Poco X6 Evaluate: Competent Mid-Ranger – Uplaza

Poco X6 in a nutshell

The Poco X6 is a mid-range cellphone from the price-performance model below the massive Xiaomi umbrella. And on the identical time it’s based mostly on the Redmi Notice 13 Professional 5G mannequin we examined just a few months again, Poco made just a few small modifications to succeed in its aggressive $300/300€ worth level.

Again are the massive and shiny OLED display screen with a 1220p decision and quick 120 Hz refresh price, the 5100 mAh battery with 67 W charging utilizing the included adapter, and the Snapdragon 7s Gen 2 processor shared with the Redmi Notice sibling.

Poco nonetheless, affords fewer reminiscence combos, one thing that’s market-dependent, however often topping at 256 GB of storage with both 8 or 12 GB of RAM. The largest distinction, nonetheless, is on the primary digicam, which makes use of a smaller sensor with a 64-megapixel decision, versus 200 MP on the Notice 13 Professional 5G.

Acquainted design and wonderful show

The 6.67-inch OLED show is a identified amount at this level, much like many different Xiaomi telephones. On the Poco X6, it incorporates a 2712×1220 decision, with a clean 120 Hz refresh price. Supplies-wise, Poco went for a Gorilla Glass Victus protecting the show, with the remainder of the surfaces dominated by plastic.

Professionals

• Good OLED show.
• Gorilla Glass Victus on high of the display screen.
• Headphone jack.
• Protecting case on the field.
• Good under-display fingerprint sensor.

Cons

• Solely IP54 splash resistance.
• No microSD assist.
• Fingerprint magnet again.
• No eSIM assist.

Since a comparability with the Redmi Notice 13 Professional 5G can be ineffective right here as each share mainly the identical show parts and specs, we’ll notice a few of the upgrades discovered within the Poco X6 in comparison with the X5 predecessor. For starters, the X6 is extra compact, because of the smaller bezels across the show, and a comparatively mild 181 grams of weight.

The X6 incorporates a shiny plastic again, which in our blue evaluate pattern was a fingerprint magnet, we guess the white-textured possibility would fare higher on this regard. Oh, Poco features a primary protecting case that fixes that challenge if you happen to don’t need to carry a cleansing fabric round. Talking of safety, the Poco X6 is simply IP54-certified for water splashes.

We discovered that the ergonomics had been superb regardless of the massive display screen, helped by the beforehand talked about small bezels and in addition by the 8 mm thickness of the cellphone. The facility button and quantity rocker sit on the precise facet, with the highest housing the IR blaster, headphone jack, and one of many audio system.

On the underside, we discover the opposite speaker subsequent to the USB-C port and the twin nano-SIM tray. There isn’t a assist for a microSD card and the Poco X6 shouldn’t be suitable with eSIM, one other distinction to the Redmi twin.

The show is similar OLED panel discovered on the Redmi Notice 13 Professional 5G, as talked about, with the identical wonderful distinction and colours, and a excessive peak brightness of 1800 nits for out of doors utilization.

Beneath the show lies the fingerprint reader, which carried out properly in our checks.

Extra HyperOS, much less Poco

The Poco X6 was launched with MIUI 14 over Android 13, however since we’re reviewing the cellphone six months after the launch, it was up to date to HyperOS on high of Android 14.

Professionals

Cons

• 16 pre-installed apps.
• 40 GB of used house after updating a recent set up.

Poco/Xiaomi promise three Android/HyperOS upgrades and 4 years of safety updates, whereas we discover higher assist on most Google/Samsung telephones, they’re additionally dearer.

One unfavourable level of the HyperOS set up on the Poco X6 is that, after updating a clear set up (together with the pre-installed apps), the gadget had 40 GB of space for storing used—the X6 is obtainable in 256 GB or 512 GB choices. One of many causes is acquainted to Xiaomi followers: Bloatware. We counted 16 third-party apps.

The person expertise is similar divisive one: Redundant apps (three browsers), a lot of notifications by default, and some adverts on first-party apps. You may learn extra about it in our HyperOS evaluate by my colleague Antoine Engels.

Good efficiency for the value

With the Snapdragon 7s Gen 2 onboard, the Poco X6 affords a no thrills mid-range-level efficiency. It comes with barely outdated reminiscence requirements as anticipated for the class, however affords loads of GB for the value.

Professionals

• Ok efficiency in apps and video games.

Cons

• Bought barely heat in heavy duties.

Regardless of sharing the Snapdragon chip with the Redmi Notice 13 Professional 5G, the Poco X6 returned completely different efficiency scores. Curiously, regardless of the gaming-centric positioning of the model, the X6 received higher CPU scores, however decrease gaming efficiency.

