Poco F4 review | Tech Advisor

Price When Reviewed

Unavailable in the United States

Poco launched the F4 GT again in spring of this yr – a gaming phone with some best specifications and a daring design. Now it’s being joined via the usual Poco F4, a extra understated phone, however one that also is extra inexpensive and excellent for somebody searching for an all-round, good-value tool.

I’ve used the Poco F4 to look the way it copes day after day, learn how nice the cameras are, how the design holds up and extra.  

Design & Build 

• Sleek however generic design 
• IP53 score 
• No headphone jack 

The Poco F4 is to be had in a number of 3 colors: black, silver and inexperienced. Although the design isn’t garish just like the GT (or another older Poco fashions), it’s nearly so undeniable that it doesn’t actually stick out from the group. Currently, Poco telephones lack a particular design language, and it actually presentations with the F4.

At 7.7mm it’s quite narrow, and in addition rather light-weight at 195g. Despite the skinny construct, it feels strong and the IP53 score will guard towards some mud and light-weight rain. The presence of any type of waterproofing on a phone at this worth makes the F4 aggressive towards opponents such because the Realme 9 Pro+.

Like the GT variant, the Poco F4 doesn’t have a headphone jack – that may be a deal-breaker for some (however most probably no longer many on this age of Bluetooth headphones). There’s a side-mounted fingerprint scanner at the energy button, and I discovered this labored effectively.  

The Poco F4 has a seven-layer warmth dissipation construction and a vapour chamber cooling machine, all designed to stay the chip cool when working strenuous duties. However, the phone itself nonetheless will get beautiful sizzling while you’re gaming. 

Screen & Speakers  

• 120Hz refresh fee 
• Stereo audio system 
• Variable refresh fee

One of the most productive issues concerning the Poco F4 is its 6.67in FHD+ AMOLED show, which boasts a 120Hz refresh fee and enhance for Dolby Vision. This phone has a distinct panel to the F3, which Xiaomi claims makes colors seem brighter, improves visibility and HDR efficiency. 

I wasn’t in a position to check the F4 at once to the F3, however I will be able to say that movies do glance nice, as do pictures in this display screen. Brightness is sufficient that I may just use it underneath direct daylight and no longer really feel like there used to be an enormous quantity of glare. I additionally didn’t want to set it to complete brightness at all times. 

This phone has a variable refresh fee show, because of this that it will possibly transfer between 60Hz and 120Hz relying at the process you’re doing. This method easy scrolling in social media feeds, however a decrease refresh fee at different occasions to preserve battery energy. Alternatively, you’ll stay it locked to at least one or different the entire time.  

The F4 has stereo audio system which enhance Dolby Atmos. The audio that fires from each ends of the phone is loud and punchy, or even song has readability and intensity, if no longer a lot bass.

Specs & Performance 

• Up to 8GB RAM + 256GB garage 
• Qualcomm Snapdragon 870 processor
• Decent day by day efficiency 

The Poco F4 makes use of a Snapdragon 870 processor. It’s no longer rather the most recent chip at the block, however it does ship easy efficiency and may be very in a position to multitasking with no hitch. It will also run some video games like Genshin Impact on decrease settings, although this tough sport does turn into just a little laggy when graphics are set to medium.   

You can see how the F4 compares to the F4 GT and different Android telephones in our benchmarking exams:  

So, efficiency is ok, however there’s an issue: it’s precisely the similar because the Poco F3, so there’s completely no reason why to improve in the event you already personal that phone.

You can learn our interview with Poco’s world head, who places this determination all the way down to Qualcomm no longer liberating a brand new inexpensive chip that may be a worthy successor to the Snapdragon 870.  

Cameras 

• 64Mp primary digital camera with OIS 
• Mixed night time mode 
• Video as much as 4K at 60fps 

The Poco F4 has a triple-camera machine: a 64Mp with OIS, an 8Mp wide-angle and a 2Mp macro.  

You can simply seize a tight photograph right through the day, with sharp main points and unique textures. Like different mid-rangers, the HDR mode in this phone is at the sturdy aspect, making sunglasses seem extraordinarily brilliant however rather unnatural. The digital camera too can be afflicted by flare from the solar on brilliant days.  

The addition of OIS is the largest exchange from the Poco F3. Photos taken in low-light nonetheless glance nice, and feature first rate colors. However, the F4 does fight at night time when there are brilliant lighting fixtures within the body. Overall, the effects aren’t rather as spectacular as from different mid-range telephones.   

On shifting topics, the OIS does lend a hand stabilise topics and cut back movement blur in puts, however that is inconsistent.

Portrait mode has enough background blur however loses the sharpness and element – particularly in low lighting fixtures. Wide-angle photographs from the 8Mp lens lose the readability and sharpness of photographs from the principle digital camera, and hues aren’t as brilliant. However, it’s nonetheless at hand for panorama photographs or crew footage.

Like maximum inexpensive mid-range telephones, the macro digital camera is some distance from spectacular. In reality, this is a 3Mp downgrade at the 5Mp macro digital camera within the F3.  

You can document video as much as 4K at 60fps. The integrated microphones pick out up audio smartly, and the pictures itself is good and crisp, with brilliant, colourful colors. You too can benefit from stabilisation to easy out shaky palms or motion whilst strolling, however that is handiest to be had in 1080p at 30fps.  

