Xiaomi Poco X6 Pro Review: Great screen and performance, but weak camera
The Xiaomi Poco X6 Pro emerges as a flagship offering from the renowned Chinese giant, Xiaomi, renowned for delivering high-performance smartphones at remarkably affordable prices.
In an era where smartphones serve as indispensable tools in our daily lives, the quest for the best price-performance ratio often revolves around maximizing performance without breaking the bank. Here, the Poco X6 Pro smartphone steps in, offering compelling features and potent hardware at a budget-friendly price point.
Let’s delve deeper into our comprehensive assessment of this Poco device.
Xiaomi Poco X6 Pro: Video Review
| Specs | Xiaomi Poco X6 Pro |
| Chipset | Mediatek Dimensity 8300 Ultra (4 nm) |
| GPU | Mali G615-MC6 |
| Memory Internal | 256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM |
| Display | 6.67 inches, AMOLED, 120Hz, 1220 x 2712 pixels, 20:9 ratio, HDR10+, Dolby Vision |
| Display Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass 5 |
| Software | Android 14, HyperOS |
| SIM support | Dual SIM (Nano-SIM, dual stand-by) |
| NFC | Yes |
| Bluetooth | 5.4, A2DP, LE |
| Ports | USB Type-C 2.0, OTG |
| Rear cameras | 64 MP, f/1.7, 25mm (wide), 8 MP, f/2.2, 120˚ (ultrawide), 2 MP, f/2.4, (macro) |
| Front camera | 16 MP, f/2.4, (wide), 1/3.06", 1.0µm |
| Battery | 5000 mAh, non-removable |
| Charging | 67W wired, 100% in 45 min (advertised) |
| Dust/water resistance | IP54, dust and splash resistant |
| Size | 160.5 x 74.3 x 8.3 mm (6.32 x 2.93 x 0.33 in) |
| Weight | 186 g or 190 g (6.56 oz) |
| Colors | Black, Yellow, Gray |
Xiaomi Poco X6 Pro: Design
The Xiaomi Poco X6 Pro is a device that measures 160.5 x 74.5 x 8.3 millimeters and weighs 189 grams. It’s slightly more compact than the Note 13 Pro 5G, but still falls into the category of large smartphones. The design features a more rounded back, giving it a less angular appearance. One noticeable aspect is the protruding cameras, which extend only 2.3mm from the back, allowing the device to lie flat on a surface without wobbling.
The Poco X6 Pro comes with a shiny plastic back, which, unfortunately, is prone to visible scratching within a few weeks of use. Thus, using a cover is recommended. The frame of the device is also made of plastic, giving it a somewhat cheap feel, but it remains stable and well-constructed. The transitions and buttons are well-executed without any flaws.
On the front, there’s a centered punch-hole notch, and the display edges measure 2mm on the left, right, and top, providing an impressive screen-to-body ratio. The chin is slightly larger, featuring a 3mm black border. The fingerprint sensor is integrated into the display, providing efficient unlocking with a success rate of around 9 out of 10 attempts. Facial recognition is also available and functions smoothly. However, there’s no notification LED, and the always-on display is limited to 10 seconds, which might disappoint users who rely heavily on notifications.
At the bottom of the Poco X6 Pro, you’ll find the SIM card slot (2 x nano SIM), a speaker, a microphone, and the USB-C 2.0 port. The top houses stereo sound generated by an additional speaker, along with an infrared transmitter and an additional microphone. The power button and volume control are located on the right side of the frame, offering good tactile feedback.
The back of the Poco X6 Pro features silver lettering including the CE mark and 5G lettering, along with a camera module that has a transparent plastic structure extending across its width. Despite being a plastic build, the device feels manageable and less angular in hand compared to its predecessor.
However, there are some downsides, such as the limited always-on display duration, the absence of a 3.5mm headphone jack, and no option for memory expansion. Overall, the Xiaomi Poco X6 Pro is a well-crafted mid-range smartphone with an unassuming design.
Display
The Xiaomi Poco X6 Pro boasts an AMOLED display with a resolution of 2712 x 1220 pixels. Sporting a generous size of 6.67 inches, users are treated to a razor-sharp visual experience with an impressive pixel density of 446 pixels per inch. The display’s refresh rate stands out at a speedy 120Hz, offering smooth and fluid interactions, which can be adjusted automatically or set permanently at 60Hz according to user preference.
Poco emphasizes the touch sampling rate of 2160Hz as a standout feature, particularly appealing to gamers, although its impact may not be immediately noticeable to all users. The display brightness is highly versatile, ranging from 2 to 860 lux in manual mode and boasting a boost to 1640 lux in automatic mode, ensuring excellent readability even in bright sunlight. Additionally, sensitive users may appreciate the inclusion of 1920 Hz PWM dimming for reduced eye strain, despite it not being explicitly highlighted in the marketing materials.
The display also delivers multimedia capabilities with Widevine L1 certification for streaming in HD quality, along with support for HDR10+ and Dolby Vision, enhancing the viewing experience with vibrant colors and high dynamic range content. Extensive customization options for color display and features such as a terminable reading mode and dark mode further cater to individual preferences.
In terms of protection, the Poco X6 Pro’s display is safeguarded by Gorilla Glass 5, ensuring durability against scratches and minor impacts. The touchscreen exhibits swift and accurate responsiveness to all user inputs, contributing to a seamless user experience.
