POCO F3 Review: Screen Quality, Cameras and Charging

The POCO F3 arrived in March 2021 as a phone built around speed and value. Announced on 22 March 2021 and released on 27 March 2021, it paired the Qualcomm Snapdragon 870 5G chipset with a 120Hz AMOLED screen, a 48MP main camera and 33W wired charging. Searches for a POCO F3 review screen quality cameras and charging round-up still appear years after launch, because those three areas decided whether the phone was worth its price. This article looks at the screen, the cameras and the charging in detail, then lists the POCO F3 specs in full so buyers can compare every detail in one place.

POCO F3 unboxing videos from launch week showed a slim glass phone with a side fingerprint reader, a triple camera block and a charger in the retail box. The POCO F3 price in India and global launch price varied by market and by memory version, with the 6GB and 8GB models aimed at buyers who wanted flagship speed without a flagship price. For an older alternative from the same family, see POCO F2 Pro Review: Camera Quality, Battery and Value. The rest of this article works through the display first, because the screen is the part owners look at every day.

Screen Quality: The 120Hz AMOLED Display

The POCO F3 display measures 6.67 inches and uses an AMOLED panel with a 1080 x 2400 resolution, a 20:9 ratio and about 395 pixels per inch. The POCO F3 120Hz AMOLED display brightness and colours stand out at this price, with HDR10+ support and a peak brightness of 1300 nits. The POCO F3 AMOLED panel is bright, smooth and comfortable to look at for hours, which helps during long reading sessions and video playback. Corning Gorilla Glass 5 covers the front, and the screen-to-body ratio is about 85.9 percent.

How the POCO F3 display handles brightness and colour

Outdoor visibility is helped by the 1300-nit peak figure, while HDR10+ video looks richer than standard video on the same panel. Colours stay vivid without looking washed out, and the contrast of an AMOLED panel keeps blacks deep in dark rooms. The POCO F3 screen refresh rate settings 60Hz versus 120Hz let owners trade smoothness for battery life, dropping to 60Hz when they want the charge to last longer. A POCO F3 screen protector is an optional extra for owners who worry about scratches, although the Gorilla Glass 5 layer already gives the front a useful level of protection.

Refresh rate, touch response and smooth scrolling

A 120Hz refresh rate makes scrolling, animations and supported games look smoother than a 60Hz panel. The touch sampling rate is 360Hz, so taps and swipes register quickly during games and fast typing. The panel switches between refresh rates depending on the app, which keeps the experience smooth without wasting power on static screens. For buyers who want a gaming-focused sibling with a similar display idea, the POCO F3 GT Review: Display Quality, Speed and Daily Use covers the trigger-button model in the same family.

Cameras: Photo and Video

The POCO F3 camera setup uses three rear cameras: a 48MP main camera, an 8MP ultrawide camera and a 5MP macro camera, plus a 20MP front camera. The POCO F3 48MP main camera photo quality in daylight is the strongest part of the system, with sharp detail, natural colours and fast autofocus through PDAF. The main sensor has an f/1.8 aperture, a 26mm wide lens and a 1/2.0-inch sensor with 0.8-micron pixels. A colour spectrum sensor helps white balance, and the LED flash, HDR and panorama modes cover the usual shooting options.

Main camera in daylight

In bright light the main camera keeps detail in buildings, foliage and faces, and the HDR mode holds highlights in bright skies. Photos look clean at normal viewing sizes, and the 48MP files give room to crop. The POCO F3 5MP macro camera close up photo examples show the 50mm lens with autofocus can capture small subjects such as flowers and product details, although the results need steady hands and good light. The main camera is capable in daylight and usable after dark with night mode, which is the point most owners will care about.

Ultrawide, macro and night mode

The POCO F3 8MP ultrawide camera field of view test covers 119 degrees, which suits landscapes and group shots, although edge detail is softer than the main camera. The POCO F3 night mode camera samples low light photos show brighter shadows and less noise than the standard mode, but fine detail still drops in very dark scenes. Night mode needs a short hold still, and the phone does the rest. For a newer POCO camera comparison, the POCO F4 GT Review: Photo Quality, Video and Performance looks at how later models handled the same shooting tasks.

