The POCO X3 (NFC) - to use its full title - is the mid-range smartphone of the moment, offering flagship features in most cases, at under £200 (for the 64GB version), brand new and inclusive of VAT, in the UK. It's a stunning phone and I featured it last week in a head to head with the Lumia 950 XL, by way of something AAWP-relevant to compare it to. But imaging was an unknown at that point. So, how good is a £200 2020 Android phone's camera system compared to the champion/classic from 2015?

Let's start with a few basic specs:

Lumia 950 XL (2015)	POCO X3 (NFC) (2020)
Dedicated shutter button/launch key 20 MP (oversampled to 8MP here), f/1.9, 1/2.4", PDAF, OIS	64 MP, f/1.9, (main), 1/1.73", PDAF 13 MP, f/2.2, 119˚ (ultrawide) 2 MP, f/2.4 (macro) 2 MP, f/2.4 (depth)

So the usual modern higher megapixel, much larger sensor, with Quad-Bayer pixel-binning to 16MP (in 4:3) or 12MP (in 16:9) - but as we know, the RGB oversampling on the Lumia 950 normally does a better job, even from a lower absolute resolution. But this is a newer sensor, with a hundred times more processing power behind it, so things should level out overall.

Notes:

• I've shot at 16:9 at the default output resolutions on each (leaving headroom for some lossless 'PureView' zoom into the 950 XL's sensor and also getting the advantages of oversampling and noise reduction). Yes, I realise that 8MP on the 950 XL and 12MP on the POCO phone makes for crop framing below that's not exact, but it would also have not been exact if I'd allowed the 950 XL to go up to its full 20MP. And then I'd have readers saying that the POCO phone should be allowed to go up to its full 64MP and then we're down a rabbit hole! The 950 XL is most 'comfortable' at 8MP, in my opinion.
• All photos were taken on full auto and handheld, as a regular user would do. No tripods or RAW editing sessions needed!

Let's pit the results against each other, using our Famed Interactive Comparator (FIC). All 1:1 crops are at 900x500 for comparison, though I've put up the originals on my own server, for you to download if you want to do your own analysis.

Note that the interactive comparator below uses javascript and does need to load each pair of images. Please be patient while this page loads, if you see a pair of images above each other than you've either not waited long enough or your browser isn't capable enough! You ideally need a powerful, large-screened tablet or a proper laptop or desktop. This comparator may not work in some browsers. Sorry about that. On Windows 10 Mobile, use the 'AAWP Universal' UWP app, which handles the comparator very competently (see the tips in the app's help screens)

Test 1: Sunny landscape

A river scene in Henley. Here is the overall scene, unzoomed, with tap to focus on the distant bridge:

You can grab the original photos from the Lumia 950 XL and POCO X3 (2020), for your own analysis.

To look at the images in more detail here, here are fairly central 1:1 crops, from the Lumia 950 XL and then POCO X3, just wait to make sure the page has fully loaded and then use your mouse or trackpad pointer to compare the images:

Both decent snaps, with the Lumia adding its characteristic golden tint, but with better natural detail, while Xiaomi's processing optimises for contrast, so has better detail on the bridge but uglier detail on the trees. Horses for courses, but to my eyes the Lumia's shot is 'purer'.

Microsoft Lumia 950 XL: 10 pts; POCO X3 (NFC) (2020): 9 pts

As I've started to do in the last year or so, I do also have to award extra points for the existence of a wide angle camera - giving extra options to the user. I haven't shown the wide angle shot here, but I'm giving the POCO X3 an extra point regardless. I think that's fair:

Wide angle bonus: POCO X3: 1 pt

Test 2: Sunny landscape, zoomed

The same scene, but using the 2x zoom preset on the POCO phone (upscaled smart crop - ugh) and estimating 2x on the Lumia (ugh again - zoom isn't its strongpoint!!):

You can grab the original zoomed photos from the Lumia 950 XL and POCO X3 (2020), for your own analysis.

To look at the images in more detail here, here are fairly central 1:1 crops from the zoomed images, from the Lumia 950 XL and then POCO X3, just wait to make sure the page has fully loaded and then use your mouse or trackpad pointer to compare the images:

They're both pretty horrible and I wouldn't recommend zooming on either handset's camera(!) But at a pinch, the POCO X3's zoom is slightly less ugly and so it gets the slight win.

