The choice is pretty simple. If you don't care about gaming or only play a little but you value the cameras, software support and clean UI a lot, go with the PIXEL! If you care about gaming, fast charging battery, more storage and a more modern look with small bezels etc go with the F5! The question here is, the F5 can be had in Europe for €350 and the 7a costs €450, that's 100 more...and the F5 has 256 storage, so keep that in mind....
i moved from a mi 11t pro to a pixel 7 and night and day diferent i kinda miss the 18 min 0-100% charge but aq side from that the pixel is alot smooder and the system is way better not to talk about the cameras
I agree Prometheus! I do love Xiaomi's charging speeds, but I'll take the Pixel 7 or 7 Pro over the 11T Pro any day (with gaming being the exception). The Pixel's software is certainly better and they quickly handle bugs, most of the time. I'm hoping that the 8 series will be 120hz refresh rates only. 90hz doesn't make sense for a $500 device anymore.
Hello Arijit! The F5 has a decent camera. At that price point, the F5 is probably the best value. Unless you can find a great deal on a used S23 or OnePlus 11.
@@phonecomp thanks a lot sir, will I be able to take good photos by installing gcam in poco F5, is it as good as the other camera phones in the same budget?
Watching on my Poco F3. I would like to try a Pixel unfortunately it's not available here in the Philippines. So far Poco gives a lot of power at a fraction of a cost that's why it's a hit here in our country. Great video I hope your channel grows bigger.
Hello Martin! Thank you very much, and I agree--Poco phones offer so much at a mid range price, it's hard to beat. I hope Google will offer Pixel's in the Philippines soon --they definitely have a different set of strengths than the F5. Can I ask, which is more popular in the Philippines: Poco or Realme?
I have a Pixel 7 pro and used the Poco F3 for about two years. That thing was a beast. I still miss the faster physical fingerprint sensor, better battery and charging speeds. Try a pixel but Poco is a much better bang for your buck.
New discount code for Wireless Place!: PHONECOMP10 Thank you so much for watching this Pixel 7a vs Poco F5 Review! If you have any questions, comments, peanut butter fudge recipes, etc., please leave a comment below. If you found this video helpful, please give it a like--it really helps!
i don’t know anymore, there’s things that i want to have in poco f5 but also in pixel 7a at the same time. so its like im taking a risk rn. i prefer good camera but also i want a best processor which pocf5 has. also im afraid that 7a will heat up while poco f5 isn’t the best in camera. wdyt what advice will u give me? im from the philippines btw
Watching this on Poco F5.. great value for money here in the Philippines...Pixel 7a's 5g, VoLTE, and other suff doesn't work since it's not officially sold here.. and RMA would be very hard.
Hello Ardigi! I completely agree that it's a great value and a good improvement over the F4. Interesting that we have opposite problems - I have great support and connectivity for the Pixel in the states, but not for the F5. I hope Google will expand the Pixel line to the Philippines! They are definitely phones worth considering. Have any Pixels ever been released in the Philippines? Like the 4a?
@@phonecomp no. Not at all.. there's never been an official seller of Pixel phone's.. but there are sellers who get it from US or JP then sell it here.. buy RMA would be a hassle since you'll have to send it back to US.. But still, there's a good number of Pixel lovers here starting maybe from Pixel 3 series or previous models.. Pixel community here is looking forward to have an official Pixel store or seller..😁
Hello NB! I used to do that! I should include those tests again. No one ever commented about it, so I figured viewers didn't care. Thanks for letting me know!
I really loved the video if you could do a Poco f5 pro vs Poco f5 it will be appreciated and in some cases I prefer the f5 to the pexel but where the pixel always wins is the camera
Hello LIVINUSROY! I am curious about the F5 Pro, I may have to give it a try. Definitely agree that the Pixel is winning in the photo category (video too). I'm glad you loved the video!
Hey, i have a question, many people seem dont like the miui os. What if i install custom rom like Evox on F5, will it be as smooth as the pixel os in the real Pixel phone? I am wondering this. Is evox smooth as smooth as real pixel ui in real pixel phone?
Hello Rock! I've never flashed Evox on a device yet, so I can't say. But many other people have commented about going with the F5 and then flashing a custom rom, so I think it's a popular option. Sorry I can't be of more help!
Hello Christian! I've never made a UA-cam short, but I do need to update my GCam install guide. I'll look into that! In the meantime, the documentation in the link from the video description was pretty thorough (not as good as a video for sure), I think you could trial and error your way through it.
Honestly if not for the OS then it would be a no brainer for me and I'd go for f5.. with the OS in mind.. I'll still go for f5 but think about a custom rom
Hello Suvvri! That makes sense. If you take away OS and software support, then camera is the only significant advantage for the Pixel. The F5 was a nice improvement this year--i can't wait to see what the F6 can do.
@phonecomp How about google pixel 7 vs PoCo f5? Which one is better ? The picture quality of poco f5 seems super bad for a modern phone ? Is there any phone around that price point is good ?
Hello Ban, the Pixel 7 is a great phone, but not a huge leap over the 7a. I would take it over the Poco, but for the same reasons I would take the 7a over the Poco. It really just comes down to what mix of software and hardware you prefer. In terms of price to overall performance though, Poco is hard to beat. The Nothing Phone 1 is nicely priced now with a better camera than the F5, and better version of Android (in my opinion), plus a nice screen that beats the Pixel 7a. The OnePlus 10T is a great gaming performance phone with again abetter version of Android than the F5, but a weak camera. It's a tough price bracket.
Hello Plikis, there are many people who still prefer the side mounted scanner. I totally understand, since they are more reliable and generally quicker. I just enjoy the in screen location.
T-Mobile, and the other carriers that use their network, generally allow the widest range of global phones in the US. Please let me know if you have any issues! You might have to enable VoLTE with a dialer code (super simple), I just can't remember if I had to do that on the F5.
Hello Mashreef! I'm sorry to hear that! There seem to be more GCam compatibility issues these days--I usually end up testing between 10-15 ports before settling on the least buggy. Have you tried installing a compatible config file for your port?
Hi, I'd like to know what kind of audio tool you use when recording your YT videos as the sound quality is so good and I don't see any microphone, at least not the shot. Also, do you have to do any post for noise reduction? If yes, what software do you use?
Hello Shine! I'm glad you like the audio. I'm not particularly happy with it, but I just use an old rode video mic that's about 10 inches above my head. That feeds my GarageBand on my MacBook with 0 processing applied. I then apply noise reduction and 4 different parametric and graphic eqs in Davinci Resolve. I also apply compression in Resolve. Hopefully that helps!
Hello first of all nice video I am going with one of this phone the difference in my country is around 70 euro with poco f5 being cheaper just wanted to ask since I am playing games like genshin just wanted to ask did you find poco f5 overheating ? because my poco f3 was overheating really easy and I am kind of skeptical about buying the f5
Honestly Pixel 7A is a better chouse for great majority of consumers, it's more compact and easier to handle, has IP67 water resistance, has better software and longer software support, better photos and especially video recording. Only downside is battery life due to energy inefficient tensor SoC.
Hello John! I partially agree, but the F5 has a much improved processor, a 120hz display (and 240hz touch sampling rate), a headphone jack, and much faster charging, all for $100 less in some regions. Plus, I'm not sure how many users want a comfy compact phone anymore, most of the top selling phones are around the 6.5 inch mark now. If you're a customer that doesn't do much with your camera, but does want most of the other premium features of a flagship --then F5 is a strong contender. All that said, this year I personally prefer the 7a--i do care about the camera, I really like Pixel UI, and I don't do much graphically intense gaming.
@@phonecomp my Xiaomi smartphone has a bug in the virtual "proximity sensor" firmware, sometimes smartphone doesn't go to sleep, when you lock the screen, you hear white noise all the time, and it leads to fast battery drain.
