Poco X8 Pro Max review

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Introduction

When most people hear Poco, they instantly think affordable or at least good value. And while that hasn't really changed throughout the years, the Poco brand should not be associated just with budget phones. That hasn't been the case for some time now, since the lineup includes proper flagship offers as well, usually with a few strategic compromises here and there to keep costs down and try to deliver the best possible value.

This applies perfectly to the Poco X8 Pro Max. It is the global version of the Xiaomi Redmi Turbo 5 Max, which is a China-only model. It is what we would probably affectionately call a "flagship killer", debuting a brand new MediaTek Dimensity 9500s chipset, that sits just a step below the current Dimensity 9500 flagship silicon.

Xiaomi Poco X8 Pro Max specs at a glance:

• Body: 162.9x77.9x8.2mm, 218g; Glass front (Gorilla Glass 7i), aluminum frame, fiberglass back; IP68/IP69K dust tight and water resistant (high pressure water jets; immersible up to 1.5m for 30 min), IP69K (market/region dependent).
• Display: 6.83" AMOLED, 68B colors, 120Hz, 3840Hz PWM, Dolby Vision, HDR10+, 2000 nits (HBM), 3500 nits (peak), 1280x2772px resolution, 19.49:9 aspect ratio, 447ppi.
• Chipset: Mediatek Dimensity 9500s (3 nm): Octa-core (1x3.73 GHz Cortex-X925 & 3x3.3 GHz Cortex-X4 & 4x2.4 GHz Cortex-A720); Immortalis-G925 MC12.
• Memory: 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM; UFS 4.1.
• OS/Software: Android 16, HyperOS 3.
• Rear camera: Wide (main): 50 MP, f/1.5, 26mm, 1/1.95", 0.8µm, PDAF, OIS; Ultra wide angle: 8 MP, f/2.2, 15mm, 1/4.0", 1.12µm.
• Front camera: 20 MP, f/2.2, (wide), 1/4".
• Video capture: Rear camera: 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240/960fps, gyro-EIS, HDR10+; Front camera: 1080p@30/60fps.
• Battery: 8500mAh; 100W wired, 100W PPS, PD3.0, 27W reverse wired.
• Connectivity: 5G; eSIM; Wi-Fi 7; BT 5.4, aptX HD, LHDC 5, Auracast, ASHA; NFC; Infrared port.
• Misc: Fingerprint reader (under display, ultrasonic); stereo speakers (with Dolby Atmos).

There is a lot more to love here beyond the chipset as well. There is a large 6.83-inch, QHD+, very bright, 120Hz AMOLED display, a 50MP Light Fusion 600 main camera and solid build quality with an IP68 ingress protection rating. Perhaps the real star of the show, however, is the humongous 8,500 mAh battery with 100W HyperCharge support. We expect nothing short of chart-topping battery endurance from the Poco X8 Pro Max.

Some other interesting highlights include a symmetrical stereo speaker system, modern communication including Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6.0, plus NFC and an ultrasonic in-display fingerprint reader.

Honestly, on paper, the Poco X8 Pro Max almost lools like the complete package. There are very few corners cut. A telephoto camera is one notable omission, but then again, the base 12GB/256GB Poco X8 Pro Max should retail at under $500/€400.

Unboxing

The Poco X8 Pro Max ships in a two-piece cardboard box. The bottom is classic Poco bright orange, and the top is black with orange lettering. Unfortunately, there is a plastic tray on the inside of the phone itself, which does keep it snug and safe, but is not particularly eco-friendly.

There is no charger in the box of our European unit. Check with your local vendor if a charger is included if you are shopping in another country. The phone supports Xiaomi's most recent 100W charger.

Inside the box, we got a 6A-rated USB Type-A to Type-C cable, which you will need to get the fastest possible charging speeds with the aforementioned charger.

Beyond the cable, Xiaomi also includes a nice gray soft TPU case in the box so you can start using your shiny new phone worry-free straight away.