Xiaomi's Poco X3 NFC has a big battery and a 120Hz screen for $235

Xiaomi sub-brand Poco launched its latest phone this week, which it's billing as a "true midrange champion." The Poco X3 NFC, which was unveiled Monday in a virtual launch, is a 4G device with a 6.67-inch LCD screen and features designed to entice "young, gaming enthusiasts." 

Those features, which are typically found in more fancy flagships, include ultra-fast refresh rates, a large battery and a set of stereo speakers. It's also the first phone to debut Snapdragon's new 732G processor, which is a cut above the 730G chipset found in Google's Pixel 4A . 

The phone is a large, glossy and heavy handset that starts for a competitive price of 199 euros (which converts to roughly $235, £180 or AU$320) for the 64 GB variant and 249 euros for the 128GB phone. They're available in Europe for now, but Xiaomi also plans to launch the line internationally.

Unlike the Poco X2 and the Poco F2 Pro, which appeared to be rebranded Redmi phones, the X3 NFC has a fresh and original design that includes an X-shaped quad camera and a side fingerprint sensor. The phone's rear is made of polycarbonate (plastic), while the front uses Gorilla Glass 5. 

The camera relies on artificial intelligence to automatically improve results and is made up of a 64-megapixel Sony IMX682 main sensor, an 8-megapixel wide-angle sensor, a 2-megapixel macro lens and a 2-megapixel depth sensor. Its front camera is 20-megapixel lens housed in a hole-punch display cut out. 

The X3 NFC's combination of features and price will bring it into direct competition with phones such as the OnePlus Nord or even the more affordable devices from Samsung's  popular A line of phones.