Since I am myself a “sandwich” (read: middle) child in the family, I know that often more attention is given to the youngest and the oldest child, while the middle ones remain in the shadow of both. A similar story can be said about the POCO trilogy. While the POCO X6 Pro stands out with its almost flagship-level performance, and the POCO M6 Pro dazzles in the budget class with an attractive offer, where does the POCO X6 fit into all this? Right in the middle.
However, this doesn’t mean the X6 should be considered mediocre. On the contrary, when compared to last year’s POCO X5, the X6 has experienced one of the most impressive growths seen. Frankly, even flagships don’t offer such significant improvements over a year. What are these improvements?
The design has become more modern and durable, performance has been enhanced, and the memory capacity has doubled. The mono speaker has been replaced with stereo speakers, the charging is much faster, the excellent screen has received even more noticeable upgrades, and the main camera has been significantly improved, finally gaining optical stabilization. If this list of benefits isn’t enough, it’s worth mentioning the price, which starts at $240. Looking at the technical specifications, it really feels like the POCO X6 is the average between the X6 Pro and the M6 Pro, but this also raises concerns that the POCO X6 might undeservedly remain in the shadow of both.
POCO X6 Technical Specifications
| Feature | Specification |
| Operating System | Android 13, MIUI 14 |
| Display | 6.67-inch AMOLED, 1220 x 2712, 20:9 aspect ratio, ~446 ppi, ~89.7% screen-to-body ratio, 68B colors, 120Hz refresh rate, Dolby Vision, 1800 nits peak brightness, Corning Gorilla Glass Victus |
| Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon 7s Gen 2 (4 nm), Octa-core: 4×2.40 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4×1.95 GHz Cortex-A55, Adreno 710 GPU |
| RAM | 8/12 GB |
| Storage | 256/512 GB, UFS 2.2 |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, Bluetooth 5.2, NFC, 3.5 mm headphone jack, USB Type-C 2.0, 3G/4G/5G |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS |
| Additional Features | Under-display optical fingerprint sensor, stereo speakers, 24-bit/192kHz Hi-Res audio, IP54 dust and splash resistance, gyroscope, compass, infrared emitter |
| Cameras | Rear: 64 MP (f/1.8, 25mm, OIS) main; 8 MP (f/2.2, 118˚) ultra-wide; 2 MP (f/2.4) macro; LED flash; HDR; 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60fps, gyro-EIS video. Front: 16 MP (f/2.5) selfie camera, HDR, 1080p@30/60fps video |
| Dimensions & Weight | 161.2 x 74.3 x 8 mm, 181 g |
| Battery | 5100 mAh, 67W fast charging |
| Price | $240 (8/256 GB), $290 (12/512 GB) |
Typical Design
If you’ve seen the POCO X5 Pro or the Redmi Note 12 Pro 5G, you know what to expect from the POCO X6. It genuinely feels like these devices are made from the same foundation, just with different components. This isn’t a bad thing, as it means the base version has improved upon last year’s Pro version. So, we have an iPhone-like rectangular body with flat front and back surfaces.
Unfortunately, the back is glossy again, making it quite slippery and prone to collecting fingerprints, which can be difficult to keep clean. Otherwise, the back actually looks quite elegant, without any glaring missteps. The substantial camera module protrudes, causing the X6 to wobble when placed on a table. Luckily, the included silicone case is designed to solve this issue. I want to highlight this case, as it is no longer transparent and won’t oxidize in daylight, meaning you won’t have to buy a new cover after just a few months.
It’s nice that the side frame is made from thick, matte plastic. This enhances grip and reduces slippage. The right side features solid buttons. At the bottom, near the USB port, you’ll find the SIM card tray, a microphone, and a speaker. The second speaker is located at the top of the frame, along with another microphone, an infrared emitter, and a 3.5 mm headphone jack.
