POCO X6 – On paper he is a LION, in real life a lost KITTEN
On offer on Amazon
CONFEZIONE
The sales package is in line with the latest standards of the Chinese company, therefore minimal but elegant. A black cardboard package with the logo and product name but no information relating to technical specifications. Inside, in addition to the usual manuals, we find the lapel pin for removing the SIM cart, cable USB A/USB-C, loader wall mount with European socket e output at 67W which allows very rapid charging according to current battery standards from 0 to 100% in approximately 44 minutes. Finally, a surprise update silicone cover, no longer transparent but smoky black. This does not weigh down the aesthetics of POCO X6 but it becomes indispensable in everyday life considering that the rear body of the device does not benefit from any oleophobic treatment, attracting dirt and fingerprints.
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DESIGN AND MATERIALS
The design of the POCO X6 is certainly not futuristic but in its own way it is iconic, but not in a positive sense, considering the "band" that runs along the entire horizontal axis on the back of the device, where the optics and a conspicuous writing bearing the wording 64 are inserted MP OIS. The entire frame of the phone is made of plastic bags and they are flat, helping the grip of the device. The left side of the device is smooth while the right side houses the on/off button and volume rocker.
Lo SIM slots it is positioned on the bottom edge and this accommodates two SIMs in nano format with the possibility on both slots of the use of the 5G network but unfortunately memory can not be expanded through micro SD cards. Always at the bottom in addition to the input for the USB Type-C cable which it also has OTG function (but no video output), we note the presence of the main microphone and one of the two stereo speakers, as the second is located on the upper edge accompanied by the input jack from 3.5mm for headphones, second microphone for noise reduction as well IR transmitter.
We conclude with the back where we find the aforementioned bump camera, which houses 3 lenses and an LED flash, protruding from the body and extending along the entire horizontal axis of the phone. The back completely made of plastic has a poor oleophobic treatment and so the "beauty" of the device is immediately disfigured by myriads of fingerprints. Overall, given the size of 161.15 x 74.24 x 7.98 millimeters and a well distributed weight of 184 grams, POCO The X6 is a comfortable terminal to handle on a daily basis. The colors available are black, blue and white with marbled effects. Finally the smartphone enjoys a IP54 certification against dust and splashes of water.
DISPLAY
On the front there is a 6.67″ AMOLED Flow panel whose frames are decidedly thin, in fact the side and top ones have dimensions of 1.3 mm while the lower one is of 2.27 millimetres. Despite the reduced thickness, the brightness and proximity sensors and the earpiece are inserted on the upper frame while the front camera is positioned inside the display hosted by the punch hole. About proximity sensor, this is kind of virtual and/or in any case poorly calibrated, in fact during calls or listening to voice messages, this does not always deactivate the display with the unpleasant consequences that we have known for some time on Redmi/Xiaomi terminals. There are no physical buttons but virtual ones which can be replaced by comfortable ones if necessary gesture for system navigation. The biometric sensor for unlocking the device via fingerprint is positioned under the display, proving reliable but also not very fast.
The display of the POCO X6 is aunit with diagonal 6.67 inches of AMOLED type CrystalRes enjoying a 1.5K resolution 2712 x 1220 pixels with pixel density equal to 446 ppi, in 20:9 format and 3% DCI-P100 color profile. Everything is protected by glass Corning Gorilla Victus that is, 1.5 times more resistant to falls and 2 times more resistant to scratches than the classic Gorilla Glass 6. Finally we have a refresh rate to 120 Hz and 240Hz touch sampling rate, plus full AI support DRM Widevine L1, Dolby Vision and triple certification TUV Rheinland for eye protection. However, the colors are well reproduced, leaving every user amazed by the beauty of the display. At the software level they are present color adjustment options and contrasts, even if the possible combinations do not feel the need because with the standard setting the panel offers an excellent yield with absolute blacks and bright and bright colors. Present also the Reading Mode and awakening the display with the double Tap. The brightness sensor works very well and the amplitude from minimum to maximum is also very good, counting on a peak brightness of 1800 nits. The only flaw is that although the display is advertised as having HDR Pro support, in reality HDR videos are not recognized on Youtube.
HARDWARE
Even in the hardware equipment the POCO X6 doesn't save money. In fact, under the body we find the processor Qualcomm Snapdragon 7s Gen2 with a 2.4 octacore clock frequency with a 4nm production process, and a GPU Adreno 710, RAM from 8 / 12 GB of the LPDDR4X type with the possibility of expanding by a further 12 GB in a virtual manner (a feature which in reality is of no use) and internal memory of 256 / 512 GB UFS 2.2 not expandable. This SOC/CPU combination offers an exceptional user experience, guaranteeing top performance, responsiveness and zero lag. I have never encountered any slowdowns in using apps and have never had any problems. Even from a gaming point of view, the playability was excellent even with demanding games, without however exceeding in detail to the maximum but above all zero particulate heating during the gaming experience or stress in general thanks to a wide heat dissipation area composed of graphite and graphene. Il POCO The X6 also brings with it connectivity Bluetooth 452, WiFi with dual band support which allows a WiFi switch to network data instantly, presence of the module NFC and GPS also Galileo with an always responsive signal fix and precision during navigation, IR Blaster and connectivity Dual 5G.
