The Poco Pad is Poco’s ambitious entry into the tablet market, designed to compete with established giants like Apple and Samsung. This tablet aims to offer a high-quality experience at an affordable price point, a hallmark of Poco’s brand ethos. This review delves into the Poco Pad’s design, display, performance, software, battery life, camera quality, and overall value, providing a comprehensive overview of this intriguing device.
Design and Build Quality
The Poco Pad boasts a sleek, minimalist design with a premium feel, despite its budget-friendly price. The tablet’s body is made of high-quality plastic with a matte finish, which not only looks good but also provides a solid grip. The edges are rounded, making it comfortable to hold for extended periods.
At 7.9mm thick and weighing just 485 grams, the Poco Pad is both slim and lightweight, making it highly portable. The front of the device is dominated by a large display with relatively thin bezels, providing a modern aesthetic. The back panel features Poco’s signature branding and a single-camera setup in the top left corner. The power and volume buttons are conveniently located on the right side, while the USB-C port and dual speakers are positioned at the bottom.
Display
The Poco Pad comes with a 10.4-inch IPS LCD display, offering a resolution of 2000 x 1200 pixels. This translates to a pixel density of approximately 224 pixels per inch (PPI), which is adequate for a tablet in this price range. The display provides vibrant colors, decent contrast, and wide viewing angles, making it suitable for various multimedia activities such as watching videos, playing games, and browsing the web.
One of the standout features of the display is its brightness, which can reach up to 400 nits. This ensures good visibility in most lighting conditions, although it can struggle in direct sunlight. The touchscreen is responsive, and the inclusion of a blue light filter helps reduce eye strain during extended use.
Performance
Under the hood, the Poco Pad is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 678 chipset, paired with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage. This combination provides a smooth and responsive user experience for everyday tasks such as web browsing, social media, and streaming videos. The Adreno 612 GPU handles gaming reasonably well, though it may struggle with more demanding titles at higher settings.
For multitasking, the Poco Pad manages to hold its own, allowing users to switch between apps without significant lag. However, the 4GB of RAM might show its limitations when running multiple resource-intensive applications simultaneously. Storage can be expanded via a microSD card, providing flexibility for users who need more space for their files and media.
Software
The Poco Pad runs on MIUI for Pad, a custom version of Xiaomi’s MIUI designed specifically for tablets. Based on Android 11, MIUI for Pad offers a clean and intuitive user interface with several tablet-specific optimizations. These include a dock for quick access to frequently used apps, improved multitasking capabilities, and a split-screen mode for enhanced productivity.
The software experience is generally smooth, with minimal bloatware and useful features such as dark mode and customizable home screen layouts. Regular updates from Poco ensure that the device remains secure and up-to-date with the latest features and improvements. However, some users might find the heavy customization of MIUI to be a departure from the stock Android experience, which could take some getting used to.
Battery Life
One of the Poco Pad’s strong suits is its impressive battery life. The tablet is equipped with a 7,500mAh battery, which provides enough juice to last through a full day of moderate to heavy usage. This includes activities such as web browsing, video streaming, and light gaming. With more conservative use, the battery can easily stretch into the second day.
The Poco Pad supports 18W fast charging, which is a welcome addition at this price point. It takes around 2.5 hours to fully charge the device from zero to 100%, which is reasonable for a tablet with such a large battery. The long battery life and fast charging capabilities make the Poco Pad a reliable companion for both work and play.
Camera
The Poco Pad features an 8MP rear camera and a 5MP front-facing camera. While tablets are not typically known for their camera prowess, the Poco Pad’s cameras are sufficient for basic photography needs. The rear camera captures decent photos in good lighting conditions, with adequate detail and color accuracy. However, it struggles in low-light scenarios, resulting in noise and loss of detail.
The front-facing camera is suitable for video calls and occasional selfies, offering acceptable image quality. Both cameras support 1080p video recording at 30fps, which is useful for video conferencing and casual video recording.
Audio
The Poco Pad is equipped with dual stereo speakers that deliver surprisingly good sound quality for a budget tablet. The speakers produce clear and balanced audio, making them suitable for watching movies, playing games, and listening to music. While the sound lacks deep bass, it is still impressive given the device’s price point.
For those who prefer using headphones, the Poco Pad includes a 3.5mm headphone jack, which is becoming increasingly rare in modern devices. This allows users to connect their favorite wired headphones without needing an adapter.
Connectivity
The Poco Pad offers a range of connectivity options, including Wi-Fi 802.11ac, Bluetooth 5.0, and GPS. The tablet also supports 4G LTE connectivity, allowing users to stay connected on the go. The inclusion of a USB-C port ensures fast data transfer and charging, while the microSD card slot provides additional storage expansion options.
Value for Money
One of the most compelling aspects of the Poco Pad is its value for money. Priced competitively, the tablet offers a well-rounded package with a good display, solid performance, long battery life, and decent build quality. While it may not match the premium features of high-end tablets, the Poco Pad delivers an impressive experience for its price, making it an excellent choice for budget-conscious consumers.
Comparison with Competitors
To better understand the Poco Pad’s position in the market, it’s important to compare it with some of its main competitors.
Samsung Galaxy Tab A7
The Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 is one of the Poco Pad’s closest competitors in terms of price and features. Both tablets offer a 10.4-inch display and similar battery capacities. However, the Galaxy Tab A7 uses a Qualcomm Snapdragon 662 chipset, which provides slightly better performance than the Poco Pad’s Snapdragon 678. Samsung’s One UI is also considered more polished compared to MIUI for Pad. Nevertheless, the Poco Pad offers better value with its lower price point and comparable performance.
Lenovo Tab P11
The Lenovo Tab P11 is another strong competitor, featuring an 11-inch display and a Qualcomm Snapdragon 662 chipset. The Tab P11 stands out with its larger display and optional keyboard and pen accessories, making it a versatile option for productivity tasks. However, it comes at a higher price point compared to the Poco Pad. For users on a tight budget, the Poco Pad remains a more affordable choice with similar core features.
Apple iPad (9th Generation)
While the Apple iPad (9th Generation) is priced higher than the Poco Pad, it’s worth mentioning due to its popularity and performance. The iPad offers a more powerful A13 Bionic chip, a sharper display, and access to the extensive iOS ecosystem. However, the higher price may not justify the incremental benefits for users seeking a budget-friendly tablet. The Poco Pad offers a compelling alternative for those who prioritize affordability without compromising on essential features.
Conclusion
The Poco Pad is a commendable entry into the tablet market, delivering a well-rounded experience at an attractive price point. Its sleek design, vibrant display, reliable performance, and impressive battery life make it a solid choice for budget-conscious consumers. While it may not boast the premium features of high-end tablets, it offers excellent value for money and meets the needs of everyday users.
Whether you’re looking for a device for multimedia consumption, casual gaming, or productivity on the go, the Poco Pad is a versatile and affordable option that stands out in its segment. Poco has successfully created a tablet that aligns with its brand philosophy of providing high-quality tech at accessible prices, making the Poco Pad a noteworthy contender in the budget tablet market.