Excellent Screen
On paper, the X6 features the same screen as the Pro version, so there are no complaints. It has an AMOLED display with a higher resolution than the usual standard for mid-range devices, excellent viewing angles, and well-calibrated colors. In practical terms, this means that with 446 pixels per inch, the display resolution falls between that of the POCO M6 Pro and the POCO F5 Pro. This translates to a sharp image, where individual pixels are not visible to the naked eye, and the clarity is somewhat better than that of its competitors.
What else sets it apart from competitors? Brightness and PWM (Pulse Width Modulation). With a peak brightness of 1800 nits, it ranks among the highest in the mid-range category. This doesn’t mean such brightness will be used in direct sunlight but is rather utilized in specific HDR content. Nevertheless, it ensures that you won’t have trouble seeing what’s happening on the POCO X6 screen, even during a colorful summer day. So, what is PWM? It allows for different pulsing at lower brightness levels, reducing eye strain and preventing flickering when filming the screen with a camera. While this might not be something to think about daily, if it helps reduce eye fatigue, why not?
Under-Display Fingerprint Reader
In short, six years ago, when Vivo showcased an under-display fingerprint reader, this technology quickly made its way into the mid-range market. Later, it was replaced by a design from Sony that utilized an old capacitive reader in the power button. Now, we’ve returned to a more advanced technology. The advantage is that this placement works for both right-handed and left-handed users. The reader is fast, convenient, and reliable. Ideally, it would be positioned a bit higher, but overall, it’s comfortable and dependable. Oh, and there’s also fast face unlock, but if security is important to you, it’s best to use the fingerprint reader, as it is the only biometric unlocking method available.
Speakers and Vibration Motor
Two speakers are always better than one, and the X6 has received this upgrade. Typically, the bottom speaker handles the main sound volume, while the top one acts more like an assistant, enhancing higher frequencies. However, since the X6’s top frame has a separate output, the sound feels well-balanced. That said, the overall volume is quieter compared to other models. On the bright side, the sound quality is excellent. The highs are clear, and there are even noticeable bass tones, which are often lacking in devices at this price point. The X6 also features a 3.5 mm headphone jack, a technology that is becoming increasingly rare in smartphones.
Large Battery with Very Fast Charging
On one hand, it’s nice that the POCO X6 comes with a 5100 mAh battery, which is 100 mAh more than usual. On the other hand, it’s disappointing that the battery performance isn’t better than its competitors. The Sony Xperia 10 V still leads in this regard. Don’t get me wrong; the battery lasts fine for one day, but I couldn’t squeeze two full days of use out of the X6. Okay, I did push it quite a bit, but its performance was slightly weaker than that of the POCO X6 Pro and M6 Pro.
However, this is balanced out by the included 67W fast charger. Although it works a bit slower than the Pro version, I believe that the ability to charge from 0% to 100% in under 50 minutes will satisfy most users and allow them to chuckle at the slow charging times of Samsung, Apple, Google, and Sony.
Mid-Range Performance
If I praised the unexpectedly powerful performance of the POCO X6 Pro, then with the X6, you can start to see how the lower price has been achieved. It uses a much older (and slower) UFS 2.2 version, the Bluetooth connection has been downgraded to version 5.2, and the support for positioning satellites has been narrowed. Does this change anything in daily use? If you’re not doing very specific tasks, then no. For the average user, daily activities will seem appropriate for the price. Apps will open about half a second slower than more expensive competitors, but once opened, they will run smoothly with minimal frame loss.
The graphic performance, of course, won’t be at the same level as pricier models, but I didn’t notice anything criminal or inappropriate for the price. The X6 is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 7s Gen 2 chipset. Don’t be misled by the name; this version is actually just a bit faster than the Snapdragon 695, but not the Snapdragon 7 Gen 1. Synthetic performance tests confirm this.
MIUI 14, but HyperOS is Around the Corner
On one hand, it’s disappointing that the POCO X6 doesn’t immediately offer Android 14 (also known as HyperOS), but on the other hand, it’s promised that the X6 will receive HyperOS very soon. Additionally, the review of the X6 Pro showed that HyperOS didn’t run as smoothly as expected, so it can be said that MIUI 14 will be more stable with fewer bugs.
