Hands-on: Poco C3 review

With Covid impacting purchasing power, Poco believes that the entry-grade segment will see a lot more traction this Diwali season and that’s where Poco C3 comes in. Priced at just Rs. 7, 499k, it is the most affordable phone from the young brand thus far – one that aims to make the right compromises. (Poco C3 Hands on हिंदी में पढ़िए)

We have had the phone lying on our workbench for the last few days. We will eventually answer if it’s worth recommending in a detailed Poco C3 review, but for now, here our initial experiences and thoughts that should hopefully help you make up your mind if you are planning on picking it up in the upcoming Amazon and Flipkart sales.

Poco C3 Specifications

Model	Poco C3
Display	6.53 inches, 720 x 1600 px HD+ dot drop display
Processor	MediaTek Helio G35
RAM + Internal Storage	up to 4GB + 64GB expandable up to 512GB
Software	MIUI 12 based on Android 10
Selfie Camera	5MP sensor
Rear Camera	13MP primary camera (f/1.8) + 5MP Ultra-wide sensor (f/2.2) + 2MP depth sensor (f/2.2)
Battery	5000mAh with 10W fast charging
SIM	Dual SIM (Nano + Nano-SIM)
Connectivity	4G, VoLTE support, Bluetooth v5.0, WiFi, a 3.5mm audio jack, and micro USB port

Poco C3 Unboxing

Poco C3 comes in a simple package. You will find the following contents inside:

• Poco C3 phone
• 10W Wall charger
• Micro USB cable
• SIM tray ejector tool
• Quick start guide

Poco doesn’t bundle a protective case or screen protector with the C3.

Poco C3 Design and Build quality

As almost all phones priced under 10K, the Poco C3 primarily has plastic build. At first glance, the design was reminiscent of Poco M2 Pro (which we quite liked). The polycarbonate back has dual-tone design where the bottom three-fourth portion has a subtle texture and the top has smooth glossy finish. The rounded square camera module on the top-left juts out just a litle bit and blends well with the overall aesthetics.

The phone measures 9mm in thicknes and it’s not particularly light (194 grams). The rounded side edges, however, ensures a comfortable grip. The C3 feels quite solid in hands and there are no flexes or creeks to be wary of.

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The Power button and volume rocker are on the right. On the bottom, there’s a regular micro USB port, microphone, and loudspeaker. The 3.5mm headphone jack is placed at the top. The fingerprint reader and IR sensor didn’t make the cut.

Poco C3 Display

The Poco C3 flaunts a 6.53-inch HD+ (1600 x 720) IPS with a waterdrop notch at top and noticeably thick bezels all around. The HD+ screen looks sharp and viewing andgles are wide. Users can still adjust Color scheme and tune the screen for warmer tones and Poco retains the coveted ‘Dark Mode’.

Brightness levels are good enough for indoor use while screen glare tends to hamper outdoor visibility. During my initial testing, I watched a few youtube videos on the Poco C3 and the experience was satisfactory.
Its a very conventional LCD panel and there is no reason to complain considering the entry-grade price.

Poco C3 Hardware and Software

Let’s talk about software first. The Poco C3’S MIUI 12 based on Android 10 is largely trouble-free. There are a number of preloaded apps on the phone and not al of these can be uninstalled.

The Poco C3 is driven by octa-core MediaTek Helio G35 SoC ticking at 2.3GHz. It’s the same processor that powers Redmi 9C, and Realme C11 (review). This is an affordable chipset and it would perhaps be unfair to expect it to be a snappy performer. The SoC is paired with PowerVR GE8320 GPU, and 2GB/3GB of RAM, and 32/64GB of storage.

During our initial usage of the 2 +32GB variant, the performance felt sluggish (since we were coming from pricier, more powerful phones) but there was no stuttering.

As for connectivity options, dual-band Wi-Fi is not supported, but we are guessing that might not be a priority for consumers buying in this segment. We still need to test if there are any other calling or connectivity related omissions.

The software is MIUI 12 but the Poco C3 doesn’t ship with the Poco launcher. Interestingly, unlike Poco X3 this one uses the default Xiaomi dialer and thus supports Auto-call recording.

We will continue stress testing the handset and will be back with a final verdict soon.

Poco C3 Camera expectations

In terms of optics, the Poco C3 has a triple camera setup at the back and a 5-megapixel selfie camera on the front.  The rear camera setup is led by a 13-megapixel primary camera, along with a 2-megapixel depth sensor and a 2-megapixel macro sensor. The camera app offers the basic shooting modes, plus a Pro mode for what it’s worth.

Once again, this isn’t a price segment where we’d look for anything extraordinary in terms of camera performannce.

Poco C3 Battery

The Poco C3 ships with a 5,000mAh battery and a 10W wall charger. A battery this size should be good enough to last for almost two days for most moderate users. Actually, we did put our Poco C3 on an HD video loop test, it lasted for 18 hours and 24 minutes. Charging is slow though as the bundled 10W charger manages to refill 40 percent battery in an hour’s time.

Poco C3 first impressions

As we have pointed out time and again, dynamics of affordable phone market have changed a lot in the last few months. The Poco C3 has the basics covered but it’s still a phone meant for very basic users or those restricted by a budget.

It does cast a positive first impression. The design looks good, the display is reasonable for the price, and an assuring 5000mAh battery resides within. Of course, we will need to spend some more time with the phone before we decide if its worth recommending. Meanwhile, you may ask Poco C3 related queries in the comments below and we will try and answer them in our review.