I remember hearing about similar issues with the F3. I never had a problem like that--and I really liked the F3, but I feel like quality control could definitely be improved for Poco.
In terms of battery let me add some information: 7a has a Li-ion battery while the Poco F5 has a Li-Po Battery Lithium-ion batteries generally last longer than lithium-polymer batteries. An average lithium-ion battery can last two to three years, whereas lithium-polymer batteries have a much shorter life span. That's because the gel-based electrolyte begins to harden in Li-Po batteries.
First of all great review so far the best i have seen with these 2 phones ans thays why I need you opinion on this 😂. I value a great camera phone that has a great battery life and charging that would last me for another 4 years, so which should o choose a pixel 6 or the F5?
Thank you Dirty Bubbles! Hmmm. It's hard to say which of these makes a good 4 year phone. In terms of software support I would say Pixel, but the hardware is more future proof in the Poco. If you value the camera the most though, I'd say Pixel for sure. EDIT: I just saw you were asking about the Pixel 6 instead of 7a. I'd go with the F5 over a Pixel 6, but I'd pick the 7a over the F5.
@@phonecomp thank you sir! Originally, I thought it could have been an issue with bugs in the MIUI update, but then I would have thought more people globally would have had connectivity issues. I have called T-Mobile tech and mentioned that it happened when they said they were doing tower 🗼"upgrades". I'm really sad about it because I am a pretty big fan of the Poco line of devices. I guess I'll be getting a 7 or 7a unless this issue gets remediated.
@@flashpointgaming Certainly, the F3, F4, X4 Pro, X4 GT, and X5 Pro were great on T-Mobile (I use Mint, but they use the T-Mobile network), I hope it's a solvable problem. I don't want Poco devices to act like Realme and constantly refuse to work properly (could be a carrier issue or a Realme issue). The OnePlus Nord 3 should be coming out soon and the Nothing Phone 2 is definitely coming out mid-July, those might be good Pixel alternatives.
I'm coming from a Poco F3, which I enjoyed for 2 1/2 years before it had charging problems and then just... died. But the cellular service and WiFi calling were absolutely horrible compared to my wife's Pixel phone. All things being equal she had service way more often than I did. We live in a more rural area so these discrepancies were very noticeable. I liked the 120mhz screen of the F3 and the overall snappiness of the phone but the camera sucked except in perfect conditions. The quick charging was awesome, well but I am going to switch over to a Pixel 7a. The main reason being the software is better and the cellular connectivity is better. Also, with my google FI account I'm getting my Pixel 7a for $280 so... yeah, best value for real.
Good call drezworthy! It's hard to capture all of the other factors that go into purchasing a phone like network coverage, but it can definitely be a deal breaker. I used the F3 for a year on the T-Mobile network in a midsized city and my coverage was great, but it did get spotty quicker than my wife's iPhone when we went on trips. The 7a is a wonderful addition to the Pixel line and I hope it serves you well for many years.
Hi, not sure if my comment will be read or even replied duirng this stage. I bought the Poco F5 Blue 12GB 256GB variant after doing much research for a month. Bought it during 11.11 during a flash sale for about the equivalent of USD 300. The funny thing was I upgraded from the previous Poco flagship the F3 which I had for 2 years and unfortunately I lost it last month during a train ride. But oh well.. I was also previously a Poco F1 user which I had for 4 years. So I can safely say that I am a Poco user veteran having used all the odd numbered Pocos. LOL I was seriously contemplating this phone with the Nothing 1 phone as I am a huge fan of Carl Pei's take of Android and his Oneplus legacy. The Nothing 1 phone is just one of a kind. But in the end the flash sale of the Poco F5 gets the vote from my wallet. So far this phone has been very smooth and a joy to use. I am used to MIUI so the interface familiarity is there. The SD 7 Gen 2 really feels fast and snappy for anything thrown at it. I have disabled all the ads from MIUI so now the phone is totally ads free, which get rid of 1 sore point of MIUI. I don't game on my phone so the gaming performance of the phone isn't that relevant to me. What surprised me was the comeback of the 3.5mm jack! Great to reuse my corded earphones left lying in my cabinet after I switched to the F3 from F1. Just that from the F3 there were some downgrades at least on paper, like the 360hz to 240hz touch sampling rate, and apparently the camera sensors are using Omnivision sensors instead of Sony sensors. But it doesn't feel like a downgrade in real world experience. I am not sure if GCAM at this point is an improvement to the stock camera. Can you advise if this is so? And which build should I use? I also missed the ''Clear Speaker'' feature of the F3. I am not sure why Poco didn't retain this feature to help clear dust from the dual speakers. My humble feedback :)
Hello Daniel! Glad you're enjoying another Poco device! The F5 can totally be improved with GCam--I actually put out a camera test with GCam, but the port I used is no longer working it sounds like. I wish I could test a different port out and give you a better answer, but I no longer have the F5 in for testing. Sorry about that, but thanks for watching and providing feedback on the device! Glad the F5 is still performing well!
I wonder.. how did you get the data for touch response, peak brightness and all which they both don't disclose. Subscribed 🎉 your video was quite detailed. Appreciate your efforts.
Hello Alwin! I research a fair amount and found the touch response rates from some other outlets/reviewers. A few were disappointed in the Poco's rate drop from F4's 360 to the F5's 240hz. For some videos where I can't find any information i trust or I suspect there are issues with the device, I'll test with one or two touch rate apps. GSM Arena tested the Pixel's max auto brightness and that lines up with my outdoor comparison -- on brightness, it's basically a tie. Thank you for the sub and I'm glad you liked the video!
Hello Flex! I haven't experienced that from the Poco phones I've held onto, but I have heard they have longevity issues. I don't know what to say about the F5, except that even if it dies after two years that's still pretty good value. If it was say an S23 that died after two years that you paid twice the price of an F5--then I would be furious. Nowadays I'd say a $700 phone should last at least 4 years and a 300-400$ phone should last at least 2 years (basically Motorola is probably right about their notoriously short software update policy in terms of longevity). Is that how I want these companies to do business? Absolutely not, but if you want a high performance, long lasting phone--you'll need to spend more than the F5's price or buy used. It's depressing.
After owning the Poco F3 since launch, there were 2 things I promised myself I wouldn't overlook the next time I decided to upgrade. 1st, camera quality. 2nd, UI customizability. The Poco F3's cameras are probably the worst I've used on a modern smart phone. So much so, that I walk around with my older Redmi K20 Pro whenever I need to take a decent photo. MIUI is ok if you like simplicity but the fact that they lock screen gestures for 3rd party launchers like Nova (which I love) was a complete let down. It seems neither have changed in their newest iterations so I'll be looking elsewhere.
just install a nice gcam mod, do some settings and thats it. The magic at the pixel don't happen due better cam hardware. This is a $20 modul anyway. Even on $1000 phones. The magic happen in the SOC. The Software is very well optimized for the hardware. That the whole trick.
@@janvollgod7221still a poco f5 with gcam is way worst than even pixel 6a... gcam can do magic for real but on f5 omnivision trash there is no any magic left...
@@janvollgod7221I've tried different gcam mods on my F3 and had mixed success. Even wjth gcam the camera doesn't impress me (and this is someone who's never even owned a flagship phone)
Great video!! I recently purchased the Poco F5 and I live in Texas and I am also on T-Mobile. It's so far the device has been stellar everly enjoy using it. The battery life is awesome. I also have the pixel 7 Pro on my other line. But currently I am able to get 5G service on T-Mobile but the 5G is still not as fast as my Pixel 7 Pro
Thanks Darrell! I have noticed that with Xiaomi/Redmi/Poco phones (and definitely Realme) that network speeds are typically not as fast as devices designed for the U.S. market. Hopefully that will change in the future! Even so, I've never had an issue with ridiculously slow Poco devices--although some were just incompatible with T-Mobile.
