POCO X6 Pro (Hardware)
Official GBAtemp Review
Product Information:
- Official Store: https://www.po.co/global/product/poco-x6-pro/
There’s no lack of options on the smartphone market with products of different price ranges and form factors to cater to differing needs and preferences. For gamers, gaming smartphones have traditionally been priced towards the higher end of the price spectrum, considering their cutting edge specs. There are budget gaming smartphones like the sub-$200 Infinix HOT 40 Pro but these compromise on the specs and deliver sub-optimal performance.
Striking a middle ground is POCO’s X6 line, which are affordably priced and come with decent specs. For instance, the POCO X6 Pro starts at $299 (8GB+256GB) and features the new Dimensity 8300-Ultra chipset while the Snapdragon 7s Gen 2-equipped POCO X6 starts at $249 (8GB+256GB). We’ll take a closer look at the former model in this review.
Contents and specs
The model under review is the 12GB+512GB POCO X6 Pro which retails for $369 and comes with the following items:
- POCO X6 Pro Mobile Phone
- 67W Charger
- USB Type-C Cable
- SIM Eject Tool
- Protective Case
- Quick Start Guide
Specs of the POCO X6 Pro are as follows:
POCO X6 Pro: premium build with a few concessions
To maintain a relatively low cost, POCO opted for a plastic build for the X6 Pro. However, the hardware is far from cheap-looking or cheap-feeling, despite the material used. The reflective back (of the black variant) looks almost like a glass shell, adding a premium touch to the finish as do the matte sides. The device sits nicely in the hands and feels like a study phone with a quality build. The discreet look also lends to the premium aesthetic without being obnoxiously “gamer” and making it well-suited as a classy daily driver.
While the hardware is more than decent, there are a few notable omissions. Firstly, as a gaming smartphone, it is lacking in terms of physical controls. Xiaomi’s gaming phones, POCO and Black Shark, are the only ones that feature physical triggers but these are missing on the X6 Pro. I fiercely advocate for actual controls on gaming phones and not including physical buttons on one is a missed opportunity that has been perpetuated in the industry.
Also missing on the X6 Pro is a headphone jack and expandable storage. The former option is becoming increasingly rare on smartphones but would still be welcome on a gaming phone. While I can overlook the lack of a headphone jack, not having expandable storage is a more significant omission. You’ll be restricted to the on-board storage and need to carefully consider how much GBsyou’ll need before purchasing a unit. This is a downer considering the gaming focus of this phone where new Android games take up several GBs and ROMs for emulation can also take considerable storage.
One final hardware omission that is noteworthy is that the USB-C port does not support video output. This might be a consequence of cost-cutting hardware choices but having this option would expand the use-cases of the phone. For instance, you’d be able to pair it with an external monitor to game on a bigger screen or pair it with AR glasses like the XREAL Air 2. Unfortunately, these are not options available to the POCO X6 Pro.
A showcase of the Dimensity 8300-Ultra chipset performance on the POCO X6 Pro
The MediaTek Dimensity 8300-Ultra makes its debut on the POCO X6 Pro. It delivers decent benchmark results on Geekbench 6, positioning the POCO X6 Pro as an upper mid-tier phone in terms of performance.
With this new chip, you can expect to run Android games without an issue. Games like Dead Cells and Pascal’s Wager play fluidly on high graphics settings. The POCO X6’s AMOLED display and booming dual speakers further enhance the gaming experience. The phone also supports a games launcher of sorts that collects your gaming-related apps and provides some handy overlay settings. Further supporting gaming is the chunky 5000mAh battery which ensures extended stretches of gaming (or easily a whole day’s use as a daily driver) and the 67W charger can juice up the phone to 100% within 45 min.
I was much more impressed by the emulation performance of the Dimensity 8300-Ultra. Older systems like Dreamcast and Gamecube are emulated without any issues. Dreamcast titles run at a steady 60fps as do Gamecube games. Even at 3x resolution, Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes runs at 60fps and Twilight Princess runs at the capped 30fps.
The device also handles more demanding systems well. PS2 titles such as Ratchet & Clank and Shadow of the Colossus play at a smooth 60fps at 2x resolution. Yuzu, despite its Early Access status, ran Untitled Goose Game at 50-60 fps at 1x resolution. However, Cult of the Lamb would not get past the publisher’s logo. Switch emulation performance might improve with future update but the POCO X6 Pro’s emulation and overall gaming performance impressed me as it hits above its weight in terms of price:performance ratio.
Very capable gaming phone and budget-friendly - POCO X6 Pro verdict
The POCO X6 Pro is as capable as a daily driver as it is an Android gaming device. The new Xiaomi HyperOS based on Android 14 operates fluidly thanks to the 120Hz refresh rate of the AMOLED screen. The crisp display outputs colours that pop and the dual speakers add a vibrant soundscape, which makes this phone well suited for your entertainment needs. Its camera array (64 MP/8 MP/ 2MP) delivers quality shots with simple controls and the 16 MP selfie camera is more than adequate for video calls and selfies.
However, as with other Xiaomi phones, the POCO X6 Pro comes preloaded with bloatware. Sure you can easily uninstall them but it’s about time Xiaomi offers the option to debloat one’s phone from the get-go, instead of having to do so manually.
If you do decide to adopt the POCO X6 Pro, it will deliver as a very capable phone for gaming and as a daily driver without breaking the bank. However, there are some missing features that were traded for this budget-friendly approach, the most notable being the lack of expandable storage. If you can make do with that, then you’ll find in the POCO X6 Pro a sleek gaming smartphone that delivers an impressive price-to-performance ratio.
Alternatively, you could also consider the lower-end POCO X6 variant which comes packed with the Snapdragon 7s Gen 2. Its performance might not match that of the Pro variant and it doesn’t have eSIM support but it is more affordable while packing a similar build.
Verdict
- Premium build quality
- Impressive Android gaming and emulation performance
- Attractive price-to-performance ratio
- Camera array that delivers quality shots
- No physical controls on a gaming phone
- No expandable memory
- No video output over USB-C
- Pre-installed bloatware
