During a livestreamed launch event today, Xiaomi unveiled the latest in its affordable range of Poco phones. Powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 732G, the Poco X3 NFC is a mid-ranger that features an Adreno 618 Elite Gaming GPU with liquid cooling for the mobile gamers out there. An impressive spec sheet is coupled with a remarkably low price as the base model costs just €229 (£199).

Its large punch-hole 6.67-inch LCD display only offers FHD+ resolution, but with 120Hz refresh rate and 240Hz touch sampling — many more expensive phones fail to match those numbers. Battery life ought to be a concern, but Xiaomi is promising two days from the 5,160mAh cell. You might need to use the dynamic refresh rate setting to eke that much out, though. With 33W charging, it only takes 65 minutes for a full charge, or 30 mins for around 62%.

SPECS

SoC

Qualcomm Snapdragon 732G with Adreno 618 Elite Gaming GPU

RAM

6GB

Storage

64 or 128GB (expandable up to 256GB)

Display

6.67” FHD+ LCD DotDisplay, 20:9, 2400x1080, 395ppi, 120Hz refresh rate, 240Hz touch sampling rate, HDR10

Rear cameras

- 64MP main wide sensor (Sony IMX682), 1/1.73“ sensor, f/1.89, 1.6μm 4-in-1 Super Pixel, 6P lens
- 13MP ultra wide-angle sensor, 119° FoV, f/2.2, 1.0μm
- 2MP macro sensor, f/2.4, 1.75μm, 4cm
- 2MP depth sensor f/2.4, 1.75μm

Front camera

20MP, f/2.2, 1.6μm 4-in-1 Super Pixel

Battery

5,160mAh with 33W fast charging

Software

MIUI 12 for POCO, based on Android 10

Headphone jack

Yes

Other

NFC, IP53 (splash-resistant), side-mounted fingerprint sensor, dual stereo speakers, BT 5.1, WiFi 5

Dimensions

165.3mm x 76.8mm x 9.4mm

Weight

215g

Colors

Shadow Gray, Cobalt Blue

In the box

33W charger, USB-C cable

Price

€229/€269 (£199/£249)

As well as liquid cooling, the Poco X3 includes an enlarged copper heat pipe with multiple layers of graphite for further heat reduction — Xiaomi really means business here it seems. Other gaming features like Game Turbo 3.0 performance boosting and a Z-axis linear haptic motor are also talked up. The camera system is headed up by a 64MP wide main sensor and backed up by a 13MP ultra-wide. Of less importance are the 2MP macro and depth sensors. Don't expect a premium feeling handset, as the rear panel is made from polycarbonate, although the frame is aluminum alloy and there's 2.5D Gorilla Glass 5 on the front.

The POCO X3 NFC comes in two configurations — 6/64GB and 6/128GB — and two color options, Shadow Grey or Cobalt Blue. The base model costs just €229 (£199) or you can double the storage for €269 (£249). Grab one from September 17 on mi.com or Amazon. Early bird pricing in certain regions will allow you to get the X3 for just €199 or €249.

UPDATE: 2020/09/22 3:15am PDT BY SCOTT SCRIVENS

India pricing

A variant of the Poco X3 without NFC is being released in India. Aside from the lack of that mobile payment chip and a larger 6,000mAh battery, the specs are much the same. Pricing starts at INR 16,999 for 6/64GB, then INR 18,499 for 6/128GB, and finally INR 19,999 for 8/128GB. It goes on sale at 12:00 on September 29 — head to Flipkart to grab one.