@@MargaManiego my network speeds are the same and I am enjoying the device...... I would say that my biggest complaint now is that my battery SOT used to be great now it's no better than my Pixel 7 Pro which is a little frustrating.
I paid £235 for my 12/256gb Poco and £225 for the 8/128gb 7a and the 7a is getting creamed. The difference in day to day usage is so big the camera just doesn't matter. The Pixel 7a feel in the hand is poor it's the most edgy phone I've owned in years, I don't remember the 6a feeling like this.
Hey again Mali! I have to disagree. Unless your day to day use is much more demanding, both devices perform very similarly (besides graphically intense gaming). I'm not sure what you mean by "edgy" since the 7a has a rounded frame and the F5's is flat. Plus, the F5 is larger which generally reduces feel in hand.
@@phonecomp Edgy means the transitions between sections of the phone and the 7a is poor when you consider it's retail price. Turn the phone in your hand you will feel what I mean and this is without a screen protector Side rail to back panel Run your hand across the camera visor Run your fingers across the buttons. Not great at all, nothing has been rounded off. As for the big gap in day to day usage. The F5 Screen Bigger Brighter Smoother Higher level of protection. No Rainbowing off axis Battery Bigger Lasts considerably longer Charges considerably faster ( The two have a very big impact on day to day usage ) Phone Bigger storage More ram 3.5mm phone jack.( for the die hards 🙄) And then the obvious soc performance which people do use day to day, similar is not the same and people use that word to shorten the gap between things. There is a noticeable gap in normal usage and once you load the phones up an obvious gap.
First of all pixel is way more expensive, at least in my region. Second of all the custom rom support on the F5 is very good, so if only u learn how to custom rom, the software would not be a problem at all. For the cons, everything except the soc is very average on the poco f5. Camera, display, speaker, build quality, its like if there is a scale of 5, they put everything on 3 except for the processor 5 and display 3.5.
Hello Tako! Definitely, the choice becomes a lot easier if the Pixel is significantly more expensive. I don't want to give Xiaomi/Poco an out for their OS weakness, but yes you could rom the F5. Your cons sound right to me-its a budget phone with a very good processor. The F3 was a better overall package when it launched.
@@phonecomp Been using this phone for around a month now, miui 14 is very smooth. Two major things u can do to improve performance is turn virtual ram off and debloat.
@@takoyaki7197 Thank you for the update Tako! I'm glad you're enjoying the F5. Virtual ram seems to be implemented poorly by some brands (or it could be a software but for the F5), hopefully that will improve. Debloating is always a good idea for performance but more importantly for security these days. How do you like the battery life?
Very good video sir, nice job! New subscriber! :)Im not sure about which phone to buy, could you give me your honest opinion? POCO F5 (314 EUROS) OR ONEPLUS NORD 3 (370 EUROS). Pros and cons of each one? Thx
Hello Miguel! Glad you liked the video and thanks for the sub. Specs are pretty close for those two. I'm sorry to say I haven't tested the Nord 3 (so keep that in mind), but I'd go with the Nord 3. In-display fingerprint reader, Oxygen OS, looks like a better camera setup than the F5. If you are more of a gamer, then the Poco is probably the better choice due to the improved processor, but other than that--OnePlus.
Hmmm that's a tougher question. 3 years for either, software support will be a little less reliable on the Poco past that. I believe it's only scheduled to get Android 15, but the OnePlus should get 16. Hardware should theoretically hold up on either, but I've heard worse long term problems with Poco than with OnePlus -- i've personally had a few Poco devices for about two years and never had trouble though.
Hello to everybody and thank you very much for this interesting review. I have decided to buy the Poco F5 Pro (12 GB Ram and 512 GB) because I want a lot of storage, more stability, a generous battery... and I will pay 473€...without duty and taxes... The camera is important for me, but I have checked that with a program like Gcam the camera of the Poco Pro may improve a lot. I was considering the possibility to get the Google Pixel 7a or 7 for the camera, but I don't want to have a mobile with a storage that could fall short in the future. My actual Xiaomi Mi Note 3 is good example after using it for more five years with an internal storage of 64 GB. For this reason...I will buy the Poco F5 Pro. The Poco F5 normal is good but not enough for me.Greetings from the Canary Islands and sorry for My English.
Hello Romen! Your English is great! The F5 Pro is a fantastic choice. Storage restrictions are always worth considering. I have been using the OnePlus 10T again--also with 512gb of storage and an 8 Plus Gen 1. The camera is pretty weak and I'm guessing the F5 Pro would win in that category, but that's another option that others might want to consider.
@@phonecomp Thank you very much for your message.I agree with you. Sometimes, it's a quite difficult to choose a mobile phone when you have to check all the features.Unfortunately, the perfect mobile phone doesn't exist.I have heard one plus are good devices. In my case...I want a stability and a device which I can use for many years...I wish the camera of the Poco F5 pro were much better than the Mi Note 3. I feel very well when I read that the Poco F5 pro is a very good device. I am glad to see that my English is good hahaha. Another thing is when I have to speak in English.
Hello Asmusic! I'm not familiar with the Tecno phones (they are basically totally unavailable in the states), but the specs look solid. Sorry I can't help on this one!
To the point! Great job. As you said in the end, the vanilla Pixel 7 might actually be a better buy for 99% of the people (over the 7a). The Poco F5 looks stunning tho; and that performance!
i have a poco f5 and i absolutely HATE Xiaomi's hyperos/miui 14, the extra performance isnt worth all the annoyances in hyperos. You cant even use custom app icons in the regular poco launcher (which you need to use if you want to use full screen gestures). So if you care at all about customization please never get a Xiaomi device
I was considering the Poco F5 as an "upgrade" to my pixel 6 but since the pixel 6 offers few better spec than the 7a alone, I might keep it for a while. Currently running android 14 beta 5.2 on it now and it is flawless even in beta. But the F5 sure is tempting too, great spec and for sure good for future custom rom modding.
Hello Irfanj! The Pixel 6 is definitely still a solid phone in 2023. If you wanted to Rom the F5, it might be worth it--but I'd stick with the Pixel for now.
Thanks for this great review. Im using the F5 and F3 but there are no significant difference. I hope we can have Pixel here in PH because it's software is so clean and bug free.. Btw, Do you have a link where I can download GCam for F5?
Hello Jong! The F3 was a great device for sure. The F5 is definitely an upgrade, but it's a little less noticeable if you're coming from the F3 (unless you're playing demanding games). Here is my GCam video with the link in the description, but there are probably better ports out for the F5 by now. ua-cam.com/video/Rox0ir66Ymc/v-deo.html
Lol, the Pixel is not bug free and over heats constantly. I'd know, I have one. This phone over heats and shuts down the cell radio and GPS and throttles in an attempt to cool down.
Hello Ultra Max! Yes, that's a good solution as long as users are comfortable with flashing roms. I personally haven't rom'd a device in three years, but it is fun and can definitely help improve devices like Poco's.
Hello Avnergazit! Yes! They really offer a different mix of features at a slightly different price point. The F5 is a great choice for the features you mentioned.
Hey again Bob! For me personally, I'd save the money and go 6a--but I really value the Pixel's cameras and software. It's a tough choice though and the brighter screen, charging speed, and processor power could change my mind if you asked me tomorrow. The 6a really needs to be sitting at $299 for me in 2023--that's compelling pricing.
@@phonecomp yeah I really like phone that is long term use and camera because I don't have much time for gaming now I'm Still casual gamer not hardcore as long as I can play Genshin no worries I go for 6a
@@Realhistoryforkids Hmmm. That's tougher. I currently have both and I think I prefer the Phone 1. Software has been great for me and super smooth, battery life is solid, cameras are good enough most of the time, and I picked it up for under $300 used. The chipset is not as powerful, but it's close enough for most uses. The display is also much better on the Phone 1.
