POCO F6: Fashionably fast

The latest from Poco continues their tradition of great performance and good-looking design with an even better-looking price point. Hey, it's Josh Vagara; what's going on, everybody? Here's a look at the very recently announced Poco F6, a smartphone shaped by speed. Shouts out to Poco for partnering with me on this video and for sending me the Poco F6 in time for me to try out while I'm running around Japan. A travel scenario like this, I feel, is a great way of showing off the practical applications of a phone like this, sporting a new Snapdragon chipset. But of course, we're looking to have some fun along the way with the gaming performance and the cameras of this pretty affordable smartphone.

Starting things off with the design, first, my Poco F6 comes in the black colorway with a bit of a sparkle on the surface that leads to a textured feel. I will admit that I wish I got the green edition because it does look pretty nice, but all-black everything is really easy to enjoy. It's a good looker that continues the design cues of the Poco F5, with the cameras nestled in the corner with a flash diode that provides a bit of a flourish. This will actually be different than the more rectangular area of the Poco F6 Pro, which sports an added macro lens. In the case of my Poco F6, we're working with a 50-megapixel main camera and an 8-megapixel ultra-wide.

As you can see from the unboxing experience here, there are still a slew of nice accessories included with the Poco F6. As per usual, we get not just a nice thin case for a bit more grip, but there's also a 90W charger in the box that has already come in handy for me to top up the phone. Not that I have really needed to use it a whole lot because of the 5,000 mAh battery that's in here. Those of you who want longevity out of your smartphones have exactly what is needed in the Poco F6, and you probably have less to worry about when it comes to battery life until it truly matters, right down to even plugging in first thing in the morning if I knock out late at night after coming back from local izakayas. Fast charging like this is a must-have feature at this point, and Poco usually delivers.

Now, the cameras provide the essentials for capturing everyday memories, with the main sensor being the one that you want to use for the best results. There are plenty of modes available to mess around with, including a portrait mode and a pro mode for both photos and videos. I took the Poco F6 with me for a visit to Ghibli Park in Nagoya, where we were able to get up close to multiple characters and scenes from classic Miyazaki films. It was really a cool experience, and the Poco F6 was able to capture that visit pretty effectively. Enjoy some of the photos and videos from Ghibli Park for a bit, and let me know what you think of the camera quality in the comments down below.

Okay, so the hardware remains attractive and, honestly, substantial without getting way too big for comfortable handling. Coming around to the front, there is plenty of screen to enjoy just about anything on this speedy phone with a 6.67-inch size. Poco has updated their display to what they call CrystalRes 1.5K Flow. That is to say, it is a vivid AMOLED panel that pumps out good colors with a 120Hz refresh rate. That high refresh rate is just eye candy in the Poco Launcher interface, making everything look and feel pretty smooth, especially when you're using this thing on a daily basis. When opening up pictures, videos, and games, the colors are the highlight, unless you're able to go above and beyond in games that support high frame rates. There are games like PUBG Mobile, which the new Poco lineup can run now at that 120Hz refresh rate.

Now, I have to admit I haven't touched PUBG Mobile in a long time, so I'm definitely rusty. Besides, I'm spending my time on less intensive games like Marvel Snap and the recently released Suki game for mobile. But while I've been in Japan, in Tokyo in particular, I actually got influenced by the constant advertising of a new action gacha game called Withering Waves. It's nice to look at, for sure, but I will admit it just makes me want to play more Genshin Impact. Oh, that's an addiction. I don't know if I want it back in my life.

