POCO X8 Power was launched in September 2026, and the main highlight is the big battery smartphone in the mid-price range category. The handset is priced at Rs 35,999 for the 8GB RAM and 128GB storage variant and Rs 38,999 for the 8GB RAM and 256GB storage variant (with effective launch offers dropping the price to Rs 32,999).
We experienced the device for 2 good weeks, and here is our hands-on review to let you know how the device works before you make a decision to buy.
Look and Feel
Despite of having a huge 10,000 mAh battery, the POCO X8 Power feels surprisingly manageable at 8.65 mm thick and 229 grams- not heavy at all. As the price is distributed evenly, yet the device will be available at awkwardly handled in one hand. But it indeed is heavier than the usual smartphones which is used in the market.
The smartphone is available in clean Matte Black and a classic POCO Yellow vegan-leather finish, which looks very elite and premium on the hand. It indeed looks gorgeous with an eye-catching look. The handset certainly prioritised durability over flashiness.
Talking about the display, the handset is protected by a Gorilla Glass Victus 2 protection and an impressive array of IP66, IP68, IP69, and IP69K ratings for top-tier dust and water resistance.
Processor and performance
The handset is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 6 Gen 5 processor (4 nm) and delivers a smooth experience. It is further paired with up to 8GB LPDDR5X RAM and up to 256GB UFS 4.1 storage (the 128GB variant uses UFS 2.2), so juggling from one app to another will not be an issue, as it works seamlessly.
The handset runs on Android 16-based HyperOS 3 out of the box. It comes with 4 years of OS upgrades and 6 years of security patches, which certainly is a good point for those who want a device for the long run easily. The only thing I was bothered by was the cluttered software, as the handset comes with an overwhelming 35 third-party pre-installed applications, which may get annoying if you do not need them for use (at least half of them minimum).
Photography experience
The smartphone is good enough and features a primary 50MP sensor with OIS that shoots sharp daylight images with cool and natural tones. For the low-light photos, the phone delivers some really good photos with bare minimal noise. Alo, the night mode can artificially brighten scenes, and it does not look bad either at this price point.
Talking about the secondary 8MP ultrawide shooter, it may face some drop in detail but maintains consistent colours.
For selfies and video calls, the 32MP selfie shooter takes clean portraits and clear videos for VCs. Also for selfies, beautification smoothing the subjects keeps working even when you use minimum or zero. This means do not expect real-looking photos in your selfies – as they will be beautified, making your photos look smoother and with more textures included. Video tops out at 4K @ 30 FPS with stable footage on the main lens.
Gaming: Strong indeed!
The X8 Power handles casual and mid-tier titles effortlessly, pushing BGMI up to 90 FPS. Thermals are well-managed, allowing smooth gameplay sessions for 30 minutes without any hassle.
Heavy games like Shadow Fight 3, Ninja Arashi 3, and more can be run stably on lower graphics settings.
But if you need this device for main gaming purposes, then you might feel the lack of a gaming chip.
Battery: Long-lasting and strong
The main highlight of the device is backed by a 10,000mAh silicon-carbon battery, which delivers enough juice to run the device for 2-days of heavy multitasking smoothly. And it could last for more than 3 days if you normally use the device for just social media and basic calling. This is certainly impressive for those who are lazy who do not want to put effort into plugging their device in.
An hour YouTube stream may just drop the battery by 3 per cent- means you may watch multiple videos for a long stretch without trouble. When it comes to charging, the bundled 100W HyperCharge adapter tops up the phone from 20 per cent to 100 per cent in around an hour time.
It also doubles as a power bank with 27W wired reverse charging, helping your connected device.
Connectivity, audio and call quality
5G connectivity, Wi-Fi 5, and in-display fingerprint responsiveness are flawless.
The 6.83-inch 1.5K 120Hz AMOLED panel shines with HDR10+ and Dolby Vision support. Media consumption is enhanced by stereo speakers with Dolby Atmos.
Video calls are crisp via the 32MP camera, though activating the "400 per cent audio boost" can cause minor speaker distortion; it works smoothly when used at half capacity.
Value for money
At Rs 35,999, the X8 Power delivers solid value if your priorities are long and strong battery life, which could last for a couple of days. It further comes with a brilliant display and rugged IP ratings in an era of inflating component costs. According to my experience, this device suits those who needs gaming strength, long battery life, faster processor and for long term use.
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