Xiaomi POCO F3 Philippines Price Starts at PHP 15,990 via Launch Promo, Has Premium Specs!

Last March 22, 2021, I talked about the more affordable model of the two new premium Android smartphones that Chinese tech brand Xiaomi recently announced in the Philippines.

Today - March 25, 2021, allow me to share information about the more expensive model, which is the Xiaomi POCO F3.

The POCO F3 dons an official suggested retail price of PHP 17,990 for the 6GB RAM + 128GB ROM version and PHP 20,990 for the 8GB RAM + 256GB ROM variant. But if you will be one of the first to buy any of the two from the official Xiaomi store in Lazada on March 27 and 28, 2021, you can grab them for PHP 15,990 and PHP 18,990, respectively, thanks to the company's launch discount promo for this series.

These discounted prices also make Xiaomi POCO F3 one of the most affordable 5G-enabled Android smartphones in the country as of today. Ideally, 5G should let you enjoy speeds of up to 1GBps on your handset but based on tests I've done, the usual 5G speeds in the Philippines range from 50Mbps to 100Mbps.

Despite having mid-level price tags, both versions of this model can be considered as high-end releases largely because of their internal hardware.

Xiaomi POCO F3 runs its MIUI 12 customized Android 11 operating system with the flagship-level 7nm 3.2GHz Octa-Core Qualcomm Snapdragon 870 5G processor that incorporates an Adreno 650 GPU for a buttery smooth overall mobile experience. On top of that, this handset even comes with LiquidCool Technology 1.0 Plus, D5 Copper Heat Pipe, and Multi-Layer Graphite to greatly boost gaming performance and heat management even when running the most resource-intensive titles that you can download from the Google Play Store. This is mainly the reason why Xiaomi calls this model as "The Real Beast" when it comes to gaming.

I guess we can also say the same thing about this smartphone's imaging capabilities. As an owner of the POCO X3 NFC, I can say that Xiaomi really makes reliable cameraphones that give you give flexibility in snapping photos and recording videos.

POCO F3 sports a Triple Rear Camera module that's made up of a 48 MegaPixel main shooter f/1.79 aperture,1/2“ sensor size, and 1.6μm 4-in-1 large pixel, a secondary 8 MegaPixel Secondary Ultra-Wide Camera with 119° field of view, and finally, a 5 MegaPixel that let you zoom in on subjects to snap their intricate details.

I kind of wish that the main camera has a 64MP resolution and a larger sensor like the POCO X3 NFC but I guess Xiaomi had to cut corners somewhere so they can add more value in other areas.

One good feature on the POCO F3 that won't find on the POCO X3 NFC is the in-display optical fingerprint scanner which - along with facial recognition - adds a veritable layer of privacy and security to the user.

Also, POCO F3 has 33W Fast Charging feature, delivering 100% charge for the device's 4,520 mAh Li-Po battery in just 53 minutes using the provided charger. 

Offhand, putting its 5G connectivity support aside, I think the main strength of the POCO F3 compared to the POCO X3 NFC from 2020 and POCO X3 Pro, which was launched alongside it, would be in terms of raw power for heavy gaming. So if you are a very competitive mobile gamer on titles that are very taxing on smartphone hardware, then I suggest that you with this one if your budget for a new smartphone can't go beyond PHP 21,000.

If you're getting this model, I suggest that you just go all out and choose the 8GB RAM + 256GB ROM variant to future-proof the device. I think that particular version is the one that will let you experience the promised beastly mobile experience across the board.

In the Philippines, Xiaomi POCO F3 is available in three striking and eye-catching colorways, namely, Arctic White, Night Black, Deep Ocean Blue.

Xiaomi POCO F3 Specs

163.7mm x 76.4mm x 7.8mm

196 grams

5G Connectivity Support

Display:

6.67-inch AMOLED, Ultra-Tiny-DotDisplay

E4 Material

2400 x 1080 pixels FHD+

120Hz Refresh Rate

360Hz touch sampling rate

Contrast Ratio: 5000000:1

Screen Brightness: 900 nits (typ), 1300 nits (peak)

True Color

True Display

HDR10+

MEMC (Motion Estimation and Motion Compensation)

Sunlight Display 3.0

360° Ambient Light Sensor

Triple Rear Camera Module:

48 MegaPixel Main Camera

- 1/2“ sensor size, 1.6μm 4-in-1 large pixel

- f/1.79, 6P lens, AutoFocus

8 MegaPixel Secondary Ultra-Wide Camera

- f/2.2, FOV 119°

5 MegaPixels Telemacro camera

- f/2.4, AutoFocus (3cm-7cm)

Front-Facing In-Display Camera:

20 MegaPixels

Video Recorder:

Back - 4K, FullHD, HD 30fps

Front - FullHD, HD 30fps

MIUI 12 for POCO

Android 11 Operating System

CPU:

7nm 3.2GHz Octa Core Qualcomm Snapdragon 870 5G Processor

Adreno 650 GPU

LiquidCool Technology 1.0 Plus

D5 Copper Heat Pipe + Multi-Layer Graphite

6GB, 8GB LPDDR4X RAM Options

128GB, 256GB UFS 3.1 Internal Storage Options

WiFi a/b/g/n/ac

Bluetooth 5.0

4G LTE-A

IR Blaster

Side-Mounted Fingerprint Scanner

Face Unlock

Dual SIM, Dual 4G Standby

Dual Speakers

High-Res Audio Certified

Dolby Atmos via Future Update

33W In-Box Fast Charger

USB-C

Non-Removable 4,520 mAh (typ) Li-Po Battery

100% Charge in 52 Minutes

Arctic White, Night Black, Deep Ocean Blue

Corning Gorilla Glass 5 Front and Back

Xiaomi POCO F3 Prices in the Philippines

Regular SRPs:

6GB RAM + 128GB ROM = PHP 17,990

8GB RAM + 258GB ROM = PHP 20,990

Promo Prices via Lazada on March 27-28, 2020:

6GB RAM + 128GB ROM = PHP 15,990

8GB RAM + 258GB ROM = PHP 18,990

Release Date in the Philippines: March 27, 2021