Xiaomi Poco C61: A Budget Champion With Impressive Features

Body

The Poco C61 boasts a sleek design with dimensions of 168.4×76.3×8.3 mm and a weight of 199 g, making it comfortable to hold and carry. Here are the relevant specs:

When it comes to the body of the Xiaomi Poco C61, comfort and convenience are key considerations. With those dimensions and weight, the phone strikes a balance between size and portability. The dimensions make it comfortable to hold for extended periods, whether you're scrolling through social media feeds or watching videos, without causing hand fatigue.

Moreover, its compact size allows for easy stowing in pockets or bags, ensuring hassle-free portability on the go. Whether you're commuting to work, running errands, or simply hanging out with friends, the Poco C61 won't weigh you down.

The inclusion of Corning Gorilla Glass 3 for display protection further enhances the durability of the device. This robust glass technology provides an added layer of defense against scratches, cracks, and other forms of damage, ensuring the longevity of your phone's display. So, whether you accidentally drop your phone or encounter abrasive surfaces in your daily activities, you can rest assured knowing that your screen is well-protected.

And as for the color options, the Xiaomi Poco C61 comes in three vibrant shades: Black, Blue, and Green. Each color exudes its own personality and style, catering to a diverse range of preferences.

The Diamond Dust Black variant offers a sleek and timeless aesthetic, perfect for individuals who prefer a classic look.

On the other hand, the Ethereal Blue and Mystical Green options add a pop of color and personality, appealing to those who like to make a statement with their devices.

So, whether you're a professional looking for a subtle design or a fashion-forward trendsetter, the Poco C61 has a color option to suit your style.

If we compare the Poco C61 with the predecessor Poco C51, it's got slightly larger and heavier but slimmer. The Poco C51 was 164.9×76.8×9.1 mm and 192 g.

IP Rating

(Related: IP ratings explained.)

Ah, the missing IP rating - the mysterious guardian that tells us how our beloved gadgets fend off water and dust. While the Xiaomi Poco C61 might not come flaunting an official IP rating, it doesn't necessarily mean it's defenseless against the environmental elements. So, should potential buyers be clutching their umbrellas in fear? Let's break it down.

Many smartphones, especially in the budget and mid-tier segments, skip the official IP rating to keep costs down. However, it's essential to understand that the lack of a rating doesn't mean your phone is allergic to water or dust. The Xiaomi Poco C61 likely has some level of protection, just without the fancy certification.

Here are some practical tips for shielding your Poco C61 from the elements:

• Avoiding Water Immersion: While the Xiaomi Poco C61 might survive a splash or two, it's not designed for underwater adventures. Keep it away from swimming pools, sinks, and spontaneous rain showers - the usual suspects for smartphone water damage.
• Dust Defense: Dust is the silent assassin of gadgets. A simple trick is to keep your phone in a clean pocket or bag when not in use. Avoid placing it on dusty surfaces, especially in windy conditions.
• The Power of Accessories: Enter the unsung heroes - the protective case and the screen protector. Investing in a good-quality case provides an extra layer of defense against accidental spills and drops. A screen protector adds an armor of scratch resistance, keeping your display pristine. Think of this duo as the capes for your Poco C61, ready to swoop in and shield it from the daily challenges of life.

So, should the absence of an official IP rating deter you from embracing the Xiaomi Poco C61? Not necessarily. With a dash of common sense and the right accessories, your Poco C61 can navigate the elements with flair. It's like giving your phone a stylish suit of armor - practical, protective, and a statement of your commitment to keeping your tech safe and sound.

For comparison, the predecessor Xiaomi Poco C51 did not come with an IP rating, either.

Display

(Related: Know more about the various kinds of displays and screen specs.)

Xiaomi Poco C61 display. Image credit: Flipkart

The Xiaomi Poco C61's 6.71-inch IPS LCD display with a 90 Hz refresh rate offers immersive visuals, ensuring a smooth and vibrant viewing experience. Here are the relevant specs:

When it comes to the display of the Xiaomi Poco C61, it's all about delivering an immersive visual experience that enhances your everyday interactions with your smartphone. The phone features an IPS LCD display, renowned for its vibrant colors, wide viewing angles, and energy efficiency.

One standout feature of the Poco C61's display is its impressive 90 Hz refresh rate. This means that the screen refreshes 90 times per second, resulting in smoother animations, fluid scrolling, and overall responsiveness. Whether you're navigating through menus, scrolling through social media feeds, or playing games, the higher refresh rate contributes to a more seamless and enjoyable user experience.

In terms of resolution, the Poco C61 offers a resolution of 720×1650 pixels, providing crisp and clear visuals for everyday tasks such as web browsing, social media browsing, and watching videos. The pixel density of approximately 268 pixels per inch (PPI) ensures sharp text and images, making content easy to read and view.

