Comparatively strong features at a comparatively low price. This overall package has catapulted the Xiaomi subsidiary POCO to become one of the most popular smartphone manufacturers in the mid-range segment. Last year, the manufacturer launched two exciting devices, the X5 and X5 Pro, which it now wants to surpass once again with their successors. Our POCO X6 5G test clarifies what the affordable mid-range smartphone has to offer and where its strengths and weaknesses lie.
Technical data
| The product | POCO X6 5G |
| Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon 7s |
| CPU |
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| Operating system | Android 13 |
| Display |
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| Camera |
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| Memory | 8 GB/12 GB LPDDR4X RAM; 128 GB/256 GB/512 GB UFS 2.2 flash memory |
| Network | SIM card slot (dual nano SIM) |
| Connectivity | USB-C 3.2 Gen. 2, Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be), NFC, Bluetooth 5.3 |
| Dimensions and weight | 161.15 mm x 74.24 mm x 7.98 mm (H x W x D); weight: 181g |
| Battery capacity | 5.100 mAh with a maximum charging power of 67 watts (wired only) |
| Colors | Black, white, blue |
| Special features | IP54 certification; in-display fingerprint sensor; AI face recognition |
| Price | € 355.89 * |
POCO X6 5G test: Scope of delivery, design and workmanship
- Power supply unit included
- Cover included
In the test, the POCO X6 5G comes in black packaging with yellow labeling that reveals a lot of content. In addition to the smartphone itself, we find the obligatory instructions and notes as well as a SIM card tool in the scope of delivery.
The manufacturer also includes a silicone case in a color that matches the smartphone. A 67-watt power adapter and a white USB-A to USB-C charging cable are also included. Very commendable.
However, our main focus is of course on the gem in the form of the POCO X6 5G. The device measures 161.15 mm x 74.24 mm (height x width) and is just 7.98 mm high. It weighs in at 181 grams, which makes it appear light – especially if you are used to smartphones like the Google Pixel 8 Pro (our test) weighing 213 grams.
Workmanship and design
- High-quality workmanship
- Angular, pleasant design
- Vulnerable back; tippy
Nevertheless, the POCO device feels robust and of high quality. In terms of build quality, the mid-range device does not have to hide behind significantly more expensive competitors. The back is made of glass and is therefore unfortunately very susceptible to fingerprints. The frame, on the other hand, has a matt finish and is correspondingly insensitive.
As with its predecessor, the camera setup takes up the entire upper third of the back. On the right, we find the manufacturer’s name and the reference to the “64 megapixel OIS” main camera. On the left are the two main cameras, which look very similar to the current iPhone models. To the right is the third sensor for the macro camera, with the LED flash below it.
At the top, we find a speaker and a 3.5 mm jack for connecting headphones or a headset. The USB-C port for charging, another speaker and the SIM card slot are located at the bottom. This accepts two nano SIM cards, but memory expansion via microSD card is unfortunately not possible.
Nothing to see on the left. On the right, easily accessible with one hand, are the power button and the volume rocker above it. The design and workmanship of the POCO X6 5G make quite an impression. The manufacturer has also made improvements in terms of water resistance: it now has IP54 certification for splash protection.
However, the smartphone is very wobbly on the table due to the raised camera lenses. Much more wobbly than a Pixel or iPhone. So it’s better to always place it on the display. Or use a protective case that completely covers the lenses – unfortunately, the included case doesn’t quite do that either. That makes sense anyway, because the back is very slippery.
POCO X6 5G test: 120 Hz display
- Bright Flow AMOLED display
- 120 Hertz
- Fast fingerprint sensor
Like its predecessor, the POCO X6 5G uses a Flow AMOLED display. The biggest difference between Flow AMOLED and conventional OLED screens is the substrate material used to fix the light-emitting diodes. Unlike OLED screens, Flow AMOLED screens rely on particularly flexible substrates.
Among other things, this enables particularly thin display edges and a lower weight of the smartphone. Although the X6 has a screen diagonal of 6.67 inches, the device is pleasantly thin and can be operated with just one hand.