F5 has some amazing specs for a cheap price, sadly the optimization is poor, seen a lot of users complaining already about too much battery drain on standby and screen won't turn on after firmware update. I got an F3 and 6a, I'm really disappointed with what Poco's doing with their updates.
Hello Koniku! As far as improving software over time and bringing new features Google is certainly better than Poco. But I was mostly pleased with my F3 and F4 in the long run. I didn't notice any issues like that with the F5, but hopefully they will be addressed quickly on the affected units. I figure since the Poco is just a rebadge of the Redmi that means Xiaomi should devote more resources to OS fixes since so many have been sold. That's my hope at least! Time will tell though. To hit that aggressive F5 price I'm sure some corners have to be cut, their reputation will absolutely take a hit if the cut too far.
I partially disagree Nahum-I do think Pixels have some of the most user friendly photo shooting capabilities, but video is not really comparable with other makers like Samsung. Chinese devices often look great in terms of price to performance, but their software (usability and update guarantees) are a letdown in my opinion. OnePlus being an exception for me at least. What do you think?
Hey Gamer! I'll have to disagree on this one. I do enjoy the 6a, but depending on what you mainly need out of your device there are quite a lot of Poco's out there that offer a different mix of features that may suit you better at a competitive price.
The photo sensors of the Poco F5 themselves are so poor quality that even Gcam can not save the furniture 🤦🏽♂️ After the Poco F2 Pro, Xiaomi started using very average quality sensors in the Poco, and despite the fact that everything else in the smartphone is pretty good, it's hard to recommend a Poco to someone who wants an all-in-1. The Pixel 7a is only suitable for temperate climates, and even there 🔥 Instead of these 2 smartphones, I would recommend the S21 FE Snapdragon, currently it costs $250 on Amazon renewed, and it is a much better package.
Hey Rolins! The S21 FE renewed is a great overall phone. I used one for about a month last year, and really liked it. GCam really improved the F4 and F3, so I'm hoping that there will be some nicely tuned ports for the F5 soon, but yes--its cameras are definitely the weak point in an otherwise great package. So far, the 7a is managing heat day to day significantly better than the 6a, so I might have to disagree with you there. I did see a lot of heat and battery complaints right after it was released, but I think those were addressed in an update since I didn't have any serious overheating issues. I do still hope that the Tensor G3 improves more in this area though.
@@phonecomp Indeed, there are fewer and fewer complaints about the overheating of the 7a, but, in fact, the update just throttled the processor. And as I said, it happens in fairly mild climates, at home where the average temperature is around 35-40 ° C, it's not great. I also think that the Tensor G3 will be a big step forward for Google in terms of CPU efficiency and heating. The architecture of the G3 is much more reasonable, 2 cortex X1 in a processor without advanced cooling system, it was really not very smart.
@@rolins3279 I would like to see a Tensor with higher clock speeds and great cooling, I think the two big cores is not a bad idea, but it's a design that is certainly worthy of more heat dissipation. I'm a little curious to see how the Pixel Fold performs. I can't afford to pick one up to test, but I'm glad they are jumping into the foldable market.
Hello MrStrife! On paper the Poco is the winner, but the camera package and software experience from the S21 FE make it a compelling choice to consider at its cheaper price point.
Hello RJ PC! Yes, I agree--that sums it up. Besides a used flagship, I can't think of a better value device right now. Maybe the 6a instead of the 7a? But only if you just have to have a better camera package.
The choice is pretty simple. If you don't care about gaming or only play a little but you value the cameras, software support and clean UI a lot, go with the PIXEL! If you care about gaming, fast charging battery, more storage and a more modern look with small bezels etc go with the F5! The question here is, the F5 can be had in Europe for €350 and the 7a costs €450, that's 100 more...and the F5 has 256 storage, so keep that in mind....
i moved from a mi 11t pro to a pixel 7 and night and day diferent i kinda miss the 18 min 0-100% charge but aq side from that the pixel is alot smooder and the system is way better not to talk about the cameras
I agree Prometheus! I do love Xiaomi's charging speeds, but I'll take the Pixel 7 or 7 Pro over the 11T Pro any day (with gaming being the exception). The Pixel's software is certainly better and they quickly handle bugs, most of the time. I'm hoping that the 8 series will be 120hz refresh rates only. 90hz doesn't make sense for a $500 device anymore.
I want a large storage gaming phone with fast charging but I also take photos a lot, will the Poco F5 be good for me? Can I take decent pictures?
Hello Arijit! The F5 has a decent camera. At that price point, the F5 is probably the best value. Unless you can find a great deal on a used S23 or OnePlus 11.
@@phonecomp thanks a lot sir, will I be able to take good photos by installing gcam in poco F5, is it as good as the other camera phones in the same budget?
Watching on my Poco F3. I would like to try a Pixel unfortunately it's not available here in the Philippines. So far Poco gives a lot of power at a fraction of a cost that's why it's a hit here in our country. Great video I hope your channel grows bigger.
Hello Martin! Thank you very much, and I agree--Poco phones offer so much at a mid range price, it's hard to beat. I hope Google will offer Pixel's in the Philippines soon --they definitely have a different set of strengths than the F5. Can I ask, which is more popular in the Philippines: Poco or Realme?
@@phonecomp Realmi, every mall has a store. There are a handful of Xiaomi stores here in my country so every Xiaomi I have was ordered online.
@@martinangelomooney1010 Oh ok, good to know. Thank you!
@@martinangelomooney1010Poco is always about online shop. That's why it's cheap.
I have a Pixel 7 pro and used the Poco F3 for about two years. That thing was a beast. I still miss the faster physical fingerprint sensor, better battery and charging speeds. Try a pixel but Poco is a much better bang for your buck.
New discount code for Wireless Place!: PHONECOMP10
Thank you so much for watching this Pixel 7a vs Poco F5 Review! If you have any questions, comments, peanut butter fudge recipes, etc., please leave a comment below. If you found this video helpful, please give it a like--it really helps!
Can you find out the latency of the pixel 7a using the Bandlab app? I measured 85-105ms with the poco f5. Can't record with this value
@@kikikeke9028 Hello Kiki! Unfortunately I don't have the 7a in for testing anymore. Sorry!
i don’t know anymore, there’s things that i want to have in poco f5 but also in pixel 7a at the same time. so its like im taking a risk rn. i prefer good camera but also i want a best processor which pocf5 has. also im afraid that 7a will heat up while poco f5 isn’t the best in camera. wdyt what advice will u give me? im from the philippines btw
Samsung s24 ultra 🔥
Watching this on Poco F5.. great value for money here in the Philippines...Pixel 7a's 5g, VoLTE, and other suff doesn't work since it's not officially sold here.. and RMA would be very hard.
Hello Ardigi! I completely agree that it's a great value and a good improvement over the F4. Interesting that we have opposite problems - I have great support and connectivity for the Pixel in the states, but not for the F5. I hope Google will expand the Pixel line to the Philippines! They are definitely phones worth considering. Have any Pixels ever been released in the Philippines? Like the 4a?
@@phonecomp no. Not at all.. there's never been an official seller of Pixel phone's.. but there are sellers who get it from US or JP then sell it here.. buy RMA would be a hassle since you'll have to send it back to US..
But still, there's a good number of Pixel lovers here starting maybe from Pixel 3 series or previous models..
Pixel community here is looking forward to have an official Pixel store or seller..😁
@@AIROD_0 I definitely understand that! I hope they expand to the Philippines soon. Maybe the 8a will be the one!
Both which phone colour r best like deep black n overall which display r best?
Hi, how is your poco f5 now?
you should add a section deticated to raw video performance with motioncam
Hello NB! I used to do that! I should include those tests again. No one ever commented about it, so I figured viewers didn't care. Thanks for letting me know!
@@phonecomp dude PLEASE. motioncam is awesome and they need all the data they can get
True! I do really like Motioncam.