Microsoft Lumia 950 XL: 5 pts; POCO X3 (NFC) (2020): 6 pts

Test 3: Sunny foreground

A flower display up above head height, at about 2 metres. Here is the overall scene:

You can grab the original photos from the Lumia 950 XL and POCO X3 (2020), for your own analysis.

To look at the images in more detail here, here are fairly central 1:1 crops, from the Lumia 950 XL and then POCO X3, just wait to make sure the page has fully loaded and then use your mouse or trackpad pointer to compare the images:

Hard to split these, both great colour and detail, with just slightly different framing and resolution, full marks all round! No bonus points for wide angle here though, since there's only sky around the subject, there would be no benefit.

Microsoft Lumia 950 XL: 10 pts; POCO X3 (NFC) (2020): 10 pts

Test 4: Sunny close-up

A feather in the garden - not too tricky a subject, I'd have thought, but see below, I've scaled the shots for easy comparison. You can grab the original photos from the Lumia 950 XL and POCO X3 (2020), for your own analysis.

To look at the images in more detail here, here are scaled versions, from the Lumia 950 XL and then POCO X3, just wait to make sure the page has fully loaded and then use your mouse or trackpad pointer to compare the images:

I tried for several minutes but couldn't get the POCO X3 to auto-focus on the feather, as you see above. However, the Pro mode in the POCO phone's camera UI did let me focus manually and I then managed to get this (again with 950 comparison):

So we end up with something better and crisper than the Lumia 950 XL's shot, but after lots of hassle, while the 950 only needed a single snap. Taking this into account, the POCO X3 has to lose, but it did get there in the end, so just an extra point for the Lumia.

Microsoft Lumia 950 XL: 9 pts; POCO X3 (NFC) (2020): 8 pts

Test 5: Shady zoom

Here's a tricky, shot, picking out zoomed detail in the shade on a bright day. Here is the overall scene:

You can grab the original photos from the Lumia 950 XL and POCO X3 (2020), for your own analysis.

To look at the images in more detail here, here are fairly central 1:1 crops, from the Lumia 950 XL and then POCO X3, just wait to make sure the page has fully loaded and then use your mouse or trackpad pointer to compare the images:

In terms of actual detail, neither photo is great - again the Lumia 950 XL has hopeless interpolative zoom algorithms, while the POCO X3's Quad Bayer system just upscales the 12MP output as needed, which rarely works out well. But I included this comparison because it does show a big difference in colour handling. The mock stone fountain is exactly the colour the POCO X3 shows, i.e. slate grey, while the Lumia has it distinctly blue! Plus the undergrowth has a reddish tint. Xiaomi's image processing pipeline is one of the better systems in phones today and this is a good example, leaving aside the zoom clumsiness - the white balance and colours are usually superb.

Microsoft Lumia 950 XL: 5 pts; POCO X3 (NFC) (2020): 7 pts

Test 6: Sunny macro

There are still a few colourful flowers out in the tail end of September, along with some sun, happily. You can grab the original photos from the Lumia 950 XL and POCO X3 (2020), for your own analysis.

To look at the images in more detail here, here are scaled images, from the Lumia 950 XL and then POCO X3, just wait to make sure the page has fully loaded and then use your mouse or trackpad pointer to compare the images:

Both photos are super - the slight differences in colour and contrast notwithstanding, but at least part of this was the flower itself fluttering a bit in the breeze. The Lumia's shot is lighter and it manages more detail in the petals, but not enough to split the scores.

Microsoft Lumia 950 XL: 10 pts; POCO X3 (NFC) (2020): 10 pts

Test 7: Sunny macro take 2

Another colourful macro subject. You can grab the original photos from the Lumia 950 XL and POCO X3 (2020), for your own analysis.

To look at the images in more detail here, here are scaled images, from the Lumia 950 XL and then POCO X3, just wait to make sure the page has fully loaded and then use your mouse or trackpad pointer to compare the images:

The extra colour and bokeh here give the POCO's shot a really artistic feel and it gets the win here, though in fairness there's not much wrong with the realism of the Lumia's photo either. Which one do you prefer?

