Poco launches new smartphones: the Poco M8 5G and the Poco M8 Pro 5G. Both devices have an attractive price tag but feature a confusing camera design.
Xiaomi introduces the Poco M8 series, six months after the introduction of the Poco M7 family. This line-up includes two devices: the Poco M8 5G and the Poco M8 Pro 5G. For the Pro model with 8 GB RAM, Poco asks 309.9 euros (incl. VAT), the version with 12 GB RAM costs 359.9 euros. The entry-level version costs 229.9 euros for 8 GB RAM and 259.9 euros for 12 GB.
Poco M8 Pro
The Poco M8 Pro has a 6.83-inch screen with 1,280 x 2,772 pixels. The device is powered by a modest Qualcomm Snapdragon 7s Gen 4. The main camera has a 50 MP sensor and is equipped with optical image stabilization. An 8 MP wide-angle camera is also present, although it is unlikely to offer much added value.
It is noticeable that the phone appears to have four lenses on the back, but in practice, there are only two real cameras behind them. One of them houses the LED flash, the other does not seem to have a function unless Poco has forgotten to mention the presence of a depth sensor.
Poco puts a 6,500 mAh battery in this device, which promises to be its main asset on paper. The CPU and the large battery should guarantee solid autonomy. It is noticeable that the battery in this device is slightly smaller than in the M7 Pro. Poco still manages to provide an IP68 certification for waterproofing in Europe.
Poco M8
The smaller Poco M8 has a 6.77-inch screen with 1,080 x 2,392 pixels. This device has a Qualcomm Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 on board. The IP rating is lower with IP65 and IP66 in Europe.
The camera situation on this device is even more bewildering. Although there are again four black spheres on the back, there is only one camera on the back. It also has a 50 MP sensor. For this device, Poco does mention a 2 MP depth sensor, which you will hardly notice in practice. The third ‘lens’ seems to be an empty box again, and the fourth also contains the flash here.
The regular Poco M8 has a smaller battery with a capacity of 5,520 mAh. Charging is possible at 45 watts, while the Pro supports 100 watts.
The Poco M8 Pro is in the mid-range segment, while the regular M8 is more of an entry-level device. The large battery of the M8 Pro is an interesting specification, which allows this device to distinguish itself from other phones. However, the choice for four camera spheres, three lenses but one to two cameras per device, is a bit clumsy.