POCO C65 Review: The New King of Entry-Level Phones?

The budget smartphone segment witnesses a relentless stream of new entrants, each vying to offer the best value for money. POCO, a brand known for disrupting the market with feature-packed devices at aggressive prices, has thrown its latest contender into the ring – the POCO C65. Launched at a time when consumers are inundated with choices, particularly in the budget category, the latest one was the Redmi 13C, which we recently reviewed, and delivered more than what its price tag suggests.

The POCO C65’s arrival is especially significant given its positioning as one of the most economical smartphones available this holiday season. With a starting price of around $119 with some discounts that make it just $102, it’s poised as an ideal choice not just for personal use, but also as a gift or a reliable backup device. This affordability does not come at the cost of essential features, as the C65 is packed with a Mediatek Helio G85 processor – a staple in the budget segment, yet remarkable for being possibly the most affordable iteration featuring this chipset.

What sets the POCO C65 apart in a market saturated with budget phones? This review aims to unpack this question by delving deep into every aspect of the device. From its unassuming yet sturdy design to its large display and commendable battery life, the C65 seems to tick many boxes that budget-conscious users prioritize. So, Does this phone have what it takes to be a go-to choice for those seeking a budget-friendly smartphone without significant compromises?

POCO C65 Features

Unboxing of POCO C65

Opening the POCO C65’s box reveals a neatly packed handset, alongside the phone, you find a SIM tray ejector pin, essential for accessing the dual SIM capabilities. Accompanying these are various guide documentation. Included in the package is a Type-C cable, and surprisingly, the box also contains a 10W adapter, a modest inclusion given that the phone supports 18W fast charging. This choice by POCO might hint at cost-saving measures but also suggests an opportunity for users to utilize existing fast chargers.

Design and Build Quality

For smartphones, the design and build quality often play a crucial role in shaping user experience, especially in the budget segment where every small detail counts. The POCO C65, emerging as an affordable contender, brings to the table a design philosophy and build quality that deserves a closer look. And it’s proof that budget phones can still offer a pleasing aesthetic and solid build quality, making it a worthy consideration for cost-conscious.

The POCO C65, at first glance, makes a statement with its minimalistic yet functional design. Starter from the front, the C65 features a large 6.74-inch display, which is a considerable size at this price point. However, the presence of a teardrop notch might seem a bit dated in 2023. While some may overlook this for the phone’s affordability, it’s an aspect where the C65 shows its budget roots. The use of Corning Gorilla Glass for screen protection is a commendable addition, enhancing the durability of the device.

The C65’s bezels, especially the chin, are noticeably thicker than what you might find on more expensive models. This design choice is typical in the budget segment and is a trade-off for the lower price point. However, it doesn’t significantly detract from the overall aesthetic and is a common feature among similarly priced phones.

One of the standout features of the C65’s design is its flat back, reminiscent of the contemporary styling seen in higher-end models like the iPhone. The double-barrel camera module adds to this modern aesthetic, ensuring the C65 doesn’t look outdated despite its budget status. This blend of matte and glossy finishes in the camera area also adds a touch of sophistication to the otherwise simple rear design. Available in multiple color options such as blue, black, and purple, but, the blue variant particularly stands out.

However, POCO has opted for a predominantly plastic build. While this choice reflects its budget-friendly nature, it doesn’t necessarily detract from the phone’s overall durability. The plastic used is not of a premium grade, but it’s robust enough to endure regular usage without showing significant wear and tear.

Despite its modest pricing, the C65 doesn’t compromise on ergonomics. The handset feels solid and comfortable in hand, weighing around 192 grams and measuring 8.09mm in thickness, the device strikes a balance between heft and manageability, making it suitable for a range of users. It is comfortably sized for one-handed use, making routine tasks like texting and browsing easily manageable. This ease of handling is a significant plus, considering the trend towards increasingly larger phones which can be cumbersome for users with smaller hands.

The POCO C65 features a side-mounted fingerprint scanner integrated into the power button. This placement is both ergonomic and practical, allowing for easy unlocking of the phone with a natural hand grip. Located on the right side of the device, this fingerprint scanner is conveniently accessible for both left- and right-handed users.

And with a triple card slot located on the left side, accommodates two nano-SIM cards and a microSD card, allowing users to expand the device’s storage capacity while maintaining dual-SIM functionality.

The inclusion of a 3.5mm audio jack is a user-friendly decision, especially considering the trend of omitting this feature in many contemporary models. Located at the top of the device, the audio jack offers compatibility with a wide range of headphones and earphones. At the bottom lies a USB-C port, and alongside the bottom edge houses a mono loudspeaker.

