Poco M5 review

Design and handling

The Poco M5 has a distinguishable design, which is an easy task nowadays as most smartphones look the same, but it takes some boldness. The Poco M5 adopts a two-tone design with a slightly protruding glossy panel spanning across the device's width, which in turn houses the three cameras on the back. The build is absolutely identical to the Poco M4 5G's, except that this time around, we have three cameras instead of two.

The rest of the back is also made of plastic, but it's not your ordinary finish. This one tries to imitate a leather material by incorporating a leather-like pattern. The plastic material is just a notch softer, so the attempt at the faux leather feel is definitely a success, especially given the handset's price. The grip is also pretty nice and less slippery than your average plastic glossy smartphone.

Unfortunately, fingerprints and fine dust are an issue. The fine texture invites dirt and grease to get stuck between the grooves. We received the Black option, but we suspect the Yellow and Blue variants will have the same issue.

The sides follow a modern design trend. They are flat with sharp edges and successfully imitate anodized aluminum. They are still plastic, but Xiaomi pulled off this imitation too. Despite the sharp edges, the back transitions seamlessly into the side frame - extra bonus points for build quality. However, the same cannot be said about the front panel. It forms a deep ridge with the side frame.

Xiaomi Poco M5

The left is where the SIM card/microSD tray is, while the right houses the power key that doubles as a fingerprint reader and the volume rocker. The power key is just within the thumb's reach, but the volume rocker asks you to reach out a little bit. The 3.5mm jack is here to stay, and it's placed on the top along with the IR blaster. Of course, you will find the speaker grille and the USB-C connector at the bottom.

To our surprise, the front looks pretty good for a budget device. The side bezels are decently thin, and so are the top and bottom ones. The notch cutout for the front-facing camera isn't very obstructive, and Xiaomi was able to include proper proximity and light sensors at the top, which aren't a given in this price category.

The Poco M5 is super easy to handle and feels sturdy and grippy. It is a little hefty for a 6.58-inch device built out of plastic - 200 grams. And it's a little top-heavy. But that's just us being nit-picky. The Poco M5 has an excellent build for the price. Being splash-resistant is a noteworthy bonus.