Xiaomi’s sub-brand Poco has kicked off the year with the launch of its new M-series smartphone, the Poco M8 5G, in India. The device brings notable upgrades over its predecessor, the Poco M7, across design, display, and performance, positioning it as a strong contender in the sub-₹20,000 segment.

The smartphone stands out for its slim profile, AMOLED display, and dependable day-to-day performance. We tested the Poco M8 5G for over two weeks to evaluate its real-world reliability and see how it stacks up against the competition—especially considering its close resemblance to the Redmi Note 15 5G.

Design and Display

The Poco M8 5G sports an eye-catching design, thanks to its 7.35mm slim chassis, dual-tone rear panel, and curved display. At a time when most brands are shifting to flat screens, Poco (and Redmi) are bringing curved displays back into the spotlight.

Weighing just 178 grams, the phone feels comfortable in hand despite its large display. The rear panel features a matte finish at the centre, complemented by decorative racing-track-inspired stripes on either side, giving the phone a classy and distinctive look.

In terms of durability, the Poco M8 5G comes with an IP66 rating for dust and water resistance and MIL-STD-810H certification for impact resistance, making it feel sturdy. That said, the curved display does raise some concerns about edge protection during accidental drops.

Up front, the smartphone features a 6.77-inch FHD+ AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate and up to 3,200 nits of peak brightness—a significant upgrade over last year’s LCD panel. The display delivers crisp visuals, accurate colours, and smooth animations. However, it lacks HDR support on OTT platforms like Netflix, limiting content to standard dynamic range.

Despite concerns around curved displays, we did not experience any accidental touches. The slim bezels further enhance immersion, and the high brightness ensures excellent outdoor visibility, even under direct sunlight.

Camera Performance

The Poco M8 5G comes with a 50MP primary camera paired with a 2MP depth sensor. In daylight, the camera captures detailed images with good clarity, though colours tend to appear muted. A noticeable yellow tint is present in many shots, making images look slightly washed out.

Low-light performance is average at best, with reduced detailing and inconsistent colour reproduction. The absence of an ultrawide camera further limits versatility, especially for landscape and group shots.

On the front, the 20MP selfie camera captures good facial detail, but skin tones often look artificial and over-processed.

Performance and Software

Powering the Poco M8 5G is the Qualcomm Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 processor, paired with 8GB RAM and up to 256GB of internal storage. In real-world usage, the smartphone performs reliably. Everyday tasks such as social media browsing, multitasking, and streaming run smoothly, with no noticeable lag or stutters.

For gaming, titles like BGMI run smoothly on lower graphics settings. Even after over 30 minutes of continuous gameplay, the device showed no major frame drops or thermal throttling, though it does get slightly warm.

On the software side, the phone runs Android 15-based HyperOS 2. The experience is let down by excessive pre-installed bloatware, which affects overall usability and requires manual uninstallation. While animations and system controls are decent, they are not the best in the segment.

On a positive note, Poco promises 4 years of OS updates and 6 years of security updates, ensuring long-term software support.

Battery Life

The Poco M8 5G packs a 5,520mAh battery, delivering excellent endurance. With moderate usage, the phone comfortably lasts over 24 hours, offering an impressive 18–20 hours of screen-on time.

The device supports 45W fast charging, and the charger is included in the box. It takes a little over one hour to charge from 1% to 100%, which is reasonable for its battery size.

Verdict

The Poco M8 5G ticks many right boxes with its sleek design, bright AMOLED display, dependable performance, and long-lasting battery. It’s an ideal choice for users who prioritise display quality, aesthetics, and battery life.

However, average camera performance and a bloatware-heavy software experience may deter power users. Despite these shortcomings, the Poco M8 5G remains a solid option for students, first-time smartphone buyers, and casual users looking for a stylish and reliable 5G smartphone in the affordable segment.