Display and Visuals:

The display and visual experience are often the make-or-break factors for potential buyers. The POCO C65, with its competitively low price point, brings to the table a display that aims to balance cost and quality. At the heart of the C65’s visual experience lies its 6.74-inch IPS LCD. The choice of IPS technology is a nod to delivering decent color reproduction and viewing angles without significantly driving up the cost. The screen size, which is generously large for a budget device, offers ample real estate for media consumption, gaming, and general use.

However, an IPS panel ensures decent color reproduction, with colors that are reasonably accurate and vibrant for its price range. While it may not rival the punchiness of an AMOLED display, it holds its own in the budget segment. The viewing angles are also commendable, with minimal color shift observed when the device is tilted, making it suitable for sharing content on the screen with others.

The C65’s resolution of 1600 x 720 pixels, categorized as HD+, is where cost considerations come into play. While it doesn’t provide the sharpness of a Full HD or higher resolution display, it strikes a balance between battery efficiency and visual clarity. For everyday tasks like browsing, social media, and video streaming, this resolution is quite adequate.

One of the more surprising features of the POCO C65 is its 90Hz refresh rate. This feature, typically reserved for mid-range or even flagship devices, is a welcome addition. A higher refresh rate translates to smoother transitions and scrolling, providing a noticeably better user experience compared to the standard 60Hz screens commonly found in budget phones. This enhancement is particularly evident while navigating through the UI, browsing the web, or scrolling through social media feeds.

Corning Gorilla Glass 3 protection on the display adds a layer of durability, safeguarding against everyday scratches and minor impacts. Additionally, the TUV certification for low blue light emission is a thoughtful inclusion, considering the extended screen time many users are subjected to. This feature helps reduce eye strain during prolonged use, a health-conscious addition that is often overlooked in budget smartphones.

A critical aspect of any smartphone display is its performance under various lighting conditions, especially outdoors. The C65’s screen, while sufficiently bright for indoor use, faces challenges under direct sunlight. This limitation might not be a deal-breaker for many but is certainly something users who spend a lot of time outdoors should consider.

Color Modes

Moreover, the display supports various color modes, including Vivid, Saturated, and Standard. This flexibility allows users to customize the color profile to their preferences. Whether you prefer punchy and vibrant colors for entertainment or a more accurate representation for reading or work, the C65 gives you the choice.

Streaming Services and Audio Experience:

While the HD+ resolution might not be the sharpest on the market, it’s more than sufficient for the typical short video content consumed on social media. Most of these videos are not high-resolution, so the C65’s display aligns well with the quality of content usually encountered. For streaming lovers, the POCO C65 comes with Widevine L1 certification, ensuring it can stream HD content from platforms like Netflix. This capability is particularly noteworthy for a budget device, as many in this price range are limited to standard definition due to the lack of this certification.

The C65 features a single loudspeaker, which, while not the loudest or the most dynamic, serves adequately for casual listening and watching videos. For users seeking a more immersive audio experience, the presence of a 3.5mm audio jack is a significant advantage. This allows for headphones or earphones for a more personal and enhanced listening experience, be it for music, movies, or gaming.

Performance Overview:

So, we now move on to the performance part, the most exciting part, because indeed, the SoC at the heart of the POCO C65 still uses the Helio G85 SoC. This chipset has become a familiar name in the segment of budget-friendly smartphones. While it may not be the latest and most cutting-edge processor, it brings a set of features and capabilities that make it a strong contender. This SoC is an octa-core processor, comprising two Cortex-A75 cores clocked at 2.0 GHz and six Cortex-A55 cores running at 1.8 GHz. This combination strikes a balance between power and efficiency, allowing the C65 to perform well in a variety of scenarios.

For most users, a smartphone is primarily a tool for everyday tasks, and the POCO C65 handles these tasks with ease. Whether it’s browsing the web, checking social media, or sending messages, the device offers a responsive and lag-free experience. This is in part thanks to its 6/8GB of LPDDR4X RAM, which plays a crucial role in ensuring that apps stay in memory, reducing reload times when switching between them. The 128/256GB eMMC 5.1 storage respectively, while sufficient, may slow down as it fills up over time.

A standout feature in the C65 is the virtual RAM expansion. This allows the phone to allocate a portion of its storage to be used as RAM up to 8GB when needed, improving multitasking capabilities. It’s a handy feature for heavy users who tend to run multiple apps simultaneously. But does all this hardware translate into smooth real-world performance?

Gaming Capabilities:

Light Gaming Performance

When it comes to gaming, the POCO C65 pleasantly surprises. Casual games like ‘Candy Crush’ or ‘Temple Run run without any hitches, thanks to the capable GPU integrated within the MediaTek chipset. The gaming experience is enhanced by the phone’s large display, making it an enjoyable device for casual gamers.

