POCO has confirmed that the POCO X8 Pro and POCO X8 Pro Max will launch in India and global markets on March 17th. Teasers released by the company show the X8 Pro in white and the X8 Pro Max in black, both with a metal frame and a dual rear camera setup. The phone will be sold via Flipkart in the country.
POCO had also earlier confirmed the processors. The X8 Pro will run on the MediaTek Dimensity 8500 Ultra, while the X8 Pro Max will be powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 9500s. These will be among the first phones in India to use the two chips. A Geekbench 6.4 listing for the X8 Pro Max shows a single-core score of 2,659 and a multi-core score of 8,386 with 12GB RAM and Android 16. Early benchmark results suggest the chip delivers roughly 20-30 percent better performance than the Dimensity 9300 in graphics and AI-heavy tasks.
Leaks suggest the POCO X8 Pro could feature a 6.59-inch 1.5K AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate, a 50MP main camera with OIS and a 20MP front camera. It is also tipped to carry an IP69K rating for water and dust resistance. The global version may include a 6,500mAh battery, while the Indian model could get a larger 7,560mAh battery similar to the one used in the Redmi Turbo 5. Both phones are expected to support 100W wired charging.
The POCO X8 Pro Max is expected to come with a larger 6.83-inch 1.5K AMOLED display, the same 50MP OIS camera and a much larger battery. Rumours point to a 9,000mAh unit with 100W charging. The phone is also expected to share hardware with the Redmi Turbo 5 Pro Max.
Pricing details briefly appeared on Xiaomi’s Belgium website before being taken down. The listing suggested the POCO X8 Pro could start at EUR 399 (around Rs 43,000) for the 8GB + 256GB model, while the 12GB + 512GB version may cost EUR 479 (around Rs 51,000). The POCO X8 Pro Max is tipped to start at EUR 529 (around Rs 57,000) for the 12GB + 256GB variant. The India prices could be lower. For context, the POCO X7 Pro 5G launched in India in January 2025 starting at Rs 26,999. It offered a Dimensity 8400 Ultra chip, a 6.67-inch 1.5K AMOLED display, a 6,550mAh battery and a 50MP camera with OIS. There was no Pro Max model in that lineup.
The addition of a Pro Max model suggests POCO is trying to stretch the X series into a slightly higher segment. If the specifications hold, the X8 Pro could remain the main option for buyers looking at performance phones around the Rs 30,000 – Rs 40,000 range. The X8 Pro Max, with its larger display and battery, may target buyers considering devices such as the Redmi Note 15 Pro series and the OnePlus Nord 5, but who want longer battery life and strong gaming performance. For current POCO X7 Pro users, the processor and battery upgrades might make the X8 Pro Max a compelling upgrade, depending on final pricing.
