Poco C71: Xiaomi’s MIUI skin has always been divisive, but on the Poco C71’s limited hardware, it’s particularly frustrating. After using this phone for three weeks, I’m still greeted with random stutters when simply swiping between home screens. The built-in ad system is particularly offensive – I counted 17 “recommendations” (let’s call them what they are: ads) in system apps during a single day. The settings menu feels like a labyrinth designed by someone who actively hates users. Want to change notification settings? That’ll be six taps deep into submenus with confusingly similar names. Even after disabling most bloatware, memory management remains aggressive to the point of annoyance, frequently killing Spotify mid-playback despite having it whitelisted. Not all is terrible though – the new control center design is actually intuitive, and dark mode implementation works surprisingly well across third-party apps.
Camera System: Expectations vs. Reality
Let’s be brutally honest about the 50MP main camera – it’s 50MP in marketing materials only. In practice, photos look decidedly 13MP-ish, with obvious noise reduction smearing away details even in perfect lighting. Indoor shots turn into a watercolor painting faster than you can say “computational photography.” Colors are actually quite pleasant when shooting outdoors, with a slightly warm tone that flatters skin tones better than some mid-rangers costing twice as much. The macro lens is completely useless though – a 2MP sensor that produces images so bad they wouldn’t pass muster on a 2010 flip phone. Night mode exists in name only, producing dark, grainy messes unless your hands are surgeon-steady and your subject perfectly still. For social media posts viewed on phones, daylight shots are perfectly adequate, but don’t zoom in whatever you do.
Battery Life: The Unexpected Hero
The 5,000mAh battery is this phone’s saving grace. Even with heavy usage – endless TikTok scrolling, WhatsApp video calls, and my unhealthy YouTube addiction – I consistently end days with 30-40% remaining. Screen-on time regularly hits 8-9 hours, which beats many flagships costing five times as much. The included 18W charger feels glacially slow in 2025 when even mid-rangers boast 67W+ charging, taking about 2 hours 15 minutes for a full charge. But the battery anxiety I experienced with previous phones has completely vanished. One odd quirk: battery percentage occasionally jumps around erratically, dropping from 46% to 39% in seconds, then creeping back up again. Probably just a calibration issue, but jarring nonetheless.
Display: Surprisingly Decent for the Price
The 6.74-inch LCD panel isn’t winning any awards, but it’s better than expected at this price point. Colors look natural rather than oversaturated, viewing angles are decent, and the 90Hz refresh rate makes scrolling noticeably smoother than 60Hz budget phones. Brightness is the main weakness – indoor visibility is fine, but step outside on a sunny day and you’ll be squinting and shading the screen with your hand. The teardrop notch feels dated in 2025 when even budget phones are moving to punch-holes, but you stop noticing it after a few days. Netflix caps at 480p due to DRM limitations, which is disappointing but expected at this price point. For social media, messaging, and casual gaming, it’s completely adequate.
Performance: Mediatek Helio G91 Shows Its Limitations
Daily tasks like messaging, social media, and web browsing run smoothly enough, though you’ll notice occasional hitches when switching between apps. The real limitations become apparent with gaming – PUBG Mobile runs at lowest settings with frequent frame drops during gunfights. Lighter titles like Subway Surfers and Candy Crush play fine, but anything 3D-intensive quickly turns into a slideshow. App launch times feel sluggish compared to mid-rangers, with a noticeable pause before even simple apps like Messages fully load. RAM management is particularly aggressive, frequently reloading apps that were open just minutes ago. For basic smartphone tasks it’s perfectly usable, but power users will find the limitations frustrating within days, not months.
Build Quality: Plastic Fantastic or Just Plain Cheap?
The all-plastic construction feels exactly as premium as you’d expect at this price point – which is to say, not at all. The glossy back attracts fingerprints faster than a crime scene investigator and scratches if you look at it too intensely. Button placement is sensible though, with good tactile feedback and no wobble. The included TPU case feels surprisingly decent, adding much-needed grip to an otherwise slippery device. The mono speaker is tinny and easily muffled by your hand, but gets loud enough for casual YouTube viewing. The headphone jack is a welcome inclusion that’s becoming increasingly rare even in budget phones. No IP rating means keeping it away from water is essential, though it survived a light rain shower without issues.
Poco C71 Value Proposition: Is the Poco C71 Worth Your Hard-Earned Cash?
At $129 for the 4GB/64GB model, the Poco C71 represents decent value for absolute basics, but the competition at this price point has never been fiercer. Realme and Infinix offer compelling alternatives with better software experiences and similar hardware. The C71 makes sense for first-time smartphone buyers, elderly relatives who just need calls and WhatsApp, or as a backup device when your main phone is being repaired. The included charger, pre-applied screen protector, and decent case add value to the package. Just know what you’re getting – a basic smartphone experience with significant compromises, not a “flagship killer” by any stretch of the imagination.