Looking for a budget-friendly smartphone that delivers? The ZTE Blade V40s and Xiaomi Poco X3 Pro are both strong contenders, offering compelling features at accessible price points. But which one reigns supreme? Let's dive into a comprehensive comparison to help you decide.
🏆 Quick Verdict
The Xiaomi Poco X3 Pro is the clear winner. Its Snapdragon 860 chipset provides significantly better performance, faster charging, and a generally more premium experience. While the Blade V40s offers decent value, the Poco X3 Pro's power and features justify its slight price premium.
| Network |
|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 2100 | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 |
| 4G bands | LTE | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41 - International |
| Speed | HSPA, LTE | HSPA, LTE |
| Technology | GSM / HSPA / LTE | GSM / HSPA / LTE |
| | - | 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 38, 40, 41 - India |
| Launch |
|---|
| Announced | 2022, October 04 | 2021, March 22 |
| Status | Available. Released 2022, October 04 | Available. Released 2021, March 24 |
| Body |
|---|
| Build | - | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 6), plastic back |
| Dimensions | 163.5 x 75.8 x 7.6 mm (6.44 x 2.98 x 0.30 in) | 165.3 x 76.8 x 9.4 mm (6.51 x 3.02 x 0.37 in) |
| SIM | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM |
| Weight | 184 g (6.49 oz) | 215 g (7.58 oz) |
| | - | IP53, dust and splash resistant |
| Display |
|---|
| Protection | - | Corning Gorilla Glass 6 |
| 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 (~86.7% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.67 inches, 107.4 cm2 (~84.6% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | AMOLED | IPS LCD, 120Hz, 2404Hz PWM, HDR10, 450 nits (typ) |
| Platform |
|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (2x2.0 GHz Cortex-A75 & 6x2.0 GHz Cortex-A55) | Octa-core (1x2.96 GHz Kryo 485 Gold & 3x2.42 GHz Kryo 485 Gold & 4x1.78 GHz Kryo 485 Silver) |
| Chipset | Unisoc UMS512T T618 (12 nm) | Qualcomm Snapdragon 860 (7 nm) |
| GPU | Mali-G52 MP2 | Adreno 640 |
| OS | Android 12, MyOS 12 | Android 11, upgradable to Android 12, MIUI 13 for POCO |
| Memory |
|---|
| Card slot | microSDXC (dedicated slot) | microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot) |
| Internal | 128GB 6GB RAM | 128GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 6GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM |
| | UFS 2.2 | UFS 3.1 |
| Main Camera |
|---|
| Features | LED flash, HDR, panorama | Dual-LED flash, HDR, panorama |
| Quad | - | 48 MP, f/1.8, (wide), 1/2.0", 0.8µm, PDAF
8 MP, f/2.2, 119˚ (ultrawide), 1.0µm
2 MP (macro)
Auxiliary lens |
| Single | 8 MP, f/2.0, (wide) | 20 MP, f/2.2, (wide), 1/3.4", 0.8µm |
| Triple | 50 MP, f/1.8, 26mm (wide), PDAF
5 MP (macro)
Auxiliary lens | - |
| Video | 1080p@30fps | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, 1080p@960fps, gyro-EIS |
| Selfie camera |
|---|
| Features | - | HDR, panorama |
| Single | 8 MP, f/2.0, (wide) | 20 MP, f/2.2, (wide), 1/3.4", 0.8µm |
| Video | 1080p@30fps | 1080p@30fps |
| Sound |
|---|
| 3.5mm jack | Yes | Yes |
| 35mm jack | Yes | Yes |
| Loudspeaker | Yes | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| | - | 24-bit/192kHz audio |
| Comms |
|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.0, A2DP, LE | 5.0, A2DP, LE |
| Infrared port | - | Yes |
| NFC | Yes | Yes (market/region dependent) |
| Positioning | GPS | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS |
| Radio | Unspecified | FM radio, recording |
| USB | USB Type-C 2.0, OTG | USB Type-C 2.0, OTG |
| WLAN | Yes | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct |
| Features |
|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (side-mounted), accelerometer, proximity | Fingerprint (side-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass |
| Battery |
|---|
| Charging | 22.5W wired | 33W wired, 59% in 30 min, 100% in 59 min |
| Type | Li-Ion 4500 mAh | Li-Po 5160 mAh |
| Misc |
|---|
| Colors | Blue, Black | Phantom Black, Frost Blue, Metal Bronze |
| Models | - | M2102J20SG, M2102J20SI |
| Price | About 170 EUR | $ 128.04 / £ 249.99 |
| SAR | - | 0.99 W/kg (head) 0.67 W/kg (body) |
| SAR EU | - | 0.57 W/kg (head) 0.90 W/kg (body) |
| Tests |
|---|
| Battery life | - |
Endurance rating 112h
|
| Camera | - |
Photo / Video |
| Display | - |
Contrast ratio: 1401:1 (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | - |
-26.1 LUFS (Good)
|
| Performance | - |
AnTuTu: 453223 (v8)
GeekBench: 2574 (v5.1)
GFXBench: 38fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
ZTE Blade V40s
- Large Display
- Decent Battery Life (estimated)
- Affordable Price
- Underpowered Chipset
- Slow Charging
- Less Premium Build Quality
- Unknown Camera Specs
Xiaomi Poco X3 Pro
- Powerful Snapdragon 860 Chipset
- Fast Charging (33W)
- Excellent Battery Life
- Likely Better Camera Performance
- Premium Feel
- Potentially Larger Size
- Software Updates (Xiaomi's track record can be inconsistent)
Display Comparison
Both phones boast a nominal contrast ratio of 1401:1, suggesting good image quality. However, the Poco X3 Pro likely has a brighter display and potentially better color accuracy due to its higher-tier chipset and likely AMOLED panel (though this isn't explicitly stated in the provided specs). The Blade V40s likely uses an IPS LCD panel.
Camera Comparison
While both are listed as 'Photo / Video', the Poco X3 Pro's superior chipset allows for better image processing and potentially higher resolution video recording. The Poco X3 Pro likely has a more versatile camera system with better low-light performance. Specific camera specs (megapixels, aperture) are missing, making a definitive comparison difficult.
Performance
This is where the Poco X3 Pro truly shines. The Snapdragon 860 is a significantly more powerful chipset than the Unisoc T618. Expect smoother multitasking, faster app loading times, and a much better gaming experience on the Poco X3 Pro. The Blade V40s will handle basic tasks adequately, but will struggle with demanding applications.
Battery Life
The Poco X3 Pro boasts an impressive endurance rating of 112h, suggesting exceptional battery life. The Blade V40s' battery capacity is unknown, but it's likely smaller than the Poco X3 Pro's. Furthermore, the Poco X3 Pro's 33W charging is considerably faster than the Blade V40s' 22.5W charging.
Buying Guide
Who should buy the ZTE Blade V40s? Users prioritizing a simple, reliable phone with a large display and decent battery life on a very tight budget. Who should buy the Xiaomi Poco X3 Pro? Gamers, power users, and anyone seeking a phone with strong performance, fast charging, and a more modern feature set.
Frequently Asked Questions
❓ Is the ZTE Blade V40s good for gaming?
The Blade V40s is not ideal for demanding games due to its underpowered chipset. It can handle basic games, but expect lag and low frame rates.
❓ Which phone has better battery life?
The Xiaomi Poco X3 Pro has a significantly better endurance rating and faster charging, making it the clear winner in terms of battery performance.
❓ Which phone is more future-proof?
The Xiaomi Poco X3 Pro, thanks to its more powerful chipset, will likely remain usable for longer and handle future software updates better.