Poco X6 Pro Review: The OnePlus Killer Is Here!

The Poco X6 Pro has launched in India for Rs.26,999 for the 8GB RAM and 256GB RAM variants. Furthermore, the 12GB RAM and 512GB storage variant of the device costs Rs.28,999

It will be available on Flipkart in Racing Grey, Spectre Black and Yellow colour variants.

The Poco X6 Pro comes with the following items inside the box:

• Phone
• Case
• Manual
• 67W Charger

Before we talk in detail about the device, let’s see what the on-paper specs look like:

• Display: 6.67 inches AMOLED
• Chipset: MediaTek Dimensity 8300 Ultra
• RAM & ROM: 8GB 256GB, 12GB 512 GB
• Software: Android 14 with HyperOS
• Rear camera: 64MP + 8MP + 2MP
• Selfie camera: 16MP
• Battery: 5000 mAh
• Weight: 186 grams
• Dimensions: 160.45 x 74.34 x 8.05 mm

The Poco X6 Pro has a plastic build on the back of the Grey and Black variants, while the Yellow colour has a vegan leather finish. You get a wide black camera island similar to other Poco phones that houses the triple camera setup on the back with the LED flash.

Also Read: Xiaomi Redmi Note 13 Pro Review: The Perfect Mid-Ranger?

The Grey variant I have has a subtle and minimalistic feel to it. While you generally get phones with glass backs in this range, Poco has opted for a plastic build, and the grey variant easily picks up smudges, so I recommend using the case in the box.

Speaking of the case, Poco has bundled a nice TPU case with a rubberised finish that provides a good grip and makes the phone comfortable to hold in the hand. Kudos to Poco for bundling a high-quality case, unlike other manufacturers who pack a white TPU case that becomes yellow within a few weeks.

The phone weighs around 186 grams and is just 8.3mm slim. The frame and power buttons are also colour-coded based on the variant you buy, which is a great attention to detail.

The rest of the phone remains clean, apart from a Poco branding at the bottom. On the right, you get the volume rockers and power buttons, while the left portion remains clean.

At the top, you get the IR blaster, secondary speaker grille and secondary microphone. On the bottom, you will be greeted by the USB-C port, SIM tray, speaker grille and microphone. The device also has an IP54 rating for water and dust resistance.

The Poco X6 Pro has a triple camera setup on the back with a 64-megapixel primary camera, 8-megapixel ultrawide and 2-megapixel macro lens. On the front, there is a 16-megapixel selfie sensor.

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During daytime, the shots taken are decent, with ample details and contrast. However, the colours are dull, resulting in a rather unimpressive output. I preferred the output of the Redmi Note 13 Pro over the Poco X6 Pro, which I had previously reviewed.

Also Read: Poco M6 5G Review: Bringing 5G To The Masses

Similarly, when it comes to lowlight shots, the Poco X6 Pro can take decent shots, and the results are better than the daylight ones. I did not notice much difference between shots taken in the normal mode and the phone’s night mode.

The 8-megapixel ultrawide and the 2-megapixel macro are nothing special to write about, and their output is average at best. When it comes to video recording, you get support for up to 4K recording at 30 FPS with the primary and 1080p at 30FPS with the ultrawide lens.

Stabilisation is limited to 1080p at 30FPS on the primary camera, while you get support for up to 1080p 60FPS on the front camera. The video output is decent for the price, and there isn’t much to complain about.

Regarding selfies, the 16-megapixel takes decent shots with accurate skin tones and details. The camera has always been the Achilles heel of Poco devices, and this trend continues with the Poco X6 Pro. If cameras are your priority, it’s best to look for other devices in this price range, like the Redmi Note 13 Pro.

The Poco X6 Pro packs a 5,000mAh battery with support for 67W charging. Thanks to the 4nm chipset, the phone can last up to 6 to 7 hours on normal usage with the refresh rate set to 120Hz.

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Furthermore, you can expect up to 3 to 4 hours of screen time when gaming.MediaTek chipsets are known for their power efficiency, and the Dimensity 8300 Ultra is no exception.

Moreover, the included 67W charger can fully charge the device within just 45 minutes, while you can get up to 50 per cent in just 20 minutes. Overall, the Poco X6 Pro offers great battery life despite the increased resolution and flagship chipset.

The Poco X6 Pro has a 6.67-inch 1.5K AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate. Moreover, the screen has a peak brightness of 1800 nits and comes with Gorilla Glass 5 for protection.

Also Read: OnePlus 11 Long-Term Review: A True Flagship Killer

The display has a punch hole cutout and slim bezels surrounding it, which are almost unnoticeable. The higher resolution and the faster refresh rate also result in a smooth and fluid experience.

