Poco has officially introduced its latest budget-friendly 5G contender, the Poco M8 5G, to the Indian market. Positioned to compete fiercely in the highly contested sub-₹25,000 segment, the device takes direct aim at rivals like the OnePlus Nord CE 5 and the Realme P3 Pro. The smartphone's key selling points include the new Qualcomm Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 processor and the company's HyperOS 2 software, packaged at a slightly more aggressive price than its recently launched sibling, the Redmi Note 15 5G.
Poco M8 5G: Pricing and Launch Offers
The Poco M8 5G arrives with competitive pricing that is sure to attract budget-conscious buyers looking for 5G connectivity. The 6GB RAM with 128GB storage variant is priced at ₹18,999. For users needing more memory, the 8GB RAM/128GB model costs ₹19,999, and the top-tier 8GB RAM/256GB storage option is set at ₹21,999.
To sweeten the deal, Poco has announced attractive launch offers. Customers can avail an instant discount of ₹2,000 when using ICICI Bank cards or can get an additional ₹2,000 exchange bonus on their old device. Furthermore, the company is offering an extra ₹1,000 discount during the first 12 hours of the sale. The smartphone will be available for purchase exclusively on Flipkart starting January 13.
Detailed Specifications and Features
At the front, the Poco M8 5G sports a large 6.77-inch Full HD+ AMOLED display with a resolution of 2392 x 1080 pixels. The screen is a highlight, supporting an adaptive refresh rate of up to 120Hz and achieving an impressive peak brightness of 3,200 nits. It also incorporates 3840Hz PWM dimming and holds a Triple TÜV Rheinland eye protection certification for reduced strain.
Under the hood, the device is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 chipset, paired with an Adreno GPU. It is coupled with LPDDR4X RAM and UFS 2.2 storage. On the software front, it runs on HyperOS 2 out of the box, with Poco promising a substantial 4 years of Android updates and 6 years of security patches.
Camera, Battery, and Build
For photography, the phone features a dual-camera system on the rear led by a 50MP Light Fusion 400 primary sensor, accompanied by a 2MP secondary lens. This setup supports 4K video recording and slow-motion capture. Selfie duties are handled by a 20MP front-facing camera.
Keeping the lights on is a substantial 5,520mAh battery that supports 45W wired fast charging (with the charger included in the box) and 18W reverse charging. The design is sleek, measuring just 7.35mm in thickness and weighing 178 grams. Other notable features include an in-display fingerprint sensor, dual stereo speakers with a 300% volume boost, and an IP65/IP66 rating for dust and water resistance.
With its combination of a vibrant high-refresh-rate display, a capable new processor, long-term software support, and a massive battery, the Poco M8 5G makes a compelling case for itself in the budget 5G arena. Its launch offers further enhance its value proposition, setting the stage for a intense battle with established players in the ₹20,000 price bracket.
