In the crowded middle of India's smartphone market, where phones priced between Rs 20,000 and Rs 30,000 compete for the same buyers, Poco's new X5 Pro has arrived beside two established rivals, the Redmi Note 12 Pro and the Realme 10 Pro Plus. The Indian Express has laid the three side by side, and the comparison finds that there is no single winner, only different answers to different needs. The Realme earns the broadest approval for doing most things well, the Poco for offering gaming muscle at a modest price, and the Redmi for holding a careful middle ground. It is a reminder that at this p
Poco X5 Pro vs Redmi Note 12 Pro vs Realme 10 Pro Plus: Which mid-range phone wins in India?
No single answer fits everyone
Mark
So which phone actually wins?
Mimi
It depends on the buyer. The Realme 10 Pro Plus is the all-rounder pick, the Poco X5 Pro is the gamer's pick, and the Redmi Note 12 Pro sits in between.
Mark
What makes the Poco the gaming choice?
Mimi
The Snapdragon 778G. It's slightly stronger on CPU and wins by a wide margin in gaming, especially on GPU, over the Dimensity 1080 in the other two.
Luke
Worth noting that's the publication's own assessment. The piece gives no benchmark numbers, so "huge margin" is a judgment we can't check here.
Mark
And the Realme's camera praise?
Mimi
Detailed daylight shots, good night images, minimal noise, from its 108MP sensor. The ultrawide is only average.
Luke
The Poco has the same 108MP sensor and also lacks OIS, yet the article rates only the Realme as among the segment's best. It doesn't explain the gap in detail.
Mark
Any trade-offs for the Poco?
Mimi
A plastic back instead of glass, and a top variant capped at 8GB of RAM versus 12GB for the others.
Luke
Also, the text says Snapdragon "77G" once and 778G elsewhere, and prices within the Rs 20,000 to 30,000 band aren't given per model, so value claims are hard to verify.
O Pulso
- Poco's X5 Pro has landed in India and crowded a price bracket that was already fiercely contested.
- Each of the three phones makes a different trade: plastic backs in matte or glossy finishes, varied chips, and memory limits that split the field.
- The Snapdragon 778G gives the Poco a clear gaming edge, while the Dimensity 1080 pair holds steady for everyday use.
- The Realme 10 Pro Plus emerges as the all-round favourite, with its curved display and strong 108MP camera.
- The Redmi Note 12 Pro settles into the middle, offering a decent camera and solid performance for buyers who prefer a balanced choice.
In the crowded middle of India's smartphone market, where phones priced between Rs 20,000 and Rs 30,000 compete for the same buyers, Poco's new X5 Pro has arrived beside two established rivals, the Redmi Note 12 Pro and the Realme 10 Pro Plus. The Indian Express has laid the three side by side, and the comparison finds that there is no single winner, only different answers to different needs. The Realme earns the broadest approval for doing most things well, the Poco for offering gaming muscle at a modest price, and the Redmi for holding a careful middle ground. It is a reminder that at this price, choice is less about finding the best device than about knowing what one wants from it.
Poco's launch of the X5 Pro in India has made the Rs 20,000 to Rs 30,000 bracket more crowded. The phone now faces two direct rivals, the Redmi Note 12 Pro and the Realme 10 Pro Plus, and The Indian Express has put all three under the same lens across design, performance, camera and software.
The three phones look and feel different in the hand. The Realme wears a reflective glossy back and a curved 120Hz AMOLED screen that is rare at this price, and it feels light and premium. The Redmi has a matte plastic back that picks up scratches easily, a redesigned camera island and a Dolby Vision display. The Poco drops the glass design of its predecessor for a flatter matte back, a change some buyers may not forgive, though its screen matches the Redmi's.
Performance is where the three split. The Redmi and Realme share the Dimensity 1080, while the Poco runs the older Snapdragon 778G, which wins decisively in gaming. For everyday tasks, all three rarely stumble. Memory tells another story: the Redmi and Realme reach 12GB of RAM, while the top Poco stops at 8GB. Only the Realme ships with Android 13.
In the camera contest, the Redmi relies on a 50MP sensor with optical stabilisation, while the Realme and Poco use 108MP sensors without it. The Poco's improved main camera handles outdoor and low-light scenes with natural colour, and the Realme is praised for detailed daylight shots and clean night images. All three share average ultrawide cameras.
The verdict is that the answer depends on the buyer. The Realme takes the top spot for those who want near-universal strength, the Poco is an easy recommendation for gamers seeking value, and the Redmi suits those who want a sensible middle option.
Poco's launch of the X5 Pro in India has made the Rs 20,000 to Rs 30,000 smartphone bracket more crowded. The phone now faces two direct rivals, the Redmi Note 12 Pro and the Realme 10 Pro Plus, and The Indian Express has set the three side by side across design, performance, camera and software.
Start with the hardware you see first. The Realme 10 Pro Plus has a glossy plastic back with a reflective look, and a 6.70-inch 120Hz HDR10+ curved AMOLED display, which the comparison notes is rare in this class. The reflective finish may not suit everyone, but the phone is light, grips well, and looks and feels premium.
The Redmi Note 12 Pro also has a plastic back, in a matte finish. It feels premium too, though the reviewers found the shell picks up scratches easily. Redmi has redesigned the camera island, which now sits on the right side. Its screen is a 6.67-inch 120Hz HDR10+ AMOLED panel under Gorilla Glass 5, with Dolby Vision, a feature usually seen on premium devices.
The Poco X5 Pro drops the glass sandwich design of the Poco X4 Pro for a matte plastic back, a change that could be a deal breaker for some buyers. It is flatter than the Redmi Note 12 Pro, and its camera island is likewise on the right and looks similar. Its display matches the Redmi's: 6.67 inches, 120Hz, HDR10+ AMOLED, Dolby Vision, Gorilla Glass 5.
Performance is where the three split. The Redmi Note 12 Pro and Realme 10 Pro Plus both use the MediaTek Dimensity 1080, while the Poco X5 Pro uses the slightly older Snapdragon 778G. The Snapdragon offers slightly more CPU performance, and in gaming it wins by a large margin. For everyday tasks, all three rarely hang or freeze. For competitive mobile gamers, the Poco is the clear winner.
Memory favours the other two. The Redmi and Realme go up to 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage, while the top Poco variant stops at 8GB of RAM with 256GB. On software, the Realme 10 Pro Plus is the only one shipping with Android 13; the Redmi Note 12 Pro and Poco X5 Pro run MIUI 13 and MIUI 14 respectively, based on Android 12. All three carry a 5,000mAh battery with 67W fast charging.
On cameras, the Redmi has a 50MP main sensor with optical image stabilisation. The Realme and Poco use 108MP main sensors without OIS. All three add an 8MP ultrawide, a 2MP macro and a 16MP selfie camera that records Full HD video. Poco's main sensor has improved, handling outdoor and low-light shots well with good colour and images that don't look over-processed. The Realme is called one of the best camera phones in the segment: detailed daylight shots, good night images and minimal noise. Its ultrawide is average, as is typical under Rs 30,000.
The verdict is that no single answer fits everyone. The Realme 10 Pro Plus comes out on top for buyers wanting a phone that delivers almost across the board, thanks to its curved display and camera. The Poco X5 Pro is a no-brainer for gamers seeking value, given its GPU advantage. The Redmi Note 12 Pro sits between them: it lacks the 108MP camera but matches the Poco's display, suiting those who want a decent camera and solid performance.
Citações Notáveis
For gamers seeking value for money, the Poco X5 Pro is a no-brainer.— The Indian Express comparison (paraphrased)
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Leia o original em The Indian Express ↗
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