When watching content on the phone, you get support for HDR 10+ and Dolby Vision. The slim bezels and crisp display offer an immersive experience, and I enjoyed watching Season 1 of Marvel’s Echo on Disney+. Its default “Pro XDR” mode offers saturated colours, and the screen is bright enough for outdoor usage.

It is the first phone from the Poco to feature an in-display fingerprint sensor and 1.5K resolution. The fingerprint sensor is fast and accurate, and you also get the option to customise its animation.

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Furthermore, the phone has stereo speakers with Dolby Atmos support, which is loud enough to fill an entire room and does not distort at the highest volume. Unfortunately, there is no 3.5mm headphone jack, unlike the Poco F5 and the Redmi Note 13 Pro, which is disappointing as Poco markets the phone as a gaming device.

There are a few extras, such as an IR blaster, a norm for Xiaomi phones and NFC, which is rare in the Indian variant of Poco/Xiaomi devices. I am glad to see the brand not cutting down features from the global variant like it did in the past.

The MediaTek Dimensity 8300 Ultra powers the phone paired with up to 12GB of LPDDR5X RAM and 512GB of UFS 4.0 storage. This 4nm chipset is an absolute beast that can beat flagship processors like the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 and is even close to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2.

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Furthermore, opening and closing apps is super fast, thanks to the UFS 4.0 storage, which is arriving in the mid-range segment for the first time. UFS 4.0 is 100 per cent faster than UFS 3.1 and offers twice the speeds of the previous generation, which results in instant app opening and loading speeds.

When it comes to intensive tasks like gaming, the MediaTek Dimensity 8300 Ultra can handle any game at the highest possible settings. Thanks to the Mali G615-MC6 GPU, you can play BGMI at 90 FPS and CODM at 120 FPS. The phone also has 480Hz touch sampling, resulting in faster inputs and a 2160Hz instant touch sampling rate, which will be activated later via an OTA update.

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Furthermore, I even tried intensive titles like Genshin Impact, GTA San Andreas Definitive Edition, Wreckfest and Hitman Blood Money Reprisal. The performance of this device is absolutely insane, and it is the only phone in this segment that can run Wreckfest above 60 FPS and Hitman at constant 120 FPS.

Regarding benchmarks, the Poco X6 Pro breaks all records in this segment, beating even phones that cost twice as much (i.e. OnePlus 11R and Nothing Phone (2). The MediaTek Dimensity 8300 Ultra has a single-core score of 1308 and a multi-core score of 4166 on Geekbench.

Also Read: OnePlus 11 Long-Term Review: A True Flagship Killer

Moreover, the phone throttles to 92 per cent in the 15-minute CPU throttling test and has an AnTuTu V10 score of 1332341, which is higher than the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 and close to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2. It is undoubtedly the most powerful phone you can buy under the 30K segment right now. Xiaomi has blocked the 3D Mark Wildlife Extreme Stress Test for some reason, so I could not run the benchmark.

The Poco X6 Pro is an extremely powerful smartphone that punches way above its price segment. Not only does it beat other phones in this segment, but it also competes against phones like the OnePlus 11R and Nothing Phone 2, which are twice the price.

The Poco X6 Pro is the first device in India to run on HyperOS based on Android 14 out of the box. Furthermore, Poco promises three OS updates and four years of security patches, which is rare in this segment.

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HyperOS feels refined and smoother than MIUI, with better animations, customisation and features. The control centre has been redesigned, making it closer to iOS, and there are plenty of lock screen customisation options in HyperOS.You also get Themes, Always On Display support, Live Wallpapers and more.

Sadly, just like its MIUI counterparts, there are plenty of pre-installed bloatware apps such as Block Puzzle Guardian, Crazy Juicer, Facebook, Jewels Blast, Netflix, Phone Pe, Snapchat, Spotify, etc. Thankfully, there is an option to uninstall them from the settings.

There are plenty of features similar to MIUI, such as Quick Ball, Gesture Shortcuts, One-Handed Mode, Screen Recorder, Floating Window, Second Space, Front Camera Assistant and Dual Apps. Similar to the Redmi Note 13 Pro, you can measure heart rate using the in-display fingerprint sensor.

There is also the option for memory extension up to 8GB, and the phone comes with a December security patch. Furthermore, it will receive updates till Android 17, apart from four years of security patches.

Overall, Xiaomi has delivered a good software experience by offering HyperOS out of the box and promising three years of OS updates.HyperOS feels more refined than MIUI, with better transitions and customisation options.