Published on September 19th, 2024 | by Andrew Paul
Xiaomi Poco F6 Review
Summary: The Xiaomi Poco F6 packs a punch for performance and photography, not to mention gaming on a budget!
4.5
Punchy value!
Competition is a must because at the end of the day, it helps keep prices competitive and doesn’t allow for companies to monopolise the market. Cue in the Xiaomi Poco F6, an entry level midrange smartphone priced around $599AUD (September) that comes with the Qualcomm Snapdragon SM8635 Powerful Octa-Core Processor (3000Mhz), 12GB RAM, 512GB of storage plus a 50MP Sony camera with optical image stabilisation and 6.67 inch 1.5K POLED DotDisplay screen.
Aesthetically it looks like a standard smartphone with its black colouring and rounded edges but underneath, it has some grunt for processing and photography. Setup is via the Android wizard which will have you up and running in no time plus it even comes with a case which is a bonus – the screen is protected by Gorilla Glass Victus. Once powered, I found the phone fast, responsive, and the 6.67-inch AMOLED displayed crisp text and vibrant images thanks to its 2712 x 1220 resolution.
Unboxing
EWatching videos and streaming was a joy on the Poco F6 as was surfing the net or using it for day-to-day activities. Speaking of day-to-day activities, the 5000mAh is perfect for all-day usage and I only had to charge it the next day plus it supports fast charging as well – it fully charged the phone in under 45-minutes. Although the phone uses Android 14, it does come with some bloatware that slightly directs you away from Google which is a slight drawback of the phone.
Benchmarks
The phone outscored most benchmarks on 3DMark and more importantly, the phone is capable of ray tracing. Given the price of the phone, it definitely scored far better than its competitors.
Gaming
Given the specifications of the phone, I had no issues with gaming and titles such as Diablo, Call of Duty, Genshin Impact and Asphalt 9 all worked a treat with very smooth gameplay. The screen lends itself to gaming as well and with the processor, no tearing or ghosting whatsoever.
Photography
The photos taken by this camera are good courtesy of its 50-megapixel Sony IMX882 camera. It also has an 8MP ultrawide camera and a 20MP front facing camera. It does struggle with fast moving objects and of course lowlight which is a common theme for smartphones priced at this level. Nonetheless in the good lighting, the camera system of the Poco F6 cannot be faulted.
Final Thoughts?
If you’re on a budget and want to play games, the Xiaomi Poco F6 does deliver in that arena and the 50-megapixel Sony IMX882 does take some noticeable shots in good lighting. Apart from that it is fast and responsive and easily loads apps and allows you to watch movies or listen to music with no issues whatsoever. All in all, it’s great that the Australian market is getting more smartphone competition!