The Poco M8 5G is Poco’s latest value-focused smartphone in India, starting at Rs. 18,999. It targets buyers who want a dependable 5G phone under Rs. 20,000 with a modern design, smooth everyday performance, and excellent battery life—without chasing flashy flagship features.
Quick Highlights
Pros
- Slim and premium-looking design
- Bright 120Hz curved AMOLED display
- Smooth daily performance
- Strong battery life + fast charging
- Long software support promise (4 years OS + 6 years security)
Cons
- No HDR support
- No ultra-wide camera
- Noticeable bloatware in HyperOS
Design: A Clear Upgrade
The Poco M8 5G looks more modern than its predecessor and feels comfortable to hold thanks to its thin 7.35mm body and lightweight 178g build. The curved sides improve grip, making it easy to use for long periods.
The back has a two-tone finish—the glossy section attracts fingerprints, while the matte portion handles smudges better. It also gets an IP66 rating, offering protection from dust and water splashes.
Display: Big Improvements
One of the best upgrades on the Poco M8 5G is its 6.77-inch 3D curved AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate. The screen looks vibrant, sharp, and smooth during scrolling and animations.
With 3,200 nits peak brightness, outdoor visibility is strong. Curved edges don’t cause much distortion, which is a good sign for daily usage.
However, the major drawback is no HDR support, so you won’t get full HDR quality on Netflix or YouTube.
Performance & Software: Smooth for Daily Use
Powered by the Snapdragon 6s Gen 3, the Poco M8 5G delivers reliable everyday performance. Tasks like messaging, social media, browsing, and video streaming run smoothly without noticeable lag.
Gaming Performance
- BGMI and Call of Duty: Mobile run fine on low settings
- Heavy games like Genshin Impact struggle for smooth gameplay
Thermals are manageable, with the phone warming up after extended gaming but not becoming uncomfortable.
Software Experience
The phone runs Android 15-based HyperOS 2. While Android 16 is already out, Poco makes up for it with a strong update policy:
- 4 years of OS updates
- 6 years of security patches
Still, the experience is held back by pre-installed bloatware, which needs manual removal.
Camera: Average and Unexciting
The Poco M8 5G comes with:
- 50MP main camera + 2MP depth sensor
- 20MP front camera
In good lighting, photos are usable with decent detail, but colors can be inconsistent and highlights sometimes blow out. The 2x digital zoom works but reduces fine detail.
The biggest miss is the lack of an ultra-wide camera, which many competitors in this price range offer.
Selfies look better in daylight but can struggle with accurate skin tones. Video recording supports 4K at 30fps, but stabilization is weak and jittering can occur.
Battery Life: A Major Strength
Battery performance is one of the Poco M8 5G’s best features.
- 5,520mAh battery
- 45W fast charging
It easily lasts more than a full day with regular use. In the PCMark Work 3.0 battery test, it scored 20 hours 13 minutes, which is impressive.
Charging is also fast:
- 51% in 30 minutes
- Full charge (0–100%) in about 1 hour 11 minutes
