POCO C85 5G Review: Worth Considering for First-Time Smartphone Buyers?

Nowadays, there's not much difference between entry-level and mid-range phones. You no longer need to splurge a huge amount to get a 5G phone. Last week, I swapped my SIM from my last review unit, the Moto G57 Power, to POCO's latest budget C85 5G. Right away, a few things caught my attention.

Instead of just focusing on drawbacks, I wanted to see how well it handles my daily tasks. So, let's dive into my detailed review and find out whether this could be your first 5G phone.

PROS

• 6000mAh battery with 33W charging
• Smooth 120Hz refresh rate for scrolling
• Large display for media consumption (though 720p)
• Headphone jack, expandable storage, and IP64 rating

CONS

• Cameras are average
• Speakers distort at high volumes
• Software includes bloatware and ads

POCO C85 5G Price and Availability

The POCO C85 5G comes in three storage configurations and is available for purchase via Flipkart in Mystic Purple, Spring Green, and Power Black colour options.

The pricing in India is as follows:

Our review unit came in the Mystic Purple colour and featured the 6GB + 128GB variant.

Design and Display

Switching from my personal device (Pixel 10) to my recent review unit (Motorola G57 Power) felt easy. The overall design and stock Android made it simple to use the phone as my primary device for a few days without any adjustment issues. That said, the experience changed when I switched to the POCO C85. The first thing I noticed was its large display. While some users may appreciate a bigger screen, I'm not a fan of big displays, and holding the POCO C85 with one hand was difficult for me.

The phone features an LCD panel with an HD+ resolution and a front notch. The 120Hz refresh rate keeps the UI smooth when scrolling. However, the low resolution feels underwhelming on such a large screen. While the brightness is adequate for indoor use and light sunlight, the screen struggles under direct sunlight.

Overall, the POCO C85 can easily handle daily tasks such as scrolling through social media and browsing the web. The low resolution limits the visual impact; however, the 120Hz refresh keeps it smooth. By spending an extra ₹1,000-₹2,000, you can even get AMOLED displays on options like the Redmi Note 14 SE and the Samsung Galaxy M17.

At the back, the phone features a quad-curved panel with a dual-tone matte finish that helps prevent smudges. The phone doesn't feel slippery without a case, although POCO does include a back cover in the box. While the POCO C85 easily tips 211 grams on the scale, in daily use, it doesn't really cause any trouble for my wrists.

Moreover, the handset comes with an IP64 rating, which is a plus point in this range, offering protection against dust and splashes. But it's advised to keep the phone away from water bodies.

While the speakers on C85 5G are quite loud, I noticed some distortion at higher volumes, so using headphones is a better option. On the plus side, the phone includes a headphone jack, which is great for wired headphone users.

Performance

The POCO C85 is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 6300 processor and is clearly not a performance-centric smartphone, but it can handle day-to-day tasks such as scrolling, browsing, and even casual games like Temple Run. It's worth noting that, the processor is nearly two years old, and the same chipset is also found in phones like the Samsung Galaxy A06 5G, which is available for under ₹10,000.

While I didn't test any high-end gaming titles, I did play BGMI, which supports up to 60 fps on the phone. This is decent for the price, though competitors like the Realme P4x in the same price range offer support for up to 90 fps.

In benchmark tests, the POCO C85 5G scored 726 points in the single-core test and 1,960 points in the multi-core test on Geekbench 6. The phone comes with UFS 2.2 internal storage, which is understandable at this price point. However, if you're willing to spend a few thousand more, you can get UFS 3.1 storage, which makes app installations and file transfers faster compared to UFS 2.2. Moreover, the POCO C85 also supports additional storage expansion by up to 1TB using a microSD card, which is a plus point.

Software

The POCO C85 runs on Android 15 with Xiaomi HyperOS 2, and the company promises 2 major Android upgrades along with 4 years of security updates, meaning the device should receive updates up to Android 17. That said, Android 15 already feels slightly outdated, especially since several smartphones in this segment now ship with Android 16 out of the box.

There is also a noticeable amount of bloatware. While some pre-installed apps can be uninstalled, ads still appear in certain system apps.

Camera

If you're a camera lover, the POCO C85 5G is not for you. In daylight, the phone takes clear, detailed photos, and the 50MP main camera performs well. However, in direct sunlight, images often look overexposed and slightly soft.

While you do get portrait and night modes, they feel more like features added just for the sake of it. It struggles with edge detection, and low-light photos lack detail and clarity.
On the front, the POCO C85 5G has an 8MP camera. In daylight, it captures decent selfies, but in low light, images appear soft and lack detail, and night mode doesn't help much.
Moreover, the phone doesn't have optical image stabilisation (OIS), and video recording is limited to 1080p at 30fps. Videos look shaky and lack clarity. Overall, the camera performance is manageable.

Here are some camera samples straight from the POCO C85.

Battery

Battery is one thing I'd actually suggest the POCO C85 for in this price range.
It has a massive 6000mAh battery with 33W charging, and yes, you get the charger in the box. It also supports 10W reverse charging, so you can charge your earbuds and other accessories on the go.

It takes about an hour to go from 30% to full. For me, it lasted three days, though I didn't game much, just scrolling through reels, watching YouTube, messaging on WhatsApp, and making normal calls. Even if you watch movies, play games, or use social media heavily, it can easily last a full day on a single charge.

Verdict

Clearly, the battery is the biggest selling point of the POCO C85 5G. If you're planning to switch to a 5G phone for everyday use like calling and browsing, it's a good pick thanks to its large screen and massive battery.

However, when you look at alternatives, it doesn't stand out as much in this price range. You will find better options that offer an FHD+ display, longer software support, and better cameras in the same price segment.