Xiaomi’s sub-brand Poco recently introduced a new addition to the X6 Series with the launch of the Poco X6 Neo 5G in India, priced at under Rs. 20,000. Poco claims that the X6 Neo is the thinnest and most stylish device in its category, packed with a range of features. Boasting specifications such as a Dimensity chipset, 5000mAh battery, 108MP camera, and AMOLED display, the Poco X6 Neo appears impressive on paper. However, the true test of any smartphone lies in its performance in everyday use. This is where we find answers to questions like whether it stands out in its category and if it offers value for money. After using the Poco X6 Neo 5G for some time, we will address these common queries in our review.
Poco X6 Neo 5G Review Snapshot
Editor’s rating: 3.9/5
Design
Display
Software
Performance
Camera
Battery
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Pros
- Sleek & light design
- Impressive Display
- Long battery life
- 3.5mm headphone jack
- Well-performing 108MP camera
Cons
- Underwhelming performance
- Still runs Android 13 OS
- Fingerprint magnet
- Useless depth sensor
Poco X6 Neo 5G Price & Availability
Poco X6 Neo 5G comes in two storage configurations-
- 8GB RAM+128GB storage-Rs. 19,999
- 12GB RAM+256GB storage- Rs. 21,999
It retails via Flipkart in the country.
Poco X6 Neo 5G: Design & Build
The age of bulky smartphones is now a thing of the past. Nowadays, users prefer devices that are powerful yet sleek. Poco X6 Neo 5G is a sleek smartphone weighing just 175 grams and measuring 7.69mm in thickness. The smartphone feels slim and lightweight in the hand. This allows for comfortable use over long periods without any hassle.
Poco is providing three vibrant color options for the X6 Neo- Martian Orange, Astral Black, and Horizon Blue. I had the chance to review the Martian Orange variant and I was impressed by how it looked in sunlight. The matte rear panel sparkled when light hit it, giving it an appealing and visually pleasing appearance. It features a marble-like finish inspired by the aesthetics of the planet Mars.
The rear panel sports a large rectangular camera module that slightly protrudes, housing two sensors, an LED flash, and Poco branding. The term ‘5G’ is displayed at the bottom of the rear panel. While the back panel may attract dirt and fingerprints, they can be easily wiped off with a clean, dry cloth.
In terms of functionality, the right edge contains the volume rockers and power buttons, while the left edge houses the SIM tray. The bottom edge features a speaker grille, USB-C port, and a microphone, while the top edge includes a 3.5mm headphone jack, IR blaster, and a secondary noise-canceling microphone.
The front display boasts slim side bezels and notably lacks a thick chin. With an IP54 rating, the device is safeguarded against dust and splashes, making it suitable for use in varying weather conditions. Overall, my only minor gripe with the design of the Poco X6 Neo is its tendency to attract fingerprints; otherwise, it stands as a reliable smartphone.
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Poco X6 Neo 5G Review: Display
The Poco X6 Neo features a 6.67-inch AMOLED display with Full HD+ resolution, providing bright, vivid, and sharp visuals. The 120Hz refresh rate offers a smooth scrolling experience on various apps, including YouTube and DailyHunt. Gaming performance is also satisfactory.
The display is protected by Gorilla Glass 5, a rare feature in this price segment, and includes a punch-hole selfie camera at the top. With 1000 nits peak brightness, the display performs well outdoors under sunlight. The display supports 100% DCI-P3 color gamut and 1.07 billion colors for enhanced visual quality.
Customizing the display is easy through the Settings Menu, allowing users to enable features like Reading Mode for extended reading sessions. Additionally, users can adjust settings such as Automatic Brightness, Refresh rate, and Auto-rotate screen, and choose from three color schemes – Vivid, Saturated, and Standard. While Saturated mode always enhances colors, Standard ensures colors remain constant. Vivid adjusts colors based on the content on the screen. I used the device in Vivid Mode most of the time and found it favorable.
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Poco X6 Neo 5G Review: Performance
The Poco X6 Neo 5G is equipped with the MediaTek Dimensity 6080 chipset, offering a maximum of 12GB RAM and 256GB onboard storage. In my review, I focused on the 12GB+256GB variant, but for those seeking a more affordable option, there is also an 8GB+128GB model available.
In terms of performance, I extensively used the device for a week and found it to be generally responsive, although occasional lags were present. Everyday tasks such as social media browsing, video watching, messaging, and reading articles were smooth without any noticeable stutters. However, when it came to multitasking, the device did experience some slowdowns. Switching between apps running in the background was not as seamless as one would expect, and during benchmark tests, the device did tend to heat up significantly. While the storage space provided was ample, playing graphics-intensive games for extended periods proved to be a challenge. Titles like COD and Asphalt 9 were playable, but performance started to decline after approximately 20 minutes of gaming. On the other hand, lighter games like Candy Crush, Township, and Goods Sort could be enjoyed without any issues.
