Xiaomi dropped a huge bomb when they announced the Poco F1, an incredible entry-level smartphone that packs a slew of high-end specs.
The Pocophone F1 brags a Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 processor and a couple of top-of-the-line specs, which makes comparing it to devices under its price category almost senseless.
That’s the reason why we’ll be stacking it up against a worthy competitor, its very own brother, the Xiaomi Mi 8. Out of the smartphones in the Philippine market today, the Mi 8 is one of the few devices that’s a great match to the Poco F1 thanks to its identical specs and affordable price tag.
So, in our Poco F1 versus Xiaomi Mi 8 specifications and features comparison, we’ll see which between these two bang for the buck products actually offer better value for the money. Let’s start!
| Poco F1 | Xiaomi Mi 8 | |
|---|---|---|
| Operating System | Android 8.1 Oreo MIUI 9.6 Poco launcher | Android 8.0 Oreo MIUI 10 |
| SIM | Dual SIM Dual Standby Hybrid | Dual SIM Dual Standby |
| Display | 6.18-inch FHD+ IPS 2246 x 1080 pixel resolution ~403ppi 19:9 aspect ratio | 6.21-inch Full HD+ AMOLED 2280 × 1080 pixel resolution ~401ppi 19:9 aspect ratio DCI-P3 color gamut |
| Processor | 2.8GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 octa-core LiquidCool cooling system | 2.8GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 octa-core |
| RAM | 6GB/8GB | 6GB |
| GPU | Adreno 630 | Adreno 630 |
| Storage | 64GB/128GB/256GB UFS expandable via microSD up to 256GB | 64GB/128GB UFS non-expandable |
| Front camera | 20-megapixel f/2.0 | 20-megapixel f/2.0 |
| Rear Camera | 12-megapixel + 5-megapixel f/1.9 PDAF AI scene detection LED flash | 12-megapixel (f/1.8) + 12-megapixel (f/2.4) Dual-Pixel PDAF OIS 2x optical zoom AI scene detection LED flash |
| Security | Fingerprint scanner Infrared Face Unlock | Fingerprint scanner Infrared Face Unlock |
| Audio | Stereo Speakers Headphone Jack | Single loudspeaker No headphone jack |
| Connectivity | HSPA+, 4G LTE WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac Bluetooth 5.0 GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS, BDS, Galileo,QZSS FM Radio USB Type-C | HSPA+, 4G LTE WiFi 802.11 ac, hotspot Bluetooth 5.0, A2DP Dual-frequency GPS, QZSS, GALILEO, GLONASS NFC FM Radio USB Type-C |
| Dimensions | 155.5 x 75.3 x 8.8mm | 154.9 x 74.8 x 7.6mm |
| Weight | 180g | 175g |
| Colors | Steel Blue Rosso Red Graphite Black Kevlar (Armored edition) | Gold Black White Blue |
| Battery | 4,000mAh non-removable Quick Charge 3.0 | 3,400mAh non-removable Quick Charge 4.0+ |
| Price | 6GB/64GB: Rs. 20,999 (~Php16,000) 6GB/128GB: Rs. 23,999 (~Php18,000) 8GB/256GB: Rs.28,999 (~Php22,000) 8GB/256GB: Rs. 29,999 (~Php23,000) | 6GB/64GB: Php25,990 6GB/128GB: Php27,990 |
As you can see from the table above, the Pocophone F1 and the Xiaomi Mi 8 has tons of similarities. But as ironic as it sounds, it looks like the Poco F1 was able to one-up Xiaomi’s own flagship device.
The two might have the same processor powering them, but the Poco F1 sports a LiquidCool thermal system so you can squeeze out more performance out of it. The F1 also comes with up to 8GB of RAM, which is not available in the Mi 8 unless you get the Explorer Edition.
The Pocophone F1 also has a 4,000mAh battery that’s relatively bigger than the 3,400mAh capacity found on the Mi 8. It also comes with stereo speakers and a headphone jack, features that the Mi 8 lacks.
For its starting price of Rs. 20,999 (~Php16,000), the Poco F1 really offers better value for the money. In fact, even you get the top-of-the-line model with an 8GB/256GB configuration, it’s still cheaper than the Mi 8’s Php25,990 starting price.
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However, the Xiaomi Mi 8 does have a few good features that make its price tag still very reasonable. One of which is its impressive camera, which is undeniably better than the F1’s.
The Mi 8 also has dual 12-megapixel shooters on the back, with dual-pixel PDAF, optical image stabilizer, and 2x optical zoom. That’s obviously more impressive than the 12-megapixel + 5-megapixel rear cameras of the Poco F1.
There’s also the FHD+ AMOLED display with a DCI-P3 color gamut on the Mi 8, which is a feature that’s was compromised with the Poco F1, as it only has the usual FHD+ IPS panel.
And while it might have a smaller battery, the Xiaomi Mi 8 does have Qualcomm’s new Quick Charge 4.0+ technology.
Also, the Mi 8 is the first device to have a dual-frequency GPS. Not a lot of people might find it useful, but it is still worth bragging about.
Lastly, let’s not discount the fact that the Mi 8 has a more premium design. This thing is sandwiched with glass in the front and back and it’s being held together by a 7000-series aluminum frame.
With all that said, the ultimate winner here still depends on the consumers. If you just want the best-performing smartphone for the money, then you can never go wrong with the Pocophone F1.
But if you want something that’s more lavish — something that has a great display, design, and camera quality — then the extra money that you’d be spending on the Mi 8 will be really worth it.