Performance
The Xiaomi Poco X6 Pro continues the tradition of delivering impressive performance in the mid-range smartphone segment, building upon the success of its predecessor, the Poco X5 Pro. Antutu benchmark scores suggest that the device offers substantial performance gains, thanks in part to its cutting-edge hardware specifications.
Powered by the Dimensity 8300 chipset, manufactured using the advanced 4nm process, the Poco X6 Pro combines performance with efficiency. The processor features four powerful Cortex-A715 cores clocked at 3.35GHz, along with four energy-efficient Cortex-A510 cores running at 3.2GHz. This configuration ensures smooth navigation through the system and seamless multitasking, even when handling demanding applications and games from the Play Store.
Graphics-intensive tasks are handled by the ARM Mali-G615 MC6 GPU, which delivers significantly improved performance compared to its predecessor, enhancing the overall gaming experience. The device exhibits no noticeable lag or delay, maintaining responsiveness and fluidity throughout usage.
Furthermore, the inclusion of modern LPDDR5X RAM and lightning-fast UFS 4.0 storage significantly boosts performance and responsiveness. With read and write speeds reaching flagship levels of 4206/3555 MB/s respectively, the Poco X6 Pro outpaces many competitors in its class, including devices from the Samsung A series and the Redmi Note series.
The robust performance of the Poco X6 Pro is further underscored by its efficient thermal management. Despite prolonged usage and demanding tasks, the device maintains stable performance levels, with the CPU maintaining over 80% performance for over 30 minutes without overheating. The maximum temperature recorded on the device reached 41°C, indicating reasonable heat dissipation.
Even during GPU stress tests and complex 3D gaming sessions, the Poco X6 Pro demonstrates its capability to handle intensive tasks without compromising performance or experiencing thermal throttling. Users can expect a consistently smooth and immersive gaming experience, free from FPS drops or performance degradation.
HyperOS
Underneath the hood, the device runs on the brand new HyperOS (1.0.1.0) based on Android 14, with minimal visible deviations from MIUI.
Despite the similarities, optimizations have been made, promising smooth performance without noticeable errors or hiccups. While communication regarding updates may have been lacking in the past, Poco pledges to deliver timely updates, with the X6 Pro slated to receive 2 major Android updates and 3 years of security updates. Additionally, users have the flexibility to uninstall pre-installed apps and remove system advertisements, ensuring a clean and personalized user experience.
Camera
The Xiaomi Poco X6 Pro features a robust 64MP OmniVision sensor that comes with Optical Image Stabilization (OIS), a feature previously seen on the Poco F series. Alongside, the ultra-wide-angle camera adopts an 8 MP OmniVision sensor. The selfie camera remains consistent with its 16 MP OmniVision sensor.
While the camera hardware upgrade seems promising, the choice of processor may affect the overall image processing quality. Qualcomm processors typically outshine MediaTek counterparts in terms of image processing capabilities.
In daylight conditions, the Poco X6 Pro captures impressive shots with a wide dynamic range and vibrant colors, although some images may appear brighter than reality. The ultra-wide-angle camera produces vivid colors but sacrifices detail, making it less suitable for larger displays. Portraits exhibit excellent sharpness, color reproduction, and background separation.
In low-light scenarios, the OIS-equipped main camera performs decently but often introduces a noticeable red cast in photos. The ultra-wide-angle camera struggles in low light and requires improvement through software updates.
Selfies maintain consistent color representation and dynamic range but may lack sharpness upon closer inspection. Video recording at 4K/30fps is generally stabilized but may suffer from focus issues during movement. Sound quality in videos is commendable, and the selfie camera offers reliable stabilization at 1080p/30fps and 1080p/60fps.
Battery life
The Xiaomi Poco X6 Pro arrives on the market equipped with a 5000 mAh battery paired with a rapid 67-watt charging standard.
In the PCMark battery test, the Poco X6 Pro demonstrated commendable endurance, providing 16 hours and 13 minutes of usage at 60Hz refresh rate. Even with the higher refresh rate set to 120Hz, the device manages a respectable 12 hours and 15 minutes of continuous usage. In real-world usage scenarios, the device intelligently adjusts the display refresh rate based on app requirements, resulting in efficient battery management. With typical usage, users can expect up to 2 days of runtime with 8 hours of screen-on time. For instance, an hour of YouTube streaming consumes only 5% of battery life, showcasing the device’s efficiency.
The device charges from 1% to 99% in just 44 minutes. This rapid charging capability ensures that users can quickly top up their device whenever needed, providing ample battery life for the next few hours with just a 10-minute charge. However, it’s worth noting that features such as wireless charging are not supported in the mid-range segment, which is a common trade-off for devices in this price range.
Xiaomi Poco X6 Pro: Conclusion
Our evaluation of the Poco X6 Pro 5G reveals a device that excels in delivering exceptional gaming performance, proving that top-tier gaming experiences need not come at exorbitant costs. The smartphone effortlessly handles demanding games, rivaling pricier models without compromise.
However, in terms of versatility, the X6 Pro falls short when compared to its competitors. Its photography capabilities, in particular, lag behind offerings from Samsung’s A range or Honor’s latest Magic6 Lite. Thus, while the device impresses as a gaming powerhouse, it may disappoint those prioritizing photography prowess.
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