POCO C55: A Budget Smartphone That Ticks Most Boxes

POCO C55 is a good smartphone, around Rs 10,000. The phone has a 6.71-inch display, MediaTek Helio G85 SoC, 50MP primary camera, and a 5,000mAh battery. The phone’s design is unusual but recognisable, like previous POCO phones. How does the technology operate in real life, and is it worth it? Check out this POCO C55 review.

The budget smartphone segment in India is highly competitive, with brands trying to pack in the best possible specs at aggressive prices. One such smartphone is the recently launched POCO C55, which carries an introductory price tag of Rs 8,999. With a large display, capable processor, good camera setup, and extensive battery, the POCO C55 seems attractive for budget buyers. But how does it perform in real life? Does it provide good value for money? Let’s find out in this detailed review.

Critical features of POCO C55

What’s in the Box?

• The POCO C55 retail box includes the handset
• A silicone protective case, a SIM ejector tool
• A10W charger, a micro-USB cable
• A warranty card and a user guide

Note: You don’t get earphones in the box, which is understandable given the price. The protective case is an excellent addition that helps safeguard the device from drops and scratches. Overall, the box contents are standard for an affordable Android phone like the C55.

Poco C55 Display Delivers Immersive Visuals

The POCO C55 sports a 6.71-inch IPS LCD with a waterdrop notch and HD+ resolution. The screen has decent colours, viewing angles, and sunlight legibility. With an 83% screen-to-body ratio, bezels are not the slimmest but acceptable for the price. The refresh rate is standard 60Hz. The back panel has a dual-tone glossy design with a faux leather textured finish for a good in-hand feel. Buttons provide muted feedback, while ports include a 3.5mm audio jack, micro-USB port, and rear fingerprint scanner. The phone is 8.7mm thick and weighs 192 grams.

Stellar Performance and Cutting-Edge Software

Powered by a MediaTek Helio G85 processor and 4GB RAM, performance is smooth for regular usage like social media, web browsing, etc. Gaming is decent, but intensive games struggle with frame drops. The phone scored 2,53,881 in the AnTuTu benchmarks. On the software front, it runs MIUI 13 based on dated Android 12. Bloatware and ads are present. The POCO C55 has a 6.71-inch HD+ waterdrop notch display. This inexpensive LCD display has thick bezels and an introductory refresh rate. The 60Hz screen refresh rate works well for applications and UI. The colours and viewing angles are adequate for the price. If you consider the information at an angle, the colours may appear washed out, but the details are precise. Widevine L3 certification limits it to 480p SD streaming via Netflix. Outdoor visibility is good for the smartphone.

Capture Every Detail with Precision

The POCO C55 has a dual rear camera setup consisting of a 50MP primary sensor and a 2MP depth sensor for imaging. Photos in daylight have good details and colours, but shadows lose out on more information. Low-light images are just average with visible noise. Portrait shots have excellent edge detection and bokeh. Selfies from the 5MP front camera look hazy.

Long-Lasting Battery Brilliance

With a 5000mAh battery capacity, battery life is a strong point. The phone lasts over 1.5 days of moderate usage. However, the charging speed is slow at just 10W, with a micro-USB port taking over 3 hours for a full charge.  A 10W charger powers the POCO C55’s 5,000mAh battery. The latter takes almost three hours to charge from nothing. Fortunately, once the phone is charged, you don’t have to plug it in until the end of the day. Since you won’t play intensive games, the C55 can last a day between charges. The phone scored 14 hours and 43 minutes on PC Mark battery 3.0.

Amplified Storage, Seamless Connectivity, and Immersive Audio

For storage, there are 64GB and 128GB options, both with expansion support through a dedicated microSD card slot. Connectivity options are par for the course, including Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS, and 4G LTE. The bottom-firing speaker gets reasonably loud but starts cracking at peak volume.

Pros and Cons of POCO C55

Should I Buy POCO C55?

The POCO C55 makes for a good budget smartphone choice if you are OK with a few compromises. For under ₹10,000, you get a phone with a large HD+ display, capable MediaTek Helio G85 processor, decent triple camera setup, and long-lasting 5,000mAh battery. Performance is reliable for daily use cases, and the battery can easily last over a day. The outdated Android version, mediocre low-light cameras, and sluggish charging could put some customers off. However, compared to competitors, the POCO C55 offers decent value, provided your usage is not excessive, and your budget is tight.

FAQs

The POCO C55 uses what kind of processor?

The MediaTek Helio G85, based on a 12nm production technique, powers the POCO C55.

Will the POCO C55 be able to connect to 5G networks?

Sorry, but the POCO C55 is only compatible with 4G networks.

What type of screen resolution is available on the POCO C55?

The 6.71-inch IPS LCD screen sports a standard 60Hz refresh rate and HD+ resolution.