Xiaomi isn’t the best at coming up with product names. And the POCO M3 that I have with me is a prime example. Depending on the region, this phone has 4 different identities. It first debuted in China under the Redmi Note 9 4G branding which was repurposed as Redmi 9 Power for the Indian market. A couple of weeks later, Xiaomi decides to launch the same phone in Europe and few other Asian markets as Redmi 9T. Whew, that’s a lot! Anyway, leaving the naming scheme aside, how good is the POCO M3, and more importantly—was this a deserving successor to the M2? Let’s find out in this review of the POCO M3.

POCO M3 Specifications:

• Body: 6.39 x 3.04 x 0.38 inches, 198 gm
• Display: 6.53-inches “Dot Drop” IPS LCD, 395PPI, Corning Gorilla Glass 3, TÜV Rheinland Low Blue Light certification, NTSC 70%
• Resolution: FHD+ (2340 x 1080 pixels), 19.5:9 aspect ratio
• Chipset: Qualcomm Snapdragon 662 (11nm Mobile Platform)
• CPU: Octa-core (4×2.0 GHz Kryo 260 Gold & 4×1.8 GHz Kryo 260 Silver)
• Memory: 4/6GB RAM, 64GB UFS 2.1/128GB UFS 2.2 storage (expandable)
• Software & UI: MIUI 12 for POCO on top of Android 10
• Rear Camera: Triple-camera;
  – 48MP, f/1.79 primary lens
  – 2MP, f/2.4 depth sensor
  – 2MP, f/2.4 macro sensor
  – LED flash
• Front Camera: 8MP, f/2.05 lens (notch)
• Audio: 3.5mm headphone jack, stereo speaker, Hi-Res audio
• Connectivity: Dual-SIM (Nano), WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (Dual-band), Bluetooth 5.0, GPS / Glonass / Galileo / Beidou, USB Type-C, 4G LTE
• Sensors: Accelerometer, Ambient Light, Proximity, Vibration Motor, IR Blaster, Proximity
• Battery: 6000mAh with 18W charging (22.5W brick inside the box)
• Color options: POCO Yellow, Cool Blue, Power Black
• Price in Nepal: N/A (around 25,000)

After Player Unknown’s Battlegrounds (PUBG) game developers recently launched the official trailer of PUBG Mobile 2 or PUBG: New State, there were speculations on the return of PUBG Mobile India, which is banned in the country since September 2020 due privacy and national security concerns.

Besides that, the game was also listed on the Google Play Store for pre-registration, while the pre-order for the Apple App Store will be opening soon. The social media post about the announcement read, “Coming in 2021, PUBG: NEW STATE features the most realistic battle royale experience you will find on mobile. Players will be able to drop in and explore a new map that expands the lore, experience graphics that push the limits of mobile gaming, master the best and most dynamic gunplay on the market, and enjoy next-generation survival features that evolve the battlegrounds.”

However, now it looks like the game isn’t going to come back anytime soon. The social media post about the announcement read, “Coming in 2021, PUBG: NEW STATE features the most realistic battle royale experience you will find on mobile. Players will be able to drop in and explore a new map that expands the lore, experience graphics that push the limits of mobile gaming, master the best and most dynamic gunplay on the market, and enjoy next-generation survival features that evolve the battlegrounds.” However, this is not for Indian users as the game is banned in the country. When they visit the game’s page on the Google Play Store, they will receive an error.

The Gionee Max Pro features a 6.52-inch HD+ (720×1560 pixels) full-view Dewdrop display with 2.5D curved glass screen protection. It is powered by the octa-core Unisoc 9863A SoC, paired with 3GB of RAM. The phone features the dual rear camera setup that houses a 13-megapixel primary sensor and a 2-megapixel secondary sensor with ‘Bokeh Lens’. On the front is an 8-megapixel sensor housed inside the notch.

The Gionee Max Pro has 32GB of onboard storage that is expandable via a microSD card (up to 256GB). It features a dedicated microSD slot and supports reverse charging. It comes with a dedicated Google Assistant button and Faces Unlock. It runs on Android 10 and comes with a 6,000mAh battery.

Gionee Max Pro Full Specifications

General

Display

Hardware

Camera

Software

Connectivity

Sensors