AUDIO AND RECEPTION
I have already talked about the Dual 5G module but in my case I was not able to test its real potential but I always received a 4G+ signal with excellent browsing speeds. Furthermore, the smartphone supports the possibility of calls via WiFi but there is no E-Sim support. It is possible to use 2 SIMs by setting call, message or internet preferences on one or the other SIM with support on both slots of the 5G network. Also present is the VoLTE function for increasing the audio quality in call.
Conversations on the telephone are pleasant and without annoying noises with clean and well-defined audio both in calls and in reception, with the possibility to record the call via the native Google dialer. The audio from the stereo speaker didn't particularly excite me, despite the certification being present Dolby ATMOS e Hi-Res audio also via wireless. The bitter taste in my mouth is left due to the fact that at high volume the body vibrates but above all the sound is distorted as there is an imbalance in the reproduction of low tones compared to medium/high ones. Fortunately, the 3.5 mm jack is present and listening with headphones significantly increases the quality and balance of the sound. The FM Radio is absent without the possibility of installing it or activating it with alternative tricks.
SOFTWARE
Unfortunately, a bitter surprise is that compared to its older brother POCO X6 is still on the market with the MIUI 14 instead of the new HyperOS system. The basic system however is Android 13 with the January 2024 patch, so at least here the brand could have made an effort and presented the smartphone with Android 14 ensuring that users did not miss out on a major update, counting on an update policy that is not always quick and reliable. I won't dwell further on this aspect but I'll just point out that you have to digest the presence of lots of bloatware (uninstallable) and lots of it invasive advertising. Luckily there are no particular defects to report. Excellent typing with the integrated keyboard which offers a dry and decisive vibration.
CAMERA
The rear camera reaches a resolution of 64 Megapixel ffinal match. where the optical image stabilizer stands out (OIS) so you can shoot stable video with resolution up to 4K 30fps. The focusing is fast and precise as is the shutter speed which allows good photos in "point and shoot" mode. The mode is present HDR which seems to work very well with the possibility of completely automatic activation. The photos overall come out very well and full of details, even if sometimes background noise, especially in low light conditions, is present. Without infamy and without praise the other two lenses, that is8MP ultrawide f/2.2 and 118° FOV and a useless one 2MP macro ffinal match.. The presence of an ultra wide-angle camera in some situations allows you to take the shot home but the performance compared to the main camera is decidedly subdued, both in the colors (more washed out) and due to the presence of aberrations in the edges of the photo.
The front camera has a resolution of 16 Megapixel ffinal match. which allows video recording at 1080p 60fps, a function not always present in other devices (even top of the range). Also in this case the camera gives good shots in good brightness conditions as well as excellent quality selfies but nothing professional or worth highlighting in terms of performance.
BATTERY
The integrated battery has a capacity of 5100 mAh which allows you to easily get to the end of the day with around 35/40% of residual charge with medium/intense use, allowing you to extend the battery life to almost two full days if you use the smartphone more lightly. But autonomy is not a problem at all considering the quick charge to 67W it will take you from 0 to 100 approximately 44 minutes. However, you will have to remember to activate the emergency charging setting in the settings. A typical day of mine, with web browsing, viewing videos on YouTube, 3 push email accounts, Whatsapp, Telegram, Facebook and about 1 hour of calls guaranteed me to arrive at 18.00 pm (leaving at 17.00 pm the day before) with a 24% battery remaining with 6 Hours and 30 Minute Screen On. In short, the combination of processor and optimization of MIUI 14 guaranteesexcellent level of autonomy.
PRICE
POCO X6 is sold starting from 299 € both on Amazon and on the brand's official store, guaranteeing shipments directly from Italy within a maximum of 48 hours with a 2-year Italian guarantee and all-Italian assistance. Perhaps the price is one of the real Achilles' heels of this terminal which is not justified neither by quality materials nor by innovation in general.
On offer on Amazon
PROJECTED IMPACT
The device of the Chinese brand basically it has nothing to envy of the most expensive and renowned smartphones but defects such as that of the proximity sensor, or the poor oleophobic treatment forcing you to always go around with a cleaning cloth, but also the many pre-installed advertising and bloatware, they are no longer justifiable as in the past where the quality/price ratio was unbeatable. POCO Furthermore, the X6 does not even shine in terms of photographic and video performance, although in this price range it is difficult to find the presence of OIS. In short, me I personally wouldn't buy it, at least at current prices, because with that amount I can take home valid alternatives or in any case focus on top of the range models from the past generation.
