Here is our review for the Poco C3. (Express Photo: Karanveer Singh Arora)It has been over two years since the launch of Poco F1. Since then the company has launched multiple smartphones globally, at a number of price ranges. Poco C3 is one of the company’s most competitive smartphone starting at Rs 7,499. The device does come with good specifications and build for the price. In the Indian market, it will compete against the similarly specced Redmi 9A and the Realme C11. Here is our review for the Poco C3.
Poco C3 Specifications: 6.53-inch HD+ display | MediaTek Helio G35 processor | 3GB/4GB RAM | 32GB/64GB internal storage | 13MP + 2MP macro lens + 2MP depth sensor triple-camera setup on the back | 5MP front camera | 5,000mAh battery | MIUI 12 based on Android 10 |
Poco C3 Price: Rs 7,499 – 3GB RAM/32GB storage | Rs 8,999 – 4GB RAM/64GB storage
Poco C3 Review: What could make you buy it?
One of the best things about Poco phones is that, they do not show any ads or promotional content. During my usage, I did not get to see a single advertisement in the UI. And yes, Poco C3 still runs MIUI, which means there is the inevitable presence of bloatware apps like GetApps, Zili, ShareMe and more. The good thing is that most of these can be deleted.
The device does come with good specifications and build for the price. (Express Photo: Karanveer Singh Arora)
If you are to use Poco C3 as a daily driver to make calls, reply to texts, browse social media and watch YouTube videos, it is a good phone, with minor hiccups here and there. I was able to watch YouTube videos and browse the web easily on it, when there was not much data loaded on to the device. However, after transferring my data, it did seem to get a bit sluggish.
Even though the device had a sluggish experience, it can play some games in the lowest graphic setting quite smoothly, Call of Duty: Mobile being an apt example. But some games like Shadowgun Legends struggled a lot during my gaming sessions. Still, this is a budget phone and should not expect top-notch gaming experience. One thing I did enjoy during my gaming experience was the sound. The speaker does manage to get pretty loud and for the price range.
The device comes with a triple camera setup on the back. (Express Photo: Karanveer Singh Arora)
Poco C3’s 5,000mAh battery easily lasts for around two days in normal day-to-day usage. While heavy usage does drain the battery rather quickly making it last for a single day. During the review period, I was running games, making calls, using my secondary WhatsApp, browsing Instagram and more on the phone.
I do not expect anything stellar from smartphones under Rs 10,000, when it comes to photography. And the Poco C3 just like most other sub 10,000 smartphones, was not able to surprise me. Poco C3 manages to take good photos when it comes to shooting in good lighting conditions. The images had good detailing and colours, but while using the HDR mode, the photos did come out a bit overexposed. The front camera module took usable pictures in good lighting conditions, which you can share on social media. However, in low light conditions, the image quality suffers.
I do not expect anything stellar from smartphones under Rs 10,000, when it comes to photography. (Express Photo: Karanveer Singh Arora)
Poco C3 manages to take good photos when it comes to shooting in good lighting conditions. (Express Photo: Karanveer Singh Arora)
The images had good detailing and colours, but while using the HDR mode, the photos did come out a bit overexposed. (Express Photo: Karanveer Singh Arora)
The portrait mode was a hit and miss situation. (Express Photo: Karanveer Singh Arora)
While using the HDR mode, the photos did come out a bit overexposed. (Express Photo: Karanveer Singh Arora)
In low light conditions, the image quality suffers. (Express Photo: Karanveer Singh Arora)
The images had good detailing and colours. (Express Photo: Karanveer Singh Arora)
The front camera module took usable pictures in good lighting conditions, which you can share on social media. (Express Photo: Karanveer Singh Arora)
Poco C3 Review: What to keep in mind if you buy
Poco C3 is a pretty large smartphone, which could be a good thing for people wanting to play games or watch movies on it. But for a person, who is just trying to get through the day, it is not a comfortable phone to carry around. It sports a 6.53-inch display, which makes it very hard to use single-handedly. Moreover, the HD+ resolution display is not as bright or vibrant as I would have preferred. It is adequate indoors, but under the sun seems to badly wash out. The Panda Glass does provide some protection, but is not very scratch resistant, catching them rather easily.
Poco C3 is a pretty large smartphone, which could be a good thing for people wanting to play games or watch movies on it. (Express Photo: Karanveer Singh Arora)
The build quality of the phone is quite good with a plastic frame. I had the blue colour option for review, and it is a bit too punchy for my taste. I would rather recommend getting the matte black version.
Coming to the performance, with 4GB of RAM, I thought using the Poco C3 would not be much of a hindrance. However, I found the device to have minor lags and stutter throughout the experience. You can try reducing the animations, but that is not of much help. Even though the phone can last you two days, the charging time is very slow.
If you are looking for a base Android phone to get you through the day and are not planning on doing too much heavy-duty gaming. (Express Photo: Karanveer Singh Arora)
The portrait mode was a hit and miss situation. As sometimes the images did come out good, but most of the times, they would come out with blurred out edges or an overall haze.
Poco C3 Review: Who should buy it and why?
If you are looking for a base Android phone to get you through the day and are not planning on doing too much heavy duty gaming, then you can think of getting the Poco C3. However, if you plan on doing something more than that, then getting a different smartphone like the Redmi 9 Prime feels like a much better option.