I really loved the video if you could do a Poco f5 pro vs Poco f5 it will be appreciated and in some cases I prefer the f5 to the pexel but where the pixel always wins is the camera
Hello LIVINUSROY! I am curious about the F5 Pro, I may have to give it a try. Definitely agree that the Pixel is winning in the photo category (video too). I'm glad you loved the video!
@@phonecomp alright thanks I've also subbed
Thank you very much!
Wow this is exactly what I needed. Great vid
Thanks Summer! Glad it was useful!
you make some interesting videos that no one else makes.
Thanks Passport! I'm trying to keep it interesting.
Hey, i have a question, many people seem dont like the miui os. What if i install custom rom like Evox on F5, will it be as smooth as the pixel os in the real Pixel phone? I am wondering this. Is evox smooth as smooth as real pixel ui in real pixel phone?
Hello Rock! I've never flashed Evox on a device yet, so I can't say. But many other people have commented about going with the F5 and then flashing a custom rom, so I think it's a popular option. Sorry I can't be of more help!
Dude! Your voice is so relaxing that makes me fell asleep 😅
Can you do a video on how to install gcam on Poco F5? A UA-cam short would be nice. Thank you!
Hello Christian! I've never made a UA-cam short, but I do need to update my GCam install guide. I'll look into that! In the meantime, the documentation in the link from the video description was pretty thorough (not as good as a video for sure), I think you could trial and error your way through it.
Honestly if not for the OS then it would be a no brainer for me and I'd go for f5.. with the OS in mind.. I'll still go for f5 but think about a custom rom
Hello Suvvri! That makes sense. If you take away OS and software support, then camera is the only significant advantage for the Pixel. The F5 was a nice improvement this year--i can't wait to see what the F6 can do.
A very neat video, thank you!
I currently use the F5 for 2 months now and have had no issues. Slapped on Nova Launcher and its been amazing so far!
Hello Giovanni! I'm so glad you're enjoying the F5! I guess you're using Nova with three button navigation instead of gestures?
Update me please if possible I want to buy a F5 but I don't know if it's safe considering the motherboard they have with Poco issues
@@flex2067 Hey Flex, I have not heard about a high rate of board failures in the F5.
@@phonecomp waiting for his reply
Slap a custom ROM soon and itll be perfect
@phonecomp How about google pixel 7 vs PoCo f5? Which one is better ? The picture quality of poco f5 seems super bad for a modern phone ? Is there any phone around that price point is good ?
Hello Ban, the Pixel 7 is a great phone, but not a huge leap over the 7a. I would take it over the Poco, but for the same reasons I would take the 7a over the Poco. It really just comes down to what mix of software and hardware you prefer. In terms of price to overall performance though, Poco is hard to beat. The Nothing Phone 1 is nicely priced now with a better camera than the F5, and better version of Android (in my opinion), plus a nice screen that beats the Pixel 7a. The OnePlus 10T is a great gaming performance phone with again abetter version of Android than the F5, but a weak camera. It's a tough price bracket.
For me sidemounted finger sensor is best ever, still have honor 20 but bought poco f5 only because nothing to choose with sidesensor
Hello Plikis, there are many people who still prefer the side mounted scanner. I totally understand, since they are more reliable and generally quicker. I just enjoy the in screen location.
you sure you used nightshot mode when using gcam on the poco f5?
Yes! Camera optimizations are needed for sure.
Do you think this will work with T-Mobile New York
Hello Elechain! Yes, the Poco or Pixel should be compatible with T-Mobile. I tested with Mint Mobile which uses T-Mobile's network.
@phonecomp thank you, been getting scared with the poco f5 and I already ordered everything 😭
T-Mobile, and the other carriers that use their network, generally allow the widest range of global phones in the US. Please let me know if you have any issues! You might have to enable VoLTE with a dialer code (super simple), I just can't remember if I had to do that on the F5.
@phonecomp thank you! I will come back in the case that I do find issues, or don't 👍
My next upgrade is the poco F5 from my poco x3 pro (which was an upgrade to my very old redmi note 9).
Hello HShango! That's a great upgrade.
Do you think 256gb is still big or will phone storage be 512gb as a standard in the future
All the Gcam I installed crashes like TF
Hello Mashreef! I'm sorry to hear that! There seem to be more GCam compatibility issues these days--I usually end up testing between 10-15 ports before settling on the least buggy. Have you tried installing a compatible config file for your port?
Make coparisin between Zero 30 5g and F5
Hi, I'd like to know what kind of audio tool you use when recording your YT videos as the sound quality is so good and I don't see any microphone, at least not the shot. Also, do you have to do any post for noise reduction? If yes, what software do you use?
Hello Shine! I'm glad you like the audio. I'm not particularly happy with it, but I just use an old rode video mic that's about 10 inches above my head. That feeds my GarageBand on my MacBook with 0 processing applied. I then apply noise reduction and 4 different parametric and graphic eqs in Davinci Resolve. I also apply compression in Resolve. Hopefully that helps!
Hello first of all nice video I am going with one of this phone the difference in my country is around 70 euro with poco f5 being cheaper just wanted to ask since I am playing games like genshin just wanted to ask did you find poco f5 overheating ? because my poco f3 was overheating really easy and I am kind of skeptical about buying the f5
Hello Dionisis! I didn't notice any overheating after playing Genshin for 20 minutes.
can you provide the gcam link for poco F5? Thanks
Here you go Jo! The link is in the video description from my F5 camera test: ua-cam.com/video/Rox0ir66Ymc/v-deo.html
Sorry to say but the vocals are pressured to and seem robotic. Slow up a bit.
Hello John! It's hard to strike a balance on speed and comfort with my audio. I'll let it breathe more next time though. Thank you for the feedback.
are you related to Kevin Breeze?
I am not.
Honestly Pixel 7A is a better chouse for great majority of consumers, it's more compact and easier to handle, has IP67 water resistance, has better software and longer software support, better photos and especially video recording. Only downside is battery life due to energy inefficient tensor SoC.
Hello John! I partially agree, but the F5 has a much improved processor, a 120hz display (and 240hz touch sampling rate), a headphone jack, and much faster charging, all for $100 less in some regions. Plus, I'm not sure how many users want a comfy compact phone anymore, most of the top selling phones are around the 6.5 inch mark now. If you're a customer that doesn't do much with your camera, but does want most of the other premium features of a flagship --then F5 is a strong contender. All that said, this year I personally prefer the 7a--i do care about the camera, I really like Pixel UI, and I don't do much graphically intense gaming.
@@phonecomp no matter how good Xiaomi smartphones seem on paper they're worse in reality, their software ruins everything.
@@JohnSmithWesson MIUI is definitely my least favorite Android skin.
@@phonecomp my Xiaomi smartphone has a bug in the virtual "proximity sensor" firmware, sometimes smartphone doesn't go to sleep, when you lock the screen, you hear white noise all the time, and it leads to fast battery drain.
I remember hearing about similar issues with the F3. I never had a problem like that--and I really liked the F3, but I feel like quality control could definitely be improved for Poco.
In terms of battery let me add some information:
7a has a Li-ion battery while the Poco F5 has a Li-Po Battery
Lithium-ion batteries generally last longer than lithium-polymer batteries. An average lithium-ion battery can last two to three years, whereas lithium-polymer batteries have a much shorter life span. That's because the gel-based electrolyte begins to harden in Li-Po batteries.
the only thing bugging me with poco F5 is the refresh rate doesn't dynamically change if the brightness level
Thanks for noting that RK, that's a strange issue.
First of all great review so far the best i have seen with these 2 phones ans thays why I need you opinion on this 😂. I value a great camera phone that has a great battery life and charging that would last me for another 4 years, so which should o choose a pixel 6 or the F5?
