Poco M7 Pro: Affordable Powerhouse with Impressive Features

The Poco M7 Pro was released in India in December as a mid-range budget smartphone, and we recently had the opportunity to test it. It’s impressive to see just how much value contemporary smartphones provide at affordable price points, especially those priced under Rs. 15,000, which is the price of the entry-level variant of this latest Poco device. For that price, you are getting a spacious AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate, a 5,110mAh battery, an efficient mid-range processor, and a dual rear camera system that includes a 50-megapixel primary lens.

Poco has carved a niche for itself in the budget and mid-range market while also releasing impressive higher mid-range devices like the Poco X7 Pro. On paper, the M7 Pro appears to be a fantastic deal, but how does it perform in everyday use? Keep reading to discover more.

Included in the package is a 45W charger, a protective case, and standard documentation

 

The starting model is available for Rs. 14,999 and comes with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage. The variant with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage will cost Rs. 16,999.

Design of the Poco M7 Pro

The Poco M7 Pro is available in three colors: Lavender Frost, Lunar Dust, and Olive Twilight. We reviewed the Lunar Dust variant (8GB RAM + 256GB storage), which is quite striking. The device features a dual-tone rear design, with a moon dust/sandwave texture on one half and a matte finish on the other. This combination is distinctive and, when paired with the square camera module, imparts a premium appearance to the phone.

The device boasts a dual-speaker configuration

 

Poco branding is evident on the camera module, along with a 5G emblem at the bottom. The camera module is not overly protruding and has smooth edges, enhancing its aesthetic. The rear panel and frame, both of which feature a matte finish, are made of plastic.

It carries an IP64 rating

 

Weighing 190 grams, the phone is relatively lightweight and measures just 7.99mm in thickness. It also comes with an IP64 rating, which is a step up from the M6 Pro’s IP52. The volume rocker and power button are located on the right side. At the bottom, you’ll find a USB Type-C port, a microphone, the loudspeaker, and the SIM card tray. The device’s top houses a 3.5mm headphone jack, an additional microphone, another speaker, and an IR blaster.

The smartphone includes a 3.5mm headphone jack and an IR blaster

 

On the front, you’ll find a 6.67-inch AMOLED display with slim bezels on the sides and a slightly wider bezel on the bottom. Poco claims a 92 percent screen-to-body ratio for this phone.

The display features minimal bezels

 

The display boasts a peak brightness of 2,100 nits, a 120Hz refresh rate, and a full-HD+ resolution. Poco has utilized Gorilla Glass 5 for added protection.

Performance of the Poco M7 Pro

The display on the Poco M7 Pro is well-suited for consuming content and gaming. Users have the option to choose from three color profiles and enjoy Dolby Vision and HDR10+ support. The device allows switching between 60Hz and 120Hz refresh rates or using the default adaptive setting. With a peak brightness of 2,100 nits, visibility indoors is excellent, making it easy to read even under direct sunlight.

The display reaches a peak brightness of 2,100 nits

 

Running on Android 14 with Xiaomi’s HyperOS skin, the phone comes loaded with numerous pre-installed apps and some bloatware, most of which can be removed. Poco promises a two-year span for OS updates, meaning it will cease receiving updates after Android 16. Fortunately, the device is expected to receive four years of security patches. UI animations, scrolling, and general navigation were fluid throughout my testing, with no significant lag during standard usage.

The device runs with HyperOS based on Android 14 right out of the box

 

Regarding performance, the Poco M7 Pro handled daily tasks effectively. It is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 7025 Ultra chipset, coupled with up to 8GB of RAM and 256GB of UFS 2.2 storage. Although this chipset isn’t exceptionally powerful, it performs adequately for everyday tasks and even gaming. I conducted some benchmarking tests on the device, and the results are outlined below.

Benchmarks	Poco M7 Pro	Motorola G64
Geekbench Single	942	1,012
Geekbench Multi	2,235	2,403
PCMark Work 3.0	10,661	13,920
AnTuTu v10	4,77,196	4,94,364
GFXB T-rex	57	70
GFXB Manhattan 3.1	29	33
GFXB Car Chase	16	18
3DM Slingshot Extreme OpenGL	2,435	2,590
3DM Slingshot	3,261	3,379
3DM Wild Life	Not supported	Not supported
3DM Wild Life Unlimited	Not supported	Not supported

The gaming experience was also satisfactory on the device. I played BGMI and Asphalt 9, and both ran smoothly on medium settings without any issues. The touch response was accurate, and there were no complaints.

Featuring a dual speaker system, the M7 Pro delivers decent audio quality. The sound volume is impressive and remains clear even at high levels, though it could benefit from more depth. Call quality was good, and I did not experience random drop-offs. Both the microphone and earpiece functions were reliable.

The device is equipped with a 20-megapixel selfie camera located in a hole-punch cutout

 

Regarding the camera capabilities, Poco has incorporated a 50-megapixel Sony LYT-600 sensor on the rear with OIS and an f/1.7 aperture, along with a secondary 2-megapixel depth sensor and a 20-megapixel front camera. The primary rear camera delivers commendable photo quality in good lighting, with details, true colors, dynamic range, and satisfactory white balance. It performs reasonably well in low-light settings, capturing some detail but with increased noise.

From top to bottom: Samples from Main rear camera (2), 2x zoom (2) [Tap to expand]

 

The 2x zoom and portrait photographs turned out well, featuring mostly accurate skin tones and effective edge detection. Selfies captured good details and natural tones, but primarily in well-lit environments. Low-light performance was acceptable and usable when appropriate lighting was present.

Low-light samples: Top (primary camera), bottom (2x zoom) [Tap to expand]

 

In terms of video recording, the device supports 1080p at 30fps for both the rear and front cameras. The rear camera video quality is decent, providing good details and color reproduction. However, stabilization is lacking during significant movements or rapid panning. The front camera performs adequately in daylight settings.

Selfies turn out well in bright conditions

 

Turning to battery life and charging, the Poco M7 Pro is equipped with a 5,100mAh battery that supports 45W fast charging. The charger is included in the package. During our HD video loop test, the phone managed to last approximately 18 hours. Fully charging the device took around 1 hour and 10 minutes.

Final Thoughts on the Poco M7 Pro

Overall, the Poco M7 Pro provides good value for its price. It presents multiple enhancements over its predecessor and is a competent device. The expansive AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate, solid primary rear camera, and reliable performance position it as a leading competitor in its category. The software experience and low-light photography might be points of concern, but overall, it stands out as a robust budget-friendly mid-range smartphone.

For alternatives, consider the Motorola G64 (Review), which offers slightly superior performance and better software. Another option is the iQOO Z9x (Review), which provides enhanced performance, or the Redmi Note 14 5G, that presents mostly comparable specifications with a 108-megapixel main rear camera and an ultra-wide sensor. However, the latter comes at a slightly higher price point.