The Poco F series, Poco’s highly anticipated and affordable smartphone lineup, has evolved significantly since the launch of the first Poco F1 flagship killer. Now classified as upper mid-range, the Poco F6 series maintains core values, offering high-end features and powerful hardware at a competitive price. The standard F6 model stands out as a more affordable option, delivering a user experience similar to the Pro model. A key feature is the bright 6.67-inch OLED panel, which supports Dolby Vision, HDR10+, and a QHD resolution. While this display type is common in this price range, Poco ensures top-notch quality.
Poco F6 Specifications are
- Body: 160.5×74.5×8.0mm, 179g; Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), plastic frame, plastic back; IP64, dust and water-resistant
- Display: 6.67″ AMOLED, 68B colors, 120Hz, HDR10+, Dolby Vision, 500 nits (typ), 1200 nits (HBM), 2400 nits (peak), 1220x2712px resolution, 20.01:9 aspect ratio, 446ppi.
- SoC: Qualcomm SM8635 Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 (4 nm): Octa-core (1×3.0 GHz Cortex-X4 & 4×2.8 GHz Cortex-A720 & 3×2.0 GHz Cortex-A520); Adreno 735.
- Memory: 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM; UFS 4.0.
- OS/Software: Android 14, HyperOS.
- Rear Camera: Wide (main): 50 MP, f/1.6, 1/1.95″, 0.8µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS, Ultra-wide angle: 8 MP, 1/4.0″, 1.12µm.
- Front Camera: 20 MP, f/2.2, (wide), 0.8µm.
- Video Capture: Rear camera: 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, gyro-EIS, Front camera: 1080p@30/60fps.
- Battery: 5000mAh; 90W wired, PD3.0, 2-100% in 35 min (advertised).
- Connectivity: 5G; Dual SIM; Wi-Fi 6; BT 5.4; NFC; Infrared port.
- Misc: Fingerprint reader (under display, optical); stereo speakers; Virtual proximity sensing.
The Poco F6 features the new Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 chipset, promising flagship-like performance with an efficient design. It comes standard with 8GB/128GB UFS 4.0 memory, ensuring smooth performance. The camera system has seen a modest upgrade, with a modern 50MP main sensor replacing the older 64MP one, and the selfie camera is now 20MP. The 8MP ultrawide remains the same. Charging capabilities have improved, with a 90W limit compared to the previous generation’s 67W.
Design and Handling
The Poco F6 retains a similar design to its predecessor, with larger camera rings and a circular LED flash replacing the third camera. The body is still primarily plastic, but the display now features Gorilla Glass Victus. Ingress protection is upgraded to IP64. The phone’s lightweight design at 180 grams is impressive for a 6.67-inch device. The available color schemes are Black and Titanium, with the latter being resistant to smudges and fingerprints. The side-mounted fingerprint reader has been replaced with an under-display scanner, although its position near the bottom edge can be awkward.
Display
The 6.67-inch OLED panel remains largely unchanged from the previous model but now features a higher resolution of 1220 x 2712px. It supports 120Hz refresh rate, HDR10+, and Dolby Vision. It also includes 1920Hz PWM dimming and a peak touch sampling rate of 2160Hz, enhancing gaming response and usability with wet fingers.
Camera Performance
The Poco F6’s main camera, featuring a 50MP Sony sensor, performs well in daylight with good detail and color accuracy. The 8MP ultrawide camera is decent, though not exceptional. Selfies are taken with a 20MP sensor and a wider-than-usual lens, capturing more of the surroundings.
- Wide (main): 50MP Sony IMX 882, f/1.6, 26mm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS; 4K@60/30fps
- Ultrawide: 8MP Sony IMX 355, f/2.2, 16mm, fixed focus; FullHD@30fps
- Front camera: 20MP OmniVision OV20B, f/2.2, 21mm, fixed focus; FullHD@60/30fps
Video Recording
The main camera records up to 4K60, while the ultrawide handles 1080p/30fps. The stabilization is effective, and the video quality is solid, though the ultrawide camera’s low-light performance is lacking.
Speakers
The Poco F6 uses a hybrid speaker setup with a bottom-facing speaker and an earpiece acting as a secondary speaker. The sound quality is impressive, with pronounced bass and relatively clean audio, making it one of the better options in its segment.
Battery Life and Charging
Equipped with a 5,000 mAh battery, the Poco F6 offers decent battery life, enhanced by the Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 SoC and optimized software. The phone supports 90W charging, allowing more than half the battery to charge in just 15 minutes and a full charge in a little over half an hour.
Software
Running on HyperOS with Android 14, the Poco F6 offers a polished software experience with at least three years of major updates and one additional year of security updates. The UI is smooth, with no noticeable slow-downs or stutters.
Benchmark Performance
The Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 SoC delivers strong performance, comparable to higher-end models. The CPU configuration and Adreno 735 GPU ensure smooth operation, and the use of an older modem helps lower costs while still offering high-end features like Wi-Fi 7.
Gizmo Verdict
The Poco F6 is a strong contender in the upper-midrange market, offering excellent display quality, impressive performance, fast charging, and good camera capabilities. Its highlights include:
- Excellent OLED display with HDR10+ and Dolby Vision.
- Unmatched performance in its class with Snapdragon 8s Gen 3.
- Turbo charging.
- High-quality stereo speaker setup.
- Great main camera performance.
- Solid retail bundle.
However, the absence of a 3.5mm jack and a proper proximity sensor may be drawbacks for some users. Overall, the Poco F6 is a well-rounded device that excels in multimedia and gaming while offering a premium experience at a competitive price.