Originally, MIUI offered a control panel similar to Apple’s, separate from notifications. However, it has two advantages that are no longer found in HyperOS: you can also choose a combined option, like in most other interfaces, and the settings icon is accessible within the control panel, which seems like the right place for it. At least, that makes logical sense to my muscle memory. Xiaomi still offers one of the best multi-window features, allowing easy access to two open apps or pop-up windows.
Decent Mid-Range Cameras
One of the advantages of the POCO X6 is optical stabilization. It’s really great to see this feature becoming more common in the mid-range segment. Otherwise, the camera hardware is the same as that found in the X6 Pro and M6 Pro. Since the processors are different, there’s slightly different post-processing performance and 4K video capability, which the M6 Pro processor couldn’t support.
The POCO X6 features:
- 64 MP, f/1.8, 25mm, 0.7µm, PDAF, OIS main camera
- 8 MP, f/2.2, 118°, 1/4.0″, 1.12µm ultra-wide camera
- 2 MP, f/2.4 macro camera
- 16 MP, f/2.5 selfie camera
The camera app is the same as that used in other POCO models this year. The only difference is the 4x zoom option in the app. My theory is that since the POCO X6 is nearly identical to the rebranded Redmi Note 13 Pro (which has a 200 MP camera), they kept the 4x option that can be achieved without quality loss from a 200 MP sensor. However, this is just digital zoom, which noticeably decreases in quality. Overall, it’s a simple app that allows for quick mode switching. There aren’t too many additional modes, but the ones available work well.
The POCO X6 operates with familiar focal lengths. The 0.6x and 1x settings are optical and can be trusted in almost all scenarios. The 2x is already digital, but under good conditions, quality remains mostly intact. The remaining zooms up to 10x are digital, where quality drops quickly.
It’s worth noting that among the POCO trio, the X6 produces the most natural-looking images. The pictures are fairly decent, with visible details and natural colors, while the dynamic range is acceptable. However, there is a noticeable difference between the main sensor and the ultra-wide. The ultra-wide has significantly less detail, and the most evident difference is in color saturation.
Competition
- Google Pixel 6a – Believe it or not, the price of the Pixel 6a has dropped to the level of the POCO X6 and even lower. Google offers a much cleaner and more organized interface along with significantly better camera performance. Meanwhile, POCO compensates with a much stronger display, a larger battery, a more generous package, and much faster charging.
- Sony Xperia 10 V – The price has also seen a significant drop. Sony provides a more compact body with full IP68 water resistance, a cleaner interface, and unbeatable, almost record-breaking battery life. In contrast, POCO offers more storage, a much better screen, a more generous package, and lightning-fast wired charging.
- Redmi Note 12 Pro 5G – If you’re looking for a very similar but cheaper device, it’s worth considering Redmi. Almost everything is identical between the two, except the main camera on the Redmi performs slightly better, while POCO offers more generous internal storage.
In Conclusion – The Middle Child is Certainly Not Mediocre
The POCO X6 certainly stands in the shadow of the X6 Pro and M6 Pro, as the former offers nearly unmatched performance in its price range, while the latter provides excellent performance in the budget category. Meanwhile, the X6 truly occupies a middle ground. However, when compared to last year’s POCO X5, the improvements are noteworthy. The POCO X6 boasts a fantastic display, which, paired with good speakers, provides an excellent multimedia experience. It comes with a very generous package, fast wired charging, and some of the most ample memory options available.
Are there any drawbacks? Of course, but the price is reasonable enough to overlook some of them. Overall, the POCO X6 is a solid smartphone that will likely remain overshadowed by its older and newer siblings. It doesn’t help that Xiaomi is engaging in smartphone cannibalization, as the very similar Redmi 13 series has already appeared on the horizon. Still, it’s a commendable model that will struggle to stand out against the competition.
