Xiaomi came up with an amazing entry-level offering launched in the global market: the POCO M3. It is an astonishing device if we consider its specifications and the listing price decided by Xiaomi for Europe. You get a huge battery and pretty good hardware for a ridiculous price if compared to most of the concurrence. But is it a ridiculous price even if we compare it with the best value for money phones out there? In this comparison, we will highlight the differences between the POCO M3 and two other great handsets sold in the same price range: the Motorola Moto G9 Power and the Realme 7.
Xiaomi POCO M3 vs Motorola Moto G9 Power vs Realme 7
| Xiaomi POCO M3 | Motorola Moto G9 Power | Realme 7 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| DIMENSIONS AND WEIGHT | 162.3 x 77.3 x 9.6 mm, 198 g | 172.1 x 76.8 x 9.7 mm, 221 g | 160.9 x 74.4 x 8.1 mm, 175 g |
| DISPLAY | 6.53 inches, 1080 x 2340p (Full HD+), IPS LCD | 6.8 inches, 720 x 1640p (HD+), IPS LCD | 6.4 inches, 1080 x 2400p (Full HD+), IPS LCD |
| PROCESSOR | Qualcomm Snapdragon 662, octa-core 2.0 GHz | Qualcomm Snapdragon 662, octa-core 2 GHz | Mediatek Helio G95, octa-core 2.05 GHz |
| MEMORY | 4 GB RAM, 64 GB – 4 GB RAM, 128 GB – micro SD dedicated slot | 4 GB RAM, 128 GB – micro SD slot | 6 GB RAM, 64 GB – 8 GB RAM, 128 GB – micro SD dedicated slot |
| SOFTWARE | Android 10, MIUI | Android 10 | Android 10, Realme UI |
| CONNECTIVITY | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5, GPS | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5, GPS | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5, GPS |
| CAMERA | Triple 48 + 8 + 2 MP, f/1.8 + f/2.4 + f/2.4 8 MP f/2.1 front camera |
Triple 64 + 2 + 2 MP, f/1.8 + f/2.4 + f/2.4 16 MP f/2.2 front camera |
Quad 64 + 8 + 2 + 2 MP, f/1.8 + f/2.3 + f/2.4 + f/2.4 16 MP f/2.1 front camera |
| BATTERY | 6000 mAh, fast charging 18W | 6000 mAh, fast charging 20W | 5000 mAh, fast charging 30W |
| ADDITIONAL FEATURES | Dual SIM slot | Dual SIM slot | Dual SIM slot |
Design
With its huge camera module taking a big part of the rear side, the POCO M3 offers a very original design, but not everyone may like it. Instead, the Realme 7 looks more elegant with its less invasive camera module, great color variants, and a punch-hole display with a high screen-to-body ratio. The Realme 7 is even more compact because it features a smaller display and a smaller battery than its rivals. The Motorola Moto G9 Power is pretty nice too, but its rear-mounted fingerprint reader is not the most elegant and comfortable choice. On the other hand, it is water-repellent. If I had to choose the best design, I would go for the Realme 7.
Display
The display champion is the Realme 7 and the reason is simple: it offers a higher refresh rate. With 90 Hz, you can already feel the difference in smoothness if compared to the 60 Hz panels of the POCO M3 and the Motorola Moto G9 Power. All of these devices feature an IPS panel, but the Motorola Moto G9 Power is more disappointing because it has an HD+ resolution, while Realme 7 and POCO M3 have Full HD+ displays with a higher level of detail. So the ranking is the following: Realme 7, POCO M3, and Motorola Moto G9 Power.
Hardware/Software
The MediaTek Helio G95 chipset found on the Realme 7 is actually built with a worse production process (12 nm vs 11 nm) but it offers higher performance compared to the Snapdragon 662 chipset found on the POCO M3 and the Motorola Moto G9 Power. Further, the Realme 7 offers up to 8 GB of RAM, while you get just 4 GB of RAM with Motorola Moto G9 Power and Xiaomi POCO M3. That is why Realme 7 wins the hardware comparison. In each case, you get Android 10 already installed, but the Moto G9 Power offers a nearly-stock user experience.
Camera
Motorola Moto G9 Power provides the best photo quality because it has a better sensor in the rear camera setup: we are talking about its 64 MP main sensor with f/1.8 focal aperture. The silver medal goes to the Realme 7 with a 48 MP quad camera including an 8 MP ultrawide lens and a pair of 2 MP sensors for macro and depth. But the POCO M3 is not so far with its 48 MP triple camera: it just lacks the dedicated macro sensor if compared to the Realme 7.
Battery
POCO M3 and Motorola Moto G9 Power feature the same huge 6000 mAh battery capacity, but the battery king here is the Motorola Moto G9 Power because it is equipped with an HD+ display consuming less energy. The Realme 7 has a smaller 5000 mAh battery but it is still a battery phone and it charges way faster with its 30W power.
Price
Realme 7 is priced €179/$215 in the global market, POCO M3 was launched with a starting price of just €129/$155 (promo), and Motorola Moto G9 Power is priced at €199/$240. The best device in this comparison is the Realme 7 thanks to its high refresh rate and better hardware, but if you are looking for the best value for money, then you would better go for the POCO M3. The Moto G9 Power is the best camera phone.
Xiaomi POCO M3 vs Motorola Moto G9 Power vs Realme 7: PRO and CONS
Realme 7
PROS
- 90 Hz
- Great chipset
- 30W fast charging
- Up to 8/128 GB
CONS
- Smaller battery
Xiaomi POCO M3
PROS
- Huge battery
- Very affordable price
- UFS 2.2 storage
- Stereo speakers
- Reverse charging
CONS
- Nothing particular
Motorola Moto G9 Power
PROS
- Huge battery
- Water-repellent
- Wide display
- Good camera
CONS
- Dimensions
