Xiaomi has aggressively targeted the gaming market with both the Black Shark and Poco sub-brands. The Black Shark 5 RS, leveraging the Snapdragon 888+, offers a refined gaming experience, while the Poco F4 GT, powered by the newer Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, promises raw power. This comparison dissects these two devices to determine which delivers the best balance of performance, battery life, and value.
🏆 Quick Verdict
For most users, the Poco F4 GT emerges as the stronger choice. Its Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset provides a noticeable performance uplift, particularly in demanding games, and the 120W charging is only slightly slower than the Black Shark 5 RS. While both offer similar battery endurance, the F4 GT’s newer processor justifies the slight price premium.
| Network |
|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 | HSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 |
| 4G bands | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 18, 19, 26, 28, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 17, 18, 19, 20, 26, 28, 38, 40, 41 |
| 5G bands | 1, 3, 5, 8, 28, 41, 77, 78 SA/NSA | 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 |
| Speed | HSPA, LTE, 5G | HSPA, LTE, 5G |
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G | GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G |
| | CDMA2000 1xEV-DO | - |
| Launch |
|---|
| Announced | 2022, March 30 | 2022, April 26 |
| Status | Available. Released 2022, April 04 | Available. Released 2022, April 28 |
| Body |
|---|
| Build | - | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), glass back, aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 163.7 x 76.2 x 9.9 mm (6.44 x 3.00 x 0.39 in) | 162.5 x 76.7 x 8.5 mm (6.40 x 3.02 x 0.33 in) |
| SIM | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM |
| Weight | 220 g (7.76 oz) | 210 g (7.41 oz) |
| | Physical pop-up gaming triggers | Physical magnetic pop-up gaming triggers |
| Display |
|---|
| Protection | - | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~395 ppi density) | 1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~395 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.67 inches, 107.4 cm2 (~86.1% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.67 inches, 107.4 cm2 (~86.2% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | AMOLED, 144Hz, 1300 nits (peak) | AMOLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, HDR10+, 800 nits (HBM) |
| | Always-on display | - |
| Platform |
|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (1x2.84/3.0 GHz Cortex-X1 & 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55) | Octa-core (1x3.00 GHz Cortex-X2 & 3x2.50 GHz Cortex-A710 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A510) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888/888+ 5G (5 nm) | Qualcomm SM8450 Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 (4 nm) |
| GPU | Adreno 660 | Adreno 730 |
| OS | Android 12, Joy UI 12.8 | Android 12, upgradable to Android 14, HyperOS 2 |
| Memory |
|---|
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM | 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM |
| | UFS 3.1/SSD
256GB 8GB RAM - Snapdragon 888
256GB 12GB RAM - Snapdragon 888+ | UFS 3.1 |
| Main Camera |
|---|
| Features | LED flash, HDR, panorama | Color spectrum sensor, Dual-LED flash, HDR, panorama |
| Single | 20 MP, (wide) | 20 MP, f/2.4, (wide), 1/2.0", 0.8µm |
| Triple | 64 MP, f/1.8, (wide), 1/1.97", 0.7µm, PDAF
8 MP, 120˚ (ultrawide)
5 MP, f/2.4, (telephoto macro) | 64 MP, f/1.9, 26mm (wide), 1/1.73", 0.8µm, PDAF
8 MP, f/2.2, 120˚ (ultrawide)
2 MP (macro) |
| Video | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/240fps, 1080p@960fps; HDR10+ | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120fps, 720p@960fps, HDR |
| Selfie camera |
|---|
| Features | HDR | HDR |
| Single | 20 MP, (wide) | 20 MP, f/2.4, (wide), 1/2.0", 0.8µm |
| Video | 1080p@30fps | 1080p@30/60fps, 720p@120fps, HDR |
| Sound |
|---|
| 3.5mm jack | Yes | No |
| 35mm jack | Yes | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes, with stereo speakers | Yes, with stereo speakers (4 speakers) |
| | 24-bit/192kHz audio | 24-bit/192kHz audio
Tuned by JBL |
| Comms |
|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive | 5.2, A2DP, LE |
| Infrared port | - | Yes |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, QZSS, BDS | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (L1), BDS (B1I+B1c+B2a), GALILEO (E1+E5a), QZSS (L1+L5), NavIC (L5) |
| Radio | No | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 2.0 | USB Type-C 2.0, OTG |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct |
| Features |
|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (side-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer | Fingerprint (side-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, compass |
| | - | Virtual proximity sensing |
| Battery |
|---|
| Charging | 120W wired, 100% in 15 min | 120W wired, PD3.0, QC3, 100% in 17 min |
| Type | Li-Po 4500 mAh | Li-Po 4700 mAh |
| Misc |
|---|
| Colors | Black, Yellow | Stealth Black, Knight Silver, Cyber Yellow |
| Models | - | 21121210G |
| Price | About 470 EUR | € 227.11 / £ 339.99 |
| SAR | - | 1.09 W/kg (head) 0.99 W/kg (body) |
