I've decided to get the iPega 9167 controller to turn my Poco X3 pro into an ultimate entertainment/gaming center!
I've been running PPSSPP and a game controller will come really handy, especially when it comes to action games.
And after using it for a while, I'll share my experience with the controller.
Controller Design
The iPega 9167 comes with a simple packaging. There is the controller, a 3.5mm audio jack extension, a Type-c cable and a handle/controller.
The controller is fully plastic except for the joystick caps, but it doesn't feel cheap nor does it slips easily. Although its not heavy, its slightly on the bulky side, with a thickness of about 4-4.5cm. It can stretch to a maximum of about 26cm, which means it can accommodate almost all kinds of tablets and phones.
What makes the iPega 9167 so special is its ability to swap "handle". If you wanted to play games that requires A,B,X,Y (like emulators), you can attach the handle with the buttons, else you can just use it as it is. And don't worry about the handle slipping out, you need to push a button to release the handles.
However, the handle with the A,B,X,Y buttons, will block the opening for the charging cable completely , so you might need to get a 90° charging cable to be able to charge and play at the same time.
Also, the 3.5mm audio jack extension is very long and depending on your phone design, could block the charging port.
This is my solution for it, which make the audio jack extension pretty much... redundant.
Performance and Ease of play
Equipped with Blue Tooth 4.0, the connection is fast and stable. Pairing is very easy. The buttons are clicky and responsive and the buttons layout and positions are comfortable for the hands.
There are 4 modes which you can go into.
iOS V3(direct play), Android V3(direct play), Android Standard and wired mode. Each have their own unique button combination for pairing.
To use the V3 modes, you'll need to download an app "ShootingPlus V3" from the PlayStore or AppStore. However, iOS users do take note that the v3 direct play mode is only fully compatible with iOS 11 - iOS 13.3.1, for iOS versions higher than that, you can only use it as a single hand joystick (left side only).
Once you open the app, there will be a list of games whereby the buttons have been preset and you can just click and play. If the buttons mapping aren't to your liking, you can remap them.
The Android Standard mode works better with game emulators. I've tried pairing into V3 mode and I couldn't get the buttons to assign correctly with PPSSPP. So I've to unpair and put the controller back into Android standard mode.
Unfortunately, once you've the V3 app and mode registered with your phone, it'll get into V3 mode by default, no matter what button combination you input while pairing.
Also, the controller does have problem with "dead zones" - all the diagonal directions doesn't work well and is a hit and miss. So it is actually pretty frustrating when you're playing fast pace games like PUBG.
Battery Life
The controller comes with a 380mAh Lithium battery and promises 15 hours of gaming and up to 30 days of standby per charge.
To save battery, the controller will go into sleep mode after 10 minutes of inactivity and it can easily be "waken" up by pressing the home button and it'll reconnect.
I've had session of about 3 hours and the controller still have juice.
Conclusion
Pros
Cons
+ Bluetooth 4.0 + Fast and stable connection + Decent battery life + Good and comfortable to hold + Buttons are responsive and well positioned + Removeable handle, can be use as single hand controller
- Can be uncomfortable for small hands - Audio jack extension not for all phones - Dead zones - Cannot be use with thick phone cases - Not fully compatible with all iOS versions
Overall, I enjoyed gaming on the iPega 9167, perhaps because I am mainly using emulators which doesn't really need the joysticks. If you're into something with a good joysticks, then this controller might not be for you... unless, you have the knowledge to tear it down, as there are people who report that removing the yellow plate on the joysticks solve the dead zone problem!
I made a video of the unboxing and running the controller.
I've actually sold away my Poco M3 few months ago, because it was under used and that it disappointed me as the audio quality (when using karaoke app) is not that satisfactory.
But I regretted, it was quite an instant regret. Because, I lost my lightning to 3.5mm adapter so I can't have music OR watch videos as long as I'm in public. Unless, I want to be blasting music through the loud speaker, which is pretty annoying and inconsiderate.
So when the Poco x3 pro was launched and have the early-bird discount, I got the 6/128GB for SG$299. I think its quite a steal.
Anyway, here is what I feel about the phone after using it for a week. As usual, I won't go into all the technical specifications, because I won't have known what I was talking about! LOL
Unboxing and Looks
The packaging is very simple but packed with everything you need to get a phone working - including a 33W charging brick, Type-C cable and also the SIM card slot pin.
They're nice enough to include a transparent case, Poco stickers and a pre-applied screen protector. But be aware that the screen protector is a fingerprint magnet.
The Poco X3 Pro comes with dual SIM but one of them is a sharing slot (SIM and MicroSD card) so either you have dual SIM or 1 SIM card and one MicroSD card.
Yes, shameless Advertising of the MicroSD card I designed again. :p
The 3.5mm audio jack is at the bottom of the phone, together with a 2nd speaker. The 1st speaker is at the top of the phone.
I must say I thought it looks "cheaper" than the M3 as the back cover is just plain plastic and I cannot say how much I dislike the camera design. But at least, it is sturdy and doesn't slip easily.
The phone is also a little on the bulky side and kinda thicker than I expected, but not something that affect me that much.
