Poco has just revealed two flagship-level devices, the Poco F6 and F6 Pro, but what’s the difference between the two?
While you might assume that the Poco F6 Pro is an all-round upgrade on the Poco F6, it’s not quite as clear-cut as that. Yes, the Pro model features more premium tech overall, but the regular Poco F6 isn’t that far behind with a focus on performance for mobile gamers that could sway your buying decision.
We’re yet to go hands-on with the Poco F6 and F6 Pro, but here are some of the key differences between the two based on specs.
The Poco F6 has a more powerful processor
You might assume that the Poco F6 Pro has the more powerful processor of the two given its Pro-level branding, but that’s not actually the case. You see, while the Poco F6 Pro features the flagship-level Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 – the choice of flagships in last year in 2023 – the Poco F6 features the new Snapdragon 8s Gen 3, which only made its debut in April 2024.
It’s not more powerful than the current-flagship Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, but when we asked about relative processing power at its reveal, Qualcomm explained that the Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 sits somewhere between the 8 Gen 2 and 8 Gen 3 in terms of processing power.
That’ll give the Poco F6 an edge in the performance department, but given that the regular F6 is framed as a gaming phone, that shouldn’t be too surprising.
It’s also worth noting that, while the Poco F6 features a more powerful processor, the Poco F6 Pro benefits from additional RAM and higher storage options. In fact, with either 12- or 16GB of LPDDRX5 RAM and either 256GB, 512GB or 1TB of storage to choose from, it leaves the regular F6’s 6- or 8GB of RAM and 256GB/512GB storage looking a little paltry in comparison.
The Poco F6 Pro has a more premium display
The Poco F6 might be the more powerful of the two, but it’s the Poco F6 Pro that has the more premium display tech – and by quite a bit too.
You see, the Poco F6 Pro features a 6.67-inch AMOLED screen with a pixel-packed WQHD+ (3200 x 1440) resolution matched only by truly premium alternatives like the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra. That’s paired with a smooth 120Hz refresh rate and an impressive peak brightness of 4000 nits, double that of the Pixel 8 Pro.
It also offers support for 12-bit colour depth, and with 3840Hz PWM dimming, it should be easy on the eyes too.
Now don’t misunderstand us; the Poco F6’s display is far from unimpressive with a 6.67-inch AMOLED screen and matching 120Hz refresh rate, but it’s not quite as pixel-packed with a 1.5K resolution. Peak brightness has also taken a hit compared to its premium brethren, maxing out at 2400nits, and the PWM dimming has been halved down to 1920Hz too.
Still, these are very good specs that’ll likely deliver a great experience for mobile gamers – but we’ll confirm for sure once we go hands-on.
The Poco F6 Pro has faster charging
Both the Poco F6 and F6 Pro share the same 5,000mAh battery that should deliver strong battery life, but when it does come time to top-up the phones, the F6 Pro will recharge at a much faster rate.
In fact, with 120W HyperCharge support – and the charger in the box – users should expect rapid charge times. While we’re yet to test the F6 Pro specifically, the OnePlus 12 has a near-identical 5000mAh cell with 120W charge speeds and that could get a full charge in just 26 minutes.
The Poco F6 is no slouch with 90W HyperCharge support, again with the charger in the box, but it won’t be quite as quick to hit that 100% mark.
The Poco F6 Pro has a more capable camera setup
The Poco F6 Pro sports what the company calls a “50MP triple camera setup” which might lead you to believe that all three lenses are 50MP, but that’s not the case.
Instead, it’s just the main camera that gets the 50MP treatment, using the Light Fusion 800 image sensor that’s said to excel in HDR capture, along with staples like OIS and a super wide f/1.4 aperture that should also benefit low-light photography.
That’s paired with an 8MP ultrawide and a near-pointless 2MP macro camera, the latter only there to bump up the camera count compared to the regular F6.
That’s because the regular F6 also sports a 50MP main camera and 8MP ultrawide lens, though the main lens uses a Sony IMX882 sensor with a combination of OIS and EIS. The aperture is still pretty wide at f/1.59, which should give close-up shots a nice bokeh. You don’t get the 2MP macro lens like the Pro model, but honestly, you won’t be missing out on much.
The Poco F6 is more affordable
The Poco F6 is the cheaper of the new duo, coming in at £399 with 8GB RAM and 256GB storage, while the Poco F6 Pro will set you back £50 more at £499, with more premium options for both also available. Both are available to buy from parent company Xiaomi now, with discounted early bird pricing available until 30 May.
