The POCO M8 Pro 5G is the top-specced device of the company’s latest mid-range POCO M series. It is also among the first phones from POCO in 2026. The new Pro device boasts a massive 6500mAh battery with a pretty impressive Snapdragon 7s Gen 4 chipset at the helm.
At less than PHP 20,000, it seems to be an impressive device at a pretty reasonable price. But that’s just based on the spec sheet alone. How does it actually perform in the real world with everyday use? Well, here’s my experience with the device for about two weeks.
POCO M8 Pro 5G Review
Full Specifications
| Display | 6.83-inch 1.5K CrystelRes AMOLED 120Hz refresh rate |
| Processor | Snapdragon 7s Gen 4 |
| GPU | Adreno 810 |
| RAM | 8/12GB |
| Storage | 256/512GB |
| Rear Camera | 50MP main (Light Fusion 800, OIS)8MP ultrawide |
| Front Camera | 32MP |
| Battery | 6500mAh silicon-carbon 100W HyperCharge 22.5W reverse charging |
| OS | HyperOS 2 (Android 15) |
| Colors | Black Green Silver |
Unboxing Experience
We unboxed the device recently, and you can watch it below:
It’s a pretty straightforward unboxing experience, especially if you’ve worked with POCO and Xiaomi devices before. That’s not a negative thing at all because you get a silicone case and a 100W charger out of the box. I appreciate the inclusions in 2026, especially at the price range..
Build and Design
The POCO M8 Pro 5G is built around a 6.83-inch 1.5K CrystalRes AMOLED with a 120Hz refresh rate. Moreover, it has a sleek 3D-curved design that makes it much easier to use the device, even in one-handed use.
The rear panel is made of a pretty glossy plastic, which can capture quite a lot of fingerprints, even with the colorway.
That said, though, it still felt like a pretty premium device. Part of this is thanks to the subtle design in the Green colorway, which features vertical lines with three different textures. Two of these divide the center of the device, while the third texture frames the device by occupying the fringes
POCO opted to keep all the buttons on the right-hand side of the device, which, while pretty high up the device, can be pretty reachable even with one-hand use.
Meanwhile, on the bottom are the USB-C port flanked by the SIM card tray, a microphone, and one of the speaker grilles.
It is also good to know that the POCO M8 Pro 5G is rated at IP66, IP68, IP69, and IP69K dust and water resistance, giving you a bit of ease of mind when using it day-to-day.
Media Experience
The 6.83-inch 1.5K CrystalRes AMOLED panel with a 120Hz refresh rate is pretty good, but also quite expected at its price point, and that’s not a bad thing.
I watched my fair share of K-pop music videos, YouTube videos, and played a variety of games (which I’ll get to later) throughout my time with the POCO M8 Pro 5G, and it delivered a good picture. Although one thing is that it can get pretty dim, even at maximum brightness, specifically when you’re outdoors, and the sun’s out.
One of my favorite things about the device, though, is its stereo speakers found on the top and bottom of the device. It made watching videos and playing in landscape quite an immersive experience, despite its size as a smartphone. I seldom enjoy the speakers of a smartphone; this is one of those times.
Performance
Under the hood, the POCO M8 Pro 5G is equipped with a Snapdragon 7s Gen 4 chipset coupled with up to 12GB RAM and 512GB storage. The more affordable variant of the device offers 8GB RAM and 256GB storage.
We were, thankfully, given the maxed-out configuration of 12GB RAM and 512GB storage, which allowed me to install games like Genshin Impact and Wuthering Waves, while keeping videos, photos, and other games onboard, without worrying about running out of storage.
Now, 12GB RAM is quite a lot when it comes to everyday use, but I’d rather have too much RAM than lack it. The higher RAM, coupled with the chipset and larger storage, combine to offer a pretty smooth experience with everyday tasks like going through social media, doom scrolling, checking emails, watching videos, and playing.
The Snapdragon 7s Gen 4, in particular, handles pretty much everything I threw at it with relative ease. I played games like Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, Honor of Kings, and Call of Duty Mobile at max settings and had no problems.
If you’re a mobile gamer who plays heavier games like Genshin Impact and Wuthering Waves, the POCO M8 Pro 5G can manage up to High settings. If you don’t mind the graphics being a bit scuffed, you can play at Medium settings. The device can handle the highest settings, but you’ll start to experience stuttering and a bit of heat.
Overall, pretty impressive for a device at less than PHP 20k, especially with the 12GB+512GB variant.
Camera
As far as optics go, it is pretty decent. It features a 50MP main camera, accompanied by an 8MP ultrawide sensor around the back.