Now, let’s discuss the software aspect. The Poco X6 Neo comes preloaded with MIUI 14, which is based on Android 13 OS. Poco has committed to providing two years of Android updates and three years of security updates for the Neo X6 device. However, it is worth noting that in today’s era where most smartphones are running Android 14, the presence of Android 13 feels outdated and somewhat disappointing. Additionally, the device comes with a significant amount of bloatware preinstalled. This includes apps like LinkedIn, Netflix, Fitbit, Amazon, and PhonePe, as well as games like Jewels Blast, Crazy Juicer, Dust Settle, Tile Fun, Word Trip, and more. While it is possible to remove the bloatware, it can still be frustrating to encounter such a large amount of it on a modern smartphone. Although there are customization options available, Poco could have enhanced the software experience further for this particular device.
Connectivity options on the Poco X6 Neo include a USB Type-C port at the bottom, an IR blaster at the top, dual-band WiFi, 5G dual SIM support, GPS, and Bluetooth 5.3 capability. For those who want to listen to music the old-fashioned way, a 3.5mm headphone jack is available as well.
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Poco X6 Neo 5G REVIEW: CAMERA
The recently launched Poco X6 Neo 5G features a dual camera setup on the rear. This setup consists of a 108MP main camera and a 2MP depth sensor. On the front, there is a 16MP selfie camera. The Camera UI is user-friendly, offering options like Video, Photo, 108MP, Night, Portrait, and Documents accessible through right and left swipes. HDR, Flash, and other settings can be accessed from the top of the screen.
Let’s now discuss the camera’s performance. When using the 108MP camera, photos taken in daylight are vibrant, detailed, and visually appealing. The color accuracy is good, and the zoom quality is impressive, with no loss of detail or color saturation when zoomed in.
An example of the zoom quality can be seen below. The image on the left is a wide shot, while the one on the right is taken with 6.7x zoom. Even when zoomed in, distant subjects in the park are captured well.
The 108MP mode enhances photo quality further, capturing colors accurately and differentiating between various shades of a single color. Details are sharper, and autofocus performs effectively. However, the 108MP mode is limited to 1x zoom, while the Normal mode allows for 1x, 2x, and 3x zoom.
Portrait mode offers a bokeh effect, producing impressive shots in good lighting conditions. After capturing an image, the bokeh effect can be applied to blur the background and emphasize the subject.
The 2MP depth sensor provides average close-up shots, but it can be avoided as the primary sensor performs well.
The 16MP front camera captures social-media-worthy selfies during the day. The subject is the focal point of the selfie, with the background remaining clear but secondary. Skin tones appear natural, and details are visible upon zooming in. Selfies also exhibit decent color accuracy, making them suitable for sharing on social media platforms.
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Poco X6 Neo 5G Review: Battery Life and Charging
The Poco X6 Neo is equipped with a robust 5000mAh battery that provides ample power throughout the day on a single charge. Whether you’re making calls, sending messages, taking photos, watching videos, reading news articles, listening to music, or indulging in light gaming, this battery will comfortably support your usage. By the end of the day, I still had around 17% battery remaining, which is quite satisfactory. To further optimize battery life, the Battery Settings Menu offers options such as Battery Saver and Ultra Battery Saver Mode, ensuring that you can conserve power if needed.
Additionally, Poco includes a 33W fast-charging power adapter in the box. With this charger, you can reach 50% battery capacity in approximately 35 minutes, and a full charge in about 65-70 minutes. Considering the affordable price of the smartphone, this charging time is acceptable. Even if you only have half an hour to spare, you can still charge the device to around 47%, which is sufficient for half a day’s usage.
Review Verdict: Should you buy the Poco X6 Neo 5G?
The Poco X6 Neo 5G offers a sturdy build with a slim and lightweight design, an AMOLED display, a 108MP camera, and a 5000mAh battery at an affordable price point. Although it operates on Android 13 and is not ideal for intense gaming, it boasts some attractive features such as a 3.5mm headphone jack, IP54 rating, and Gorilla Glass 5 protection. This smartphone serves as a reliable daily driver that delivers an engaging content viewing experience. Poco includes a 33W charger in the package, ensuring customers can start using the device right away without any additional expenses. Overall, if you are in the market for a cost-effective device under 20k, the Poco X6 5G can be considered as one of the options.
Reasons to buy
- Sleek & light design
- Decent Display
- Long battery life
- 3.5mm headphone jack
- Well-performing 108MP camera
Reasons to not buy
- Underwhelming performance
- Still runs Android 13 OS
- Fingerprint magnet
- Useless depth sensor