Starting Up and MIUI OS
The OS system is well, same as the Poco M3 and as heavy, It took up 13.03GB.
I still don't enjoy the MIUI OS but oh well, it's not that bad and I did get used to it after using the Poco M3. Plus the phone is running smoothly.
The fingerprint unlocking is at the side of the phone, right at the On/Off button. I didn't really like it at the side but it's the same as the M3 and I did get used to that.
And fortunately, the sensor is very sensitive and works with no delay. Tap and it's unlocked.
Updated 1st Jan 2022: The touchscreen of the phone seems to be a little "oversensitive" in the sense that you can accidentally trigger a "touch" with your body (like maybe you need to "clamp" the phone with your arm). And there are a few times whereby I was riding a bicycle in the rain and the droplets fall on the screen, sometimes that is enough to trigger something.
Another thing to note is that the touchscreen doesn't work very well with wetness. So it's quite hard to navigate in rainy days. I do face the same problem on my iPhone with rain but the iPhone seems to function a little better than the Poco X3 pro.
Display and Brightness
Well, display doesn't seems to be the strength of Poco and the brightness always seems to suffer a little, especially in extreme bright or dark conditions. It's not so bad till you can't see anything at all, but you do need to do some adjustments to get a comfortable view.
Well, in case of using under the sun, it's ok if you adjust the brightness up high enough. And in terms of dark conditions (like dark scenes), you'll need the brightness up till at least 75%, else you'll be losing out a lot of the details.
Connectivity
Having tried using the phone for GrabFood for a whole day, I realised that the connectivity is not up to expectation.
I'm still on 3G and I've had problem with reception in certain areas. But I experienced more of "low signal" and disconnection with the X3 pro than my iPhone 7 plus in the same area.
There is no such problem with Wifi or Bluetooth though, Wifi and Bluetooth works great!
Music and Video
The phone is my main media and entertainment center and I've loaded up a 128GB MicroSD card with dramas, music and games. The reading and writing is fast and smooth.
The Poco X3 pro has certified Hi-res speakers and the audio is really great! Earphone works great too, clear mids and highs, too bad the bass isn't that impressive and lags the energy. But still enjoyable at the least.
As for videos, I've no problem watching YouTube, dramas and movies! Well, unless of course you're very sensitive to brightness, then you might find yourself having to adjust the brightness after dark scenes.
Gaming
Poco X3 Pro is known for being a beast for its price point as a gaming machine! And I must say I absolutely agree with that!!
PUBG run smooth without any lag. Same with PPSSPP. Genshin Impact runs without lag in most part of the game.
However, if you do startup screen recording while playing games, there will be noticeable stutters and slow down.
The phone can become a great gaming center if you pair it up with a controller!!
Battery
Its 5160 mAh battery is not the largest one you can find out there. M3 has a 6000mAh battery but it can last long enough. Using it for just music and video, I used only 3-4% for 3 hours of usage.
Battery drops a little faster when using Bluetooth, dropping about 19% in about 3 hours, playing action games on PPSSPP with iPega 9167 controller.
Leaving the phone in standby mode, the battery drops only 4% for a half a day!
Updated 1st Jan 2022: Battery can last for 8 hours of Grabfood with about 20ish% left.
Updated 6th December 2022: Battery bloated and my phone cover bulged. The phone cannot charge at all and went dead. I was in Malaysia at that time and managed to get a battery replacement for RM110 (need some negotiation skill). I asked in SG, the replacement (original XiaoMi battery) will cost around S$40-45 plus the workmanship.
Camera
The camera seems to be pretty "normal". It's pretty much a hit and miss; sometimes you get stunning image, sometimes it just nothing amazing.
I think the Poco X3 pro night mode and 5x Zoom is somewhat useful, but the 10x Zoom is pretty much useless. However, the Night Mode requires steady hands and you need to hold the phone for say about 1-2 seconds after pressing the snap button to get a clear image.
Anyway, here are some sample photos and video I took, both with the Poco X3 pro and iPhone 7 plus. You can judge by yourself.
Left: Poco X3 pro 48MP Mode, Right: iPhone 7 plus
*On mobile phone: Top = left, bottom - right
Left: Poco X3 pro Normal mode, Right: Poco X3 pro Night Mode
iPhone 7 Plus photo
Left: iPhone 7 plus 1x Zoom, Right: iPhone 7 plus 2x Zoom
Left: Poco X3 pro 1x Zoom, Right: Poco X3 pro 2x Zoom
Left: Poco X3 pro 5x Zoom, Right: Poco X3 pro 10x Zoom
iPhone 7 Plus
Right: Poco X3 pro
Conclusion
Pros
Cons
+ Fast charging
- MIUI OS
+ Great for gaming, run most of the popular games smoothly
- Slow booting up
+ 5160mAh battery
- Plain, uninteresting design
+ 3.5mm Audio jack + Hi res certified stereo speakers
- Annoying Ads (unless toggle off)
+ 48 MP camera
- Unwanted apps preinstalled
+ Cheap (relatively)
- Fingerprint sensor position - Display brightness could be higher - Touchscreen is "Oversensitive"
+ MicroSD card expansion
I made a short video about the Poco X3 pro, do check it out.
