It’s been about 18 months since we did a deep dive with the POCO F1. That was the last time POCO launched a device in India. The fact that the POCO brand has managed to stay relevant and generate continued chatter despite this long hiatus is a testimony for the success of the F1. Xiaomi is leaning on this goodwill for its rebranded version of Redmi K30 Pro that has arrived exclusively in India as the POCO X2. If you’ve been keeping tabs of the K30 Pro online, you’re already up to speed with the X2.
Just like the F1 disrupted the Rs 20,000 to 30,000 price segment in 2018, POCO is confident the X2 will do the same in the sub Rs 20,000 segment. The quad rear cam enclosed in a circular ring is probably the most defining design element of the X2 and sets this apart. We reviewed the Atlantis Blue, but it’s the chic Matrix Purple that we checked out during the launch that has our vote. We approve of the power button that doubles up as the fingerprint sensor. It’s much easier to access for right handers given its placement on the right spine of the device. The other distinct element is the selfie cam cut-out that will remind of the Samsung Galaxy S10+. It’s easy to ignore and keeps the screen very immersive.
POCO has been playing up this 6.67-inch Full HD+ display (2400 x 1800 pixels) and with good reason. It’s one of the only devices with a 120Hz display – POCO calls it a RealityFlow Engine and it adds a magical fluidity to the display. Gaming and scrolling webpages is fun. The other highlight is the Sony 64MP IMX686 sensor that is the primary lens in the quad rear cam. The X2 becomes the first device kitted with this lens to launch in India. An 8MP wide-angle sensor, a 2MP depth sensor and a 2MP macro sensor complete the rear cam set up. Images in ambient light are quite sharp but low light images were average. There’s also a dual (20MP + 2MP) selfie camera.
The Realme X2 is probably the key rival for the POCO X2. While both devices are powered by the same Qualcomm Snapdragon 730G processor, the POCO X2 edged the Realme device in our AnTuTu benchmark and clocked a respectable 285838 score. The liquid-cooling solution enhances the gaming experience. There are three hardware variants – we tested the top-end 8GB/256GB version. The other big plus is the 4500 mAh battery that comfortably lasts over a day. POCO sweetens the deal with a 27W fast charger that’s bundled in the box. If there’s one crib it’s the custom MIUI 11 platform (layered over Android 10) that’s too busy for our liking. But for most users that’s hardly a deal breaker given the POCO X2’s all-round performance and good looks at a price that delivers great bang for the buck.
The POCO X2 comes in three vibrant colours – Matrix purple, Atlantis Blue and Phoenix Red. There’s a choice of three hardware versions – 6GB/64GB (Rs 15,999), 8GB/128GB (Rs 16,999) and 8GB/256GB (Rs 19,999)