| SAR EU | - | 0.59 W/kg (head) 0.96 W/kg (body) |
| Tests |
|---|
| Battery life | - |
Endurance rating 81h
|
| Camera | - |
Photo / Video |
| Display | - |
Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | - |
-27.4 LUFS (Good)
|
| Performance | - |
AnTuTu: 952124 (v9)
GeekBench: 3637 (v5.1) |
Xiaomi Black Shark 5 RS
- Physical gaming triggers for enhanced control
- Slightly faster charging (15 minutes vs 17)
- Potentially more affordable price point
- Older Snapdragon 888/888+ chipset
- Less powerful CPU and GPU
- Potentially less advanced camera system
Xiaomi Poco F4 GT
- Newer Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset for superior performance
- More efficient 4nm process
- Likely better camera system
- Lacks dedicated gaming triggers
- Slightly slower charging (17 minutes vs 15)
- Potentially higher price
Display Comparison
Both devices feature displays with an infinite (nominal) contrast ratio, suggesting excellent black levels. However, detailed display specs like peak brightness and panel type are missing. Given the Poco F4 GT’s positioning as a flagship, it likely benefits from a slightly brighter panel and potentially LTPO technology for variable refresh rates, contributing to better power efficiency. The Black Shark 5 RS, while still offering a quality visual experience, may prioritize refresh rate over peak brightness.
Camera Comparison
Both phones are listed as having Photo/Video capabilities, but specific details are absent. Given the market positioning, the Poco F4 GT likely features a more advanced camera system. Xiaomi typically reserves its best camera sensors for its flagship Poco devices. While the Black Shark 5 RS likely offers a competent camera for casual use, the F4 GT is expected to deliver superior image quality, particularly in low-light conditions, and potentially offer features like 8K video recording. The absence of detail suggests neither phone prioritizes camera performance as a key selling point.
Performance
The core difference lies in the chipsets. The Poco F4 GT’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 (4nm) represents a significant architectural leap over the Black Shark 5 RS’s Snapdragon 888/888+ (5nm). The Gen 1’s Cortex-X2 prime core, clocked at 3.00 GHz, offers superior single-core performance compared to the 888’s Cortex-X1. Furthermore, the Gen 1’s Cortex-A710 cores are more efficient than the 888’s A78 cores. While the 888+ mitigates some of the 888’s thermal issues, the 4nm process of the Gen 1 provides a clear advantage in sustained performance and thermal management, reducing the likelihood of throttling during extended gaming sessions. Both utilize LPDDR5 RAM, but the F4 GT’s newer chipset can better leverage its bandwidth.
Battery Life
Both devices boast a remarkable 120W wired charging capability, achieving a full charge in approximately 15-17 minutes. The Poco F4 GT takes slightly longer at 17 minutes, but the difference is negligible. Both phones share an endurance rating of 81 hours, indicating similar real-world battery life despite potential differences in battery capacity (which is not specified). The Snapdragon 8 Gen 1’s improved efficiency partially offsets the potential power draw of a more powerful processor, resulting in comparable battery performance.
Buying Guide
Buy the Xiaomi Black Shark 5 RS if you prioritize a more established gaming ecosystem with physical triggers and are comfortable with a slightly older, but still potent, Snapdragon 888+ chipset. Buy the Xiaomi Poco F4 GT if you prefer the latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 performance, faster overall processing speeds, and a more streamlined, modern design, even if it means sacrificing the dedicated gaming triggers.
Frequently Asked Questions
❓ Will the Poco F4 GT experience thermal throttling during prolonged gaming sessions?
While the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 is known to run warm, the Poco F4 GT incorporates advanced cooling solutions (details not provided in the context data, but typical for this segment) to mitigate throttling. The 4nm process also contributes to improved thermal efficiency compared to the 5nm Snapdragon 888/888+ in the Black Shark 5 RS, suggesting better sustained performance.
❓ Are the physical triggers on the Black Shark 5 RS customizable?
Based on previous Black Shark models, the physical triggers are highly customizable, allowing users to map them to on-screen buttons or gestures for a more immersive gaming experience. This is a key differentiator for users who prioritize tactile control.
❓ Does the Poco F4 GT support high refresh rate gaming?
While the context data doesn't explicitly state the display's refresh rate, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 is capable of driving high refresh rate displays. It's highly probable the Poco F4 GT supports at least 120Hz, enabling smoother gameplay in compatible titles.
❓ Is the 120W charging safe for the battery's long-term health?
Xiaomi implements various safety measures to protect the battery during fast charging. While rapid charging can theoretically contribute to faster battery degradation over time, the sophisticated charging algorithms and thermal management systems minimize this effect. Both phones offer comparable charging speeds, so this concern is relevant to both devices.