But back to the display. At 2,712 x 1,220 pixels, it has a pleasantly high resolution and thus achieves 446 ppi, which speaks for excellent readability. The refresh rate can also be dynamically adjusted between 60 Hertz and 120 Hertz, which either allows a smoother display or saves battery power.
The display of the predecessor was already very bright with up to 1,200 nits. The POCO X6 5G also achieves this maximum brightness, but even reaches up to 1,800 nits at its peak. In terms of brightness, this is almost at flagship level. Although an iPhone 15 Pro Max and Google Pixel 8 Pro are of course significantly brighter, this is an excellent value.
The typical brightness of 500 nits is also impressive. In combination with the convincing contrasts and the successful color reproduction, the display is pleasing across the board. Unfortunately, there is no always-on display.
The fingerprint sensor, which is very easy to reach at the bottom of the screen, also works reliably and precisely. Alternatively, unlocking via facial recognition is also possible.
Software
- Android 13 with MIUI 14
- A lot of bloatware
- Practical OS functions
The POCO X6 5G comes with Android 13, which the manufacturer has overlaid with MIUI 14. The Android security patch dates back to November 2023 and is therefore no longer the very latest. Xiaomi’s new HyperOS will be released as an OTA update at a later date.
MIUI is certainly a matter of taste. The interface is brightly colored and certainly appealing to younger generations. The fact that the camera icon looks exactly like the Chrome browser is at least as confusing as the fact that several apps for the browser, gallery, app store and themes are pre-installed.
In general, there is a lot of bloatware on the smartphone, ranging from apps like Facebook, TikTok and AliExpress to games like Jewels Blast and a few more. Unattractive, but these can be uninstalled quickly and easily.
Nevertheless, I have to say that I like MIUI apart from the bright colors. The Control Center, which can be displayed with a swipe gesture from the top right of the screen, is reminiscent of iOS and is much tidier than its normal Android counterpart. There are also practical tools for memory cleanup and much more, which prove to be absolutely useful.
Hardware and performance
- Economical 4 nm chip
- Ample RAM and system memory
- Wi-Fi 5 only; NFC available
Under the hood of the POCO X6 5G is the Snapdragon 7s Gen 2 processor from Qualcomm. This is based on four ARM Cortex A55 cores with 1,958 MHz and four ARM Cortex A78 cores with 2,400 MHz. It is supported by a Qualcomm Adreno 710 GPU and (depending on the model) 8 GB or 12 GB LPDDR4X RAM.
Internal storage is provided by 256 GB or 512 GB UFS 2.2 system memory. Bluetooth 5.2, Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g/n/ac (Wi-Fi 5) and NFC are also on board, while the X6 naturally also communicates via the 5G network. Two good-sounding speakers with a very good maximum volume round off the features.
Performance of the POCO X6 5G
- Decent performance; moderate gaming performance
- Good performance for everyday tasks
The performance of the POCO X6 5G is quite decent for a mid-range device. However, the smartphone quickly runs out of breath when it comes to demanding tasks and games. The SoC is significantly faster than the Snapdragon 695, which was used in the previous model.
However, the chip is also noticeably slower than the Snapdragon 7 Gen 2, which achieves significantly better results in everyday tasks and benchmarks. The much-maligned Tensor G3 in the Google Pixel 8 Pro also performs better in most tests, with the exception of PCMark Work 3.0.
In everyday use, the POCO X6 scores with smooth performance and impeccable usability in the user interface as well as in normal multitasking between several apps. In current games, the performance is good, but by no means very good. More complex titles such as PUBG Mobile or similar only reach 30 FPS with reduced details.
Unfortunately, I was unable to test the 3DMark benchmarks, which refused to work on the POCO X6 5G, just like on its predecessor.
