Poco, known for its commitment to delivering budget-friendly smartphones with competitive features, introduces the M6 Pro. Positioned as a mid-range device, this 4G variant diverges from its Indian-market 5G counterpart. In this comprehensive review, we will dissect the Poco M6 Pro across various aspects to help you decide if it’s the right choice for your budget mid-range smartphone needs.
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Design and Build Quality:
The Poco M6 Pro boasts a flat glass back with a distinctive two-tone finish, complemented by pronounced camera rings that symmetrically align with the Poco logo. The flat plastic frame, matching the back color, contributes to the phone’s lightweight feel. Notably, the device is IP54 rated for protection against dust and water, adding a layer of durability to its design.
Display Quality:
The phone features a 6.67-inch OLED display with a 1080p resolution, Gorilla Glass 5 protection, and an impressive 120Hz refresh rate. The panel delivers brightness levels reaching nearly 500 nits with a manual slider and up to 1,500 nits in auto mode under bright conditions. While the display is sharp and contrasty, it lacks HDR support, a feature found in pricier Poco models. The adaptive 120Hz refresh rate intelligently adjusts to 60Hz when the phone is idle to conserve energy.
Underneath the display sits a reliable and snappy fingerprint reader for quick and secure unlocking. Additionally, the phone features a headphone jack and a pair of stereo speakers, delivering impressive loudness and full sound quality.
Performance:
Powering the Poco M6 Pro is the Helio G99 Ultra, a variant of the popular Helio G99 chipset. This 4G-only device handles everyday tasks smoothly, with occasional slowdowns, and is suitable for light gaming. While the exact differences between the Ultra version and the regular G99 remain unclear, benchmark results indicate a slight performance boost.
Software:
At the time of the review, the Poco M6 Pro runs on Xiaomi’s MIUI 14, based on Android 13, instead of the anticipated Hyper OS. The global variant is expected to receive the Hyper OS through a software update soon. For those interested in MIUI 14’s specific features, a dedicated video is available for reference.
Battery Life and Charging:
Equipped with a 5,000mAh battery, the Poco M6 Pro impresses with its solid battery performance, achieving an active use score of 11 hours and 46 minutes. The 67W charging support allows the phone to reach 71% in just half an hour, with a full charge taking 48 minutes.
Camera Setup:
The camera setup on the Poco M6 Pro includes a 64-megapixel main camera, an 8-megapixel ultrawide, and a 2-megapixel macro lens. The main camera captures 16-megapixel stills through pixel binning, producing decent results with acceptable detail and color reproduction. Portrait shots exhibit commendable subject detection and separation.
In low-light conditions, the main camera performs surprisingly well, capturing enough detail with well-exposed dark areas and controlled light sources. The manual night mode offers marginal improvements. Video capture is limited to 1080p, delivering decent but unimpressive clips with subpar detail and oversharpened visuals.
The 8-megapixel ultrawide camera falls short in terms of detail and dynamic range, exhibiting visible noise in low-light scenarios. The dedicated night mode helps improve overall quality. The ultrawide camera records soft 1080p videos with room for improvement in detail.
The 2-megapixel macro camera performs adequately for close-up shots considering its low resolution. The 16-megapixel selfie camera produces satisfactory results with ample detail and pleasing skin tones.
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Pros:
- Impressive Display: The Poco M6 Pro features a 6.67-inch OLED display with a 1080p resolution, Gorilla Glass 5 protection, and a responsive 120Hz refresh rate. The panel offers vibrant colors, sharp visuals, and smooth interactions, providing an enjoyable viewing experience.
- Solid Build and Design: With a flat glass back, two-tone finish, and pronounced camera rings, the Poco M6 Pro boasts an attractive design. The IP54 rating for dust and water protection adds durability to the device, making it suitable for daily use.
- Fast and Reliable Fingerprint Reader: The fingerprint reader located under the display is both fast and reliable, providing a secure and convenient unlocking experience.