After all, the distinction was too small to be noticeable in actual life, however we observed the Poco X6 getting hotter than the Redmi variant below heavier duties or a couple of minutes of Genshin Affect. It’s price noting we examined the Notice 13 Professional 5G with MIUI+Android 13 whereas the Poco was up to date to HyperOS+Android 14, so Xiaomi might have adjusted the frequency to prioritize CPU efficiency, on the expense of thermal efficiency below video games.

Talking of video games, the Poco X6 is able to operating most Android video games, with essentially the most demanding ones rendering at decrease element ranges, body price, or each. Genshin Affect talked about above, for instance, lowered texture particulars and ran beneath the show’s native decision to maintain a playable body price.

Basic efficiency in common apps is on par with the mid-range market, don’t count on to see flagship-like snappiness. Duties like making use of filters in photos or video calls labored okay, with a small processing delay regular for this worth vary.

The standard digicam trade-off

Outfitted with a 64-megapixel fundamental digicam, the Poco X6 has in images its greatest trade-off in comparison with its Redmi twin. The opposite cameras, nonetheless, had been inherited from that mannequin: An 8 MP ultrawide, the regrettable 2 MP macro, and a 16-megapixel selfie.

Professionals

• Good photos in daylight
• Usable zoom photographs as much as 2x.

Cons

• Ineffective macro digicam and weak ultra-wide
• Magnificence mode on by default

Regardless of the very completely different situations below which each telephones had been examined, we might discover a bonus for the Redmi Notice 13 Professional digicam in comparison with the Poco X6. Not as a lot due to the 200 vs 64-megapixel distinction, however most likely as a result of greater sensor on the Redmi variant.

The 4-in-1 pixel binning ends in 16-megapixel pictures, with typically good ends in daylight for the Poco X6, however much less element than the 12MP photographs from the Notice 13 Professional’s fundamental digicam.

The smaller sensor and native decision additionally impression zoomed photographs, with the Poco X6 providing good outcomes as much as 2x magnification, with some noise creeping up going additional.

Ultrawide pictures lose element and sharpness as anticipated from an excellent smaller and decrease decision sensor, with a “soft” look in some pictures. At evening, the ultrawide digicam struggles so much, with noise and element loss even when partaking in Evening mode. At evening, the primary digicam works okay for sharing the image on social media, however a better look reveals some artifacts that will most likely seem on prints, and so they worsen zooming in, as anticipated.

With regards to selfies, the Poco X6 had the Magnificence filter on by default. It took us some time to note, because it wasn’t altering the picture radically, with some pores and skin texture left however thinner faces. Outcomes had been good basically, with the portrait mode having the standard difficulties when detecting some edges round hair and the t-shirt.

Quick charging out of the field

The battery part on this Poco X6 check is sort of a fac-simile of the part on the Redmi Notice 13 Professional 5G evaluate: Quick charging for the class, common battery life. The 5100 mAh capability is sufficient for a full day however not far more.

Professionals

• Quick cost for the value vary.
• Included charger.

Cons

The included 67W adapter leaves a lot of the competitors within the mud, with charging occasions in lower than an hour. 10 minutes on the wall was sufficient for a 32% cost, and half-capacity was reached in lower than 20 minutes.

Within the PCMark check which simulates real-world utilization, the time between going from 80 to twenty% cost was 11h23 with the Poco X6, nearly a full hour lower than its Redmi twin, whereas the efficiency distinction was inside 2%. Not the perfect efficiency from the Samsung-made Snapdragon 7s Gen 2…

Setting the show to 60 Hz refresh price made the runtime soar to 15h47, however the decreased smoothness was mirrored within the decrease efficiency rating of 9515 factors. Could be well worth the sacrifice for nearly 40% higher stamina.

Xiaomi Poco X6 technical specs

Conclusion

The Poco X6 is a typically all-around good possibility for these on the lookout for a $300/300€ cellphone. It prices lower than the Redmi Notice 13 Professional 4G however affords roughly the identical because the dearer Notice 13 Professional 5G.

The trade-offs when in comparison with the tremendous fashionable Redmi mannequin may be discovered within the much less succesful fundamental digicam, and lack of eSIM assist on the Poco X6. There’s additionally a extra premium end on the Redmi’s again, if that issues to you.

The Poco X6 worth positioning additionally avoids competing with the a lot sooner Poco F6 mannequin, or telephones that excel in different classes, a tough spot through which we discovered the Redmi Notes earlier this 12 months.

That makes it simpler to suggest the Poco X6 for these on the lookout for a well-rounded cellphone for the cash. Heck, it even makes us assume that it’s probably the perfect Redmi Notice 13 mannequin this 12 months outdoors of the far more costly Redmi Notice 13 Professional + 5G Casi examined just a few months in the past…