Xiaomi on Wednesday launched Poco F1, a part of its new sub-brand Poco, in India. Led by Xiaomi's Lead Product Manager Jai Mani, the Poco brand has unveiled its first smartphone in the country and is set to take on handsets in the mid-range segment. The Poco F1 is designed to compete against the likes of premium-looking, affordable flagships from OnePlus and Asus, among others. Similar to its competitors, the new smartphone comes with the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 SoC and up to 8GB of RAM. However, the interesting part of the launch is that the price in India of all the Poco F1 models has been set in the sub-Rs. 30,000 segment. But the OnePlus 6 - its primary competitor in India - offers a nearly stock Android experience and multiple colour options to choose from. Similarly, the Asus ZenFone 5Z also offers a premium design with top-of-the-line specifications.
Thus, we're taking a look at the Poco F1 price in India and specifications and comparing them with those of the OnePlus 6 and Asus ZenFone 5Z to help you make your buying decision.
The price in India of Xiaomi Poco F1 has been set at Rs. 20,999 for the 6GB RAM/ 64GB inbuilt storage variant, Rs. 23,999 for the 6GB RAM/ 128GB inbuilt storage model, and Rs. 28,999 for the 8GB RAM/ 256GB inbuilt storage variant. Xiaomi has also launched an Armoured Edition of the Poco F1 priced at Rs. 29,999. Notably, the smartphone will be available via Flipkart and Mi.com starting from 12pm IST on August 29. The smartphone comes in Rosso Red, Steel Blue and Graphite Black colour variants.
Xiaomi Poco F1 buyers can avail a Rs. 1,000 instant discount on HDFC Bank credit and debit cards in the first sale. Meanwhile, Reliance Jio users can avail up to 6TB of data, with additional benefits up to Rs. 8,000. Xiaomi will provide a soft-case bundled in the box. Also, a and an ultra-slim hard case has been made available at Rs. 399, apart from a Kevlar finished Armoured Case at Rs 799. Xiaomi has also unveiled its first 'official skins', priced at Rs. 299.
Meanwhile, OnePlus 6 price in India begins from Rs. 34,999 for the 6GB RAM and 64GB storage variant, and its 8GB RAM and 128GB model is priced at Rs. 39,999. Also, an 8GB RAM and 256GB storage variant was recently launched at Rs. 43,999. The smartphone comes in Mirror Black, Midnight Black, Red Edition, and Silk White.
On the other hand, Asus ZenFone 5Z price in India is Rs. 29,999 for the 6GB RAM and 64GB storage variant, and its 6GB RAM and 128GB storage variant is priced at Rs. 32,999. The premium 8GB RAM and 256GB storage model is priced at Rs. 36,999. The handset is available with Midnight Blue and Meteor Silver colour options.
The Xiaomi Poco F1 is a dual-SIM smartphone. It runs MIUI 9.6 out-of-the-box based on Android 8.1 Oreo. However, an MIUI 10 update is said to be coming soon. Xiaomi has also promised an Android P update. The Poco F1 uses MIUI for Poco, a customised version of MIUI that is said to be optimised for speed. The Poco launcher is said to appear closer to stock Android's UI and it also includes features like third-party app icon support. Xiaomi will also provide support for custom ROMs and will release the kernel in the next few weeks.
The Poco F1 comes with a 6.18-inch display and is protected by a 2.D curved Gorilla Glass 3 glass. The smartphone is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 processor that comes with LiquidCool Technology. The smartphone comes in 6GB and 8GB RAM variants. The Xiaomi Poco F1 bears a dual camera setup with a 12-megapixel Sony IMX363 primary sensor with 1.4-micron pixel, dual-pixel autofocus, and a 5-megapixel secondary depth sensor from Samsung. Additionally, there is a 20-megapixel camera that comes with HDR and AI Beautify features, with an IR light that powers the Face Unlock feature. The company claims that the AI camera is tuned especially for India, and has scene recognition features. The phone also comes with Dirac HD Sound support, with a Dual Smart PA.
The smartphone is equipped with 64GB/ 128GB/ 256GB inbuilt storage options, expandable via microSD card (up to 256GB) in a hybrid SIM slot configuration. The connectivity options in Poco F1 include 4G+, VoLTE, Wi-Fi 802.11ac, Bluetooth v5.0, USB Type-C, 3.5mm headphone jack. It includes sensors such as an accelerometer, ambient light sensor, digital compass, gyroscope, and proximity sensor. The handset packs a 4,000mAh battery with 18W charging support and Quick Charge 3 (charger bundled in box).
The OnePlus 6 is also a dual-SIM (Nano) smartphone. It runs OxygenOS 5.1 on top of Android 8.1 Oreo and is upgradable to Android P. It sports a 6.28-inch full-HD+ (1080x2280 pixels) Full Optic AMOLED display with a 19:9 aspect ratio. The phone is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 processor, paired with Adreno 630 GPU and up to 8GB of RAM.
In terms of optics, the OnePlus 6 bears a dual rear camera setup that comes with a 16-megapixel primary Sony IMX519 sensor and an f/1.7 aperture and a 20-megapixel secondary Sony IM376K sensor. At the front, there is a 16-megapixel Sony IMX371 sensor with an f/2.0 aperture.
OnePlus 6 is equipped with up to 256GB of inbuilt storage options. Connectivity options include 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi 802.11ac, Bluetooth v5.0, GPS/ A-GPS, USB Type-C, and a 3.5mm headphone jack. Additionally, there is a rear-facing fingerprint sensor and a Face Unlock feature that works with the front camera sensor. It is fuelled by a 3300mAh battery and measures 155.7x75.4.7.75mm.
The dual-SIM (Nano) ZenFone 5Z, on the other hand, runs ZenUI 5.0 based on Android 8.0 Oreo. It sports a 6.2-inch full-HD+ (1080x2246 pixels) Super IPS+ display with an 18.7:9 aspect ratio and Corning Gorilla Glass protection. It is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 SoC, paired with an Adreno 630 GPU and up to 8GB of RAM. It bears a dual rear camera setup that houses a 12-megapixel Sony IMX363 sensor with an f/1.8 aperture lens and OIS support and an 8-megapixel OmniVision 8856 sensor along with a fixed focus, f/2.2 aperture lens that has a 120-degree field of view, paired with a single LED flash. At the front, the phone has an 8-megapixel OmniVision 8856 sensor at the front. The smartphone also comes with Face Unlock support.
The ZenFone 5Z comes with 256GB of UFS 2.1 storage that is expandable via microSD card (up to 2TB). Connectivity options in the ZenFone 5Z include 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi 802.11ac, Bluetooth v5.0, NFC, GPS/ A-GPS, USB Type-C, FM radio, and a 3.5mm headphone jack. Sensors on board are an accelerometer, ambient light sensor, e-compass, gyroscope, fingerprint sensor, proximity sensor, and RGB sensor. The smartphone is fueled by a 3,300mAh battery that supports Quick Charge 3.0 and works with a proprietary AI charging tech. In terms of dimensions, it measures 153x75.6x7.7mm and weighs 165 grams.
Xiaomi Poco F1 looks great value for the price, but is there a catch? We discussed this on Orbital, our weekly technology podcast, which you can subscribe to via Apple Podcasts or RSS, download the episode, or just hit the play button below.
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