Poco F4 review

Poco launched the F4 GT again in spring of this 12 months – a gaming cellphone with some high specs and a daring design. Now it’s being joined by the usual Poco F4, a extra understated cellphone, however one which can also be extra reasonably priced and best for somebody on the lookout for an all-round, good-value gadget.

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

Design & Construct 

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

The Poco F4 is accessible in a alternative of three colors: black, silver and inexperienced. Though the design isn’t garish just like the GT (or another older Poco fashions), it’s nearly so plain that it doesn’t actually stand out from the gang. At the moment, Poco telephones lack a particular design language, and it actually exhibits with the F4.

At 7.7mm it’s moderately slim, and in addition fairly light-weight at 195g. Regardless of the skinny construct, it feels sturdy and the IP53 score will guard towards some mud and lightweight rain. The presence of any kind of waterproofing on a cellphone at this value makes the F4 aggressive towards rivals such because the Realme 9 Professional+.

Just like the GT variant, the Poco F4 doesn’t have a headphone jack – which can be a deal-breaker for some (however possible not many on this age of Bluetooth headphones). There’s a side-mounted fingerprint scanner on the ability button, and I discovered this labored efficiently.  

The Poco F4 has a seven-layer warmth dissipation construction and a vapour chamber cooling system, all designed to maintain the chip cool when operating strenuous duties. Nonetheless, the cellphone itself nonetheless will get fairly scorching whenever you’re gaming. 

Display screen & Audio system  

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

Among the finest issues concerning the Poco F4 is its 6.67in FHD+ AMOLED show, which boasts a 120Hz refresh price and assist for Dolby Imaginative and prescient. This cellphone 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 examine the F4 on to the F3, however I can say that movies do look nice, as do photographs on this display. Brightness is sufficient that I might use it below direct daylight and never really feel like there was an enormous quantity of glare. I additionally didn’t must set it to full brightness on a regular basis. 

Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry

This cellphone has a variable refresh price show, which implies that it may well change between 60Hz and 120Hz relying on the duty you’re doing. This implies clean scrolling in social media feeds, however a decrease refresh price at different occasions to preserve battery energy. Alternatively, you may preserve it locked to at least one or different the entire time.  

The F4 has stereo audio system which assist Dolby Atmos. The audio that fires from each ends of the cellphone is loud and punchy, and even music has readability and depth, if not a lot bass.

Specs & Efficiency 

• As much as 8GB RAM + 256GB storage 
• Qualcomm Snapdragon 870 processor
• First rate day by day efficiency 

The Poco F4 makes use of a Snapdragon 870 processor. It’s not fairly the latest chip on the block, nevertheless it does ship clean efficiency and may be very able to multitasking with no hitch. It could possibly even run some video games like Genshin Affect on decrease settings, although this demanding recreation does change into a bit laggy when graphics are set to medium.   

You’ll be able to 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 identical because the Poco F3, so there’s completely no purpose to improve in the event you already personal that cellphone.

You’ll be able to learn our interview with Poco’s world head, who places this resolution right down to Qualcomm not releasing a brand new reasonably priced chip that could be a worthy successor to the Snapdragon 870.  

Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry

Cameras 

• 64Mp foremost digicam with OIS 
• Blended night time mode 
• Video as much as 4K at 60fps 

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

You’ll be able to simply seize an honest picture in the course of the day, with sharp particulars and distinctive textures. Like different mid-rangers, the HDR mode on this cellphone is on the sturdy facet, making shades seem extraordinarily vivid however barely unnatural. The digicam also can endure from flare from the solar on brilliant days.  

The addition of OIS is the largest change from the Poco F3. Photographs taken in low-light nonetheless look good, and have first rate colors. Nonetheless, the F4 does battle at night time when there are brilliant lights within the body. Total, the outcomes aren’t fairly as spectacular as from different mid-range telephones.   

On shifting topics, the OIS does assist stabilise topics and cut back movement blur in locations, however that is inconsistent.

Portrait mode has adequate background blur however loses the sharpness and element – particularly in low lights. Large-angle photographs from the 8Mp lens lose the readability and sharpness of photographs from the primary digicam, and hues aren’t as vivid. Nonetheless, it’s nonetheless useful for panorama photographs or group images.

Like most reasonably priced mid-range telephones, the macro digicam is much from spectacular. The truth is, it’s a 3Mp downgrade on the 5Mp macro digicam within the F3.  

You’ll be able to report video as much as 4K at 60fps. The built-in microphones choose up audio nicely, and the footage itself is good and crisp, with brilliant, vibrant colors. You too can benefit from stabilisation to clean out shaky arms or motion whereas strolling, however that is solely obtainable in 1080p at 30fps.  

Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry

Across the entrance, within the centre of the display (on the high, that’s) is a punch-hole 20Mp selfie digicam, which once more is a little bit of a combined bag. While colors are wonderful, some textures akin to wisps of hair can get misplaced within the background blur when utilizing portrait mode. Not an enormous shock: most telephones which apply this blurring impact utilizing software program endure the identical points.

Battery Life & Charging 

• 67W quick charging 
• Simply over a day’s battery life
• No wi-fi charging 

Just like the F3, the Poco F4’s battery life isn’t price shouting about. The F4 makes use of a 4500mAh cell, and the battery struggled to energy the cellphone via a whole day when set to the max refresh price, enjoying loads of video games and utilizing it out and about with 5G.  

That is additionally mirrored in our benchmarks, the place the cellphone managed 8 hours and 26 minutes – means beneath the F4 GT and F3. The cellphone can last more in the event you use it conservatively and benefit from the variable refresh price and battery saver modes, although.

Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry

The 67W fast-charging tech does precisely what you want it to – recharging the battery to 85% in half-hour flat. It’s not the quickest charging we’ve seen, nevertheless it’s a lot fast sufficient that even a five-minute cost will nonetheless do sufficient to present you a couple of extra hours of use out of the cellphone.  

The cellphone turns into fairly scorching when charging, as does the charger itself. 

Software program 

• App bloat on MIUI 13 
• Based mostly on Android 12

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

Xiaomi has all the time been responsible of stuffing in too many uninstallable apps on its software program, and the Poco F4 isn’t any exception. The worst offender is the Poco retailer app, a storefront that sells solely Poco telephones (most likely not very helpful in the event you’ve simply purchased the F4), and one Poco wearable gadget. 

Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry

Swiping downwards on the right-hand facet brings up the management centre, whereas the identical movement on the left pulls up the listing of notifications. Personally, I favor the standard Android setup the place the 2 are packaged collectively for faster entry.  

It’s not all unfavorable in fact – the OS takes full benefit of the dazzling show by providing completely different settings for the panel akin to Vivid, Saturated and Unique. The colors on the show will also be change to adapt to ambient gentle or have a selected shade tint from a color wheel.  

All in all, MIUI shouldn’t be the cleanest pores and skin of Android on the market, and common Google customers will discover some obtrusive variations between the format of this cellphone and a tool with inventory Android.  

Value & Availability 

Costs for the Poco F4 begin from £379/€399/₹32,999 for the 6GB RAM and 128GB storage mannequin, however you may go for the 8GB / 256GB mannequin for £429/€449. In India, the highest mannequin will get 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage and prices ₹39,999.  

You should purchase it from the Poco store and Amazon – the previous had a sale on on the time of evaluate and included a free Poco Watch. Amazon had knocked £20 off Poco’s really helpful value. As I write this, it wasn’t attainable to get the Poco F4 on a month-to-month contract. 

Like different telephones from Poco, the F4 isn’t obtainable within the US – however American readers can import it from websites akin to Aliexpress.  

Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry

For the value, the Poco cellphone affords quite a bit. The efficiency rivals some costlier mid-range handsets, and the display is nice for watching movies on.  

The F4 has a £50/€50 value hike from the F3, which affords a really related expertise for a extra reasonably priced value – so it’s laborious to justify spending extra on the F4 only for the addition of OIS and fast-charging. For the same value we’d additionally advocate the Google Pixel 6a and the OnePlus Nord 2T.

You’ll be able to see how rivals examine in our listing of the very best mid-range telephones, and the very best Xiaomi telephones – the mum or dad model of Poco.  

Verdict 

The Poco F4 follows up on the F3’s legacy by being an incredible mid-range all-rounder. It’s advantages from a degree of water resistance, has a powerful AMOLED show, speedy charging and (regardless of no improve) spectacular efficiency that’s greater than enough, even if you wish to play some video games.

The cameras aren’t the very best you’ll discover for the value, and – as talked about – it’s fairly laborious to justify the value hike when there’s little or no distinction within the new cellphone.

It’d nonetheless be a stable mid-ranger, however you’d be higher off shopping for the F3 for lower than spending further on 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 storage
• 64Mp, f/1.79, foremost digicam with OIS
• 8Mp, f/2.2 ultrawide
• 2Mp, f/2.4 macro
• 20Mp, f/2.45 selfie digicam
• Video as much as 4K @60fps
• Fingerprint scanner (in energy button)
• Wi-Fi 6
• Bluetooth 5.2
• GPS
• NFC
• 5G
• Twin Nano SIM
• USB-C
• IP53
• Stereo audio system
• 4500mAh non-removable battery
• Quick charging 67W
• 163.2 x 75.95 x 7.7 mm
• 195g