Global tech brand POCO is ending the primary quarter with the discharge of its recent midrange lineup, the POCO X8 Pro Series, which consists of two devices: the POCO X8 Pro Max and the POCO X8 Pro.
The brand new series is promised to deliver a flagship-level experience at a more accessible price point, continuing the brand’s core proposition since its debut in 2018.
On this review, I spent around every week to delve into the phone’s performance, battery capability, and its camera and screen performance.
For starters, the important thing specs of the POCO X8 Pro include a MediaTek Dimensity 8500-Ultra processor, paired with a 6,500mAh battery capability.
It also comes with a 6.59-inch 1.5K AMOLED display, with as much as a 120Hz refresh rate, and a 50-megapixel major camera.
The review unit is in black, and comes with 512 gigabytes (GB) of storage capability and 12GB of random access memory (RAM), extendable as much as 12GB via virtual RAM.
By way of design, the device adopts a minimalist aesthetic, featuring a metal frame and Gorilla Glass 7i front that give it a premium feel.
PERFORMANCE
To check the performance of the POCO X8 Pro, I ran a number of the country’s hottest mobile games and multimedia apps.
Throughout the course of the test, the device was set to performance mode, and the 12GB virtual RAM was enabled to maximise its capability.
The POCO X8 Pro scored 1.8 million points on the AnTuTu Benchmark, indicating that it’s a high-performing device made possible by its 4-nanometer Dimensity 8500-Ultra chip.
I played Mobile Legends: Bang Bang with the device on maxed-out settings. As expected, because the game shouldn’t be graphically intensive, the experience was stable throughout, with no noticeable lag or frame drops.
For Genshin Impact, a more demanding title, the phone was able to running at high settings with generally stable performance. Nonetheless, occasional frame rate dips were observed during prolonged gameplay sessions.
App loading and multitasking were smooth, with no noticeable slowdowns.
As for its thermal performance, based on testing, the phone ranges between 37°C to 39°C when browsing or using multimedia apps.
Nonetheless, during AnTuTu testing and gameplay, it will possibly reach as much as 43°C, which can feel warm if used for an extended period. Is it concerning? Probably not, because it remains to be throughout the moderate range, and the warmth will not be as noticeable when using a phone case.
POCO said that the X8 Pro has its 3D dual-layer IceLoop cooling system to dissipate heat, which guarantees to cut back temperatures by as much as 3°C.
CAMERA
The POCO X8 Pro includes a triple-camera setup, consisting of a 50MP Sony IMX882 major sensor, an 8MP ultra-wide camera, and a 20MP front camera.
While the device shouldn’t be positioned as a camera-centric phone, the major camera is able to capturing decent photos and videos. Images are inclined to lean toward a cooler white balance, with level of detail.
One limitation observed was in close-up shots, where the camera struggled to take care of sharp concentrate on the topic.
The ultra-wide camera produces images with the same color profile, though with a noticeable drop intimately.
For selfies, the front camera applies a slight tone-up effect by default, producing images suitable for posting without further editing.
A private favorite of mine is the major camera’s video performance. It is extremely stable and may be alternative for vlogging, because it is provided with optical image stabilization. The main points are quite decent, although the white balance leans cooler than I prefer.
SCREEN AND BATTERY
A private favorite feature of the phone is its battery performance.
Its 6,500mAh silicon-carbon battery is good enough to last for greater than a day.
Charging doesn’t take too long, because it is able to as much as 100W charging, which based on experience can fully charge the device from 0% to 100% in about 1 hour and 10 minutes.
Additionally it is able to 27W reverse charging.
POCO didn’t disclose if the device has bypass charging.
Meanwhile, the POCO X8 Pro display can reach as much as 3,500 nits of brightness as a result of its 1.5K AMOLED panel.
Additionally it is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 7i, together with various TÜV Rheinland certifications for eye protection.
Based on experience, the display is crisp and provides great detail, especially when viewing high-resolution videos.
It also has Widevine L1 support, making it able to playing high-quality video on most streaming platforms.
Other key specs of the POCO X8 Pro include IP68 dust and water resistance rating.
This implies it will possibly withstand submersion of as much as 1.5 meters for half-hour in freshwater. Nonetheless, it shouldn’t be beneficial to make use of it in saltwater or pool environments.
VERDICT
As for my final verdict, I’m personally surprised by how well-rounded the POCO X8 Pro is. The brand didn’t hold back on other key features despite having a high-performing chip under the hood.
This is certainly catch and a robust value-for-money option, especially if you happen to are capable of get it at its introductory price of ₱15,499 for the 8GB + 256GB variant, originally priced at ₱18,999.
The larger variants, 8GB + 512GB and 12GB + 512GB, have launch prices of ₱16,599 and ₱17,499, respectively.
Meanwhile, the Iron Man Edition of the POCO X8 Pro has an introductory price of ₱18,999 for the 12+512GB storage variant, originally priced at ₱22,999.
As a suggestion, the 12GB + 512GB variant is a practical alternative, because the storage is doubled by just adding P2000.
The POCO X8 Pro and the POCO X8 Pro Max are already available on Shopee, Lazada, and TikTok Shop.
The early bird sale is predicted to last until March 26. — Edg Adrian A. Eva