Poco Pad 5G Review: A Solid Mid-Range Tablet with a Familiar Face
Poco has been making waves in the smartphone market, and now they’re stepping into the tablet game with the Poco Pad 5G. This first-ever tablet from the brand boasts a large 12.1-inch LCD display, a substantial 10,000mAh battery, and a Snapdragon 7s Gen 2 SoC, making it seem like a compelling contender in the mid-range tablet segment. However, with its striking resemblance to the Redmi Pad Pro 5G and near-identical specs, the question arises: is the Poco Pad 5G a worthy upgrade, or is it simply a rebranded Redmi tablet? Let’s delve into the details and find out.
Poco Pad 5G Design: Looks Premium, But a Fingerprint Magnet
The Poco Pad 5G sports a solid all-metal unibody construction that feels durable and premium. The matte finish rear panel features a two-tone design, although it unfortunately has a tendency to attract fingerprints, so be prepared to keep a microfiber cloth handy. The rear panel proudly displays the Poco branding and two circular modules housing the camera and LED flash. Despite its size, the tablet remains portable thanks to its slim profile and manageable weight. Rounded corners, flat sides, and tapered edges on the front glass contribute to its overall aesthetic.
Poco Pad 5G Dimensions and Weight:
- Dimensions: 280mm x 181.85mm x 7.52mm
- Weight: 568g
- Colors: Cobalt Blue and Pistachio Green
On the right frame, you’ll find two microphones, the SIM card tray (supporting dual 5G SIMs or a SIM and microSD card), and the volume rocker key. The top edge houses dual speakers and the power/wake button, while the bottom edge features another two speakers, a USB Type-C port, and a 3.5mm headphone jack. The left frame remains minimalist, leaving a clean look. All in all, the Poco Pad 5G comes together as a well-constructed tablet.
Poco Pad 5G Display and Sound: A Feast for the Eyes and Ears
Flip the tablet over, and you’re greeted by the expansive 12.1-inch LCD display enclosed by uniform, slightly thick bezels. The panel is protected by Corning’s Gorilla Glass 3 and offers a 16:10 aspect ratio with a 2.5K (2560 x 1600 pixels) resolution. Additionally, it supports an adaptive refresh rate of up to 120Hz, allowing you to choose between 60, 90, or 120Hz. The tablet comes with three color profiles: Vivid, Saturated, and Standard. It’s best to stick with Vivid for vibrant colors and decent blacks.
Poco Pad 5G Display Features:
- 12.1-inch 2.5K resolution LCD
- 120Hz refresh rate
- Dolby Vision support
- Up to 600 nits peak brightness
While the display boasts Dolby Vision support and a peak brightness of up to 600 nits, outdoor visibility becomes a challenge as the screen doesn’t get bright enough. However, you’ll have no issues using the tablet indoors due to its ample brightness.
The Poco Pad 5G features a quad-speaker setup with support for Dolby Atmos, delivering rich audio with decent stereo separation. It gets surprisingly loud, but you might notice a lack of bass at maximum volume. While music listening might not be its forte, the tablet excels in delivering an immersive experience for movies and shows.
Poco Pad 5G Software: A Clean and Minimalist User Experience
Poco has chosen to equip the tablet with HyperOS, based on Android 14, presenting a smooth and bloatware-free experience. The only pre-installed app worth mentioning is the Mi Canvas app, which is designed for sketching using the optional Poco Pen (not included in our review unit).
Key HyperOS Features:
- Xiaomi HomeScreen+
- Shared Clipboard
- Cross-device Notes app sync with the Camera app
Beyond Mi Canvas, HyperOS includes features like Xiaomi HomeScreen+, enabling you to connect your phone using a Xiaomi account to receive smartphone notifications on the tablet. The Shared Clipboard allows for easy copy and paste of images and text between devices. The cross-device Notes app sync with the Camera app feature lets you take a photo on a connected phone and directly insert it into the Notes app.
The Poco Pad 5G, naturally, supports multitasking, with the ability to run up to two apps simultaneously on the screen. You can also add two floating apps, increasing the total number of running applications to four.
Poco has made a commitment to providing two years of Android OS updates and three years of security patches, ensuring a more prolonged software support lifecycle.
