POCO X6 Pro First Impressions: I’m Impressed!

POCO has finally released its X6 series, which includes the standard X6 and the X6 Pro. I had the chance to try out the latter, and I'm here to share my initial thoughts.

Let's dive in.

What's in the Box

• POCO X6 Pro
• Protective case
• 67W charging brick
• USB-C cable
• Sim ejector tool
• Documentation

First Glimpse: Sleek but Snoozy (Unless You Go Yellow)

The X6 Pro feels sturdy and pleasantly lightweight, but the Racing Grey color (which I received) is a fingerprint magnet and looks quite dull. On the flip side, the bezels are slim, and the boxy aesthetic looks cool.

Thankfully, the POCO Yellow variant with its vegan leather back and unique camera bump design is a head-turner. There is also the Spectre Black color if you want your phone to look classy.

Display: A Visual Feast

The display is where the X6 Pro truly shines. It's sharp, vibrant, and plenty bright outdoors with a peak brightness of 1800 nits.

The 120Hz refresh rate makes everything buttery smooth, and watching content or gaming is a joy with stereo speakers (more on that later).

Performance: A Gamer's Delight

The brand-new MediaTek Dimensity 8300 Ultra chipset packs a punch, delivering excellent performance and buttery smooth multitasking. I haven't encountered any lag or stutters, even in graphically demanding games like Real Racing 3 and Asphalt 9. The 120Hz refresh rate and WildBoost Optimization 2.0 tech keep things silky smooth, making this a gamer's phone through and through.

Cameras: Social Media Ready

The POCO X6 Pro is equipped with a triple rear camera setup, featuring a 64MP main camera with Optical Image Stabilization (OIS), an 8MP ultrawide camera, and a 2MP macro camera. The front camera boasts a 16MP sensor.

The camera system impresses with vibrant colors and well-balanced highlights. However, it tends to overly sharpen and brighten faces, giving them an "edited" appearance that may not appeal to everyone.

Night performance is satisfactory, with notable attributes such as impressive shutter speed and quick on-click subject focus.

While further testing of the camera is needed, my initial experience left me satisfied with the rear camera's quality. The front camera also excelled in capturing striking portraits with a crisp bokeh effect.

The device offers a variety of filters, and I particularly enjoyed using them while taking pictures of my aunt.

If you're after social media-ready pics, this phone delivers. Just remember to ditch the beauty filters for a more natural look.

HyperOS

The POCO X6 Pro runs on Xiaomi's new HyperOS software, which brings a host of AI camera features, lock screen enhancements, and system performance upgrades. However, it also comes with pre-installed bloatware, which can thankfully be removed.

While HyperOS does pack some new features, the overall look and feel of the software doesn't stray too far from MIUI. As such, the rebranding feels more like a marketing gimmick for now.

Battery and Charging

Although the battery needs to be tested more, the 67W charger is a powerhouse, charging the phone from 0 to 92 percent in only 40 minutes. That is seriously fast. The battery also lasts me throughout the day, but I don't think it will have the juice to last me until the next day. With 120Hz constantly enabled, this is a one-day phone for me.

Multimedia Experience

The POCO X6 Pro has dual stereo speakers that are powered by Dolby Atmos, delivering powerful sound. However, at higher volumes, there is a slight loss of clarity.

With Dolby and immersive audio turned on, the overall experience is impressive, whether you're watching content, playing games, or listening to music through earphones or headphones.

The Rest

The in-screen fingerprint sensor (a first for a POCO phone) is snappy and accurate, facial recognition is blazing fast, and the IP54 rating, IR blaster, and NFC support are all nice additions.

Pricing and Availability

The POCO X6 Pro comes in two variants: the 8GB + 256GB model is priced at ₹24,999, and the 12GB + 256GB model is priced at ₹26,999. POCO is also offering an instant bank discount of ₹2,000 for ICICI, HDFC, and SBI Bank Credit and Debit Card transactions.

The pre-order begins today at 8:00 PM IST, and the first sale will take place on January 16th at 12:00 PM IST exclusively on Flipkart.

Jury's Still Out

The POCO X6 Pro is a solid phone with a powerful processor, gorgeous display, fast charging, and promising cameras. But the HyperOS rebrand feels more like marketing fluff than a genuine software upgrade.

For now, stay tuned to Gizbot for the full review where we'll assess whether this phone deserves your money or not.