Thank you Dirty Bubbles! Hmmm. It's hard to say which of these makes a good 4 year phone. In terms of software support I would say Pixel, but the hardware is more future proof in the Poco. If you value the camera the most though, I'd say Pixel for sure. EDIT: I just saw you were asking about the Pixel 6 instead of 7a. I'd go with the F5 over a Pixel 6, but I'd pick the 7a over the F5.
@@phonecomp ohhhh alright thank you so much and wow I thought you would respond like maybe tomorrow
Can you share gcam link please??
Hello! Here's a link to my Poco F5 GCam review. GCam link is in that video's description. ua-cam.com/video/Rox0ir66Ymc/v-deo.html
I think it's an issue with T-Mobile. My F3 service on the network recently went to trash lately.
Thanks for confirming that Flashpoint. I was hoping that wasn't the case, but I believe it.
@@phonecomp thank you sir! Originally, I thought it could have been an issue with bugs in the MIUI update, but then I would have thought more people globally would have had connectivity issues. I have called T-Mobile tech and mentioned that it happened when they said they were doing tower 🗼"upgrades". I'm really sad about it because I am a pretty big fan of the Poco line of devices. I guess I'll be getting a 7 or 7a unless this issue gets remediated.
@@flashpointgaming Certainly, the F3, F4, X4 Pro, X4 GT, and X5 Pro were great on T-Mobile (I use Mint, but they use the T-Mobile network), I hope it's a solvable problem. I don't want Poco devices to act like Realme and constantly refuse to work properly (could be a carrier issue or a Realme issue). The OnePlus Nord 3 should be coming out soon and the Nothing Phone 2 is definitely coming out mid-July, those might be good Pixel alternatives.
I'm coming from a Poco F3, which I enjoyed for 2 1/2 years before it had charging problems and then just... died. But the cellular service and WiFi calling were absolutely horrible compared to my wife's Pixel phone. All things being equal she had service way more often than I did. We live in a more rural area so these discrepancies were very noticeable. I liked the 120mhz screen of the F3 and the overall snappiness of the phone but the camera sucked except in perfect conditions. The quick charging was awesome, well but I am going to switch over to a Pixel 7a. The main reason being the software is better and the cellular connectivity is better. Also, with my google FI account I'm getting my Pixel 7a for $280 so... yeah, best value for real.
Good call drezworthy! It's hard to capture all of the other factors that go into purchasing a phone like network coverage, but it can definitely be a deal breaker. I used the F3 for a year on the T-Mobile network in a midsized city and my coverage was great, but it did get spotty quicker than my wife's iPhone when we went on trips. The 7a is a wonderful addition to the Pixel line and I hope it serves you well for many years.
Hi, not sure if my comment will be read or even replied duirng this stage.
I bought the Poco F5 Blue 12GB 256GB variant after doing much research for a month. Bought it during 11.11 during a flash sale for about the equivalent of USD 300. The funny thing was I upgraded from the previous Poco flagship the F3 which I had for 2 years and unfortunately I lost it last month during a train ride. But oh well.. I was also previously a Poco F1 user which I had for 4 years. So I can safely say that I am a Poco user veteran having used all the odd numbered Pocos. LOL
I was seriously contemplating this phone with the Nothing 1 phone as I am a huge fan of Carl Pei's take of Android and his Oneplus legacy. The Nothing 1 phone is just one of a kind. But in the end the flash sale of the Poco F5 gets the vote from my wallet.
So far this phone has been very smooth and a joy to use. I am used to MIUI so the interface familiarity is there. The SD 7 Gen 2 really feels fast and snappy for anything thrown at it. I have disabled all the ads from MIUI so now the phone is totally ads free, which get rid of 1 sore point of MIUI. I don't game on my phone so the gaming performance of the phone isn't that relevant to me.
What surprised me was the comeback of the 3.5mm jack! Great to reuse my corded earphones left lying in my cabinet after I switched to the F3 from F1.
Just that from the F3 there were some downgrades at least on paper, like the 360hz to 240hz touch sampling rate, and apparently the camera sensors are using Omnivision sensors instead of Sony sensors. But it doesn't feel like a downgrade in real world experience.
I am not sure if GCAM at this point is an improvement to the stock camera. Can you advise if this is so? And which build should I use?
I also missed the ''Clear Speaker'' feature of the F3. I am not sure why Poco didn't retain this feature to help clear dust from the dual speakers.
My humble feedback :)
Hello Daniel! Glad you're enjoying another Poco device! The F5 can totally be improved with GCam--I actually put out a camera test with GCam, but the port I used is no longer working it sounds like. I wish I could test a different port out and give you a better answer, but I no longer have the F5 in for testing. Sorry about that, but thanks for watching and providing feedback on the device! Glad the F5 is still performing well!
I wonder.. how did you get the data for touch response, peak brightness and all which they both don't disclose. Subscribed 🎉 your video was quite detailed. Appreciate your efforts.
Hello Alwin! I research a fair amount and found the touch response rates from some other outlets/reviewers. A few were disappointed in the Poco's rate drop from F4's 360 to the F5's 240hz. For some videos where I can't find any information i trust or I suspect there are issues with the device, I'll test with one or two touch rate apps. GSM Arena tested the Pixel's max auto brightness and that lines up with my outdoor comparison -- on brightness, it's basically a tie. Thank you for the sub and I'm glad you liked the video!
Do you think f5 will die after 2 year's just like other poco phones they get an update and die
Hello Flex! I haven't experienced that from the Poco phones I've held onto, but I have heard they have longevity issues. I don't know what to say about the F5, except that even if it dies after two years that's still pretty good value. If it was say an S23 that died after two years that you paid twice the price of an F5--then I would be furious. Nowadays I'd say a $700 phone should last at least 4 years and a 300-400$ phone should last at least 2 years (basically Motorola is probably right about their notoriously short software update policy in terms of longevity). Is that how I want these companies to do business? Absolutely not, but if you want a high performance, long lasting phone--you'll need to spend more than the F5's price or buy used. It's depressing.
Both have this. 😌❣️
After owning the Poco F3 since launch, there were 2 things I promised myself I wouldn't overlook the next time I decided to upgrade. 1st, camera quality. 2nd, UI customizability. The Poco F3's cameras are probably the worst I've used on a modern smart phone. So much so, that I walk around with my older Redmi K20 Pro whenever I need to take a decent photo. MIUI is ok if you like simplicity but the fact that they lock screen gestures for 3rd party launchers like Nova (which I love) was a complete let down. It seems neither have changed in their newest iterations so I'll be looking elsewhere.
just install a nice gcam mod, do some settings and thats it. The magic at the pixel don't happen due better cam hardware. This is a $20 modul anyway. Even on $1000 phones. The magic happen in the SOC. The Software is very well optimized for the hardware. That the whole trick.
@@janvollgod7221still a poco f5 with gcam is way worst than even pixel 6a... gcam can do magic for real but on f5 omnivision trash there is no any magic left...
@@janvollgod7221I've tried different gcam mods on my F3 and had mixed success. Even wjth gcam the camera doesn't impress me (and this is someone who's never even owned a flagship phone)
Great video!!
I recently purchased the Poco F5 and I live in Texas and I am also on T-Mobile.
It's so far the device has been stellar everly enjoy using it. The battery life is awesome. I also have the pixel 7 Pro on my other line.
But currently I am able to get 5G service on T-Mobile but the 5G is still not as fast as my Pixel 7 Pro
Thanks Darrell! I have noticed that with Xiaomi/Redmi/Poco phones (and definitely Realme) that network speeds are typically not as fast as devices designed for the U.S. market. Hopefully that will change in the future! Even so, I've never had an issue with ridiculously slow Poco devices--although some were just incompatible with T-Mobile.
Hi, how is your poco f5 now?
@@MargaManiego my network speeds are the same and I am enjoying the device...... I would say that my biggest complaint now is that my battery SOT used to be great now it's no better than my Pixel 7 Pro which is a little frustrating.
How about the camera?
