Review of Xiaomi Poco F2 Pro - the most affordable smartphone with Snapdragon 865

Specifications

Platform	Android 10, MIUI 12 firmware
Display	6.67 inches, 2,400 x 1,080 pixels, Super AMOLED, 60 Hz, 395 PPI, Always on Display
Chipset	Qualcomm Snapdragon 865, video accelerator Adreno 650
Memory	RAM - 8 GB, ROM - 256 GB
Cameras	Primary: 64 Mp, 1/1, 72 ″, f / 1, 9, PDAF; 13 MP, f / 2, 4, 123˚ (wide-angle); depth sensor - 2 Mp; camera for macro photography - 5 megapixels. Front: 20 MP, 1/3, 4 ″, f / 2, 2
Connection	2 × nanoSIM, Wi-Fi 6, GPS, GLONASS, Bluetooth 5.0, NFC, GSM / GPRS / EDGE / LTE / 5G
Battery	4,700 mAh, fast charging (30 W)
Dimensions (edit)	163.3 × 75.4 × 8.9 mm
The weight	219 gram

Design and ergonomics

The front and back sides of the Poco F2 Pro are made of glass. There is an aluminum side frame between them. A distinctive feature of the smartphone is the design of the rear cameras: they are grouped in a protruding washer.

Rear cameras Xiaomi Poco F2 Pro grouped in a protruding washer

The back is matte and does not collect prints, and its edges are curved for comfort. However, the case is very slippery and it is best to put it in a protective case right away. This will increase the already rather large dimensions of the smartphone, but it can save it if it falls.

The dimensions and weight of the device are among the largest in the class - even the Xiaomi Mi 10 is more compact. The model is clearly not designed for those with small hands.

Xiaomi Poco F2 Pro is clearly not designed for owners of small palms

92.7% of the front side is occupied by a screen without cutouts or holes. I am glad that Xiaomi did not bend its edges: sticking a protective film or glass is not difficult. There are no false touches on the sides either.

The front camera is hidden in the body and slides out when necessary. The action is accompanied by a backlight and a sound signal, which can be configured or disabled.

The front camera of Xiaomi Poco F2 Pro is hidden in the body and slides out if necessary

The optical fingerprint sensor in the screen is fast and accurate. There is also a face recognition function, but it is hampered by the delay when raising the front camera. Fingerprint unlock is much faster.

In addition to the sliding front camera, there is a 3.5 mm audio jack for headphones on top, as well as an infrared diode for controlling equipment. The bottom end is occupied by a USB Type-C input, a multimedia speaker and a tray for two nano-SIM cards.

Screen

Poco F2 Pro received a display of 6, 67 inches, made using Super AMOLED technology. The matrix resolution is 2,400 × 1,080 pixels, which in recalculation gives a pixel density of 395 PPI.

However, the real value is lower due to the structure of the Diamond (green diodes are twice as many as red and blue). It is found in almost all screens based on organic diodes (OLED, P ‑ OLED, Super AMOLED), so they are inferior in clarity to IPS ‑ matrices.

Xiaomi Poco F2 Pro has a Super AMOLED display

The small white print shows looseness, but in most situations it does not interfere with the use of a smartphone. Also confusing is the refresh rate of the screen at 60 Hz - for a flagship in 2020, this is not serious.

Otherwise, we have an excellent display with a huge margin of brightness, maximum viewing angles and contrast, as well as natural color reproduction. In the settings, you can adjust the picture to suit your tastes, activate the dark mode and the DC Dimming function.

Software and performance

Poco F2 Pro runs Android 10 with MIUI 12 shell - we talked about it in a separate article. For two weeks, no bugs were found in the firmware, everything functions quickly and smoothly.

Last but not least, this is the merit of the Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 chipset. It includes eight cores made according to the standards of the 7-nanometer process technology with the big. LITTLE architecture: four work at reduced frequencies of 1.8 GHz, three at 2.42 GHz, and the latter is overclocked to 2.84 GHz. This combination reduces power consumption for simple tasks and increases productivity when needed.

The chipset also includes a 5G modem and an Adreno 650 video accelerator. You can evaluate the work of the latter in heavy games, for example, World of Tanks: Blitz. At maximum graphics settings, the frequency is kept at 60 FPS, only slightly sagging in difficult scenes.

Xiaomi Poco F2 Pro: you can evaluate the performance of the video accelerator in heavy games

The amount of RAM is 8 GB, which is enough for a dozen programs to run in parallel. Internal storage of 256 GB is also no question, although expandability would not hurt.

Sound and vibration

The new product does not have stereo speakers, but nevertheless it produces surprisingly loud and clear sound. The multimedia speaker at the bottom is equipped with its own amplifier and can compete with some stereo solutions.

There is no need to talk about competition with Xiaomi Mi 10, but against the background of Honor 30 Pro +, the smartphone holds up with dignity. The models are comparable in volume, with the Honor sounding more voluminous and the Poco F2 Pro having more powerful bass.

The multimedia speaker at the bottom of the Xiaomi Poco F2 Pro is equipped with its own amplifier

The sound in the headphones is also pleasing. The Qualcomm Aqstic codec is responsible for converting and amplifying the signal, in conjunction with the Beyerdynamic DT 1350 we get an even tonal balance and a decent study of all frequencies.

Finally, the smartphone has a really high-quality vibration motor capable of a wide range of tactile responses: from light tapping to powerful vibration.

Camera

The Pocophone F2 Pro has four rear cameras. The standard 64-megapixel module is equipped with high-aperture optics with an aperture of f / 1, 9. It is complemented by a 13-megapixel "width", a 5 megapixel macro lens and a depth sensor.

During the day, the smartphone takes great shots. The wide-angle camera copes with the task of fitting as many objects into the frame as possible, but the lack of optical zoom is frustrating. In the dark, the device "goes blind", but here the night mode comes to the rescue.

Standard camera

Macro camera

Wide-angle camera

Standard camera

Selfie

The novelty is the second Xiaomi smartphone after Mi 10 capable of recording 8K video. The frame rate is 30 FPS, while electronic stabilization is not available.

The smartphone also records 4K video with electronic image stabilization.

Autonomy

The Poco F2 Pro has a 4,700 mAh battery. The smartphone can easily withstand a day of active use with web surfing, social networks and instant messengers, as well as taking photos and watching YouTube. In the late evening, about 30% of the charge remains. Half an hour of playing World of Tanks: Blitz will drain your battery by 6%.

Poco F2 Pro easily withstands a day of active use

The included 30W adapter replenishes the charge in just an hour. But wireless recharge is not supported, since the smartphone is not equipped with an induction coil.

Outcomes

Poco F2 Pro is the most affordable Snapdragon 865 smartphone in Russia. For 50 thousand rubles, the user gets uncompromising performance in games and other tasks, decent sound and a large screen.

However, it's not hard to see where Xiaomi has saved. The 60 ‑ hertz display and the lack of a zoom lens are the main drawbacks of the model. Consider this if you are thinking about buying.