The Xiaomi Poco C31 was released as a successor to their popular budget option, the C3. The phone was launched on 2nd October 2021 in China. The phone has been made available in the South Asian market in the subsequent months. As a budget phone, the Poco C31 does not offer extraordinary features. It is a functional device that gets the job done without any outstanding features. So, who is this phone for? And what are the cut corners for the exceptionally low price? Stay with us to read the detailed review, specs and price of Xiaomi Poco C31 in Bangladesh.
Key Features of Xiaomi Poco C31
Design and Build Quality
The Xiaomi Poco C31 is an all-around plastic phone. This was expected considering the price and the previous C3 model. However, the phone feels good in the hand thanks to its slim profile. Xiaomi put in a 5000 mAh battery on the C31 yet they somehow managed to keep the thickness within 9 mm. The phone is on the lighter side at 194 grams. Much of that is due to the plastic body.
The back of the phone has a dual-tone finish. It gives the phone an earlier pixel model look but the materials here are a letdown. Users are getting a monotone color of either Royal Blue or shadow gray. There is a distinct Poco branding just below the camera module reminding users that it is not exactly like the other Xiaomi devices.
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The back part also features a fingerprint sensor which is increasingly disappearing these days. The fingerprint is the only mentionable upgrade from the C3 as there aren't any other major changes.
The phone features the volume rocker and the power button on the right and the sim tray on the left. The dual sim slot has an extra slot for a micro-SD. So storage won't be a problem in this device. The usual Type-C port along with a 3.5 mm jack is situated on the bottom of the device. Overall, the build quality aligns with the price point.
The Display
The Poco C31 features a 6.53-inch 720P IPS LCD panel. The front panel is not rated for any type of protection so users should get a protective screen to avoid scratches and cracks. The 720P panel is clearly outdated by 2022 standard but for the price, it’s a very good screen.
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Colors look bright and vivid on the panel. The display can get a max brightness of up to 400 nits. Again 400 nits aren’t much but it gets the job done. The display is perfectly legible under direct sunlight and there aren’t weird color shifts on the panel.
The Camera
The Poco C31 features a triple camera module. But in reality, the main sensor is the only useful one. It features a 13 MP f/2.2 wide-angle shooter, 2MP depth, and another 2 MP macro shooter. The depth and macro sensors don’t really do anything except for making space in the module. The users can trigger the macro sensor for a macro shot but the result is not quite palatable.
However, the main sensor shines here. The 13 MP shooter can take pretty impressive photos in bright and outdoor conditions. The sensor can capture great details of the subject. However, it struggles with the dynamic range.
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There is a dedicated night mode on the Poco C31. The night mode sometimes overexposes the background but it does pretty well to reduce noise in the picture. The camera can shoot up to 1080P at 30 fps. There is neither EIS nor OIS in the camera system so videos aren’t stabilized much. The front camera has a standard 5 MP shooter. Again, it is only good enough for casual shots at best.
Overall, the camera does well for the price segment. Though Poco could’ve easily introduced a better sensor replacing the almost useless depth and macro shooters.
Processor and Performance
The Poco C31 features a MediaTek MT6765G Helio G35 processor built on the 12 Nm architecture. This is an entry-level processor with low-performance output. It features an octa-core design with 4 2.3 GHz Cortex-A53 and 4 1.8 GHz Cortex-A53 chips. The processor is complemented by PowerVR GE8320 GPU.
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Now to the all-important question, can this phone run graphic intensive games? The answer is no. Well technically it can but users will notice excessive heating and frame drops after a few minutes. The processor and the GPU are only good enough for light 2D games.
This phone is actually designed for lightweight users. People who will use the phone for casual stuff like browsing the web, YouTube, or social media. Anything beyond that puts a strain on the performance of the device. But the phone coupled with the MIUI 12.1 can easily run day-to-day tasks without any hiccup.
Speaking of UI, this is something that will disappoint many users. While Android 11 is available for almost all entry-level smartphones, this phone comes with Android 10 built on MIUI 12.1 OS. Considering the phone is a budget option, it is highly unlikely that it will receive any update in the future. But for those who do not have any issue with the OS and android update, this device is easily one of the better performers in this price bracket.
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Battery and Charge Time
The POCO C31 phone is provided with a massive battery featuring 5000 mAh . It has become a common scene in the budget segment to have a 5000 mAh power unit. Given the processor and the inability to run heavy tasks, the phone will easily last about a day or day and a half of use. There is no fast charging on the Poco C31 and expecting that at this price range would be a long shot.
Price of POCO C31 in Bangladesh
The Poco C31 is available for 10,000 BDT officially in Bangladesh.
Verdict
A budget phone like the Poco C31 has to cut many corners to ensure that the price stays affordable in the entry-level budget segment. The Poco C31 has its lacking in certain aspects but it is tough to complain about given the price. The battery life and the display are easily one of its strongest suits. And given the target market, this is what mainly matters. Overall, the Xiaomi Poco C31 is a decent device and can be easily recommended in the sub 10,000 BDT category.