@@MargaManiego camera quality is really good in my opinion!! The pictures are more like a Samsung picture
I paid £235 for my 12/256gb Poco and £225 for the 8/128gb 7a and the 7a is getting creamed. The difference in day to day usage is so big the camera just doesn't matter.
The Pixel 7a feel in the hand is poor it's the most edgy phone I've owned in years, I don't remember the 6a feeling like this.
Hey again Mali! I have to disagree. Unless your day to day use is much more demanding, both devices perform very similarly (besides graphically intense gaming).
I'm not sure what you mean by "edgy" since the 7a has a rounded frame and the F5's is flat. Plus, the F5 is larger which generally reduces feel in hand.
@@phonecomp Edgy means the transitions between sections of the phone and the 7a is poor when you consider it's retail price. Turn the phone in your hand you will feel what I mean and this is without a screen protector
Side rail to back panel
Run your hand across the camera visor
Run your fingers across the buttons.
Not great at all, nothing has been rounded off.
As for the big gap in day to day usage.
The F5
Screen
Bigger
Brighter
Smoother
Higher level of protection.
No Rainbowing off axis
Battery
Bigger
Lasts considerably longer
Charges considerably faster
( The two have a very big impact on day to day usage )
Phone
Bigger storage
More ram
3.5mm phone jack.( for the die hards 🙄)
And then the obvious soc performance which people do use day to day, similar is not the same and people use that word to shorten the gap between things. There is a noticeable gap in normal usage and once you load the phones up an obvious gap.
I like the review!!! sub❤
First of all pixel is way more expensive, at least in my region. Second of all the custom rom support on the F5 is very good, so if only u learn how to custom rom, the software would not be a problem at all.
For the cons, everything except the soc is very average on the poco f5. Camera, display, speaker, build quality, its like if there is a scale of 5, they put everything on 3 except for the processor 5 and display 3.5.
Hello Tako! Definitely, the choice becomes a lot easier if the Pixel is significantly more expensive. I don't want to give Xiaomi/Poco an out for their OS weakness, but yes you could rom the F5. Your cons sound right to me-its a budget phone with a very good processor. The F3 was a better overall package when it launched.
@@phonecomp Been using this phone for around a month now, miui 14 is very smooth. Two major things u can do to improve performance is turn virtual ram off and debloat.
@@takoyaki7197 Thank you for the update Tako! I'm glad you're enjoying the F5. Virtual ram seems to be implemented poorly by some brands (or it could be a software but for the F5), hopefully that will improve. Debloating is always a good idea for performance but more importantly for security these days. How do you like the battery life?
@@phonecomp Battery life also felt average
the Soc is average on the F5? It's faster than Tensor G2, it's almost as powerful as Snapdragon 8 gen1...how is that average?
Very good video sir, nice job! New subscriber! :)Im not sure about which phone to buy, could you give me your honest opinion? POCO F5 (314 EUROS) OR ONEPLUS NORD 3 (370 EUROS). Pros and cons of each one? Thx
Hello Miguel! Glad you liked the video and thanks for the sub. Specs are pretty close for those two. I'm sorry to say I haven't tested the Nord 3 (so keep that in mind), but I'd go with the Nord 3. In-display fingerprint reader, Oxygen OS, looks like a better camera setup than the F5. If you are more of a gamer, then the Poco is probably the better choice due to the improved processor, but other than that--OnePlus.
@@phonecomp thanks man! I will consider it. Do you think POCO or ONEPLUS are good brands un terms of longevity? 3-4 years aprox?
Hmmm that's a tougher question. 3 years for either, software support will be a little less reliable on the Poco past that. I believe it's only scheduled to get Android 15, but the OnePlus should get 16. Hardware should theoretically hold up on either, but I've heard worse long term problems with Poco than with OnePlus -- i've personally had a few Poco devices for about two years and never had trouble though.
@@phonecomp thanks!!
Hello to everybody and thank you very much for this interesting review. I have decided to buy the Poco F5 Pro (12 GB Ram and 512 GB) because I want a lot of storage, more stability, a generous battery... and I will pay 473€...without duty and taxes... The camera is important for me, but I have checked that with a program like Gcam the camera of the Poco Pro may improve a lot. I was considering the possibility to get the Google Pixel 7a or 7 for the camera, but I don't want to have a mobile with a storage that could fall short in the future. My actual Xiaomi Mi Note 3 is good example after using it for more five years with an internal storage of 64 GB. For this reason...I will buy the Poco F5 Pro. The Poco F5 normal is good but not enough for me.Greetings from the Canary Islands and sorry for My English.
Hello Romen! Your English is great! The F5 Pro is a fantastic choice. Storage restrictions are always worth considering. I have been using the OnePlus 10T again--also with 512gb of storage and an 8 Plus Gen 1. The camera is pretty weak and I'm guessing the F5 Pro would win in that category, but that's another option that others might want to consider.
@@phonecomp Thank you very much for your message.I agree with you. Sometimes, it's a quite difficult to choose a mobile phone when you have to check all the features.Unfortunately, the perfect mobile phone doesn't exist.I have heard one plus are good devices. In my case...I want a stability and a device which I can use for many years...I wish the camera of the Poco F5 pro were much better than the Mi Note 3. I feel very well when I read that the Poco F5 pro is a very good device. I am glad to see that my English is good hahaha. Another thing is when I have to speak in English.
poco f5 or camon 20 priemer?
Hello Asmusic! I'm not familiar with the Tecno phones (they are basically totally unavailable in the states), but the specs look solid. Sorry I can't help on this one!
To the point! Great job. As you said in the end, the vanilla Pixel 7 might actually be a better buy for 99% of the people (over the 7a). The Poco F5 looks stunning tho; and that performance!
Thanks Mole! Yes! And now that the OnePlus Nord 3 and Nothing Phone 2 (depending on the price) are coming out, the choice gets more difficult.
Make vid for f5 pro vs 7a
Hey again A H A! Hmmmmm. I might do that. I'm a little curious to see if I have the same network issues with the 5 Pro.
it’s a chinese company. privacy is the last thing they think about
So who wins ?
Hello Ifigenia! It depends on what you want out of a smartphone, but I think most users will be happy with the F5 and save a little money.
@@phonecomp thank u sir
i have a poco f5 and i absolutely HATE Xiaomi's hyperos/miui 14, the extra performance isnt worth all the annoyances in hyperos. You cant even use custom app icons in the regular poco launcher (which you need to use if you want to use full screen gestures). So if you care at all about customization please never get a Xiaomi device
I was considering the Poco F5 as an "upgrade" to my pixel 6 but since the pixel 6 offers few better spec than the 7a alone, I might keep it for a while. Currently running android 14 beta 5.2 on it now and it is flawless even in beta. But the F5 sure is tempting too, great spec and for sure good for future custom rom modding.
Hello Irfanj! The Pixel 6 is definitely still a solid phone in 2023. If you wanted to Rom the F5, it might be worth it--but I'd stick with the Pixel for now.
Upgrade it to Poco F5 Pro with the 8+Gen1 SoC
@@zxcv97haha what??
For me the lack of jack port on the pixel was the reason I didn't buy it
Totally understandable. It's a feature that some users can't reasonably do without.
Just use a customed UI and this review would not even be close to a tie as f5 would be the clear winner anyway
Hello Jorvax! A rom definitely helps the F5 for sure.
poco f5 heats up so hot.
one game in MLBB and it is already cooking
I'm sorry to hear that Reaper! Is anything running in the background that might also be causing the heating?
Thanks for this great review. Im using the F5 and F3 but there are no significant difference. I hope we can have Pixel here in PH because it's software is so clean and bug free..
Btw, Do you have a link where I can download GCam for F5?
