POCO M7 Review
The POCO M7 is the latest budget-friendly smartphone that follows POCO’s tagline: Big Battery, More Fun. On paper, the phone packs some impressive features for its price class: a massive 7000mAh battery, a 6.9-inch 144Hz display, and the Snapdragon 685 processor. But specs don’t always tell the whole story. After using it for some time, I’ve noticed a lot of positives—as well as a few quirks that you’ll want to know about before picking this up.
Build and Design
The POCO M7 makes a bold statement with its size. At 6.9 inches, the display alone makes this phone stand tall (literally) in the lineup. It’s not the easiest phone to use with one hand, but that’s the tradeoff when you want this much screen real estate and such a large battery.
The unit I got has a fairly simple colorway, but I find it appealing. It actually reminds me a lot of our Gadget Pilipinas color scheme, and since I’m also into RX-72 Gundam, that metallic vibe works for me aesthetically. It’s not flashy in the same way others in this segment try to be, but sometimes simple is better.
The phone comes with IP64 dust and water resistance, which is not something you always get in this price range. That means it can survive everyday accidents, like spills or being in the rain briefly. The back is still plastic, but it’s well-built enough not to feel cheap. At its size and weight though, this isn’t the most pocket-friendly device.
Display
The 6.9-inch FHD+ display is the crown jewel of the POCO M7. It’s the biggest screen ever in the POCO M series. With 144Hz AdaptiveSync, it adjusts the refresh rate depending on what you’re doing, which should help balance smooth visuals with power efficiency.
Watching movies or videos on this is immersive just because of the sheer size, and the panel is sharp enough for most day-to-day needs like Netflix, YouTube, and scrolling. Brightness is good but not crazy high, so you’ll sometimes struggle under harsh sunlight.
What caught my attention is the effort POCO put into eye comfort. The display is TÜV certified for low blue light, flicker free, and circadian friendly. It’s not something younger users always care about, but if you stare at screens all day, your eyes will thank you for it.
For gaming, the higher refresh rate does help smoothen the experience, but the Snapdragon 685 can’t always keep up with 144Hz. More on that in the performance section.
Hardware
Inside, the POCO M7 runs on the Snapdragon 685 processor, paired with up to 8GB RAM that can expand to 16GB through POCO’s virtual memory feature, and storage expandable up to 2TB via microSD. In terms of raw specs, it looks respectable for the price point.
However, my experience with the phone tells a slightly different story. The chipset should be capable enough for a phone like this, but the UI doesn’t always feel as smooth as it should. There’s a kind of hesitation in opening apps or switching between them. It doesn’t ruin the usability, but it’s noticeable. And that’s unfortunate, because when you hear “Snapdragon 685,” you expect at least consistent stable performance. I don’t know if it’s a software optimization issue, but it feels like something POCO can improve with updates.
Day-to-day use like browsing, messaging, email, and light multitasking is perfectly fine. It’s only when you try to push it with games or heavier apps that the inconsistencies surface.
Benchmark Results
To give you a clearer picture, here are the scores I got from actual benchmark runs:
- Antutu: 358,541
- Geekbench Single Core: 471
- Geekbench Multi-Core: 1,508
- 3DMark Wild Life: 657
- PCMark Work 3.0: 8,963
These numbers put the device close to phones around the same ballpark as the HONOR X7C, which matches my personal experience. It’s not a powerhouse, but it gets the basics done right for casual users.
For gaming, you can definitely play popular casual titles. I tried Dysmantle and Crashlands 2, and both run fine, though you need to keep them at low settings. This is not a device made for graphic-intensive AAA titles at maximum settings.
Software and Extra Features
The POCO M7 runs on Xiaomi HyperOS 2, with some fresh tools carried over from newer devices. You get Google Gemini AI Assistant integration, and features like Circle to Search with Google. These are nice additions for productivity and quick queries, and I like that POCO included them in a budget device.
But here’s the thing: while the features are good, the occasional stutter in the UI takes away from the overall experience. The OS itself is clean enough, but POCO needs to iron out these kinks so the hardware and software feel in sync.
You also get handy extras like Memory Extension (virtual RAM boost), Battery Health 4.0 (smart charging management), and small but useful touches like Zero Power Instant On (immediate reboot even from 0%).
Camera
The POCO M7 is equipped with a 50MP dual rear camera system and an 8MP selfie shooter. On paper, it seems like a pretty good setup for a budget phone.
In daylight, it handles shots well. Colors are punchy enough, details are decent, and you have some options like HDR, watermarks, and an UltraHD mode (which pushes detail further but removes HDR).
But in low light, the story is different. The phone struggles more than I expected at this price range. Night mode is there, but output is often soft or blurry. The 8MP front camera does fine for selfies in good light, but again, don’t expect miracles in darker conditions.For video, you’re limited to 1080p and 720p at 30fps. That’s quite restrictive, especially since even budget phones nowadays can push 60fps or 4K in some cases. What’s more interesting is that POCO gives you two video aspect ratios: standard 9:16 and a cinematic ratio. The cinematic mode basically crops the video for a wider feel. It’s a small but cool feature for experimenting.
Overall, the camera does the job, but you’ll wish it delivered more given the 50MP sensor.
Audio
The POCO M7 is Hi-Res Audio certified and claims up to 200% audio boost. In real usage, the dual speaker setup is loud enough for watching content or playing games without earphones, though it can sound a bit flat at high volumes. Clarity is fine, and having stereo is definitely better than mono in a phone this big.
For headphones, output is clean, and you get the flexibility of wired or wireless depending on your setup.
Battery
Here’s where the POCO M7 flexes. The 7000mAh battery is no joke—it’s comfortably one of the largest in the market right now.
In real-world use, the phone easily lasts up to two full days with casual web browsing, social media, and streaming. Even with heavier usage, you can stretch it well past a day without reaching for a charger.
Charging is handled by 33W fast charging, which gets you from empty to 50% in under an hour. And when needed, the phone doubles as a powerbank with 18W reverse charging, letting you top up smaller gadgets like wireless earbuds.
The other standout feature is how smart the battery system is: with Battery Health 4.0 and silicon-carbon tech, you don’t just get a bigger battery, you get a longer-lasting one. Even extreme tests like playback at -20°C are supported, which says something about its endurance.
Bottom line: If you care about battery life above everything else, this phone tops its class.
Verdict
The POCO M7 truly lives up to its slogan: Big Battery, More Fun. If your priority is an all-day, worry-free battery that can handle streaming, social media, and daily use, this phone is a great companion. Add to that the massive display, decent audio, and some neat software tools—it does make for a fun multimedia phone.
But it’s not perfect. The Snapdragon 685 feels underutilized due to some UI sluggishness. The cameras could perform better, especially in low light, and the video recording limitations are disappointing. Also, while it’s fairly priced, in today’s market you’ll find alternatives that provide better performance for less—like the Panalo Phone 5G from Smart Communications or the iTel RS4. The lack of 5G connectivity is also a miss for people looking for future-proof features.
That said, price-to-performance ratio is still decent. I’d call it a phone for those who value battery endurance and display size more than raw power or camera versatility. If that sounds like your priority, the POCO M7 won’t let you down.
Giancarlo Viterbo is a Filipino Technology Journalist, blogger and Editor of gadgetpilipinas.net, He is also a Geek, Dad and a Husband. He knows a lot about washing the dishes, doing some errands and following instructions from his boss on his day job. Follow him on twitter: @gianviterbo and @gadgetpilipinas.
