Review Summary
Expert Rating
The POCO C65 is POCO India’s new budget offering, which comes barely 11 months after the debut of the POCO C55 (review). Both phones draw power from the same MediaTek Helio G85 chipset, though the new model offers minor upgrades. For instance, the new POCO C65 includes a slightly taller display and an improved camera system. The new iteration also has done away with 64GB storage for the base model, which I feel is a good step forward as we enter 2024.
Thankfully, there has been no price hike despite the modest upgrades. Prices of the POCO C55 have also been reduced, providing more options for budget-focused customers. For comparison, here are the prices of the POCO C55 and POCO C65 models available on Flipkart:
- POCO C55 (4GB RAM + 64GB storage): Rs 6,499
- POCO C55 (6GB RAM + 128GB storage): Rs 7,499
- POCO C65 (4GB RAM + 128GB storage): Rs 8,499
- POCO C65 (6GB RAM + 128GB storage): Rs 9,499
- POCO C65 (8GB RAM + 256GB storage): Rs 10,999
While these are attractive prices for a 4G smartphone, there are some decent 5G options, including the POCO M6 5G (review), if your budget is around Rs 10,000. Read on to know more about whether to buy POCO C65, if at all.
Table of Contents
Verdict
The POCO C65 is a decent option for entry-level smartphone users. Whether for watching videos on YouTube or using WhatsApp, the phone can handle these tasks with negligible stutters. Its new 256GB storage option will excite some customers, but I do feel that this variant is an overkill for the segment. If you have a budget of Rs 10,000, the POCO M6 5G is a better choice with a more powerful chipset and 5G support.
Design and display
The POCO C65 looks similar to its predecessor despite an increased display size. Two-thirds of the rear panel includes shiny accents, giving the phone a more modern and upbeat appearance. It may also resonate with the young entry-level customers – a priority for the company.
The top portion of the panel retains a black bar, which has become synonymous with affordable POCO phones. There are two big cutouts with thick frames for the rear cameras. The bar also includes POCO branding in silver, which goes very well with the matte black colourway I’ve received. Otherwise, the POCO C65 also comes in a pastel blue colour.
The in-hand feeling is equally good, especially for a sub-Rs 10K smartphone. The placement of the volume rockers and the power button are quite apt, at least for my grip. Other ports on the sides include a 3.5mm headphone jack, a USB-C charging port, and a SIM card tray.
The build is mostly plastic, which does not feel sub-standard. The rear panel also does a great job of repelling fingerprint smudges. However, durability is always a concern with smartphones under Rs 10,000. Finding the appropriate protective case for the POCO C65 can also be a challenge, as the box does not provide that.
Moving to the display, viewing and reading experiences are marginally better, thanks to a relatively taller 6.74-inch screen. The LCD display still offers HD+ (720 x 1,650 pixels) resolution with a 90Hz refresh rate. For its price, the POCO C65 boasts a decent display. AMOLED displays in phones under Rs 10,000 are a rarity, leaving few options for OEMs to tweak and keep customers excited while ensuring smartphones remain relevant. In this scenario, POCO could’ve opted to make the bezels slimmer or the notch different to stand out against the competition.
Nonetheless, most content on YouTube and OTT platforms supports HD playback, which is satisfactory for the price. However, don’t anticipate punchy colours, as that remains a limitation of budget-friendly LCD panels. The POCO C65 also lacks stereo speakers.
Cameras
The POCO C65 retains its 50MP primary and 2MP macro camera setup from its predecessor, but now features an “AI lens” for improved colour detection. There’s also an 8MP front camera instead of a 5MP camera for selfies.
Generally, phones under Rs 10,000 perform similarly with some tweaks here and there. POCO C65’s 50MP camera isn’t extraordinary in that sense, but I was surprised by its results, especially under bright lighting conditions.
Most images in daylight (outdoors) include a fair amount of details with moderate grains. In some cases, colours were inconsistent, but not to a point that needed heavy editing. The dynamic range in photos is also fine if you manage to get good lighting. You can fix such images with a variety of filters within the gallery app.
