POCO has introduced its latest X-series mid-ranger globally—the POCO X8. Positioned alongside the higher-end F9 Pro and F9 Ultra models, this new device aims to deliver an impressive mix of battery life, rugged durability, and overall performance at an accessible price point.
Design and Durability
The POCO X8 features a clean, flat-frame design with rounded corners. The rear features a large, rounded-square camera module situated on the top-left corner. Weighing 223 grams and measuring 163.45 x 78.27 x 8.6mm, it comes in three color options: Black, White, and Orange.
Durability is a standout feature of the phone. Up front, it is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2. Additionally, it boasts extensive IP ratings, including IP66, IP68, IP69, and IP69K for dust and liquid protection. According to testing, the phone can survive 3-meter drops and up to 72 hours of water immersion at a 2-meter depth. It even includes a dedicated underwater camera mode.
1.5K AMOLED Display
The front panel houses a 6.83-inch AMOLED display with a 1.5K resolution (2772 x 1280 pixels). It brings a smooth 120Hz refresh rate, 12-bit color depth, HDR10+, and DCI-P3 wide color coverage. Peak brightness reaches up to 3,500 nits for outdoor readability, while high-frequency 3,840Hz PWM and DC dimming help minimize screen flickering. Gamers get a 240Hz standard touch sampling rate, which scales up to 3,200Hz in Game Turbo mode.
Performance and Features
Powering the POCO X8 is Qualcomm's Snapdragon 6s Gen 4 chipset, built on a 4nm process. The octa-core processor features four performance-focused Cortex-A78 cores clocked at 2.4GHz and four power-efficient Cortex-A55 cores at 1.8GHz. It offers up to 12GB of LPDDR4X RAM and up to 256GB of internal storage (128GB utilizes UFS 2.2, while 256GB uses UFS 3.1).
The device runs Android 16 out of the box with HyperOS 3 on top. It includes various smart software tools such as Google Gemini, Circle to Search, AI Erase, and image enhancement utilities. Other hardware features include dual stereo speakers, NFC, an IR blaster, and an under-display fingerprint reader.
Camera Setup
For photography, the POCO X8 is equipped with a 50MP primary rear camera with Optical Image Stabilization (OIS), accompanied by a 2MP depth sensor. On the front, there is a 16MP camera for selfies. Video recording on both front and rear cameras maxes out at 1080p at 30fps. Camera features include AI Glare Removal, AI Erase Pro, AI Image Expansion, and dual-video mode.
Massive Battery and Pricing
The biggest highlight of the POCO X8 is its huge 8,340mAh silicon-carbon battery (13% silicon content). It supports 67W wired fast charging and 22.5W wired reverse charging, alongside USB Power Delivery 2.0 and 3.0 standard support. POCO claims the battery retains over 80% capacity even after 1,600 charge cycles.
Globally, the POCO X8 starts at USD 269 for the 6GB + 128GB variant, USD 299 for 8GB + 256GB, and USD 349 for the 12GB + 256GB configuration. While official launch dates for Nepal have not been announced yet, the base model is expected to be priced at around NPR 40,999 if it makes its way to the Nepali market.