Video recording and the selfie camera

The POCO F3 4K video recording stabilisation and quality test notes show 4K at 30 frames per second with gyro-EIS, plus 1080p at 30, 60, 120, 240 and 960 frames per second for slow motion. Stabilised 1080p footage looks smooth for walking clips, and 4K keeps good detail in daylight. The POCO F3 20MP selfie camera portrait mode results are clean in good light, with HDR for backlit faces and 1080p video at 30 or 60 frames per second. The front camera has an f/2.5 aperture and a 1/3.4-inch sensor.

Charging and Battery Life

The POCO F3 charging system is built around a 4520 mAh battery and 33W wired charging with PD 3.0 and Quick Charge 3 support. The POCO F3 battery uses a Li-Po 4520mAh cell. The POCO F3 4520mAh capacity is paired with an efficient 7nm chipset that helps the charge last through a normal day. The POCO F3 33W fast charging time from zero to full is listed at 52 minutes for a complete refill, which was fast for its class at launch. Charging is quick to refill and easy to live with day to day for commuters who top up in short bursts.

33W charging speed in practice

A 33W charger fills a large part of the battery in the first half hour, so a short charge before leaving home adds hours of use. The POCO F3 charging cable in the box 33W charger included meant buyers did not need to buy a separate brick at launch. There is no wireless charging, so the USB-C port is the only way to refill the phone. The phone uses USB Type-C 2.0 with OTG support for accessories and file transfers.

Battery life across a full day

The POCO F3 battery life with 4520mAh capacity test results gave an endurance rating of 114 hours in GSMArena testing, which points to comfortable all-day use with mixed browsing, messaging, video and calls. Heavy gaming and 120Hz use shorten that figure, while 60Hz mode and darker themes stretch it further. Most owners will charge once a day, with a top-up on long travel days. The POCO F3 battery holds up well for its size because the AMOLED panel and the Snapdragon 870 balance power use across light and heavy tasks.

Performance and Daily Use

The POCO F3 performance comes from the Qualcomm SM8250-AC Snapdragon 870 5G chipset built on a 7nm process, with an octa-core CPU running up to 3.2 GHz and an Adreno 650 GPU. The POCO F3 Snapdragon 870 performance for gaming daily use remains smooth for popular titles, social apps and multitasking, helped by UFS 3.1 storage and 6GB or 8GB of RAM. The POCO F3 Snapdragon 870 chip also brings 5G connectivity, Wi-Fi 6 and fast app loading. A POCO F3 vs POCO F4 which phone is better value debate usually turns on price, since the F4 kept a similar formula with a newer camera and design.

Snapdragon 870 gaming, heat and sustained speed

POCO F3 gaming runs well at high settings in most titles, with the 120Hz screen and 360Hz touch sampling helping fast games feel responsive. The POCO F3 AnTuTu score reached 631850 in version 8 and 697216 in version 9, while Geekbench 5.1 gave 3206 points in the multi-core test. A POCO F3 overheating issue during long gaming sessions is raised in some owner reports, so the phone can warm up under sustained load, although normal use stays comfortable. The POCO F3 UFS 3.1 storage speed app loading times benefit from fast flash memory, so games and large apps open quickly and updates install without long waits. For the follow-up model, the POCO F4 Review: Design, Battery Life and Usability compares the next generation of the same line.

Software: MIUI 12, Android 13 and HyperOS

The POCO F3 MIUI 12 Android 11 out of the box experience shipped with Android 11 and MIUI 12, and the phone was later upgradable to Android 13 and HyperOS. The POCO F3 software update Android 13 HyperOS features brought newer system tools and a refreshed look after the original MIUI release. POCO F3 MIUI users get the usual Xiaomi feature set, including themes, gestures and a game mode, while a POCO F3 update can change battery behaviour, so owners should check release notes before installing. POCO F3 HyperOS support extended the phone beyond its original Android 11 release. The POCO F3 common problems and fixes after software update threads mention clearing the cache partition, restarting after an update and checking app permissions when an app behaves oddly.

Design, Build and Sound

The POCO F3 dimensions are 163.7 x 76.4 x 7.8 mm, and the POCO F3 weight is 196 g, which is typical for a 6.67-inch glass phone. The POCO F3 Gorilla Glass 5 protection front and back covers both glass panels, with a plastic frame in between, and the phone carries IP53 protection against dust and vertical water sprays. POCO F3 colours include Arctic White, Night Black, Deep Ocean Blue and Moonlight Silver. The POCO F3 Night Black version looks plain and practical, the POCO F3 Deep Ocean Blue version adds a blue gradient, the POCO F3 Moonlight Silver version has a pale reflective finish, and the POCO F3 Arctic White version stays bright and clean. The POCO F3 case options at launch included clear cases that showed the back design, and POCO F3 accessories such as chargers, cables and screen protectors were widely available.

