The Poco F-series has a history of delivering feature-packed specifications at an affordable price. With the upcoming Poco F6, the focus remains on delivering high-quality features at a budget-friendly price. The Poco F6 device aims to set a new standard by combining competitive pricing with impressive capabilities. Can this 26000 rupees Poco F6 smartphone with impressive specs make it the ultimate device? Let me share my findings.
Design
The Poco F6 looks like a mid-range design. The device has a Corning Gorilla Glass Victus for protection from drops and scratches, but a plastic back and frame, which make the device look tolerable. Despite its 25K above pricing, the materials used are slightly less aesthetic. The front of the device is dominated by a 6.67-inch AMOLED bezel-less display, complete with a punch-hole cutout for the front camera. On the rear of the device, you’ll find a neatly positioned two-camera module and a flash ring in the top-left corner. The device has multiple colour options, but our one is the Black variant, which should have wide appeal. Its curved edges on the back make it comfortable to hold. The fingerprint sensor is embedded beneath the screen, offering quick and easy access. Additionally, an infrared sensor is located at the top, providing the capability to control a wide range of appliances.
Performance
Under the hood, the Poco F6 is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 chipset, coupled with up to 12GB of RAM and 512GB of Storage(it is also available in 8GB RAM and 256Gb storage variants). It has a smooth and seamless experience with no noticeable lag when switching between tabs and navigating through websites. I could effortlessly open multiple Chrome tabs, edit photos & videos, stream and watch 4K videos, and run several background apps without experiencing any performance issues. The device runs on Xiaomi HyperOS, based on Android 14, providing a clean and intuitive user interface. App launches are swift, and navigating through the OS is generally lag-free. Given that the Poco F6 is equipped with the latest powerful Snapdragon 8s Gen 3, the device supports 5G connectivity, ensuring fast internet speeds for streaming videos and downloads. One common thing in every Poco device is the bombardment of preinstalled apps. It is frustrating to see unwanted apps on your screen, but thankfully, most of the preinstalled third-party apps can be uninstalled.
Gaming
The Poco F6 is a solid performer in the gaming department thanks to its capable hardware and software optimization. The Snapdragon 8s Gen 3, paired with the Adreno 735 GPU, delivers a smooth gaming experience, even with graphics-intensive titles like Call of Duty: Mobile and BGMI Mobile. The device supports a high refresh rate of 120Hz, making gameplay fluid and responsive. Additionally, the phone’s cooling system effectively manages heat during extended gaming sessions, preventing performance throttling. I played BGMI mobile games with friends for several hours without experiencing any noticeable lag. I felt I could quickly respond, resulting in multiple kills and an enjoyable gaming session. The large 6.67-inch bright AMOLED display and stereo speakers further enhance the gaming experience by providing immersive visuals and sound.
Battery
Thanks to the efficient Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 processor, the Poco F6 offers impressive battery life. It easily lasts a full day of moderate to heavy use, including browsing, gaming, and media consumption. The device supports 90W fast charging, which allows us to fully charge the battery from 0% to 100% in about 45 minutes. This feature is incredibly convenient for users who are always on the go and need a quick power boost.
We tested battery performance by streaming a 4K movie on Netflix. After two hours of streaming, the battery level dropped by around 31%.
Camera
The Poco F6 camera has a two-camera setup consisting of a primary 50MP wide sensor with f1.6 and an 8-megapixel ultra-wide lens. The primary camera captures detailed and vibrant photos in good lighting conditions, while the ultra-wide lens offers a broader perspective for landscape shots and group photos. Upon testing the camera in different lighting conditions, we observed it excelled in capturing detailed images under daylight. However, when we capture images in low-light environments, the results were decent but below expectation. Despite the camera’s attempt to maintain detail, the images were noticeably noisy and lacked sharpness.
The camera app offers a range of modes and features, including Night Mode, Pro Mode, and a 50MP mode, to help users capture high-quality photos. Surprisingly, there is no built-in AI, except for the AI watermark mode, which only adds a watermark to your image when it is captured.
The front camera has a 20-megapixel sensor, which is able to capture sharp and well-exposed selfies. It even has the Beautify mode, which is very useful for many users to make them look perfect in selfies, making it a good choice for social media enthusiasts or a person who takes lots of selfies.
Verdict
The Poco F6 is an exciting option in the mid-range smartphone market, offering a mix of performance and an eye-popping display. Its gaming capabilities and excellent battery life make it a great choice for mobile gamers and power users. Although it has a slightly scaled-down version of the flagship processor, its competitive pricing and well-rounded feature set make it a highly attractive option for budget-conscious consumers. Overall, the Poco F6 provides good value for money and is a strong contender in its segment.