For the graphic settings, we set it at a high frame rate with Ultra graphics. The result was an fps range of 50 to 60 FPS. There were slight frame drops, especially when there was a lot of action, but it wasn’t too severe, dropping only to around 40 FPS, which I think is still quite good. However, the gyroscope is locked in this phone, so it doesn’t support gyro hardware.

Intensive Gaming and Heat Management

For more graphic-intensive games, the POCO C65 presents a viable option. It comfortably runs popular games like Mobile Legends and Call of Duty Mobile at medium settings. However, when pushing the device with more graphically intensive games, performance dips are noticeable. The phone manages to run such games at lower settings but at the cost of heating up more quickly than expected, ensuring that performance isn’t significantly throttled.

For games like Genshin Impact, expect 24 to 30 FPS on low settings; this phone is not recommended for such heavy games. Rather, it’s better for games like PUBG Mobile or Mobile Legends. So, Keep in mind that this device is not designed to be a gaming powerhouse, and its performance in such games is limited.

Benchmark Analysis:

In benchmark tests, the POCO C65 scores respectably. On Antutu, it clocks scores around 280,000 points, placing it decently among its budget peers. Geekbench results show adequate single-core in the 400-450 range and multi-core around 1,200-1,300, further affirming its capability as a budget performer.

These benchmark scores translate into a smartphone that can handle everyday tasks with ease. While it might not break any performance records, it’s important to remember the phone’s budget-friendly nature. The scores indicate that the POCO C65 is more than capable of providing a satisfactory user experience for its intended audience.

Software and User Interface:

The POCO C65 runs on MIUI 14 for POCO, based on Android 13. MIUI, known for its customization options and feature-rich environment, brings a familiar experience to Xiaomi and POCO users. However, it’s not without its drawbacks. The presence of bloatware, a common criticism of MIUI, persists in the C65.

The design language of MIUI 14 for POCO is a mixture of bold colors, rounded icons, and fluid animations. It’s designed to be user-friendly, ensuring that even those new to MIUI can navigate through the interface with ease. Also, offers an app drawer, which organizes apps more efficiently, a boon for users who download numerous applications. Users can personalize their devices with themes, wallpapers, and icon packs from the MIUI store.

MIUI 14 for POCO brings with it several unique features. These include an enhanced dark mode, which not only saves battery life but also reduces eye strain, and a focus on privacy with improved permissions management. The UI also offers various gesture navigations and button shortcuts, enhancing the ease of use. The notification and control center in MIUI is divided into two parts drawing inspiration from iOS. Swiping down from the left side of the screen brings up the notification shade while doing the same from the right side opens the control center. This separation makes for a cleaner and more organized way to view notifications and toggle settings.

Bloatware and Cleanliness:

A common critique faced by MIUI, and by extension the C65, is the presence of bloatware. The device comes with several pre-installed apps, some of which might not be necessary for all users. Fortunately, a significant portion of these apps can be uninstalled, offering a cleaner and more streamlined experience. It’s a necessary step to enhance the phone’s performance and user satisfaction.

Camera Performance:

The POCO C65, while firmly positioned in the budget segment, brings a camera setup that challenges the conventions of its price range. It’s equipped with a dual-camera system on the rear. The primary shooter is a 50MP sensor, an impressive inclusion for a phone in this price bracket. Accompanying the main sensor is a 2MP macro lens, a common feature in budget smartphones, though its utility often remains limited.

Led by its 50MP primary sensor, offers commendable performance for its price range. It excels in well-lit conditions and provides an adequate experience in low light. While it doesn’t push any boundaries in smartphone photography, it delivers where it counts, offering reliable and consistent performance that will satisfy the photography needs of most budget-conscious users. The POCO C65 proves that even in the budget segment, a satisfying photography experience is attainable.

Photography Capabilities

Daylight Performance

In well-lit conditions, the 50MP main camera shines. It captures images with commendable detail and clarity. The color reproduction is generally accurate, although it tends to lean towards a slightly cooler tone. The camera handles exposure well, balancing bright and shadowy areas effectively. However, it’s in the dynamic range where the limitations of a budget sensor become apparent. High-contrast scenes can sometimes lead to overexposed highlights or underexposed shadows.

Low Light and Night Photography

In low-light environments, the performance of the C65’s camera takes a predictable dip. While the phone manages to capture usable images, there’s a noticeable loss of detail and an increase in noise. The absence of a dedicated night mode means that users will have to rely on the primary camera’s software optimization, which does an adequate job but can’t compete with the night modes found in higher-end devices.

Macro Photography

The 2MP macro lens offers an additional photography option, but its practical use is limited. The low-resolution results in less detailed images, and focusing can be a challenge. This lens is more of a supplementary feature rather than a primary selling point of the camera system.