Around the entrance, within the centre of the display screen (on the best, this is) is a punch-hole 20Mp selfie digital camera, which once more is just a little of a combined bag. Whilst colors are high quality, some textures comparable to wisps of hair can get misplaced within the background blur when the use of portrait mode. Not an enormous wonder: maximum telephones which observe this blurring impact the use of device undergo the similar problems.

Battery Life & Charging 

• 67W rapid charging 
• Just over an afternoon’s battery existence
• No wi-fi charging 

Like the F3, the Poco F4’s battery existence isn’t value shouting about. The F4 makes use of a 4500mAh cellular, and the battery struggled to energy the phone via a whole day when set to the max refresh fee, taking part in numerous video games and the use of it out and about with 5G.  

This could also be mirrored in our benchmarks, the place the phone controlled 8 hours and 26 mins – method underneath the F4 GT and F3. The phone can last more in the event you use it conservatively and benefit from the variable refresh fee and battery saver modes, although.

The 67W fast-charging tech does precisely what you wish to have it to – recharging the battery to 85% in half-hour flat. It’s no longer the quickest charging we’ve observed, however it’s lots fast sufficient that even a five-minute price will nonetheless do sufficient to provide you with a couple of extra hours of use out of the phone.  

The phone turns into rather sizzling when charging, as does the charger itself. 

Software 

• App bloat on MIUI 13 
• Based on Android 12

The Poco F4 runs MIUI 13, Xioami’s pores and skin on best of Android 12. Poco hasn’t but showed when it’ll ship an Android replace, or what number of years of safety updates it’ll get. We do know that the F3 took round 5 months to get the newest OS replace after launching. 

Xiaomi has at all times been responsible of stuffing in too many uninstallable apps on its device, and the Poco F4 is not any exception. The worst culprit is the Poco retailer app, a storefront that sells handiest Poco telephones (almost definitely no longer very helpful in the event you’ve simply purchased the F4), and one Poco wearable tool. 

Swiping downwards at the right-hand aspect brings up the keep watch over centre, whilst the similar movement at the left pulls up the listing of notifications. Personally, I favor the normal Android setup the place the 2 are packaged in combination for sooner get admission to.  

It’s no longer all unfavorable after all – the OS takes complete good thing about the dazzling show via providing other settings for the panel comparable to Vivid, Saturated and Original. The colors at the show can be exchange to conform to ambient mild or have a selected coloration tint from a color wheel.  

All in all, MIUI isn’t the cleanest pores and skin of Android available in the market, and common Google customers will realize some obtrusive variations between the structure of this phone and a tool with inventory Android.  

Price & Availability 

Prices for the Poco F4 get started from £379/€399/₹32,999 for the 6GB RAM and 128GB garage type, however you’ll opt for the 8GB / 256GB type for £429/€449. In India, the highest type will get 12GB of RAM and 256GB of garage and prices ₹39,999.  

You should buy it from the Poco store and Amazon – the previous had a sale on on the time of review and incorporated a loose Poco Watch. Amazon had knocked £20 off Poco’s advisable worth. As I write this, it wasn’t imaginable to get the Poco F4 on a per thirty days contract. 

Like different telephones from Poco, the F4 isn’t to be had in the United States – however American readers can import it from websites comparable to Aliexpress.  

For the cost, the Poco phone gives so much. The efficiency opponents some dearer mid-range handsets, and the display screen is superb for observing movies on.  

The F4 has a £50/€50 worth hike from the F3, which gives an excessively equivalent revel in for a extra inexpensive worth – so it’s exhausting to justify spending extra at the F4 only for the addition of OIS and fast-charging. For a equivalent worth we’d additionally counsel the Google Pixel 6a and the OnePlus Nord 2T.

You can see how opponents evaluate in our listing of the most productive mid-range telephones, and the most productive Xiaomi telephones – the dad or mum emblem of Poco.  

Verdict 

The Poco F4 follows up at the F3’s legacy via being an ideal mid-range all-rounder. It’s advantages from a degree of water resistance, has an outstanding AMOLED show, fast charging and (in spite of no improve) spectacular efficiency that’s greater than good enough, even if you wish to play some video games.

The cameras aren’t the most productive you’ll in finding for the cost, and – as discussed – it’s beautiful exhausting to justify the cost hike when there’s little or no distinction within the new phone.

It may nonetheless be a cast mid-ranger, however you’d be at an advantage purchasing the F3 for lower than spending further at the F4.

Specs

• Android 12 with MIUI 13
• 6.67in Full HD+ (1080×2400) 20:9 AMOLED, 120Hz
• Corning Gorilla Glass 5 show
• Qualcomm Snapdragon 870 processor
• 6/8/12GB RAM
• 128/256GB inside garage
• 64Mp, f/1.79, primary digital camera with OIS
• 8Mp, f/2.2 ultrawide
• 2Mp, f/2.4 macro
• 20Mp, f/2.45 selfie digital camera
• Video as much as 4K @60fps
• Fingerprint scanner (in energy button)
• Wi-Fi 6
• Bluetooth 5.2
• GPS
• NFC
• 5G
• Dual Nano SIM
• USB-C
• IP53
• Stereo audio system
• 4500mAh non-removable battery
• Fast charging 67W
• 163.2 x 75.95 x 7.7 mm
• 195g