POCO F6 quick review: Runs like a real thoroughbred

The POCO F1 is an icon in modern smartphone history that gave name and fame to the Xiaomi spin-off. Its successors tried to recreate the magic. They did but not as much as the F1. With POCO F6, the brand is hoping for an F1-like success, and it is not wrong.

The new POCO F6 is the first smartphone in India featuring Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 chipset, giving it an upper hand in the mid-range. Rivals such as the recently launched Realme GT 6T and the Motorola Edge 50 Pro have less powerful Snapdragon counterparts, so customers looking for a high-performance phone can easily pick the POCO F6. And even though it has other features such as a smooth display and a fast-charging battery, some customers can skip the new POCO F6.

Why?

I have an answer to that and other questions about the new POCO F6 in this quick review. But let me get its specifications out of our way.

POCO F6 specifications

POCO F6 review in short

— While the F6 looks quite minimalistic with two big camera islands, one small LED flash cutout, and the POCO branding on the back, its glittery texture may not appeal to everyone. Phones around this price need to look slightly posh, and although we have had several instances where phone designs screamed the brand’s identity including the predecessor, the POCO F6 sits somewhere in the middle. The Black variant shines when held against the light. It can be a good or a bad thing per your liking. If looks don’t matter to you much, you can use a protective case of your choice and go for the POCO F6 5G for its experience.

— F6’s display is one of its highlights. Everything looks crisp and bright on the display, even outdoors. I watched an episode of Bridgerton Season 3 on Netflix and enjoyed it thoroughly, thanks to support for Dolby Vision. While I could not play many games on the phone, the ones I did look great on the screen. A top-notch gaming experience is one of POCO’s unique selling points and the latest F6 did not disappoint me, at least during my first few hours with it. The screen’s colours look a bit saturated, but you can change the tone in the settings. Customisability is good on the phone. The high refresh rate makes scrolling and animations look smooth.

— Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 processor is buttery smooth for everyday tasks. I could run multiple apps in the background while gaming conveniently, thanks to the chipset and 12GB of RAM. But even if you get the 8GB RAM variant, you are unlikely to face memory and multitasking issues. I had a brief session of Asphalt: Legends on the POCO F6 during which I never noticed any frame drops or lags. The game ran without a hiccup at the highest graphic settings. The HyperOS is smooth and packs the latest Android features, but you will have to deal with bloatware on the phone. While I will reserve my final opinion on how fast the phone can run, the POCO F6 is a good option if you prioritise speediness in your phone. Its battery should also last a day easily and can fill up fast with fast charging support.

— POCO’s choice for the cameras on the F6 looks a little averse to general consumer demands. The main camera clicks good daylight photos, while the ultrawide camera captures many people and objects in a single frame expectedly. But I wish there was a telephoto camera on the phone, especially for this price. If POCO’s history is anything to go by, it has tried to undercut its close competitors. A telephoto camera would have been better and have given customers a better option than other phones in this price segment. Otherwise, the main camera is good at capturing details and natural colours. The night mode is not outstanding, but not bad either. I also liked my selfies on this phone. Unfortunately, I could not record videos, but I will be back with my verdict on the cameras in my review.

POCO F6 first impressions

The POCO F6 is one of the fastest phones I have used recently around Rs 30,000. I never saw stutters and enjoyed navigating on the phone, partly thanks to HyperOS, which is a nice improvement over MIUI. The display adds to the experience with its crispness and high brightness. Watching shows and movies on Netflix is enjoyable, too. The area where POCO F6 falls short is the camera, but it should not matter to customers who are not a fan of portraits. While I will hold my verdict on whether the F6 has what it takes to recreate F1’s success, it is a good option for customers at Rs 29,999.