Sometimes we just want a device that does it all, but that request is often too good to be true at a price point that fits most of our budgets. POCO has decided to be an outlier by offering a premium, all-around device without the premium price tag.
With the POCO F8 Pro, the tech brand aims to impress on every front: a flagship chipset, large battery life, highly capable cameras, immersive sound by BOSE, all wrapped in a sleek design. Does it live up to the hype? Read on to find out.
Design and build
Similar to last year’s iteration, the F8 Pro embraces a subtle design language with premium design cues. Our review unit comes in a soothing shade of blue with a smooth matte finish. Other options include Titanium Silver and Black for a more minimalist vibe.
At the top portion of the rear is a glossy rectangular block that houses the triple-camera setup. You’ll also find the “Sound by Bose” logo, hinting at the superior audio experience you can expect. With its glass back, aluminum frame, and refreshed design accents, the F8 Pro looks robust yet effortlessly sleek and premium.
To add to that, the IP68 dust and water resistance and Corning Gorilla Glass 7i display provide that layer of protection from daily wear and tear.
It also sports a boxy design with rounded corners, so you won’t feel it digging on your palms. There’s some heft to it, weighing 199g and measuring 8mm, but my experience shooting for long hours or bingeing Netflix series on the go was met with comfort.
Display
Up front, there’s a 6.59-inch AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate. The front panel looks great — I really appreciated the high contrast ratio and smooth visuals while unwinding with a Christmas chick flick. Colors really pop on screen, making you feel the festivities. Outdoor visibility is solid as well, thanks to the impressive 3500 nits of peak brightness.
This time, POCO added something that makes a real difference for on-the-go entertainment: a BOSE sound system. You’d typically reach for a pair of earbuds when listening to music or watching movies or shows, but with this one, you might just opt out.
Even when you turn the volume up, the sound quality remains consistent — full and clear, and with no hint of muffling across highs, mids, or bass. That’s rare in smartphones these days, so it’s a welcome addition.
Extended screen time won’t be much of a concern, thanks to the device’s suite of eye-protection features such as TUV Flicker Free and Low Blue Light Certifications, DC Dimming, and more.
Camera
For the main event, the F8 Pro sports a triple-camera setup with Optical Image Stabilization (OIS). It’s headlined by a 50MP (f/1.88) main sensor (Light Fusion 800), accompanied by a 50MP (f/1.22) telephoto lens with a 60mm equivalent focal length, and an 8MP (f/2.2) ultra-wide camera.
When the lighting is just right, it takes minimal effort to capture stunning shots, especially when Bali is your backdrop. You really just need an eye for composition. Post-processed photos show impressive detail. Some images do lean toward oversaturation; I enjoy a pop of color, but subtle toning would make the shots a chef’s kiss. Nonetheless, these photos are striking and social media-ready as they are.
It’s able to retain details even in less favorable lighting. While the quality may take a slight hit, the results are still more than decent for posting.
While experimenting with different angles and shots during our Bali trip for the POCO F8 Series launch, I was very impressed with the telephoto lens. It captured distant objects in sharp detail at 2.5x zoom, and even taking it up a notch with the 5x zoom produced surprisingly good results.
The 8MP ultra-wide camera proved to be useful when taking photos of the view overlooking your hotel room. I didn’t reach for it that much, but it’s still definitely good to have when I want to capture the whole scenery or take that Gen Z selfie.
For those who love taking selfies, you have the 20MP front camera at your disposal. It’s able to produce true-to-life colors and detailed selfies in good lighting.
If short-form videos are more of your thing, the F8 Pro has you covered with support for 8K at 30fps. Personally, I mostly shot in 4K at 60fps, which worked best for me.
Performance
Under the hood, the POCO F8 Pro is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite processor. This is paired with 512GB of storage and 12GB of RAM, which allows you to multitask with ease and have loads of apps open.
In real-world use, it consistently delivers smooth performance from light to heavy tasks. If your usual routine looks anything like mine, replying to emails, scrolling through social media, browsing the internet, or editing short-form videos, you can expect everything to feel seamless.
When you try to put it through heavier loads like intensive mobile gaming and heavy video editing and shooting, it’s able to keep up without experiencing any hiccups.
Battery
The F8 Pro houses a 6,210mAh battery that can easily last a little over a day with light use. But even heavy users who rely on their phones to shoot a lot of content, reply to dozens of emails, and post and scroll through social media still have wiggle room to play mobile games and stream movies.
Once the battery ran low, the 100W HyperCharge topped it up surprisingly fast. I was able to fully power up the device in under an hour.
Verdict
When we talk about a flagship device, what usually comes to mind are top-tier features that often come with a steep price tag. POCO is able to live up to the hype by making premium more attainable through the POCO F8 Pro.
At times, you might see some trade-offs and compromises because “you can’t have it all.” But with the F8 Pro, it impresses across the board, offering a comprehensive flagship experience — from its elegant design and superior audiovisual capabilities to its impressive camera specs and reliable everyday performance. Special mention goes to its telephoto prowess and immersive BOSE sound system.
And of course, the price tag is the icing on the cake: PHP 29,999 for the 12GB + 256GB variant and PHP 31,999 for the 12GB + 512GB variant.