POCO C65’s primary camera captures videos in a similar fashion. Videos in good lightning conditions were decent, though they lacked accurate colours and stability. The phone supports up to full HD videos at 30fps. Photos and videos in low light are average at best. Most of the images lack colours and include heavy noise. Some images also have the oil-painting effect to smoothen the details. I noticed the same oil painting effect with the upgraded 8MP selfie camera – be it daylight or low light. The macro camera, in my review, failed to detect the subject.
Performance
The new POCO C65 has gotten rid of the 64GB storage option, and the top model now includes 256GB storage and 8GB RAM (plus 4GB of virtual RAM, which utilises idle ROM). As I mentioned, the company’s decision to offer 128GB storage for the base variant is a move in the right direction.
It is worth noting that the 256GB version of the POCO C65 is priced at Rs 10,999 – the same as the initial price of the POCO C55’s 6GB RAM + 128GB storage option. However, I would advise you to hold off on making any decisions. That’s because the base POCO M6 5G with 4GB RAM + 128GB costs Rs 10,499. If you spend an extra Rs 1,000, the 6GB variant of the POCO M6 5G is available at Rs 11,499.
I received the variant of the POCO C65 with 8GB RAM (LPDDR4X) and 128GB storage (UFS 2.2), and it did decently in benchmarks (images below). However, the POCO M6 5G with the Dimensity 6100+ SoC performed better in Geekbench 6 and AnTuTu tests. In fact, the POCO C55 also scored marginally better in the same tests.
In real-life cases, you may not notice differences between the POCO C55 and POCO C65. Both phones operate more or less smoothly, with some visible stutters while opening or switching apps, which is common among smartphones in this range. The POCO C65 felt easier to operate than some sub-Rs 10K Motorola phones that I’ve reviewed in the past.
You can also do some mild gaming but don’t expect to run heavy titles in the highest settings. Surprisingly, BGMI in moderate settings ran quite smoothly. Some games, such as the new Netflix-provided GTA II, remain unavailable to download.
The POCO C65 runs on Android 13-based MIUI 14, which includes some of my favourite smartphone features, including the reading mode with an e-paper-like finish. The timeline for its Android 14 update remains unclear, though it’s safe to assume another three months (at least). Like most smartphones in the range, the POCO C65 includes loads of pre-installed apps. Some of them are useful, but most of them are eating storage.
Battery
The POCO C65 offers brilliant battery performance. This result is expected due to the phone’s modest specifications, including a 90Hz refresh rate, HD+ display resolution, and 4G support. The phone easily lasts for an entire day per charge despite mild gaming, 90Hz refresh rate enabled, and calling. Even on PCMark’s battery test (with 50 per cent brightness and flight mode enabled), the phone lasted for roughly 12 hours.
The POCO C65 supports 18W charging, yet the box includes a 10W charger. The phone achieved only a 21 percent charge in 30 minutes with the bundled charger, which falls below most charging standards. A full charge can take over 1.5 hours. Thankfully, the phone now comes with a Type-C charging port instead of the micro-USB port.
Final verdict
The POCO C65 is a no-frills 4G smartphone, best suited for entry-level users. It offers a tall display, which is good for reading and watching content on YouTube. The battery backup is equally solid, and I am happy with the Type-C charging port. While the box includes a charger, you may want to spend a little extra on a more capable charger to enjoy faster charging.
Whether to go for the smartphone, I would advise you to not choose the 256GB storage option, as it is an overkill for this segment. Its 128GB option with 6GB RAM should be sufficient for handling daily work, whether it’s watching short videos on social media or using WhatsApp. If you’re okay with spending Rs 10,000, I feel the POCO M6 5G is a better option.
You may also want to check out Redmi 13C or Redmi 13C 5G (review) on Amazon, which are almost identical to the POCO C65 and POCO M6 5G, respectively. Whichever phone is available with the best offers, you may want to go for that.
Editor’s rating: 7.5 / 10
Reasons to buy
- The POCO C65 includes a tall display, good for reading or watching videos.
- The POCO C65 offers a solid battery backup, plus there’s a USB-C port for charging.
- Its 6GB RAM and 128GB storage configuration are priced under Rs 10,000.
Reasons not to buy
- The POCO C65 takes over 1.5 hours to fully charge with bundled charger.
- The software is cluttered with loads of pre-installed apps.
 | Rs. 7,299.00 | Go To Store |
