Is this the real life? Is this just fantasy? The Poco X6 series has got me humming these lines from the cult classic Queen song Bohemian Rhapsody day in and day out, ever since Poco launched the Poco X6 Pro and Poco X6 duo in India, earlier this month. Full disclosure: initially, I planned on doing two separate reviews but then, over the course of using them, it hit me, they are more alike than anybody would think, both literally and figuratively. And so, I decided to condense my findings into a single piece that I am hoping will do some justice to these fantastic phones that Xiaomi spin-off Poco has come up with. Even if they’re coming at Redmi’s expense.
You see it’s no secret that most Poco phones are Redmi phones. I am sure Poco tries hard to ensure their paths don’t cross, but every once in a while, they do. The Poco X6 series shows both sides of the coin. On the one side, you have the Poco X6 Pro which is essentially the Redmi K70e from China with a smaller battery and slower charging. The Redmi that it is based on is never coming to India. You can take that to the bank. So, no harm, no foul. The Poco X6 on the other hand, is a different story. The Redmi that it is based on, which is the Redmi Note 13 Pro, has also launched in India at around the same time. Granted it has a superior main camera, but the Poco costs Rs 6,000 less. Go figure.
Which is an interesting segue into what is easily the biggest USP of the X6 series. The X6 and X6 Pro cost so low, and pack so much more, I am not even sure how Poco is pulling it off (either that, or the Redmi Note 13 series is grossly overpriced). And for how long can it sustain it. The price is so low in fact, it doesn’t even feel right to nitpick. Even if logic dictates that I rip into these phones to bring you the unabridged truth. I still can’t wrap my head around why only one of them runs HyperOS or why the less expensive model gets stronger protection. But look, there’s no such thing as a perfect smartphone. The X6 and X6 Pro aren’t perfect either. They don’t have to be— AT THEIR PRICES.
But what they’ve managed to do is, take us all back in time when unbelievable specs at unbelievable prices were a common fixture in India. Or as some would fondly remember as, the good old Poco F1 days. What a time to be alive and witness the same brand jumpstart a mobile segment that was starting to look boring and sad. I digress.
There is no way of telling the X6 and X6 Pro apart from the front, not without peaking at their respective spec sheets. Even then, the difference isn’t earth-shattering (no pun intended). The X6 uses Corning’s more recent Gorilla Glass Victus and by extension offers better protection while the X6 Pro has the older— but gracefully ageing — Gorilla Glass 5. The screen underneath is same whether you pick the X6 Pro or the X6. It’s a tall 6.67-inch 120Hz AMOLED with a 1.5K (1220 x 2712p) resolution and up to 1,800nits of brightness in HDR (both can play Dolby Vision content natively) and up to 1,200nits in high brightness mode (or when you are under direct sunlight). The panel in both the phones is flat, has slim bezels through and through, and a hole punch cutout at the centre. Honestly, it doesn’t get any better than this for a flat screen smartphone display. AT THIS PRICE.
The back is where you start to identify the differences more clearly. Both phones have a flat chassis made out of polycarbonate. The X6 is sharper and might I add, a bit more eye-catching especially in this frosty white version that I am using. The pro in contrast is more mature with relatively more subdued — but fingerprint prone — black and grey versions. You can get it in Poco signature fake leather yellow as well if that’s your thing. I like it, but I am not sure if I’ll buy it. Design is very subjective. But ergonomics are not. The X6 Pro has a very subtle curve at the back, one you’re likely to not notice in the beginning, but once you start using the phone more regularly, you start to appreciate its utility. It just feels so much better to hold and navigate. Because these are not small phones, even if Poco has done well to keep their sizes in check. Rounding off the package is basic IP54 dust and splash resistant, something that’s always nice to have around.
The triple camera assembly has a more commanding presence in the Poco X6 with individually stacked lenses that seem hungry for attention. Even if the setup is exactly the same as the pro. The 64-megapixel primary sensor sits behind an optically stabilised lens and takes — surprisingly — good photos with warm colour tones, ample detail, and wide dynamic range, in all sorts of lighting conditions. Even in low or less than ideal lighting, it performs well enough. Noise is mostly under control and not unless you’re going pixel-peeping, you’ll find that the output is not just adequate, but likeable. The other cameras — 8-megapixel ultra-wide and 2-megapixel macro — are spec-fillers, per usual. The Poco X6 and Poco X6 Pro can both shoot at up to 4K@30fps with the main camera (the pro has an extra 4K@24fps option). Results are a mixed bag but mostly they are serviceable. The front camera is a 16-megapixel and takes the occasional good selfie under good lighting. It shoots at up to 1080p@30fps only.
For more pronounced differences, you’ll have to look under the hood. The Poco X6 Pro with its MediaTek Dimensity 8300 chip, goes for performance overkill. It has faster LPDDR5x RAM and UFS4.0 storage. As well as a more elaborate 5000mm² VC cooling system made of stainless steel. While the Poco X6 with its Qualcomm Snapdragon 7s Gen 2 and UFS2.2 (UFS3.1 would have been nicer though) storage, is an all-rounder with can-do-will-do attitude. Simply running AnTuTu on these phones tells you what you are up against. The Poco X6 Pro scores are off the charts, putting it up on a pedestal of proper flagships. AT PRICES LOWER THAN EVEN A FLAGSHIP KILLER. We’ll have to think of a different name for this class of smartphones. Maybe later.
Paired with the new HyperOS, the Poco X6 Pro sets a new benchmark for smartphones in the category, making every other phone duck and cover and wish it was half as powerful. The Poco X6 is one of those phones if you go by its AnTuTu score but at its lower pricing, it makes total sense. But yes, the few extra thousand you spend on the pro today, will go a long way in ensuring you own something that’s both powerful and longer-lasting spec-wise as well as support-wise. Remember, both these phones will get up to 3+4 years of software updates and the X6 Pro already has a leg-up over the X6 which runs the older MIUI 14 based on Android 13.
HyperOS does not bring any drastic cosmetic changes (down to the harrowing bloatware situation) if you’re wondering. But there are big changes on the inside most notably in how the operating system consumes resources, how fast, and how efficiently. It takes up less space, too, and in phones like these that don’t support expandable storage (which is why it’s good that they start with 256GB), every bit counts.
The X6 has a slightly bigger 5,100mAh battery while the X6 Pro has a 5,000mAh. Battery life, though, is mostly similar — not bad, not great either, somewhere in the middle. 67W charging is standard across both the models taking about 45-minutes to go from flat out to full 100 percent.
So, how much does all of this cost? The Poco X6 Pro comes in a choice of 8GB/256GB and 12GB/512GB for Rs 26,999 and Rs 28,999. The Poco X6 comes in 8GB/256GB, 12GB/256GB, and 12GB/512GB trims for Rs 21,999, Rs 23,999, and Rs 24,999, respectively. What did I tell you— unbelievable. And yet, the Poco X6 and Poco X6 Pro exist as a stark reminder of how most— if not all— brands may be overcharging you for specs and features that might be possible to come at a lower price. It would be difficult, but not impossible. There is the odd Oppo, OnePlus, Realme, and even Samsung available in this price range. You should skip them and buy the Poco X6 series instead, while you still can.
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