POCO F1

CPU: Quad core, 2.8 GHz + Quad core, 1.8 GHz, Snapdragon 845GPU: Adreno 630RAM: 6 GBMemory: 64 GB + Up to 256 GBSIM Slots: Dual SIM , GSM+GSMLet's start with the biggest highlight of the POCO F1 – its flagship-grade internals. The handset proves that the Snapdragon 845 SoC isn't just reserved for premium offerings. Yes, even though the phone is priced in the upper mid-range, it draws power from Qualcomm's top-tier chipset. The 10nm octa-core chip is mated to 6GB or 8GB of LPDDR4 RAM, with the latter version being the most affordable device with such a RAM capacity. And as you can expect, the performance is simply flawless. I'm reviewing the higher-end model and the F1 literally flies through anything thrown at it with utmost ease. There's nary an instance of lag while scrolling between screens, jumping in and out of apps or running heavy apps or games. With excellent software optimisation, there's usually more than 5GB spare memory on RAM on the phone.

Dimensions: 155.5 x 75.3 x 8.8 mmWeight: 180 grams

Operating System: AndroidOS Version: 8.1, OreoThe first time I started using the POCO F1, I got confused whether the smartphone is running stock Android with a custom theme. That isn't the case, but it's the next best thing however, as the handset boots Oreo 8.1-based MIUI 9.6, which offers stock Android-like characteristics thanks to the POCO Launcher. You see, there's a dedicated app launcher instead of just placing all the installed apps on the homescreen. And the way you can access the app drawer is exactly the same as on stock Android – swiping up from the homescreen. Interestingly, the menu not only offers the ability to quickly search for apps with a search bar in the bottom (you can also sort apps by means of the colour of their icons, though I'm not sure if it'll be faster than typing the name directly) or swipe to see apps automatically sorted on the basis of various categories. You can change the placement of these categories or remove them altogether as well. The notification drawer is also similar to what you'll find in the vanilla iteration of Google's mobile OS. Moreover, breaking away from its slow schedule of bringing MIUI to the latest iteration of Android, the brand has already promised an update to Android P by Q4 of this year.

Primary camera: 12 MPFlash: Dual LED FlashSecondary camera: 20 MP

Capacity: 4000 mAH, Li-Polymer, Non removableTalktime: Up to 30 Hours (2G)Standby Time:

The base model of the POCO F1 is priced at a lucrative price tag of Rs 20,999, while the 6GB RAM + 128GB storage variant will set you back by Rs 23,999. The top-end model on the other hand, carries a price tag of Rs 28,999. Then there's the Armoured edition – the one I've reviewed – which has a sticker price of Rs 29,999. All the variants of the F1 will be available to buy from Flipkart and Mi.com starting August 29th. Just like other offerings from Xiaomi, which compelled us to rework our conventional definitions of affordable and mid-range phones, the POCO F1 is also making us rethink how do we define the upper mid-tier price band. At a price where most smartphones come with Qualcomm's mid-budget 6xx series chipsets, the debut smartphone comes equipped with the best-in-class Snapdragon 845 processor. As such, there's no direct competition for the 6GB RAM models of the handset, as they go against the likes of the Honor Play (review), Nokia 7 Plus (review) and newly-launched OPPO F9 / F9 Pro (first impressions). While Honor's offering is quite compelling, it ships with the last year's flagship SoC, which falls behind the SD845. The 7 Plus is fuelled by the SD660, which is already undercut by Xiaomi's Mi A2 and hence doesn't stand a chance against the F1. Same is the case with the F9 Pro, which ships with the Helio P60 silicon.The fully specced-out variants of the POCO F1 takes on the base version of the ASUS ZenFone 5Z (review), which was hitherto the most affordable smartphone in India with SD845. While the phones match toe-to-toe, the F1 has 33 percent more RAM and four times the storage onboard along with a better battery life. That said, the 5Z edges ahead in terms of sheer looks.Pricing aside, the biggest competitor of the F1 is the OnePlus 6 (review). However, apart from the selfie cameras and an uninspiring design, it's hard to find a fault with POCO's offering, and when you add price to the equation, then the situation invariably tilts towards it.