POCO has launched its flagship POCO F8 series, comprising the POCO F8 Ultra and POCO F8 Pro, in global markets. The series brings Qualcomm’s most upgraded Elite-series chipsets, larger batteries, updated displays, Bose-tuned stereo speakers and software enhancements. There is no sign of the POCO F8 yet, and going by history, that may be the only model that makes it to India as POCO did not launch the POCO F7 Pro and F7 Ultra in the country.
The POCO F8 Ultra starts at USD 729 (about Rs 65,100) for the 12GB + 256GB variant and USD 799 (about Rs 71,300) for the 16GB + 512GB option. Early bird pricing brings those down to USD 679 and USD 729 respectively. Meanwhile, the POCO F8 Pro starts at USD 579 (approximately Rs 51,700) for the 12GB + 256GB model and USD 629 (approximately Rs 56,100) for the 12GB + 512GB variant, with early bird prices going down to USD 529 (approximately Rs 47,200) and USD 579 (around Rs 51,700). The F8 Ultra comes in Black and Denim Blue, and the F8 Pro will be offered in Black, Blue, and Titanium Silver variants.
For launch benefits, POCO is providing Spotify Premium trials, Google One storage, YouTube Premium trials, and one free screen replacement within six months of purchase.
The POCO F8 Ultra heads the lineup with a 6.9-inch OLED display coupled with 120Hz refresh rate, 3,500 nits brightness, Dolby Vision, and HDR10+. Under the hood, Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset is paired with up to 16GB RAM and 512GB storage. It runs the latest HyperOS 3 based on Android 16. For cameras, there’s a 50MP main camera with OIS, a 50MP periscope telephoto with 5x optical zoom, and a 50MP ultra-wide lens. A 32MP at the front is there for video calls and selfies. The F8 Ultra houses a 6,500mAh battery with 100W fast charging and 50W wireless charging, supported by Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4, NFC, and multiple satellite navigation systems. POCO has further fitted the Ultra with Bose-tuned stereo speakers, as well as an in-display fingerprint sensor.
The POCO F8 Pro, on the other hand, is more compact, packing a 6.59-inch AMOLED display supporting a 120Hz refresh rate and up to 3,500 nits peak brightness. It’s powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite (previous gen Elite chipset) paired with 12GB RAM and up to 512GB storage, also running on HyperOS 3. The chipset is the same as that on the POCO F7 Ultra. The camera setup on the phone includes a 50MP primary sensor with OIS, a 50MP telephoto lens with 2.5x zoom capability, and an 8MP ultra-wide lens. Selfies are handled by a 20MP front camera. The Pro variant packs a 6,210mAh battery with 100W fast charging and 22.5W reverse wired charging. It also features IP68 water and dust resistance, Bose-tuned speakers and the same connectivity suite as the Ultra.
Software support remains in line with the ongoing industry trend of at least four Android OS updates and six years of security patches.
The POCO F8 Ultra addresses users whose priorities are large screen displays, high zoom performance, larger battery capacity, and wireless charging. Meanwhile, the POCO F8 Pro offers a similar experience in a more compact size with a lower price, making it a more practical choice for flagship-level performance without stretching the budget. With long-term software support, bright displays, and large batteries, there is much to like in the POCO F8 series for buyers, at relatively competitive prices.
The POCO F8 series arrives at a time when premium devices are becoming increasingly pricey, and the Ultra and Pro seem positioned as value-focused options, when compared to flagships from Samsung, OnePlus, and iQOO. POCO is leaning heavily on battery capacity, display brightness, and bundled benefits. The newly launched iQOO 15 and OnePlus 15 could offer marginally better performance in the context of daily use, and more gaming-oriented features. However, the price advantage of POCO could make the F8 Pro and Ultra appealing to buyers looking at top-of-the-line hardware without crossing the Rs 70,000-Rs 80,000 price mark.