On the other hand, I really like the fact that the smartphone doesn’t get hot at all, even under constant full load. The casing only heats up slightly. Even when gaming, the device only gets warm to the touch.
| Benchmark | POCO X6 5G |
| PCMark Work 3.0 | 12.713 pts. |
| GeekBench 6 (Single Core) | 1.027 pts. |
| GeekBench 6 (Multi Core) | 2.999 pts. |
| GeekBench 6 (GPU) | 1.770 pts. |
| GeekBench 6 (ML) | 523 pts. |
| 3DMark Wild Life | not possible |
| 3DMark Wild Life Extreme | not possible |
POCO X6 5G test: The battery life
- 100 mAh battery
- 67 watt charging speed
- Convincing runtimes
Despite a capacity of 5,000 mAh, the X5 was significantly weaker in terms of battery life. With the POCO X6 5G, the manufacturer adds another 100 mAh and achieves significantly better runtimes, also thanks to the more efficient 4 nm chip.
In the PCMark Work 3.0 Battery Life benchmark, the smartphone achieves a runtime of 13 hours and 04 minutes, leaving the Pixel 8 Pro (12 hours 14 minutes) or the Samsung Galaxy S23 (12 hours 34 minutes) behind.
With typical, mixed use of apps, Wi-Fi, surfing and YouTube, you can easily get through a day or a day and a half. Charging is done exclusively by cable using the included 67-watt power adapter, which is pleasantly fast. The smartphone is fully recharged in around 45 minutes.
The cameras
- Main camera with pleasing shots in good light
- Ultra-wide-angle and macro camera significantly weaker
The POCO X6 5G has three cameras on the back. The manufacturer combines a 64 MP main camera with optical image stabilization (OIS) with an 8 MP ultra wide-angle lens and a 2 MP macro camera.
The images from the main camera look good to very good, especially in good lighting conditions, and score points with harmonious contrasts. The colors are natural, but many pictures look a little too dark, especially in outdoor shots. In low light, however, the level of detail decreases noticeably. This makes it difficult to take convincing photos.
Test shots: Main camera – POCO X6 5G
In direct comparison to the Pixel 8 Pro, the X6 can still keep up quite well in terms of the level of detail when taking pictures with the main lens. Pictures taken with the ultra-wide-angle lens, on the other hand, are significantly brighter and use completely different, less natural and sometimes oversaturated colors.
Due to the rather low resolution, fine details also become blurred. This also applies to the macro camera, which naturally cannot achieve much with a resolution of 2 MP. Even if the surrounding details are very coarse-grained here, the focused subject is clearly recognizable.
Digital zooming is possible with a factor of up to 5x, the results are still quite decent. Apart from the main camera, the POCO X6 5G naturally falls well behind strong camera smartphones.
The same applies to night shots, which are barely usable despite the dedicated night mode. The extreme test in almost complete darkness clearly shows this in comparison to the Pixel 8 Pro.
Selfies are possible with a resolution of 16 megapixels, but even here the photos are not entirely convincing and appear washed out and somewhat pale.
If you like, you can also add various filters. From retro looks to beauty filters including large (alien) eyes, pretty much everything is on offer. Videos can be recorded in 4K at 30 frames per second on the rear, while the front camera records in 1080p at 30 FPS – the quality is fine.
POCO X6 5G test: Conclusion
With the POCO X6 5G, the manufacturer improves on its predecessor in all areas and delivers an absolutely coherent overall package considering the price. Above all, the biggest criticisms of the X5, such as the poor battery life, have been consistently eliminated: the X6 5G lasts a very long time.
It also comes with impressive features including an economical chip, up to 12 GB of RAM and a whopping 512 GB of system memory, NFC and even a jack connection. The bright, 120 Hz fast and colorful display is particularly appealing, while at least the main camera takes good pictures.
In contrast, however, the other cameras fall well short. The sheer amount of pre-installed bloatware is also annoying, even though the apps can be easily uninstalled. The very vulnerable glass back and the wonky camera layout could also have been solved better.
Otherwise, the POCO X6 5G offers an all-round coherent overall package in the mid-range, leaving hardly anything to be desired. Price-conscious users will definitely be well served here.
POCO X6 5G
Workmanship
Hardware
Multimedia
Performance
Battery
Value for money
85/100
With the POCO X6 5G, the manufacturer has put together an absolutely coherent overall package in the mid-range smartphone class. The battery life and features are particularly impressive.
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