Hello Jong! The F3 was a great device for sure. The F5 is definitely an upgrade, but it's a little less noticeable if you're coming from the F3 (unless you're playing demanding games). Here is my GCam video with the link in the description, but there are probably better ports out for the F5 by now. ua-cam.com/video/Rox0ir66Ymc/v-deo.html
@@phonecomp thanks brother. More power to your channel.
Lol, the Pixel is not bug free and over heats constantly. I'd know, I have one. This phone over heats and shuts down the cell radio and GPS and throttles in an attempt to cool down.
Get Poco f5 and use custom roms in it. Clean UI + superior performance.
Hello Ultra Max! Yes, that's a good solution as long as users are comfortable with flashing roms. I personally haven't rom'd a device in three years, but it is fun and can definitely help improve devices like Poco's.
@@phonecomp is it easy to flash custom rom for beginners? I'm thinking of buying note 12 turbo from china and flashing custom rom on it.
Poco is over 120 dollar cheaper so for its price its way better imo
No doubt! Poco F5 for me.
Poco f5 hardware combine with custom rom will easily kill pixel privilege
Even camera performance very close to pixel
great 😃
Thank you GS!
So....the easy choice is? Up to us....I would chose the Poco f5. More bang for the buck. Screen size and battery life.
Hello Avnergazit! Yes! They really offer a different mix of features at a slightly different price point. The F5 is a great choice for the features you mentioned.
watching on my new poco f5
Pixel 6a or Poco f5?
Hey again Bob! For me personally, I'd save the money and go 6a--but I really value the Pixel's cameras and software. It's a tough choice though and the brighter screen, charging speed, and processor power could change my mind if you asked me tomorrow. The 6a really needs to be sitting at $299 for me in 2023--that's compelling pricing.
@@phonecomp yeah I really like phone that is long term use and camera because I don't have much time for gaming now I'm Still casual gamer not hardcore as long as I can play Genshin no worries I go for 6a
@@phonecomp I have another question Nothing phone 1 or Pixel 6a
@@Realhistoryforkids Hmmm. That's tougher. I currently have both and I think I prefer the Phone 1. Software has been great for me and super smooth, battery life is solid, cameras are good enough most of the time, and I picked it up for under $300 used. The chipset is not as powerful, but it's close enough for most uses. The display is also much better on the Phone 1.
@@Realhistoryforkids You cant play genshin on 6a, its gonna burn up and lag to death xD, If you play poco F5 is your phone
inshort... POCO F5 🔥🔥 IS HERO PHONE
Who makes Poco🤔
Hello Mark! Chinese firm Xiaomi. They're huge internationally, but have almost no presence in the U.S. They also have a sub brand called Redmi.
@@phonecomp oh yes, I checked them out online. Make Redmi too🤔
The PocoF5 should have been what the P7a is in the first place.
Hello James! I'm not sure what you mean?
F5 has some amazing specs for a cheap price, sadly the optimization is poor, seen a lot of users complaining already about too much battery drain on standby and screen won't turn on after firmware update.
I got an F3 and 6a, I'm really disappointed with what Poco's doing with their updates.
Hello Koniku! As far as improving software over time and bringing new features Google is certainly better than Poco. But I was mostly pleased with my F3 and F4 in the long run. I didn't notice any issues like that with the F5, but hopefully they will be addressed quickly on the affected units. I figure since the Poco is just a rebadge of the Redmi that means Xiaomi should devote more resources to OS fixes since so many have been sold. That's my hope at least! Time will tell though. To hit that aggressive F5 price I'm sure some corners have to be cut, their reputation will absolutely take a hit if the cut too far.
The only good things about Pixel are the camera & os. The only bad things about Poco F5 are MIUI & mediocre camera
Hello Firdaus! They certainly have separate strengths. The Poco's 7 Gen 2 is also pretty impressive and will end up being better for heavy gamers.
@@phonecompyeah excellent for gaming but still not long term use even though it's new release
Hello Bob! Are you seeing the 7 Gen 2 throttle in the Poco or are you thinking about three years down the road?
F5 battery lasts longer due to highly efficient SD 7+ gen2. Pixel takes the L.
Watching on my realme gt neo 2
Hello Dan! I like the Neo 2. Still a solid device for sure. Just curious, did you watch this video because you're thinking about switching to the F5?
No one can beat pixel phones in terms of camera's and no one can beat chinese phones in terms of performance
I partially disagree Nahum-I do think Pixels have some of the most user friendly photo shooting capabilities, but video is not really comparable with other makers like Samsung. Chinese devices often look great in terms of price to performance, but their software (usability and update guarantees) are a letdown in my opinion. OnePlus being an exception for me at least. What do you think?
Buy f5 use custom rom win win situation
Honor 90 PRO is currently the best mid-range phone , it destroys pixel 7a and poco f5 lol
Hello NZM! I haven't been able to test out any Honor devices since the Honor 50. Specs do look good for the price on the 90 Pro!
7a 100 percent, softwares is everthing miui lags and bugs suckm
The 7a is a great device. If your priority is software--then I agree, go Pixel!
Even pixel 6a is way better than any poco out there...
Hey Gamer! I'll have to disagree on this one. I do enjoy the 6a, but depending on what you mainly need out of your device there are quite a lot of Poco's out there that offer a different mix of features that may suit you better at a competitive price.
@@phonecomp My poco f5 pro lags and freeze the whole time... There is no way pixel being worst than this shit...
F5 amazing
It is a great phone!
Without a doubt Poco better
Hello Dreeft! The Poco is definitely a great device for a lot of users.
The photo sensors of the Poco F5 themselves are so poor quality that even Gcam can not save the furniture 🤦🏽♂️
After the Poco F2 Pro, Xiaomi started using very average quality sensors in the Poco, and despite the fact that everything else in the smartphone is pretty good, it's hard to recommend a Poco to someone who wants an all-in-1.
The Pixel 7a is only suitable for temperate climates, and even there 🔥
Instead of these 2 smartphones, I would recommend the S21 FE Snapdragon, currently it costs $250 on Amazon renewed, and it is a much better package.
Hey Rolins! The S21 FE renewed is a great overall phone. I used one for about a month last year, and really liked it.
GCam really improved the F4 and F3, so I'm hoping that there will be some nicely tuned ports for the F5 soon, but yes--its cameras are definitely the weak point in an otherwise great package.
So far, the 7a is managing heat day to day significantly better than the 6a, so I might have to disagree with you there. I did see a lot of heat and battery complaints right after it was released, but I think those were addressed in an update since I didn't have any serious overheating issues. I do still hope that the Tensor G3 improves more in this area though.
@@phonecomp Indeed, there are fewer and fewer complaints about the overheating of the 7a, but, in fact, the update just throttled the processor.
And as I said, it happens in fairly mild climates, at home where the average temperature is around 35-40 ° C, it's not great.
I also think that the Tensor G3 will be a big step forward for Google in terms of CPU efficiency and heating.
The architecture of the G3 is much more reasonable, 2 cortex X1 in a processor without advanced cooling system, it was really not very smart.
@@rolins3279 I would like to see a Tensor with higher clock speeds and great cooling, I think the two big cores is not a bad idea, but it's a design that is certainly worthy of more heat dissipation. I'm a little curious to see how the Pixel Fold performs. I can't afford to pick one up to test, but I'm glad they are jumping into the foldable market.
I don't see the benefits of going with the S21FE, could you explain why it's the better package? To me, all specs look less appealing than the Poco.
Hello MrStrife! On paper the Poco is the winner, but the camera package and software experience from the S21 FE make it a compelling choice to consider at its cheaper price point.
7a pixel iron box phone,😂
f5 for budget concious with high spec
Hello RJ PC! Yes, I agree--that sums it up. Besides a used flagship, I can't think of a better value device right now. Maybe the 6a instead of the 7a? But only if you just have to have a better camera package.
Poco f5 The ONE.. Its my Phone 😆
Hello Popescu! I'm so glad you're liking the F5! It's a good step up from the F4, and I think it will be a top seller this year.