Poco F8 Pro 2 1/2 month review
Hello. When I was researching what phone to get, I had a hard time finding reviews from long-term (ish) users, so I thought of giving one of my own now that I've had my Poco F8 Pro for 2 1/2 months in case it's of any help to people. I'm not really a techie, nor have I ever made a phone review, so this will probably be very messy, sorry in advance.
So I got my F8 Pro (256gb) for roughly $380. The 512gb version is only like $30 more but unfortunately was not in stock at the time, and I needed a phone already, so I picked up the 256gb version.
After 2 1/2 months of use, I have to say I am very happy with the device. My previous phone were the Samsung A21S and the Samsung A35, so this was a massive upgrade for me.
1st, I'll talk about the battery life. I find it to be very reliable. It can last me practically the whole day out with "casual" use. By casual I mean I use my phone often but just for browsing social media apps and messaging apps, while on mobile data, and taking a few photos or videos. I will note that I am perpetually on "battery saver mode" since I don't actually need really high performance from my phone for daily usage.
For gaming, I only really play Mobile Legends currently. A 27 minute game on max app settings (but on 60Hz) uses ~4% battery.
The 100W charging is really great though, and it takes less than an hour to charge to full. I think it also charges faster when the battery is really low, which is great when you forgot to charge and need a quick boost before heading out.
2nd, I'll take about thermals. My problem with my A35 was that is was insanely hot for no freaking reason. Even just opening a social media app would make it uncomfortably hot. IDK if it's really that way coz of the exynos chip or if I got a faulty device, but ya it was really ridiculous. With my F8 Pro, it manages heat quite well IMO. It only gets a little warm while playing mobile legends or while on calls, which doesn't bother me at all. Although the past 2 weeks, I noticed it running a little warmer and more often, compared to before, but maybe it has to do with it just being so damn hot in my country these days. regardless, it cools down pretty fast once you shut off the apps or whatever, so that's good. If you're out in the sun though or have your phone on a dock on your dashboard during the day where the sun is out, the phone is gonna heat up like crazy, which is the norm I believe.
3rd, the camera. I am not a photographer by any means, so my standards aren't the highest. That said, I think the camera quality is quite nice for the price point. I think it's perfectly fine for social media posts and for just snapping pics for keepsakes/memories or for sharing with friends and family. Here are a few shots from my phone without tweaking any settings. Not the best but not bad by any means IMO
4th, performance. As I said, i don't run any heavy games, so unfortunately I cannot give any feedback regarding that. However, for just everyday usage and apps, it runs super smoothly. It doesn't take any time to load apps or switch between them. Not really much else to say regarding that.
So those are the things I really tried to learn about while looking at phones, so that's what I'm sharing.
Some other things....
I find the phone a bit heavy, at least compared to my Samsung A35. That said, the phone feels nice in my hand and it looks nice as well. I think it definitely has a "premium" feel to it. I'm using a Nillkin case along with a SmartDevil screen protector.
I don't find the OS bothersome at all. I just followed a quick tutorial about debloating the phone and switching out some apps, and have not had any issues with it. Though I do think what people said about the OS not being so optimized is true coz for some reason the "poco launcher" battery usage for the past 25hrs is 5.69%. Idk what's up with that.
That's about all i can think of sharing regarding my experience.
Overall, I'm really happy with the phone. I actually panicked when a couple of weeks after I bought my device the X8 Pro came out because I thought I pulled the trigger too early and was beginning to regret my choice when I saw the specs of the X8 pro and the feedback. However, as I am not a heavy gamer on mobile by any means, the well-roundedness of the F8 pro ended up being the right choice for me.
Feel free to ask questions, and I'll answer if I am able