The Xiaomi Poco C61, with its 500 nits brightness, holds an advantage for outdoor use. In bright sunlight, a higher brightness can make a noticeable difference, ensuring that your screen remains readable without much struggle. However, it's worth noting that direct sunlight can challenge even the brightest screens. While this phone offers solid visibility, finding shade or adjusting the angle of your device can enhance the outdoor viewing experience.

While the 720p resolution of the Poco C61's display is adequate for most everyday tasks, including web browsing, social media, and streaming video content, it may fall short for users who demand the highest levels of detail, such as professional photographers, graphic designers, or avid gamers. For tasks that require precise image rendering or viewing high-definition multimedia content, a higher resolution display may be more suitable.

However, for the average user's daily needs, the Poco C61's display offers a satisfactory balance of clarity, color accuracy, and smoothness, making it a solid choice for budget-conscious consumers.

For comparison, the predecessor Poco C51 featured a 6.52-inch, 720×1600 px IPS LCD display with 60 Hz refresh rate and 400 nits typical brightness.

Networks

(Related: Cellular networks explained.)

Navigating through the tech landscape, the Xiaomi Poco C61 supports the GSM, HSPA, and LTE technologies.

SIM

The Xiaomi Poco C61 supports dual Nano-SIM (dual stand-by). This capability adds a layer of convenience for those juggling work and personal life on a single device.

Chipset: Performance

Powered by the MediaTek Helio G36 chipset and an octa-core CPU, comprising two types of cores, the Poco C61 delivers reliable performance for everyday tasks and casual gaming. The PowerVR GE8320 GPU enhances graphics rendering, providing a seamless user experience. Here are the relevant specs:

The Xiaomi Poco C61 is powered by the MediaTek Helio G36 chipset, which serves as the brain behind the device's performance. This chipset is designed to deliver a balance of power efficiency and reliable performance, making it well-suited for everyday tasks and light multitasking.

At the heart of the Helio G36 chipset lies an octa-core CPU, comprised of two types of CPU cores. Each type of core plays a distinct role in optimizing performance and power consumption based on the demands of the task at hand.

The four Cortex-A53 cores clocked at 2.2 GHz are designed for handling more intensive tasks and processes, providing a boost in performance when needed. Whether you're running multiple apps simultaneously, navigating through resource-intensive websites, or playing casual games, these high-performance cores ensure a smooth and responsive user experience.

On the other hand, the four Cortex-A53 cores clocked at 1.6 GHz are optimized for power efficiency, conserving battery life during light usage scenarios or when the device is in standby mode. These efficiency cores kick in during tasks that require less processing power, such as checking emails, browsing social media, or listening to music in the background.

Together, the combination of high-performance and efficiency cores in the Poco C61's CPU enables seamless multitasking and efficient power management, ensuring a balance between performance and battery life.

In terms of graphics processing, the Poco C61 is equipped with a PowerVR GE8320 GPU, which handles rendering graphics for games, videos, and other visual content. While this GPU may not deliver the same level of performance as higher-end models, it is sufficient for casual gaming, multimedia playback, and everyday graphics tasks.

Overall, the processing prowess of the Xiaomi Poco C61 is adequate for everyday tasks such as web browsing, social media browsing, email, light gaming, and multimedia consumption. However, users who engage in more demanding tasks such as graphic-intensive gaming, video editing, or multitasking with resource-heavy apps may find that a more powerful configuration is necessary to meet their needs.

For comparison, the predecessor Xiaomi Poco C51 featured the same chipset, housing the same GPU and a very similar octa-core CPU configuration (4×2.2 GHz Cortex-A53 + 4×1.7 GHz Cortex-A53).

Memory and Storage

Here are the relevant specs:

With memory options of 4 GB or 6 GB RAM paired with 64 GB or 128 GB of internal storage respectively, you can enjoy smooth multitasking and ample space for apps, photos, and media files. The microSDXC card slot allows for further storage expansion, accommodating growing digital content needs.

For comparison, the predecessor Poco C51 with a similar memory and storage configuration.

Cameras

Equipped with a dual-camera setup featuring an 8 MP primary lens and a 0.08 MP auxiliary lens, the Poco C61 captures decent photos with adequate detail and color accuracy. Additionally, features like Dual-LED flash and HDR enhance image quality, ensuring satisfactory results in various lighting conditions. The 5 MP front camera enables clear selfies and video calls, enhancing the overall user experience.

