Pocophone F1 long-term review

11 January 2019
A little phone that isn't small. A flagship that costs a third of what you'd expect. A contradiction? No, it's the Pocophone F1. Shocking? Awe-inspiring? Yes and yes. The most intriguing handset of the year isn't the most bezel-starved, or one with sliding bits and pieces, or one with an in-display fingerprint senso

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Anonymous, 11 Jan 2019They killed this phone by not having NFC! I don't get YOUR concept of "killing". This phone sold out like crazy... So I guess it held up against the odds anyway

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    • DieMicroTransaction
    • Kx1
    • 12 Jan 2019

    stoopie, 12 Jan 2019don't see why is better than lot of phones with sd660 chip ... moreLongevity, 845 will play most if not all mobile games for next 3 years, while 636/660 is stuttering in some graphics intense games already or not even supported altogether ie fortnite (next patch said to gives SD 660 support but probably on LOWEST quality setting)

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      • Anonymous
      • PGq
      • 12 Jan 2019

      "unapologetically plastic"

      This words seems familiar in this long-term review... *cough* iPhone 5C *cough*

        when release poco f2

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          • Anonymous
          • vaN
          • 12 Jan 2019

          Im no going to buy that Poco F1, Im going for the F2.

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            • Anonymous
            • NjB
            • 12 Jan 2019

            CommonSense, 12 Jan 2019What we should call it then? Flagship definitely is not $30... moreMidrange

              If it wouldn't be for missing NFC, I would recommend it to anyone that asks me. As it is, I can't really do that. That missing NFC is huge downside.

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                • Freeman
                • 3GH
                • 12 Jan 2019

                Adamas, 11 Jan 2019I do not understand all this "not working in Europe stuff".... moreSame applies for Italy and France, we do have face unlock in eu.

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                  • Anonymous
                  • P$6
                  • 12 Jan 2019

                  LOL ROFL Poco is the most innovative of 2018. Seriously is GSMArena this is your review?
                  You have slapped on face of Samsung Galaxy S9 and many other flagships.
                  I mean what is there in Poco F1 its screen is not durable at all on one fall the front of the screen breaks t adding GG3, there is always a screen bleeding issue, No NFC, No OLED Display or atleast a HDR10 Compliant display, No Metal body, Low sound quality, bullshit cameras, plastic buttons. On flagship phone can we accept a plastic body?
                  Only a phone with SD845 processor is eligible for a flagship category?
                  Its clearly a cheap quality phone which shows only numbers and act as a flagship but on real it is not. A term Flagship should be innovative enough otherwise there is no rights to add a title as Flagship to this phone. Its clearly a midranger not a flagship.
                  Poco F1 in 2018 is born to show only numbers i.e 845 and nothing else. Playing high graphics game should have a better processor agree but to view that game to its extent should have a better display you forgot.
                  All other internals except sd845 are of entry level even they are not of midrange level.
                  After reading this post people will think that only numbers are enough do hell with the innovations.
                  We need quality over quantity.

                    don't see why is better than lot of phones with sd660 chip for the same price or less.. or even 636... for little better frame rate in several games?

                      Nicolas F, 11 Jan 2019But it's not "budget", budget smartphones don't cost $300-350 =)What we should call it then? Flagship definitely is not $300-$350 either :) Perhaps low flagship or high budget?lol

                        I think one issue not addressed at any tests is that although it spec wise is closer to flagship, pricewise it’s a midrange. So instead of thinking that Poco will or can take shares from Note 9, assume it will attract buyers from Nokia (Nokia 6, runs SD625 and cost almost the same), Motorola (G6 plus, please..., SD630 for the same price) etc. It is guaranteed the best specked midranger all in all.
                        So yeah, no one that can and wants to buy a Mate 20, Note 9 etc will buy a Poco. But the rest should instead of buying mediocre phones for the same price. Otherwise you should drop even lower to low/mid prices 150-200€ which today probably offers the greatest value for money ever.

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                          • Anonymous
                          • D0h
                          • 11 Jan 2019

                          Don't make them raise the prices by adding unneeded expenses ,for Indian market it's enough

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                            • Anonymous
                            • nE0
                            • 11 Jan 2019

                            They killed this phone by not having NFC!

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                              • Adamas
                              • 0x%
                              • 11 Jan 2019

                              I do not understand all this "not working in Europe stuff". If you set the region in the settings to Poland, everything works in this phone, that you mentioned that it did not in the review. Even the face scanner.

                                The placement of fingerprint reader that close to cameras - it's just awful =(
                                That, and lack of Google Pay support, is what don't make it a really good smartphone.

                                  Whackcar, 11 Jan 2019The Pocophone is undoubtedly a great budget phone. I just d... moreBut it's not "budget", budget smartphones don't cost $300-350 =)

                                    It makes me remember lumia's which got better with each software update, for free.
                                    Who not want to get a lot for less, sort of magic. With new xiaomi redmi note 7 for about half of pocophone, you get similarly some impressive specs even if not perfect, it delivers basic upgrades(like for camera, screen) for the price of 1/6+ of others. Its flagship-mass-killer.
                                    Still, the pocophone did surely help realize what people need in phone the most - cameras, screen, updates and price that helps you keep with the trend of new features being released sooner and sooner.

                                      You know Pocophone has really good support of aftermarket support on XdA. Xiaomi releases kernel sources promptly and have also distributed the phone to developers of custom ROMs. Just head over to XDA and flash a aosp pie ROM and save yourself from a major downside of this phone. The ROMs are Mich better and stable from MiUI. Its like having Pixel's software on Pocophone

                                        hnbl, 11 Jan 2019Indeed the google camera app port makes the photos a ton be... moreYes. You can search the lens. Its the pixel 2 lens xiaomi have been using. With the stock app its fine, still amazing for the price. But with this google port its miracle how good the photos are.

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