Poco F6 goes offical priced at $379 with Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 chip and more

Damien Wilde | May 23 2024 - 5:15 am PT

Poco is attempting to shake things up in the mid-range phone market again this year with the launch of the F6 and F6 Pro. As we’ve come to expect from the Xiaomi sub-brand, both phones offer impressive features at competitive price points.

The Poco F6 boasts the latest Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 processor, this chip sits just beneath the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 and focuses more towards efficiency. The Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 is built on a 4 nm process with a 1+4+3 core configuration. There’s one Prime ARM Cortex X4 clocked at 3.0 GHz, four Performance cores (2.8 GHz), and three Efficiency cores (2.0 GHz). It differs from the 8 Gen 3’s 1+5+2, which trades an Efficiency core for another Performance core.

While the Poco F6 Pro utilizes last years flagship Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor – which still offers impressive performance levels despite being a year older.

Because of that, the Poco F6 and F6 Pro are great options for an affordable phone, but they should still deliver excellent performance for most users. The core configurations differ slightly as the Poco F6 ships with 8/256GB and 12/512GB options. Meanwhile the F6 Pro has 12/256GB, 12/512GB, and a 16/1TB option for those wanting the top tier experience.

No matter which Poco F6 you choose, they feature large, 6.67-inch AMOLED displays with 120Hz refresh rates. The F6 Pro takes the display a step further with a QHD+ resolution and max 4,000n nit peak brightness, while the regular Poco F6 sticks to FHD+, which Xiaomi is slating as “1.5K.” The F6 offers a still-impressive 2400 nits peak brightness.

While both phones feature a 50MP Sony LYT 600 main sensor with OIS for clear photos and videos, some slight variations exist. The F6 Pro also boasts a 50MP main sensor; however, it is larger and potentially offers improved low-light performance. Both phones include a new portrait mode and a capable selfie front camera.

The 50MP main sensor is paired with an 8MP ultra-wide-angle lens, but the Poco F6 Pro ships with an extra 2MP macro camera to round out the triple camera system. The selfie camera is rated at 20MP on the Poco F6, while the Poco F6 Pro has a 16MP front-facing camera system. While these are not quite flagship-level systems, we’re sure the images produced will be impressive, given the price point.

You won’t have to worry about running out of juice in the middle of your day with either Poco F6. Both pack a large 5000mAh battery, and the F6 Pro boasts the faster 120W charging, allowing you to top up the phone in a mere 19 minutes, according to Poco. The F6 offers a still-respectable 90W fast charging. There is no mention of wireless charging on the Poco F6 Pro this time around, something that was finally added to the Poco F5 series last year.

However, the price difference between the two models might be a deciding factor. If you’re a budget-conscious gamer or user who prioritizes good performance and a great display over the absolute latest tech, the F6 could be the perfect choice. Ultimately, both Poco F6 models deliver flagship-level features at a mid-range price, making them strong contenders in today’s competitive smartphone market.

The Poco F6 will start at $379 for the 8/256GB model and $429 for the 12/512GB variant. For a limited time, early bird pricing drops that to $339 and $379. As for the Poco F6 Pro, it starts at $499 for the 12/256GB model, 12/512GB for $549, and 16/1TB is $629. Early bird pricing knocks that down to $449, $499, and $579 respectively.