Poco Pad 5G Performance: A Mixed Bag of Smooth and Laggy Experiences
The Poco Pad 5G is powered by the Snapdragon 7s Gen 2 SoC, which delivers respectable performance. You’ll experience mostly smooth navigation, however, some lag may occur when multitasking, scrolling through the Settings app, or launching certain applications, including the Camera.
Poco Pad 5G Hardware Specifications:
- Snapdragon 7s Gen 2
- 8GB RAM (LPDDR4X)
- Up to 256GB storage (UFS 2.2) inbuilt, expandable
Benchmarking the Poco Pad 5G against the Redmi Pad Pro 5G yielded similar performance results, which is unsurprising considering their near-identical hardware:
| Benchmark | Poco Pad 5G | Redmi Pad Pro 5G |
|---|---|---|
| Geekbench 6 Single | 1025 | 1034 |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | 2893 | 2994 |
| PCMark Work 3.0 | 12682 | 12518 |
| 3DM Slingshot Extreme | 4583 | 5177 |
| 3DM Slingshot | 5979 | 6690 |
| 3DM Wild Life | 2976 | 2970 |
| 3DM Wild Life Unlimited | 3065 | 3072 |
| AnTuTu v10 | 548927 | 602839 |
| GFX Bench T-Rex | 79 | 81 |
| GFX Bench Manhattan 3.1 | 29 | 30 |
| GFX Bench Car Chase | 15 | 15 |
While heating issues were minimal, with only a slight warmth around the camera during gaming sessions, the Poco Pad 5G’s performance remains a bit inconsistent. It could potentially be improved upon considering its target market and competition.
The tablet’s 5G connectivity delivered impressive download speeds of around 474 Mbps and uploads of 63 Mbps during Speedtest trials on Airtel’s 5G network. Video calls on 5G worked flawlessly.
Poco Pad 5G Cameras: Adequate for Basic Needs
The camera that matters most on a tablet is typically the front-facing one, and unfortunately, the 8-megapixel sensor on the Poco Pad 5G isn’t particularly impressive. While it’s adequate for daylight video calls, it’s not recommended for taking selfies due to the lack of detail in the photos.
Poco Pad 5G Camera Specifications:
- Rear: 8-megapixel with LED flash
- Front: 8-megapixel
The rear camera fares similarly, with usable photos in daylight but noticeable noise and loss of detail in low-light conditions.
Poco Pad 5G Battery: Long Enough for Extended Binge-Watching Sessions
The Poco Pad 5G’s 10,000mAh battery offered a mixed experience. While it was initially expected to match the Redmi Pad Pro 5G’s impressive endurance in the HD video loop test, the Poco Pad 5G only lasted about 11 hours and 50 minutes compared to the Redmi Pad Pro’s 28 hours and 30 minutes.
Poco Pad 5G Battery Features:
- 10,000mAh capacity
- 33W fast charging
However, during regular use involving several hours of YouTube streaming, half an hour of gaming, Netflix binging, and web browsing, the tablet comfortably lasted for two days without requiring a charge.
The Poco Pad 5G supports 33W fast charging with the included charger in the box. It takes approximately 2 hours to fully charge the large 10,000mAh cell.
Poco Pad 5G Verdict: A Value-Packed Tablet for Casual Users
So, should you consider buying the Poco Pad 5G? In short, yes, especially if you’re looking for a solid mid-range tablet. It boasts a high-resolution display with excellent indoor brightness, a robust build, decent performance, impressive battery life, and even the capability for casual gaming. It offers remarkable value for money, especially considering the slightly higher-priced Redmi Pad Pro 5G, which offers virtually identical features.
Key Competition:
- Redmi Pad Pro 5G: Although priced slightly higher, it doesn’t offer any distinct advantages over the Poco Pad 5G.
- Xiaomi Pad 6: While cheaper, it features a smaller display and battery, despite offering better performance and cameras.
Ultimately, the Poco Pad 5G is a compelling option for those seeking a well-rounded tablet without breaking the bank. It’s perfect for casual users who primarily enjoy watching movies, browsing the web, and light gaming.