Microsoft Lumia 950 XL: 9 pts; POCO X3 (NFC) (2020): 10 pts

Test 8: Indoor close-up

Back to colour balance, here's a close-up shot in a brightly lit kitchen (though not in the sun directly). You can grab the original photos from the Lumia 950 XL and POCO X3 (2020), for your own analysis.

To look at the images in more detail here, here are scaled images, from the Lumia 950 XL and then POCO X3, just wait to make sure the page has fully loaded and then use your mouse or trackpad pointer to compare the images:

There's little in it here, though I'm giving the nod to the POCO phone because the cup really isn't quite as lush a greeen as the Lumia 950 XL makes out, because the slightly larger optics give it more natural bokeh, and because the extra contrast works wonder on small details like the end of the Maglite torch.

Microsoft Lumia 950 XL: 9 pts; POCO X3 (NFC) (2020): 10 pts

Test 9: Low light

In a dimly lit living room, a portion of a bookshelf at around 45cm. Here is the overall scene:

You can grab the original photos from the Lumia 950 XL and POCO X3 (2020), for your own analysis.

To look at the images in more detail here, here are fairly central 1:1 crops, from the Lumia 950 XL and then POCO X3, just wait to make sure the page has fully loaded and then use your mouse or trackpad pointer to compare the images:

Although the modern POCO phone's software handles hand shake through combining multiple short captures, it still can't really cope in low light as well as a proper OIS mechanism - and the Lumia 950 range had the best OIS of its time. Add that to the PureView RGB oversampling and you can see the difference above if you look closely. See, for example, the blotchy noise in the POCO X3's photo, seen here at the pixel level. Yes, I'm being picky, but that's what you pay me for. (Oh wait, AAWP is free. Oh well!)

Microsoft Lumia 950 XL: 9 pts; POCO X3 (NFC) (2020): 7 pts

Test 10: Night time

My standard dead-of-night test ecene. Here is the overall scene:

You can grab the original photos from the Lumia 950 XL and POCO X3 (2020), for your own analysis.

To look at the images in more detail here, here are fairly central 1:1 crops, from the Lumia 950 XL and then POCO X3, just wait to make sure the page has fully loaded and then use your mouse or trackpad pointer to compare the images:

If you'd said five years ago that the Lumia 950's night prowess (OIS, oversampling, etc) would be matched in 2020 and even exceeded by a relatively budget Android handset with no OIS then I wouldn't have believed you. But here we are. The wonders of modern sensors and humungous amounts of processing power, plus clever software, mean that even the darkness of dead of night isn't out of bounds to mainstream consumer phone cameras now. Impressive. The Lumia 950's shot does have finer 'noise' and better resolution of some details, but the POCO X3 also manages to capture details that the 950 misses, such as the window division just above the central car in the crop.

Microsoft Lumia 950 XL: 9 pts; POCO X3 (NFC) (2020): 9 pts

Verdict

For the record, the scores add up as:

• POCO X3 (NFC) (2020): 86 pts (/100)

• Lumia 950 (late 2015): 85 pts 

If this reminds you of anything then I'll point you to my similar imaging comparison between the Lumia 950 XL and the Redmi Note 9 Pro back in July. And much of what I said there still applies, so I'll paraphrase my own comment there:

Don't take the narrow victory as that significant, the two phone cameras might be classed as even overall. But what is significant is that the POCO X3 (NFC) is a 'budget' smartphone at only £200 (or £250 for a 128GB variant). With the Quad Bayer system in modern budget and mid-range phones producing decent low light photography (if not zoom), and with the flexibility of macro and wide angle lenses, there's a lot here to keep a shutter-bug happy. In other words we've got to the stage where you could argue that the Lumia 950 champion from half a decade ago is now being rivalled in the still imaging stakes by relatively low end compeition - it's not just the £1000 flagships.

Yes, a telephoto lens would have been handy too, plus AMOLED for the display, but then we're starting to get up into the £500+ mid-range, whereas this POCO device will serve as a cheap entry point into the Android world. Or perhaps for an inexpensive phone replacement for another family member. And they'll be VERY happy.