Budget smartphones are plentiful, and each model is making an attempt to do one thing completely different to seize the eye of the lots. The Poco X6 Neo is the brand new child within the block, effectively not truly new, it is a rebranded Redmi Note 13, however with some modifications to its design and software program. The key promoting factors for the Neo are its slim show bezel and an total slim type issue. The Poco X6 Neo joins the Poco X6 and the Poco X6 Pro. This ends in a sequence of units that stretches from the price range section deep into to the mid-range.
We’ve been testing the price range Poco X6 Neo for per week to try to discover out if it’s a good cellphone for round Rs. 15,000 and this is what we discovered.
Poco X6 Neo Review: Price in India
The Poco X6 Neo is offered in India in two variants. The base mannequin with 8GB RAM and 128GB storage is priced at Rs. 15,999, whereas the higher-end 12GB RAM + 256GB storage choice could be yours for Rs. 17,999.
Poco X6 Neo is offered in three color choices
The Poco X6 Neo is offered in Astral Black, Horizon Blue, and Martian Orange. We obtained the 12GB RAM variant in Martian Orange for assessment.
In the field, the Poco X6 Neo is offered with a case, a 33W quick charger, a USB Type-A to Type-C cable, SIM ejector instrument, and the same old paperwork.
Poco X6 Neo Review: Design
In phrases of design, the Poco X6 Neo is definitely an excellent trying cellphone. We’ve been testing out the Martian Orange colourway, which has a marble-like end on its again panel that shines although when mild hits the floor. It’s type of cool and is definitely eye-catching. Otherwise, the panel has a matte end to it, which is sweet at resisting fingerprints and smudges.
It’s acquired a flat body with a slight taper that makes the cellphone comfy to carry in hand. Both the body and again panel are constructed from plastic, which helps maintain it mild at simply 175 grams. There’s additionally an oblong digital camera module on the again with the twin cameras, which protrude outwards fairly a bit. When laid on its again, the protruding cameras makes the cellphone wobble.
The Poco X6 Neo has a single loudspeaker
The Poco X6 Neo can be fairly skinny, at simply 7.69mm. On the entrance, you get skinny bezels across the flat show which provides it a really premium look. There’s no thick chin both such as you see on most telephones on this worth bracket. The cellphone provides an IP54 mud and splash resistant score and the show display is roofed in Gorilla Glass 5.
Poco X6 Neo Review: Specifications and software program
Moving on to specs, the Poco X6 Neo is supplied with a MediaTek Dimensity 6080 SoC, which relies on a 6nm fabrication course of. It is paired with a Mali-G54 MC2 GPU and as much as 12GB LPDDR4X RAM and 256GB of UFS 2.2 storage. You cannot anticipate sooner RAM and storage on a cellphone that is priced this aggressively.
Poco X6 Neo has a side-mounted fingerprint scanner
The cellphone comes with a USB Type-C port, a single loudspeaker, and a microphone on the backside. The quantity and energy buttons are positioned on the left facet, whereas the precise body homes the SIM ejector tray, which helps twin SIM or a single SIM and a microSD card. At the highest you may discover an infrared blaster, a microphone, and a 3.5mm headphone jack. The cellphone has 5G help, Bluetooth 5.3, dual-band Wi-Fi, and help for the same old international positioning programs.
Poco has used a side-mounted fingerprint scanner on the X6 Neo that is positioned beneath the Power button. The scanner is quick and works effectively. We didn’t face any points throughout our time utilizing the cellphone.
The cellphone packs a 5,000mAh battery and comes with a 33W quick charger. Out-of-the-box, the Poco X6 Neo runs Android 13-based MIUI 14, and you’ll get two years of Android and 4 years of safety updates. However, since Google will quickly launch Android 15 later this 12 months, you are primarily solely getting one 12 months of Android OS replace with the X6 Neo, which is type of disappointing.
Poco X6 Neo has a whole lot of bloatware
In phrases of software program options, you get the Poco launcher on the cellphone with Glance lock display (which fortunately could be disabled), together with loads of bloatware and commercials. While many of the bloatware could be uninstalled, there are a few apps that you will have to dwell with. There’s your ordinary set of MIUI 14 options onboard the cellphone as effectively.
Poco X6 Neo Review: Performance
In phrases of efficiency, there’s not a lot occurring with the X6 Neo as a result of it’s your common run-of-the-mill performer. The MediaTek Dimensity 6080 SoC is first rate for on a regular basis use and for some gaming. We ran some benchmarks on the cellphone and listed here are the outcomes. With AnTuTu, the cellphone scored 4,59,491 factors. On Geekbench 6’s CPU benchmarks, the cellphone scored 613 factors in single core exams and 1,798 factors in multi-core exams. In the GPU take a look at, the cellphone managed a rating of 1,407 factors. As you’ll be able to inform, it is nothing out of the abnormal.
The cellphone is supplied with a MediaTek Dimensity 6080 SoC
One of the important thing promoting factors of the Poco X6 Neo is its show. You get a 6.67-inch AMOLED show with 120Hz refresh fee, full-HD+ decision, and as much as 2,160Hz contact sampling fee. The panel additionally options tremendous skinny bezels throughout. The facet bezels are razor-thin at simply 1.5mm. Meanwhile, the highest bezel is 2mm and the underside bezel is 2.5mm. At first look, the bezels look like uniform and provides the machine a premium look. It’s fairly a uncommon sight to see shows with such skinny bezels at this worth level, particularly of the AMOLED selection. Most telephones on this worth bracket get an LCD panel, which implies much less deeper blacks and no help for Always-on Display (AOD).
