₹21,999.
So, how does the smartphone stack up?
POCO has made the curious choice of implementing a triple-camera rear system on the X7 — a 50MP primary camera, an 8MP ultrawide shooter, and a 2MP macro snapper.
But what immediately stands out is the build quality. The POCO X7 comes with a refreshed design that sports a “3D curved display.” Add to that a curved back panel, and the phone becomes an ergonomic delight — it sits easily in your palm, though I found accidental touches to be a minor issue.
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The glossy finish on the back panel is a fingerprint magnet, but the smudges can be easily wiped off, though it may become tedious to constantly clean your phone if you’re the sort of person to use your smartphone without a case.
The phone is a lightweight, literally, weighing in at 190 grams and measuring only 8.63 mm in thickness. The standout feature, in my opinion, is the triple-combo of IP66, IP68 and IP69 for dust and water resistance, which basically means this device is capable of withstanding significant abuse and carrying on.
The 6.67-inch AMOLED display is a standout feature, boasting a 1,220×2,712 resolution, 120Hz refresh rate, HDR10 certification, and Dolby Vision support. With 3,000 nits of peak brightness, the display delivers vibrant visuals and remains legible even in direct sunlight. The stereo speaker setup complements the display, ensuring an immersive multimedia experience.
Cameras
The main camera captures detailed, vibrant images with slightly boosted colours. Compared to competitors, it offers warmer tones and better colour accuracy. As for portraits, the POCO X7 produces more colours, with decent edge detection. The camera struggles in low light, with softer images, reduced sharpness, and noticeable noise. The AI Night Mode helps but doesn’t fully resolve these issues. The front camera performs well in daylight but smoothens facial details. In low light, selfies are softer with visible noise.
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Performance and software
Powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 7300 Ultra chipset, the POCO X7 handles daily tasks like streaming, browsing, and social media with ease. However, it does struggle in more demanding scenarios, with noticeable frame drops and touch delays during gaming sessions. That said, the heat management is in a class of its own.
The phone runs Android 14-based HyperOS and boasts AI features like Google Gemini and Photomoji. While the software is generally smooth, the presence of 65 pre-installed apps makes the experience feel cluttered. Thankfully, they can be uninstalled.
POCO promises three years of OS updates and four years of security patches. However, since the device ships with Android 14 and with HyperOS 2.0 around the corner, this could mean just two major Android updates.
Battery and charging
The POCO X7 packs a 5,500mAh battery and supports 45W fast charging. The battery easily lasts a full day with moderate usage. Personally, the lack of superfast charging is never an issue, but I appreciate that there are those who would prefer a quick popup, and in that department, the POCO X7 somewhat falls short.
The verdict
The POCO X7 5G is a well-rounded smartphone with a premium design, excellent display, and decent daylight camera performance. Its battery life and multimedia capabilities make it a strong contender in its price range.
