Xiaomi's budget arm, the Poco brand, stands out for its strong performance at prices that don't break the bank. With a $470 tag, their new Poco X6 Pro competes with rivals such as the Google Pixel 7a and Samsung Galaxy A54 in an affordable mid-range niche.

In some aspects, it mirrors its forerunner, the Poco X5 Pro, yet a detailed inspection shows key upgrades - including a display that's both brighter and more crisp and enhanced overall speed. Xiaomi has set its sights on finding an ideal mix with this cost-effective behemoth - it caters to buyers who want total value but won't forfeit features.

Now we explore whether the Poco X6 Pro genuinely delivers its promise of being an unbeatable deal.

Xiaomi's Poco X6 Pro, Flagship Competitor

Xiaomi's Poco X6 Pro brings subtle design upgrades from its predecessor, the Poco X5 Pro, and the phone sports a more compact footprint, attributed to a smaller bezel around the display, boosting the screen-to-body ratio to an impressive 94%. The back features a prominent camera platform, elevating all three lenses and the flash in a square configuration.

The model tested, though plastic and smudge-prone, comes in black, while the yellow vegan leather variant adds a signature touch.

The fingerprint sensor transitions from side-mounted to an in-display setup, contributing to an enhanced premium feel. Xiaomi maintains its distinctive IR blaster feature, allowing users to control devices like Hi-Fi systems or TVs with the preinstalled Mi Remote app. Despite these incremental improvements, the Poco X6 Pro competes in a market where other options offer higher water resistance at a similar price.

Poco is renowned for its large camera modules, and the Poco X6 Pro follows suit with an expansive rectangular camera island that spans the width, creating a distinct design element. The glass island features a wave pattern underneath, adding a visually appealing touch.

Each camera module receives individual rings arranged in a grid with a separate enclosure for the LED flash.

Despite the substantial camera setup, the modules maintain a relatively flush profile with the chassis, minimizing wobbling on flat surfaces-the sides, constructed from polycarbonate, house a yellow-coated power button and volume rocker. Standard ports include USB-C at the bottom alongside the SIM card tray, accompanied by an IR blaster and stereo sound.

While lacking the IP68 protection in Xiaomi's mid-range phones, the X6 Pro offers IP54 dust and water resistance, suitable for occasional splashes or adverse weather conditions. Weighing just 190g, the phone provides a comfortable in-hand feel, balancing size and weight.

Poco's design choices, including a visually distinctive camera island, contribute to the X6 Pro's overall positive design impressions.

The Power of Poco X6 Pro

Poco X6 Pro boasts a MediaTek Dimensity 8300-Ultra chip, Mali G615 GPU, and a state-of-the-art 4-nanometer build. It's rigged with 12GB LPDDR5X RAM plus an ample 512GB UFS 4.0 for storage; these specs ensure top-notch gaming, letting you enjoy titles like "Genshin Impact" without a hitch.

The device also comes equipped with Memory Extension 3.0 technology, which adds as much as 8GB of virtual RAM when needed.

Heat can sometimes spike - still, GameTurbo kicks in to tune both CPU and GPU for better play. Benchmark tests show off its power: Geekbench 6 displays scores hitting the mark at 1,118 (Single Core) and soaring up to 3,813 (Multi Core). Not just that - it nets a score of around half past 4,000 on GPU Vulkan while Antutu v10 ranks it high at over one million three hundred twelve thousand points.

Fast data handling is guaranteed by UFS storage with read speeds peaking at well over 4,000 MB/s; write speeds don't lag far behind either-circling above three thousand seven hundred MB/s proves swift transfers are this phone's game.

Moreover, PCMark Work pushes boundaries, scoring the device close to fourteen thousand-a testament to robust performance capabilities across various tasks.