The display will get vibrant sufficient because of 1,000 nits of peak brightness, but it surely has a typical brightness of simply 500 nits. The display is seen open air, however solely barely. The cellphone provides three color modes – Vivid, Saturated, and Standard. We’d suggest going with the Standard color mode if you need probably the most correct colors, or Vivid if you need the cellphone to regulate colors based mostly on what’s on the show. You can even modify the color temperature on the cellphone. Viewing angles are fairly good with no change in colors and distinction.
The Poco X6 Neo has a 500 nits show
The cellphone comes with a single loudspeaker that may get loud, but it surely lacks any kind of bass. Microphone and ear speaker high quality can be first rate and I did not face any points when making cellphone calls. The Poco X6 Neo is sweet for content material consumption, however it could’ve been good if the corporate had included stereo audio system.
I performed Call of Duty: Warzone on the Poco X6 Neo and it mechanically set the graphics high quality to ‘Low’, however this wasn’t shocking. You can play BGMI and different graphic intensive video games on the cellphone, however do not anticipate excessive or extremely graphics. BGMI chosen HD graphics by default however had many of the results greyed out. During lengthy gaming classes (30 to 45 minutes) the cellphone didn’t heat-up a lot, and efficiency did not drop. Touch sensitivity was additionally good, however there have been a couple of misses right here and there. I did not discover any heating points when utilizing the digital camera or throughout common utilization. The cellphone stayed cool in most eventualities.
Gaming on the Poco X6 Neo is enjoyable because of the massive show
Coming to software program efficiency, I didn’t discover main lagging or stuttering when navigating the UI, opening apps, or utilizing the digital camera. Yes, the cellphone did lag often when switching digital camera modes and I did discover some stutter in animations. Overall although, the 120Hz refresh fee helps overcome these uncommon stutters and it isn’t going to be a dealbreaker.
The Poco X6 Neo’s 5,000mAh battery would simply final me a day and half with common utilization that included some gaming, watching movies, listening to music utilizing wired headphones, taking images, searching the online, and making some calls. With heavy utilization that included an hour of gaming, picture/video seize, and a few hours of streaming content material, the cellphone would final me a day. The cellphone helps 33W quick charging and comes with a charger within the field. In our exams, the cellphone took about 1 hour 15 minutes to cost from 1 to 100%, whereas 50 p.c cost was achieved in about 35 minutes.
Poco X6 Neo Review: Cameras
Alright, let’s discuss in regards to the cameras. The Poco X6 Neo comes with a twin rear digital camera setup that features a 108-megapixel Samsung ISOCELL HM6 sensor and a 2-megapixel depth sensor. On the entrance, the cellphone has a 16-megapixel sensor for selfies and movies. The Camera app is straightforward to make use of and has many of the digital camera modes laid out proper in entrance. There’s a devoted 108-megapixel mode, a Night mode, Portrait, Documents, and a More choice that provides you entry to Time-lapse, Slow movement, Pro mode, Panorama, and AI watermark.
Poco X6 Neo has a 108-megapixel foremost rear digital camera
Daylight pictures from the primary digital camera present good element with correct colors in most capturing eventualities. However, it wasn’t in a position to deal with troublesome lighting situations effectively, regardless of having the HDR choice enabled. The 108-megapixel captures pack extra element, are surprisingly sharp and color correct. In low-light, the digital camera does not carry out very effectively even in Night mode. There’s an enormous drop intimately, sharpness, and color accuracy. You may also see washed out colors and particulars.
Poco X6 Neo major digital camera pattern (Tap picture to increase)
Poco X6 Neo major digital camera pattern captured at 3X digital zoom (Tap picture to increase)
The Poco X6 Neo provides 2x and 3x digital zoom from the first digital camera, however the zoomed pictures are digital crops and so, do not pack a lot element. There’s loads of watercolour impact seen in zoom pictures particularly at evening. Daylight pictures are higher and do have some stage of element.
Poco X6 Neo major digital camera pattern (Tap picture to increase)
Poco X6 Neo major digital camera pattern captured at 3X digital zoom (Tap picture to increase)
You additionally get a 2-megapixel depth sensor which is used when capturing Portrait images. The digital camera takes first rate portrait images in daylight, however issues get unhealthy as soon as the solar goes down. There aren’t any choices to decide on in Portrait images, however you’ll be able to modify the depth of discipline. Edge detection in daylight common. In low mild images, you’ll discover flaws with edge detection.
When it involves selfies, the Poco X6 Neo once more manages first rate images. Daylight selfies are good and have an excellent stage of particulars with correct white stability and colors. Low Light selfies are washed out and lack particulars.
The Poco X6 Neo solely provides 1080p 30fps video recording from each the rear and entrance cameras. While you need to use the digital camera to document movies, anticipate it to have loads of noise and artefacts. The dynamic vary can be not nice in daylight movies and issues worsen in lowlight situations. Stabilisation in video is first rate at finest, begin working and you will see all of the jitters. In Slow movement mode you’ll be able to document at 720p 120fps, however the outcomes are mediocre.
Overall, the digital camera setup on the Poco X6 Neo is sweet for fundamental daylight images.
Poco X6 Neo Review: Verdict
The Poco X6 Neo 5G has a beginning worth of Rs. 15,999 and sees competitors from telephones such because the Realme 12 5G, Redmi Note 13 5G, and the Vivo T3 5G. However, solely the Realme 12 5G is in the identical worth bracket, whereas the others price somewhat bit extra. Of course, once you pay extra, additionally, you will get a greater cellphone, particularly with regards to digital camera efficiency.
Poco’s X6 Neo’s {hardware} is not actually new, but it surely does provide good worth for cash. The AMOLED show is certainly one thing that you just will not discover on this worth section and is nice for content material consumption. The cellphone can even take good images in daylight situations. You get good battery life, and first rate efficiency as effectively. At this worth level, the Poco X6 Neo is certainly a hero.