At first glance, the Poco X8 from Xiaomi looks like a conventional mid-range phone, but it sets new standards, particularly with its excellent battery life and great screen. And something else about this affordable Xiaomi phone impressed us too...
Xiaomi is once again shocking the competition by launching a phone that offers great features at a very affordable price: The Poco X8 costs just under US$ 350 and still impresses with an IR blaster, up to 12 GB of RAM and a long update commitment.
The Xiaomi phone's screen impresses
The display is a particular highlight, delivering over 1,000 cd/m² in everyday use and expanding where you can use the phone: While midrange phones often force you to retreat into the shade or indoors because their screens are not quite bright enough, the Poco X8 can also be used outdoors on bright days.
DC dimming at up to 3,840 Hz is intended to allow even more sensitive users to look at the screen comfortably. However, since PWM flickering at around 125 Hz is clearly visible in our testing, you should definitely try out the screen before buying if you have had problems with this in the past.
The Poco X8 is a battery powerhouse
The Poco X8's battery life, on the other hand, is beyond reproach: The phone lasts almost 30 hours in our realistic Wi-Fi test, without any breaks. So if you do not have your phone in your hand all the time, you can easily use it for two or more days without charging.
Then there is Xiaomi's update commitment: Updates are promised until 2032, meaning six years of support, currently at roughly three-month intervals, although these intervals could become longer in the future. Android version upgrades are promised up to Android 21. However, the phone does not yet ship with the very latest Android 17, so the first update is due soon.
A durable phone for little money
We also like that Xiaomi has made its phone ready for outdoor use: IP69K certification means the Poco X8 can be exposed to dust or submerged in water without immediately breaking. It is also supposed to survive drops without any loss of functionality, with Gorilla Glass Victus 2 protecting the screen.
But we also have a few criticisms of this affordable phone. Find out what they are in our in-depth review of the Poco X8.
Editor of the original article: Florian Schmitt - Managing Editor Mobile - 1702 articles published on Notebookcheck since 2009
I initially wrote about gaming laptops when I joined Notebookcheck in 2009. I was then involved with the setup of the comparison portal Notebookinfo and worked with social media concepts for large companies like BMW and Adidas, while also returning to work for Notebookcheck in 2012. Nowadays, I focus on smartphones, tablets, and future technologies. Since 2018 I have been Managing Editor for mobile device reviews, working alongside my colleague Daniel Schmidt.
Florian Schmitt, 2026-10-21 (Update: 2026-10-18)