Poco X7 (Global) review

The competition

The Poco lineup has been completely integrated into Xiaomi's portfolio. Even Poco's website has been shut down to bring all Xiaomi phones under one roof.

The global model of the Poco X7 (with a 5110mAh battery) appears as a strong midrange contender, priced at $249/€300/£250 for the 8/256GB model and $299/€350/£299 for the 12/512GB model.

In India, the Poco X7 model with a a 5500mAh battery costs INR25,000 for the 8/128GB model and INR28,000 for the 8/256GB model.

The ongoing early bird prices offer nice discounts on the prices in all regions.

When we look at the market context, we can't miss mentioning the Indian Redmi Note 14 Pro 5G, which is an identical twin to the Indian Poco X7 and goes for pretty much the same price.

The global Redmi Note 14 Pro 5G does not match the specs of the global Poco X7 entirely as it has a 200MP camera but it is also expected to be considerably more expensive.

The Motorola Edge 50 Neo price is between €300 and €350. It has a slightly smaller display of similar quality, a sturdy build, the same hardware as the Poco X7, but what really gives it an edge are the more premium cameras - a 50MP OIS primary with a larger sensor, a 10MP 3x OIS telephoto, a 13MP AF ultrawide, and a 32MP selfie with 4K capturing. The phone also supports 68W wired and 15W wireless charging.

In the same price segment, the Galaxy A55 is a classic choice for the One UI fans and the Samsung ecosystem. It costs around €330, and it will give you a better camera experience, longer battery life, and a more premium design with an aluminum frame.

Finally, back to Xiaomi - the price of the Redmi Note 13 Pro+ has dropped down to €330 or so, which makes it a nice deal. It has a similar display and hardware but a better main camera and much faster charging.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 14 Pro • Motorola Edge 50 Neo • Samsung Galaxy A55 • Xiaomi Redmi Note 13 Pro+

Our verdict

The Poco X7 is not a major step up from the Poco X6. It comes with a refreshed design, a newer chipset and a better camera, but the complete water resistance and the enhanced shock absorption are probably the most notable improvements.

Still, if you are not coming from a Poco X6 or Redmi Note 14 Pro, the Poco X7 will impress you with design, screen and even performance. We found its battery life and charging good enough, and its rich connectivity options are a big plus.

The Poco X7 main camera does not live up to our expectations as it didn't offer a lossless 2x zoom, which was available on the Poco X6 (with a solid 4x option even, too).

While the Poco X7 Pro comes with HyperOS 2 and Android 15, the X7 comes with HyperOS 1 and Android 14, which means one less major upgrade for this phone. This is a trick we wholeheartedly do not approve of.

At the end of the day, it all comes down to this - is the Poco X7 a good device? Yes, it is. The phone has a well-rounded specs sheet and delivers on most of its promises. It is good for multimedia, games and even snaps on the go and that might be enough to warrant the price tag of €299. Still, you can find better deals even in Xiaomi's portfolio - especially in last year's Redmi Note 13 series. Hopefully, with time, as the price of the Poco X7 goes down, it will become a good deal itself.

Pros

• IP68 waterproof, improved drop resistance.
• Available as an eco leather model with a stand-out design.
• Great AMOLED, high-res, 120Hz, Dolby Vision.
• Good day-to-day performance.
• Reliable cameras day and night.
• Rich connectivity options.

Cons

• Slower charging that the X6.
• Below par web browsing battery time.
• Doesn't come with Android 15/HyperOS 2 out of the box like the X7 Pro.
• Video stabilization not very good for walking.
• Virtual proximity sensor.