- Impressive Speaker Quality: The inclusion of stereo speakers, along with a headphone jack, delivers excellent audio quality. The speakers are loud, producing full and immersive sound for an enhanced multimedia experience.
- Decent Main Camera Performance: The main camera setup, including a 64-megapixel lens, captures satisfactory photos in well-lit conditions. Portrait shots exhibit commendable subject detection and separation.
- Solid Battery Life: With a 5,000mAh battery, the Poco M6 Pro achieves a respectable active use score of 11 hours and 46 minutes. Combined with support for 67W fast charging, the device ensures minimal downtime.
- Expandable Storage Options: The device offers ample storage options, with variants providing 256GB or 512GB of internal storage. Additionally, users can expand storage further with a microSD card.
- Competitive Pricing: Positioned as a budget mid-range device, the Poco M6 Pro provides an attractive package of features at a competitive price point, making it an appealing option for cost-conscious consumers.
Cons:
- Limited 5G Connectivity: The Poco M6 Pro is a 4G-only device, lacking 5G connectivity. For users prioritizing the latest network technology, this might be a drawback, especially as 5G networks become more widespread.
- No HDR Support: Unlike some pricier Poco models, the M6 Pro lacks High Dynamic Range (HDR) support for the display. This omission may disappoint users seeking enhanced color and contrast capabilities.
- No 4K Video Recording: The video recording capabilities are limited to 1080p, and the absence of 4K video recording may be a drawback for users who prioritize high-resolution video capture.
- Moderate Gaming Performance: While the Helio G99 Ultra chipset handles everyday tasks smoothly, it may experience occasional slowdowns during more intensive applications. Gamers looking for a high-performance device might find the Poco M6 Pro slightly lacking.
- Subpar Ultrawide Camera: The 8-megapixel ultrawide camera falls short in terms of detail and dynamic range, making it less impressive for users who prioritize versatile camera performance.
- Absence of Hyper OS at Launch: At the time of the review, the Poco M6 Pro runs on MIUI 14 instead of the anticipated Hyper OS. However, a software update is expected to bring Hyper OS to the device in the future.
Reasons to Go For It:
- Budget-Friendly Mid-Range Device: The Poco M6 Pro offers a compelling package of features at an affordable price, making it an excellent choice for users seeking a budget-friendly mid-range smartphone.
- Great Display and Audio: The device provides an immersive multimedia experience with its vibrant OLED display and impressive stereo speakers, appealing to users who prioritize media consumption.
- Reliable Fingerprint Reader: The fast and reliable under-display fingerprint reader ensures quick and secure unlocking, enhancing the overall user experience.
- Solid Battery Performance: With a large 5,000mAh battery and support for 67W fast charging, the Poco M6 Pro excels in providing extended battery life and quick top-ups.
- Expandable Storage Options: Users who require ample storage for apps, photos, and videos can benefit from the available 256GB or 512GB internal storage options, with the flexibility to expand using a microSD card.
- Attractive Design with IP54 Rating: The device combines an eye-catching design with practicality, featuring an IP54 rating for protection against dust and water, making it suitable for various environments.
- Decent Camera Performance: While not class-leading, the main camera setup delivers satisfactory photo quality in well-lit conditions, making it suitable for casual photography.
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Conclusion:
The Poco M6 Pro emerges as a commendable budget device, offering a good display, impressive speakers, solid battery life, and rapid charging capabilities. While the Helio G99 Ultra chipset handles daily tasks well, the absence of 5G connectivity and 4K video recording may disappoint some users.
If you prioritize a more powerful chipset and 5G support, the Poco M6 Pro might not be your ideal choice. However, for those seeking a budget-friendly option without these specific requirements, the Poco M6 Pro presents a compelling proposition. As an alternative, consider exploring the Redmi Note 13 Pro 4G, which shares similarities with the M6 Pro but boasts an improved main camera. Alternatively, the Samsung Galaxy A5s is another worthy contender.
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