POCO X8 Pro is in the Philippines. A Sidegrade to the POCO X7 Pro

Like… very minimal changes. However, that would not be with its more powerful sibling.

POCO Launched the POCO X8 Pro Series yesterday with heavy anticipation. Unlike last year, the series removes the vanilla “POCO X8” and immediately sets for the Pro line, proving they mean business in this gaming sector. They mean so much business that they announced $100 million in subsidies just to keep the price of the phones low, despite the current situation in the Middle East.

Just like last year’s POCO X7 Pro series, the Iron Man collaboration continues. The limited-edition POCO X8 Pro “Iron Man Edition” features a custom back panel, UI theme, and accessories. Do note that the Iron Man Edition lacks a charging brick. The wire is included, however. It also has a surprisingly decent price point. It retails for PHP 22,999 and currently discounted to just PHP 18,999 making it a tempting device for Marvel collectors.

Back to the POCO X8 Pro, this flagship-killer gaming phone features a 6.59” 1.5K CrystalRes AMOLED display, which makes it slightly more compact than the POCO X7 Pro. It retains the same 120Hz refresh rate but is also slightly brighter at 3500nits peak brightness. Nothing much changes here.

The POCO X8 Pro has four IP ratings, a common feature to see in many smartphone marketing materials. These ratings include IP66, IP68, IP69, and IP69K. The first number refers to the level of dust protection, the highest being 6, while the second number is for water stress test, with 9 being the highest, the K is similar to 9, which just means the phone can withstand strong water pressure. The main reason three IP ratings are seen now is to be more transparent to customers, indicating how watertight a phone can be. So, the POCO X8 Pro can withstand small jets of water to strong water pressure. In Genshin terms, it can survive a Traveler Hydro Elemental Skill to a Neuvillette Charged Attack, if that makes it simple for you.

Its chipset is its “core item”. Inside is the flagship-like MediaTek Dimensity 8500-Ultra. It is a small upgrade from last year’s Dimensity 8400-Ultra which was used on the POCO X7 Pro. If you own a POCO X7 Pro, there may be no need to upgrade. The phone comes in 8 or 12GB LPDDR5X RAM with either 256 or 512GB UFS 4.1 storage. The “Ultra”, in theory, should mean a chipset that it is meant for raw performance, kinda like the HX labels seen on many laptops. In reality, it’s just a marketing gimmick.

The battery is another important highlight. As phones transition away from the usual 5000mAh capacities, the battery gets larger and longer lasting. As such, the POCO X8 Pro is equipped with a 6500mAh battery with 100W fast charging, which is a small upgrade from the POCO X7 Pro’s 6000mAh with 90W fast charging. It also can charge other phones via a technique called “reverse charging”, up to 27W.

The cameras are not very important, not at least, on a gaming-focused device. It comes with two at the back, almost identical as its predecessor. The main wide camera is a 50MP Sony IMX882 (marketed as Light Hunter 600) while the secondary camera is an unspecified 8MP ultrawide. Meanwhile, the front is given a 20MP sensor. If it is not broken, do not fix it.

The phone carries over Hi-Res Audio (wired and wireless) and Dolby Atmos enhancements from the POCO X7 Pro. It also features stereo speakers for rich and detailed sound. Try using them through lossless music players like Apple Music to feel the difference.

Finally, the phone comes with standard biometric features including an optical fingerprint reader and a facial scanner. In terms of ports, the phone has a USB-C port for charging and file transfer, dual SIM slots, and an IR blaster to control appliances, and that IR blaster is a POCO/Xiaomi staple. The phone will launch with HyperOS 3.0 based on Android 16, with guaranteed updates so the phone stays fresh even if its successors are eventually unveiled. However, do note that performance over time will eventually wane. This is natural as the chipset ages and its read and write times wear out.

The POCO X8 Pro comes in surprisingly tempting prices for a phone of its caliber. It retails for a starting price of PHP 18,999 (8/256) and goes all the way to PHP 21,999 (12/512). It also features a minimalist design unlike last year’s cyber-like futuristic look. Three colors are available. These include Black, Mint Green, and White.

You can buy a POCO X8 Pro through Lazada, Shopee, and TikTok Shop. Buying here up until March 26 gives you the exciting discounts seen above.

SPECS:

• 6.59″ 1.5K (2756x1268px) AMOLED, 120Hz refresh rate, 3500nits Peak Brightness, 3840Hz PWM Dimming, Dolby Vision
  • IP66, IP68, IP69, IP69K Ingress Rating. Dust/Water Pressure resistant up to 2 meters for 30 minutes (lab tested)
  • Corning Gorilla Glass 7i Protection
• MediaTek Dimensity 8500-Ultra (4nm)
• CAMERAS:
  • 50MP (Primary), f/1.5, 1/1.95″, Sony IMX882, OIS
  • 8MP (Ultrawide)
  • FRONT: 20MP
• HyperOS 3.0 based on Android 16
• 6500mAh, 100W fast charging
  • 27W Reverse Charging, PD 3.0
• USB-C, IR Blaster, Stereo Speakers (Hi-Res Audio wired and wireless, Dolby Atmos), Optical Fingerprint Scanner
• 5G Services, 4G LTE, Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4, NFC
• Black, White, Mint Green
• PRICE:
  • 8/256: PHP 18,999
  • 8/512: PHP 19,999
  • 12/512: PHP 21,999