Rear Camera

Xiaomi Poco C61 main camera setup. Image credit: Flipkart

The Xiaomi Poco C61 features a dual-camera setup on the rear, comprising an 8 MP primary lens and a 0.08 MP auxiliary lens. Each lens serves a specific role in capturing photos and enhancing the overall imaging experience. Here are the relevant specs:

Specification	Xiaomi Poco C61
Number of Cameras	2 (Dual)
Resolution (Megapixels)	8 MP (wide), 0.08 MP (auxiliary lens)
Aperture	f/2.0, N/A
Video Recording	1080p at 30 fps
Other Features	Dual-LED flash, HDR

The primary lens (8 MP, f/2.0) is responsible for capturing the main subject of the photo with clarity and detail. With a wide aperture of f/2.0, this lens excels in low-light conditions by allowing more light to enter the sensor, resulting in brighter and more vibrant images. Whether you're taking photos indoors, at night, or in dimly-lit environments, the primary lens ensures satisfactory results with minimal noise and distortion.

The 0.08 MP auxiliary lens serves a supplementary role, providing depth information and assisting in tasks such as portrait mode and background blur effects. While the resolution of the auxiliary lens may seem modest, its contribution to enhancing the overall depth and dimensionality of photos is invaluable, resulting in more visually appealing and professional-looking images.

In addition to the dual-camera setup, the Xiaomi Poco C61 offers additional features to enhance the photography experience. The inclusion of a dual-LED flash ensures adequate lighting for photos taken in low-light conditions or at night. Whether you're capturing moments indoors or outdoors in dimly-lit environments, the dual-LED flash provides added illumination, reducing the risk of blurry or underexposed photos.

And HDR (High Dynamic Range) technology enhances the dynamic range of photos by combining multiple exposures to capture details in both bright and dark areas of the scene. This results in well-balanced and true-to-life images with improved contrast and color accuracy, even in challenging lighting conditions.

With this ensemble of lenses and features working in tandem, the main camera setup of the Xiaomi Poco C61 is adequate for capturing everyday moments, including portraits, landscapes, and group shots, with satisfactory detail and color reproduction. It is suitable for casual photography needs such as sharing photos on social media, printing, or viewing on digital devices.

However, users with more demanding photography and videography needs, such as professional photographers, content creators, or enthusiasts, may find that the main camera setup of the Poco C61 falls short in terms of resolution, dynamic range, and advanced features. Tasks such as detailed landscape photography, low-light photography, or high-resolution videography may require a more powerful camera configuration with higher resolution sensors, optical image stabilization, and advanced camera features.

For comparison, the older Poco C51 featured a similar main camera setup.

Battery and Charging

(Related: Battery specs and charging types explained.)

Here are the relevant specs:

The Poco C61 houses a robust 5000 mAh battery, offering extended usage durations without frequent recharging. While the 10 W wired charging may not be the fastest, it ensures convenient replenishment of battery levels.

For comparison, the older Poco C51 came with a similar battery and charging setup.

Sound

Here are the relevant specs:

For comparison, the Poco C51 had a similar audio setup.

Connectivity

With support for Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, the Xiaomi Poco C61 ensures you can connect to common Wi-Fi networks.

The Xiaomi Poco C61 boasts Bluetooth 5.4, ensuring a seamless and high-quality connection, whether you're connecting to headphones, speakers, or other devices. With features like A2DP (Advanced Audio Distribution Profile) for high-quality audio streaming and LE (Low Energy) for power efficiency, your Bluetooth experience reaches new heights.

The Poco C61 features GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, and BDS positioning systems for accurate navigation and location services.

NFC is a no-show, but the inclusion of FM radio is a pleasant surprise.

The Xiaomi Poco C61's radio comes with the recording feature, which is handy for capturing your favorite radio shows or music directly from the FM radio. This way, you don't miss out on anything, and you can revisit those moments whenever you want. Also, instead of scrambling for a pen and paper, or trying to type out notes on your phone, you can simply hit record and capture important information effortlessly.

Last but not least, the trusty USB-C 2.0 - the universal connector. Whether you're charging your device, transferring files, or connecting to external devices, USB Type-C 2.0 ensures a reliable connection. It's the jack-of-all-trades, allowing you to expand your device's capabilities and stay connected to the wider world of technology. And the support for OTG (USB On-The-Go) enables your device to act as host and connect to other USB devices, such as flash drives, keyboards, cameras, and more, without needing a computer as an intermediary.

Sensors

The Xiaomi Poco C61 comes equipped with the following sensors:

• Fingerprint Sensor: Used for quick and secure unlocking. It is side-facing in the Poco C61.
• Accelerometer: The accelerometer detects changes in the device's orientation and acceleration. If you tilt, shake, or move your device, the accelerometer knows.
• Compass: The compass determines your device's orientation. It is essential for navigation apps, map orientation, and augmented reality experiences.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

• What is Xiaomi Poco C61 release date?

  The Xiaomi Poco C61 has been announced on the 26th March, 2024. It is expected to release on the 28th March, 2024.

• What is Xiaomi Poco C61 price?

  The Xiaomi Poco C61 is priced starting from INR 6999 (about USD 84) for the 4 GB / 64 GB variant.