The 50MP main camera basically carries the camera experience of the POCO M8 Pro 5G. You don’t get to enjoy optical zoom beyond 2x as you would with a device with a telephoto lens, but at least you’ll get a bit more elements in your shot with the 8MP ultrawide snapper.
That said, though, the difference between the shots of the 8MP ultrawide and its main camera counterpart is pretty telling. However, it is good enough if you’re looking to share your day-to-day life on social media.
Rounding out the camera system of the POCO M8 Pro 5G is a 32MP on the front, housed in a punch hole at the center top of the display.
It’s a pretty decent camera, but it is notable that you get an option to shoot in either 1x or 0.8x. The latter, I was pretty pleasantly surprised to find out, allowing you to include a bit more in your selfies. It may not be the biggest of additions, but if you’re like me, who ends up taking selfies when traveling, sometimes it’s just what you need.
We’ve also uploaded the resized photos here.
Battery
The battery is where the POCO M8 Pro 5G stands out with its 6500mAh silicon-carbon battery. Additionally, it charges at 100W HyperCharge and offers 15W reverse charging.
Before I get to my experience, below is a table of the device with the PCMark Battery Test, which runs the device through everyday tasks like scrolling through documents, watching videos, and more until it hits 20% battery. I ran the test through the three display modes – namely, Default or Adaptive, 120Hz, and 60Hz.
| Display Mode | Time |
|---|---|
| Adaptive Refresh Rate | 16 hr 44 min |
| 120Hz refresh rate | 16 hr 27 min |
| 60Hz refresh rate | 20 hr 59 min |
I got to use the devices roughly around the same time with the default mode. Yes, I mostly use it in adaptive mode so I can maximize the device while also getting a bit more battery.
Charging was also a breeze with the POCO M8 Pro 5G, thanks to the included 100W charger out of the box. If you’re the type to fully drain the battery to 0%, you’ll have it fully charged in about an hour. I think this is pretty impressive given that you’re topping up a larger battery capacity that will last you roughly a day.
If you don’t have time to charge fully, a 15-minute charge will give you around 33%, while 30 minutes gave me 51%. This is more than enough to give you that ‘extra life’ to get a ride home, or maybe update your loved one on your whereabouts later in the day, while still
Software
The POCO M8 Pro 5G runs on HyperOS 2 on top of Android 15. Yes, sadly, it doesn’t run on the latest HyperOS 3, which the POCO F8 series runs on, out of the box.
Upon boot, HyperOS has quite a lot of pre-installed apps, which I’m not a fan of. Sure, there are useful apps like Facebook and TikTok, but I had to uninstall the majority of the bloatware.
Additionally, it has some features that I feel like complicate things, like changing your wallpaper by holding on your homescreen. Doing so on HyperOS opens the Themes app, rather than a simplified version that allows you to use your own photos on other Android-based UIs. HyperOS, instead, has the simplified version under Personalization in the Settings app.
I would prefer a more streamlined version of customizing my device, rather than being forced to use the Themes app.
Other than that, HyperOS is a decent skin on top of Android. You get options like the option to make folders on your homescreen larger, have an app drawer, split screen, smart sidebar, and more.
Verdict
For a device that starts at PHP 16,999 and maxes out at PHP 19,999, the POCO M8 Pro 5G is a commendable device for everyday use. The mix of the processor, the decent camera system, and, especially, the large battery makes for a good combination for a reliable daily driver.
The chipset, coupled with the battery, in particular, makes for a partnership that works well for users who like a bit of power to be able to occasionally play throughout their day or just binge-watch videos all day.
It does have its setbacks, though, an example of which is the software, which, if you’re a first-time user, could take time getting used to. Sure, bloatware is a one-time thing, but there are other features that take extra steps on HyperOS, compared to other Android UIs. That said, though, its less than PHP 20K price tag makes it pretty understandable.
The POCO M8 Pro 5G is more affordable than the Redmi Note 15 Pro+ 5G, which shares much of the spec sheet but has a better main camera. So, if you have your eyes on either device, you’ll have to choose between a better camera and a more affordable device.
Would I recommend the POCO M8 Pro 5G? Yes, I would, especially for those with tight budgets but still want a pretty decent device overall.
You can check out the POCO M8 Pro 5G exclusively via the official Shopee.
Ram found his love and appreciation for writing in 2015 having started in the gaming and esports sphere for GG Network. He would then transition to focus more on the world of tech which has also began his journey into learning more about this world. That said though, he still has the mentality of "as long as it works" for his personal gadgets.
