Xiaomi's subsidiary Poco is all geared up for the first Poco F1 sale on Flipkart and Mi.com later today at 12:00 pm in India. Ever since the unveiling on August 22, it has garnered lot of interest among on fans and critics alike.
Why the hype around the Poco F1?
The Poco F1 comes with top-of-the-line specifications and yet costs less than half what rival brands offer. I have been using the Armoured Edition for a week now, and I can safely say this is most, if not the best cost-effective Android flagship phone in the market period.
The hype is real. believe it. Poco F1 delivers in all key aspects of a premium mobile. I will be breaking it down to little descriptions, to let you get a better perspective on the new flagship killer phone.
Build quality:
Poco F1's generic models come with polycarbonate shell in multiple colour options. I had the first-hand experience during the launch and have to say, it is sturdy and capable of sustaining the accidental falls and guess what, the company is offering back cover with the package, so there is another layer of protection.
And also, there is a top-end model-- Armoured Edition with a back panel made of DuPont Kevlar. The super-tough, heat-resistant material is widely used in the aviation industry, the military, and high-end cycling. Its textured surface gives Poco F1 a unique appearance and provides a comfortable grip.
On the front, it sports 6 .18-inch full HD+ display with iPhone X-like notch on the top. It is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 3 shield.
Processor and RAM + Storage configuration:
Poco F1 comes with multiple configurations to meet every possible need of the consumers. It is available in three options—6GB RAM+ 64GB storage, 6GB RAM+ 128GB storage and 8GB RAM+256GB storage.
It runs on Snapdragon 845 octa-core, Qualcomm's most powerful and fastest processor chip to date with Adreno 630 graphics it is backed by the Liquid Cool technology and the newly introduced DSP architecture with AI performance that's three times higher than the previous generation. Supported by up to 8GB LPDDR4x DRAM, Poco F1 can render the most demanding games at high FPS for an unparalleled gaming experience, the company claims.
Poco has also incorporated "turbocharged engine", to make the F1 load app quicker, faster gaming performance, as well as a faster swiping experience due to enhancements in the screen response and animation frame rate.
And yes, it delivers. I have been using the device for a week and it has been fast to open the apps, loading the camera and gaming too. And I haven't faced any over-heating issue.
Camera:
Poco F1 houses feature-rich 12MP (Sony IMX363, F1.9, 1.4μm) + 5MP AI dual camera, Dual Pixel Autofocus, HDR, Multi-frame Noise Reduction, more than 200 AI scene detection, AI Beautify, AI portrait mode.
On the front, it features equally impressive 20MP sensor with 1.8μm pixel size, 4-in-1 Super Pixel, F2.0 aperture, HDR, AI scene detection, AI Beautify, AI portrait mode and Infrared illuminator + infrared camera for the Face unlock feature, which works even in the pitch dark conditions.
Initially, I was sceptical about the Poco F1's camera, but it has proved me wrong. The picture quality is really good and I am mighty impressed with Portrait mode.
Battery:
Poco F1 comes with a massive 4,000mAh battery, there are hardly a few flagship phones that come with such a large battery. It will last a whole day even under heavy usage. Add to that, it comes with Quick Charge 3.0 technology.
Unbeatable price:
Poco F1 retails at Rs 20,999, Rs 23,999, and Rs 28,999 for the 6GB RAM+64GB storage, 6GB RAM+128GB storage, and 8GB RAM+256GB storage respectively. They will be available in Polycarbonate backs in Graphite Black, Steel Blue, and Rosso Red.
And the Armoured Edition, which comes in 8GB RAM and 256GB storage, costs Rs 29,999.
Add to that, as part of promotional launch offer, Poco F1 consumers are entitled to avail Rs 1000 instant cashback with HDFC credit and debit card. This will essentially bring down the price of Poco F1 to Rs 19,999, Rs 22,999, and Rs 27,999 for the 6GB+64GB, 6GB+128GB, and 8GB+256GB respectively, and Armoured Edition to Rs 28,999 for the first sale. This makes POCO F1 the world's most affordable phone with Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 smartphone under Rs 20,000. Poco F1 also comes with Jio offer with up to Rs 8000 worth of benefits and 6TB of high-speed data.
I am still can't wrap my head around on how Poco is able to pack so many features into a phone and retail it for such affordable price. If you get a chance to get Poco F1 in your cart on Flipkart, just complete the transaction fast, before it gets pulled and transferred to next eligible consumer. There's no better smartphone deal in the market as lucrative as this one.