Anyway, all of this is to say that the Poco F6 is perfectly capable of comfortably enjoying all games and media. I just named off a slew of games of varying intensity, but let's not forget there's a lot of screen on here to watch things like YouTube, Netflix, and X-Men '97. A distinct lack of bezel makes this viewing experience feel more premium than the price might make you expect, and that's really appreciated. Even with so little bezel, though, they managed to put in an impressive set of dual speakers that provide good sound as well. Everything is running perfectly well on the affordable Poco F6 thanks to the Snapdragon 8S Gen 3. This is, in fact, one of the first phones to sport this new processor, which provides almost all of the performance of the flagship processor for a bit less. So by using the 8S Gen 3, Poco is able to keep the price reasonable but still provide the horsepower for pretty much every experience that you might need, and definitely every experience I just described.

Poco even goes the extra mile by putting in some software optimizations to further help things along. Xiaomi's HyperOS is at the helm here, giving the interface a nice aesthetic with certain animations and flourishes throughout. When firing up a game, there's a small panel that becomes available that gives a lot of options for enhancing gameplay. You have access to screen recording, to small window popups if you need to check walkthroughs, and you also have Do Not Disturb toggles. The button that really matters is the performance boost, however. Just a quick tap optimizes everything so that the performance gets high and stays high throughout play sessions.

Staying speedy requires keeping the phone cool under load, and that's where Poco's LiquidCool 4.0 comes in, a vapor chamber that provides effective heat dissipation. The result is better high performance for longer periods of time, so this phone shaped by speed is honestly pretty stacked. It's been a great companion for me to use while checking directions to my next Japan destinations and doing Google translations to read and communicate effectively. That's where the practicality of this hardware comes in: a phone that doesn't ask a ton of your wallet and yet provides as much as a phone, potentially twice its price. That's what Poco has managed to do with their flagship lineup for quite some time now.

Now, mind you, I'm not even looking at the Poco F6 Pro in this video. We're looking at all of the performance and quality coming from the regular F6. As one of the first phones to support the Snapdragon 8S Gen 3, the Poco F6 is a good showcase of the kind of performance that it can provide without having to break the bank. The brand manages to keep their phones feeling and looking premium even when they're making the entry point pretty accessible for anyone looking for a good display capable of pumping out the high-end games with little fuss. And so there you have it. Take a look at the Poco F6 and everything that it manages to provide at a lower price point. It's a phone that is definitely shaped by speed, and you can try it out by using the links in the description and in the pinned comment below. Thanks again to Poco for letting me try the F6 ahead of their launch announcement and for partnering with me on this video. From here, though, I'm going to go ahead and call it on this one. Thank you so much for kicking it with me again today. Please take care of yourselves and each other, and enjoy your tea, everybody.

Summary

The Poco F6 offers great performance, a stylish design, and an affordable price point, making it an excellent choice for smartphone users.

Highlights

• 📱 The Poco F6 combines great performance and stylish design at an affordable price point.

• 📷 The phone’s cameras capture everyday moments effectively with a 50MP main camera and 8MP ultra-wide camera.

• 🔋 The 5,000mAh battery provides excellent battery life, and fast charging is a must-have feature.

• 🎮 The Poco F6 is capable of comfortably enjoying games and media with its large screen and high refresh rate.

• 🎧 The phone’s dual speakers provide good sound quality for an immersive audio experience.

• 💪 The Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 processor delivers powerful performance for all smartphone experiences.

• ❄️ The liquid cool 4.0 technology keeps the phone cool under load, ensuring sustained high performance.

Key Insights

• 💰 The Poco F6 offers premium features and performance at a more affordable price compared to other flagship smartphones.

• 📸The phone’s cameras provide essential modes for capturing memorable photos and videos.

• 🎮 The Poco F6’s high refresh rate and powerful processor make it a great choice for gaming enthusiasts.

• 📺 The phone’s large, bezel-less screen enhances the viewing experience for watching videos and playing games.

• 🔋The 5,000 mAh battery and fast charging capability ensure long-lasting battery life and quick recharging.

• 🎧 The dual speakers deliver impressive sound quality for an immersive audio experience.

• 🌡️ The Liquid Cool 4.0 technology ensures optimal performance by keeping the phone cool under heavy usage.