Front Camera and Selfies

The front of the POCO C65 houses an 8MP selfie camera. In good lighting, this camera captures decent selfies with satisfactory color and detail. The skin tones are natural, and the portrait mode, which adds a background blur, works well enough without appearing too artificial.

The camera software on the POCO C65 is intuitive and user-friendly. Modes like HDR and AI enhancements are available and can be toggled easily. The camera app’s response is snappy, with minimal lag between shots. The UI is straightforward, making it easy for even novice users to navigate and utilize the camera’s capabilities.

Video Capabilities

The POCO C65 supports video recording up to 1080p at 30 frames per second. While this is standard for budget smartphones, the lack of higher resolution or frame rate options is noted. The video quality is acceptable for casual use, with decent color and exposure. However, the absence of any form of stabilization means that handheld footage can be shaky.

Battery Life and Charging:

The POCO C65 comes equipped with a sizeable 5,000mAh battery, a standard in modern smartphones that balances weight and longevity. This capacity is substantial enough to cater to the needs of most users, offering nearly two full days of moderate usage. For the average user, this translates to a day of browsing, social media, video playback, and occasional photography without the constant need to recharge.

Under intensive use, such as prolonged gaming sessions, particularly with graphics-intensive games, the battery depletes more rapidly. However, for lighter tasks like web browsing, social media scrolling, or casual video streaming, the battery consumption is significantly lower, allowing the phone to last much longer.

While the phone supports 18W fast charging, it comes bundled with a 10W charger in the box. With the included 10W charger, the POCO C65 takes approximately 2 hours and 25 minutes to charge from zero to full. This duration is relatively slow compared to the fast charging standards prevalent in today’s smartphone market. However, it’s important to consider the phone’s price point, where compromises are expected. For users who have access to an 18W charger, the charging time can be significantly reduced.

Pricing, Variants, and Availability

The POCO C65 has made waves in the budget smartphone market, thanks to its attractive pricing and variety of variants. As an offering from POCO, known for balancing cost and features, the C65 stands out as a strong contender for those seeking affordability without compromising on quality. At launch, the POCO C65 was introduced at a starting price of $119, making it one of the most budget-friendly smartphones in its category. Recognizing the importance of competitive pricing in the budget segment, POCO strategically positioned the C65 to appeal to cost-conscious consumers. The early bird offer further sweetens the deal, reducing the price to an even more attractive $102.

When compared to other smartphones in the same category such as Redmi 13C, the POCO C65’s pricing stands out. It undercuts many of its rivals, offering similar or even better specifications at a lower cost. Initially launched in select markets like Malaysia and the Philippines, has now extended its reach globally through AliExpress and it is available in its various configurations, so you can choose between the 6GB/128GB and 8GB/256GB variants based on your specific needs.

Final Verdict on POCO C65 – A Worthy Budget Contender

The POCO C65 enters the competitive budget smartphone arena with a compelling proposition, blending affordability with a suite of decent features. Priced attractively, especially with its early bird offer starting around $102, it targets a segment of consumers who prioritize value for money without excessive compromise on performance and features.

This phone shines with its MediaTek Helio G85 processor, ensuring smooth performance for everyday tasks and light gaming. With a 6.74-inch LCD with a 90Hz refresh rate, adds to its appeal. However, the device is not without its drawbacks. The teardrop notch design and the thick chin may seem a tad outdated to some users. Moreover, the camera setup, while decent in well-lit conditions, exhibits limitations in low-light photography, a common challenge in budget smartphones.

Despite these cons, the C65 demonstrates commendable battery life, courtesy of its 5,000mAh battery, making it a reliable companion for extended use. The lack of fast charging might be a downside for some, but it doesn’t overshadow the overall battery performance. In the bigger picture, when evaluating the POCO C65, it’s crucial to align expectations with its pricing. It’s not a device that promises high-end features. Instead, it offers a balanced experience, making it a suitable option for those seeking a functional smartphone at a minimal cost.

This table provides a clear comparison of the pros and cons of the POCO C65, highlighting its key features alongside drawbacks.

Pros	Cons
Affordable Price	Outdated Notch Design
Competent Processor (MediaTek Helio G85)	Limited Camera Performance
HD Streaming Capability (Widevine L1 support)	Single Loudspeaker
Stylish Design (Matte finish, double-barrel camera design)	Screen Brightness Issues
Large Display with High Refresh Rate (6.74-inch, 90Hz)	Bloatware in Software (MIUI 14 for POCO)
Substantial Battery Life (5,000mAh with 18W)	Moderate Gaming Performance
Audio Jack Inclusion	No Fast Charging Adapter Included (10W charger included)