Poco M8 5G review

Introduction

After reviewing the Redmi Note 15 5G, it is now time to examine its close sibling from the Poco family - the Poco M8 5G. If you don't mind the lack of an ultrawide and a slightly lower-resolution main camera, then the Poco M8 is basically the same device for less money. Hence, many of the observations are going to be identical.

The Poco M8 is a budget device, but a pretty well-equipped one. Xiaomi doesn't change its familiar formula in any major way. Why rock the boat when sales are good?

Xiaomi Poco M8 specs at a glance:

• Body: 164.0x75.4x7.4mm, 178g; plastic body, plastic frame; IP66 dust tight and water resistant (high pressure water jets), IP65 dust tight and water resistant (low pressure water jets) - Europe only, Drop resistant up to 1.7m.
• Display: 6.77" AMOLED, 68B colors, 120Hz, 3840Hz PWM, HDR, 800 nits (typ), 3200 nits (peak), 1080x2392px resolution, 19.93:9 aspect ratio, 388ppi.
• Chipset: Qualcomm SM6475-AB Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 (4 nm): Octa-core (4x2.4 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x1.8 GHz Cortex-A55); Adreno 710.
• Memory: 128GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM, 512GB 8GB RAM; UFS 2.2; microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot).
• OS/Software: Android 15, up to 4 major Android upgrades, HyperOS 2.
• Rear camera: Wide (main): 50 MP, f/1.8, 1/2.88", 0.61µm, PDAF; Auxiliary lens
• Front camera: 20 MP, f/2.2, (wide), 1/4.0".
• Video capture: Rear camera: 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60fps; Front camera: 1080p@30/60fps.
• Battery: 5520mAh; 45W wired, 18W reverse wired.
• Connectivity: 5G; Wi-Fi 5; BT 5.1; NFC; Infrared port.
• Misc: Fingerprint reader (under display, optical); stereo speakers (with Dolby Atmos); Virtual proximity sensing.

As we said, the Poco M8 tries its best to hit the value "sweet spot," and frankly, there is a lot to like here and very few obvious corners cut.

It brings solid durability credentials, along with a large and bright display that supports HDR playback. The Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 chipset is a sensible midrange choice and avoids the more obvious limitations of the MediaTek Helio G200 Ultra found in the Redmi Note 15 Pro 4G. You also get expandable storage and a seemingly still decent camera setup, even if it doesn't immediately stand out on paper. The 5,520mAh battery is still respectably sized, though it may turn out to be the least convincing part of the overall package - something we'll be taking a closer look at.

Unboxing

In typical Poco fashion, the M8 ships in a two-piece bright yellow box. It is nice and thick and offers plenty of protection for shipping. There is seemingly no plastic in the package.

The retail bundle is quite generous by today's standards. That said, EU regulations mean buyers in those markets won't find a charger in the box. In regions where it is included, Xiaomi supplies a 45W wall adapter capable of delivering the Poco M8's full charging speed.

Aside from the charger situation, the rest of the bundle is consistent across markets. You get a sturdy 5A USB Type-A to Type-C cable, which uses a proprietary pin layout just like the charger, so it's needed if you want the fastest charging speed possible. Xiaomi also throws in a thick, grey, soft-touch TPU case for added protection right out of the box.