Poco M5 vs Xiaomi Redmi Note 12 4G: Comparison

A Comparison Of The Poco M5 and Xiaomi Redmi Note 12 4G Smartphones

The tech industry is constantly innovating, and new smartphones are released nearly every month. These two models, the Poco M5 and Xiaomi Redmi Note 12 4G, are both mid-range phones with a release date of September 2022 for the Poco and March 2023 for the Xiaomi. Though they have similarities, some differences between the two make them appropriate for different users.

Design & Materials

At first glance, the two phones have a similar design, with both having an 83.2% usable surface for the Poco and 84.9% for the Xiaomi. Both are plastic or metal constructions as well. However, the display on the Xiaomi has an AMOLED technology while the Poco’s uses LCD IPS. The Xiaomi also features Corning Gorilla Glass 3, compared to the Poco’s unspecified protective coating. In addition, the Xiaomi has a higher resolution (1080x2400 FHD+) and peak brightness (1200 cd/m²), as well as a high contrast ratio (4500000:1) as opposed to the Poco (1080x2408 FHD+ @ 500 cd/m², 1500:1 contrast ratio).

Hardware

The hardware offered by the two models is quite different. The Poco runs on a MediaTek Helio G99 (MT6789) (6nm) processor while the Xiaomi uses a Qualcomm Snapdragon 685 (SM6225) (6nm) chipset. Both have the same RAM options of 4GB, 6GB, or 8GB LPDDR4X RAM; however, the Poco only offers 64GB and 128GB UFS Storage 2.2 while the Xiaomi supports 64GB, 128GB or 256GB UFS Storage 2.2. On the benchmarking test AnTuTu, the Poco scored a higher mark of 355000 compared to the Xiaomi’s 287964.

Camera

For photography, both phones offer a triple-camera setup with a 50.0Mpx standard lens, and portrait mode depth sensing camera setup with a 2.0Mpx lens for each model. The Poco has a 2.0Mpx macro lens while the Xiaomi has an 8.0Mpx Omnivision OV08D10 wide angle lens instead. The selfie cameras are 5.0Mpx on the Poco and 13.0Mpx on the Xiaomi. The Poco has a higher aperture size (f/2.2) for the selfie lens, but the Xiaomi has the larger pixel size (1.120µm). The Poco supports 4K video recording while the Xiaomi does not.

Connectivity

Both phones have Bluetooth 5.0, dual SIM, audio jack, and infrared capabilities. The Poco also features NFC connectivity.

Battery

The two phones both offer 5000mAh batteries. While the Poco offers an 18.0W fast charge, the Xiaomi supports a faster 33.0W charger. One additional feature unique to the Xiaomi is reverse charging.

In conclusion, the Poco M5 and Xiaomi Redmi Note 12 4G share some common traits, but their differences are worth noting. The Poco's superior processor and benchmarking score, along with its additional connectivity feature and 4K video support, may make it the more powerful option for gamers and tech-savvy users, while the Xiaomi has some better camera features and faster charging that may make it the better choice for photography and those with busy lives. The decision ultimately depends on the user's needs.