Build, colours and in-hand feel

The POCO F3 IP53 splash resistance rating explained simply means the phone resists dust and light water sprays, but it is not rated for submersion, so owners should keep it away from pools and heavy rain. The POCO F3 no headphone jack USB C audio adapter options are needed for wired headphones, since the 3.5mm jack is absent and sound goes through USB-C or Bluetooth. The POCO F3 stereo speakers sound quality and volume test results were rated very good at minus 24.5 LUFS, with stereo separation that suits video and casual music. The POCO F3 fingerprint sensor side mounted speed and accuracy are generally quick, with the reader built into the power button, and the phone also has an accelerometer, gyroscope and compass.

Full Specifications

The POCO F3 specs below follow the GSMArena listing for model M2012K11AG, announced on 22 March 2021 and released on 27 March 2021. The table covers the network, body, display, platform, memory, cameras, sound, connectivity, sensors, battery and colours, so readers can check any detail without searching another page.

POCO F3 specifications at a glance

Launch, model and network details

The POCO F3 dual SIM 5G bands supported network compatibility covers dual Nano-SIM use with 5G bands 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 41, 77 and 78, plus wide LTE coverage for travel. The POCO F3 128GB 6GB RAM base model specifications overview starts with the same Snapdragon 870 as the higher versions, so the base model keeps the same speed with less memory. The POCO F3 256GB 8GB RAM variant price and availability sat at the top of the range for buyers who wanted more room for apps, photos and offline video.

Camera, battery and audio details

POCO F3 SAR values are 1.06 W/kg for the head and 0.72 W/kg for the body, with EU values of 0.60 W/kg for the head and 0.84 W/kg for the body. The POCO F3 5G modem, WiFi 6 radio and Bluetooth 5.1 link cover modern wireless needs, and the infrared port can control home appliances. The POCO F3 WiFi 6 Bluetooth 5.1 connectivity features list includes dual-band Wi-Fi 6, Wi-Fi Direct, Bluetooth 5.1 with A2DP and LE, NFC in supported markets, and GPS with L1 and L5 bands.

Pros and Cons

Pros

• 120Hz AMOLED display with HDR10+ and 1300-nit peak brightness
• Fast Snapdragon 870 performance with 5G and UFS 3.1 storage
• 33W charging that reaches 100 percent in 52 minutes
• Stereo speakers, IP53 protection and Gorilla Glass 5 on both sides
• Strong daylight photos and 4K video with gyro-EIS

Cons

• No headphone jack and no microSD card slot
• No wireless charging
• Ultrawide and macro cameras lag behind the main camera
• IP53 is splash protection only, not full water resistance
• Some owners report warmth during long gaming sessions

Taken together, it was a balanced package for the price it launched at, with the screen and the chipset doing most of the work. POCO F3 deals in later sales made the value case stronger, since the same hardware cost less once newer models arrived.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the POCO F3 still a good phone in 2026?

So, is POCO F3 still worth buying in 2026 today? The answer depends on price and condition. The screen, the Snapdragon 870 and the 33W charging still handle daily apps well, but the camera and the software support are older than current mid-range phones. At a low second-hand price it can still serve as a daily phone or a backup device.

How long does the POCO F3 take to charge fully?

The listed time is 52 minutes from empty to full with the 33W wired charger, using PD 3.0 and Quick Charge 3. A short top-up adds a useful amount of charge in 15 to 30 minutes, and the 4520 mAh battery is large enough for a full day of normal use.

Does the POCO F3 have a headphone jack or microSD slot?

No. The POCO F3 has no 3.5mm headphone jack and no microSD card slot, so buyers should pick the 128GB or 256GB version that fits their needs and use USB-C or Bluetooth audio.

Can the POCO F3 record 4K video?

Yes. The main camera records 4K video at 30 frames per second with gyro-EIS, and it also records 1080p at up to 960 frames per second for slow motion. The front camera records 1080p video at 30 or 60 frames per second.

What colours does the POCO F3 come in?

The POCO F3 comes in Arctic White, Night Black, Deep Ocean Blue and Moonlight Silver. For a look at the next model in the line, the POCO F5 Review: Daily Performance and Key Features covers the successor with newer hardware.