POCO F6 review: A blend of performance and value

POCO makes a striking splash in the premium smartphone space with the launch of its POCO F6, which is poised to deliver more for less. The price-to-performance ratio for this smartphone puts it in the league with other competitors smartphones. With the pricing starting at Rs 30,000, this smartphone surely grabs more attention than most. But does it deliver on the promise of beastly performance with "God Mode On" and more? Let's find out.

Quick overview of POCO F6

Design: POCO F6 sports a minimalist design available in Titanium and Black. It's lightweight at 179 grams and has a slim profile at 7.8 mm. The matte-finish rear panel resists fingerprints, and the device includes a stereo speaker setup with Dolby Atmos support.

Display: The 6.67-inch AMOLED display with 1.5K resolution and 120 Hz refresh rate is on point. It supports HDR10+ and Dolby Vision, offering crisp visuals. The display's peak brightness of 2,400 nits ensures readability even in bright sunlight.

Performance: It is powered by the new Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 processor, paired with up to 12 GB of RAM, and up to 512 GB of storage. With this, POCO F6 could deliver top-tier performance by handling real-world tasks smoothly, including gaming and multitasking.

Camera: The primary Sony IMX882 sensor, coupled with an 8MP ultrawide lens performs well, capturing detailed and dynamic photos. Portrait mode is commendable.

Battery life: The 5,000mAh battery supports 90W fast charging, with a 120W charger included. The phone lasts a full day of heavy use and charges quickly.

Build and design

POCO F6 goes back to minimalist look, with subtle design choices and understated colours. Available in Titanium and Black, what I liked the most was the slim profile, which measures at just 7.8 mm. It is refreshing to see a comeback of sleek phones and a treat to the hand.

The rear polycarbonate panel of the phone sports a matte finish, which is good to resist fingerprints and smudges, but doesn't feel as premium as glass. At least, the frame is a hybrid of polycarbonate and metal, which feels sturdy. The dual camera setup is housed in two large, circular modules on the left side, with a a ring flash system placed adjacent to the cameras.

Weighing in at just 179 grams, the POCO F6 is lightweight and comfortable to hold, courtesy of the slight curvature of the back panel.

The buttons are positioned the standard way, and they function adequately. The in-display fingerprint sensor is both fast and accurate. For added durability, POCO F6 carries an IP64 rating, which protects against dust and light splashes.

Display

POCO F6 has a really good display, surrounded by impressively slim bezels. It has a 6.67-inch AMOLED panel boasting of a 1.5K resolution and 120 Hz refresh rate. The display also supports HDR10+ and Dolby Vision, complemented by stereo speakers for an immersive viewing experience. All this sounds great on paper. Does it deliver just the same?

The 12-bit panel, POCO says, can showcase 68 billion colors and covers 100 percent of the DCI-P3 colour gamut, ensuring vibrant visuals. In our usage, we found the display to be quite vibrant and crisp when viewing high-definition content. It has deep blacks and the deep contrast levels make it a delight to watch the content. At max brightness, viewing the screen in direct sunlight is not an issue at all.

Protecting this display is a Gorilla Glass Victus, which is quite rare at this price point. So yes, this display stands out among its peers.

Camera

The primary camera setup, featuring the Sony IMX882 sensor, marks a significant upgrade. It captures detailed and dynamic photos in bright lighting conditions. Portrait mode is impressive, while the 8MP ultrawide lens produces consistent, but slightly less sharp, photos. The 20MP front camera performs well in daylight but struggles in low light.

Some of the issues we noticed were with inconsistent exposures in different lighting conditions. But what is lost here is made up of vibrant colours, which do not fall too far off from the natural tones. In low light, the colours can be different and with the night mode, you risk getting different hues as the images are brightened, as you can see in one of the selfies taken in the dark below.

POCO F6 camera is not extraordinary, but it delivers as one might expect from a mid-range phone. You can get some solid shots with the right lighting, perfect portraits, and some dramatic ultrawide shots.

Check out the camera samples below:

Performance

POCO F6 is boldly advertised as a gaming smartphone. Thanks to its flagship-grade processor, robust cooling system, and the latest RAM and storage technologies, the smartphone delivers promptly.

Under the hood, the POCO F6 features Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 processor, paired with up to 12 GB of LPDDR5X RAM and up to 512 GB of UFS 4.0 storage. Considering it is positioned as a gaming phone, it lacks a crucial feature, which is expandable storage. But it is more about the experience while gaming, as POCO offers Wildboost 3.0 technology to enhance frame rates during gaming sessions, which translates to smoother gameplay. The Iceloop cooling system, which boasts a larger heat dissipation area than traditional VC cooling systems, and the polycarbonate back seem to be handling heat very well. During normal gaming sessions, the phone would get mildly warm, the frame more than the back. But extended gaming while the phone is on charge tends to heat up the device.

In daily usage, POCO F6 delivers a smooth and responsive experience. The HyperOS is marred with its bloatware and clustered design, but when it comes to handling every tasks, the OS does it with ease. POCO F6 was used for various activities, including web browsing, social media, gaming, and all without lag or stutter.

Finally, POCO is also committed to three years of software updates and four years of security updates, which is reassuring.

Battery life

The 5,000 mAh battery supports 90W fast charging and comes with a 120W charger. The phone comfortably lasts a full day of moderate to heavy use, and the fast charging capability allows it to charge fully in just 38 minutes.

The phone's battery is one of the strongest USPs, excelling in video loop testing and actual real-world usage. With light to moderate use, POCO F6 can easily deliver a day and half worth of usage. With heavy use, the phone touches a one-day mark. If the battery is a crucial aspect in your phone purchase, the POCO F6 will deliver, if not exceed expectations. The fast charging is just an added convenience, as you can top it up in 15-20 minutes with every day use and not complain of battery woes.

Verdict

POCO F6 continues POCO's legacy in delivering great value phones, combining performance and rich features at a competitive price. The Sony IMX882 primary camera is a big step up, and the 6.67-inch AMOLED display is vibrant and crisp. The mighty 5,000 mAh battery easily gets you through a busy day. POCO could have added expandable storage and gotten rid of some bloatware in HyperOS, which continues to be a pain-point.

The POCO F6 is a mixed bag. It offers great value with a fantastic display, solid battery life, and sleek design. However, its camera performance, rare thermal issues during gaming, and bloatware-heavy software hinder its appeal. For those seeking a well-rounded smartphone under ₹30,000, the POCO F6 might be a consideration, but its drawbacks should be carefully weighed.

Pros:

1. Excellent design
2. Great battery with fast charging
3. Reliable cameras
4. Vibrant and bright display
5. Solid performance

Cons:

1. Low-light camera performance can be better
2. Heating during gaming marathons
3. Bloatware and ads