POCO M6 Plus 5G Review: Design & Build
The POCO M6 Plus 5G, priced at approximately $199 USD, measures 8.3 mm in thickness and weighs 205 g, making it less ergonomic for prolonged use. Its slightly bulky design, coupled with a slippery glass back, can make handling tricky. The edges can press uncomfortably into your hands during extended sessions.
On the brighter side, the phone’s aesthetics stand out. The Misty Lavender variant, with its pastel hue, is especially appealing. Other options include Graphite Black and Ice Silver, with the latter being a fingerprint magnet despite its sleek look. While glass backs are rare in this price range, the lack of Gorilla Glass protection is a drawback. A case is highly recommended for added durability.
Practical design elements include a 3.5mm headphone jack, IR blaster, and side-mounted fingerprint sensor. The LED Ring Flash doubles as a notification light for calls and alarms, adding a functional flair. Additionally, it features IP53 water resistance and Wet Touch functionality for usage in light rain.
Display Quality
The 6.79-inch Full HD+ IPS LCD display offers a 120Hz refresh rate and Gorilla Glass 3 protection. While smooth scrolling is a highlight, the display lacks vibrancy and color accuracy, making content appear dull. It supports Widevine L1 for HD streaming on platforms like Netflix and Amazon Prime, but the experience is underwhelming due to muted colors.
A peak brightness of 468 nits struggles under direct sunlight, and the display is outperformed by competitors like the iQOO Z9X, which offers a brighter panel. The adaptive refresh rate (ranging from 30Hz to 120Hz) helps conserve battery life. However, the single speaker setup delivers mediocre audio quality, falling short for media enthusiasts.
Performance & Software
Powered by the Snapdragon 4 Gen 2 Accelerated Edition chipset, the POCO M6 Plus 5G comes with up to 8GB RAM and 128GB storage, expandable up to 1TB via microSD. It handles everyday tasks well, but its GPU performance lags behind competitors like the iQOO Z9X and CMF Phone 1, making it less suitable for heavy gaming.
In games like BGMI and Call of Duty, the phone manages low settings adequately but struggles with frame drops at medium settings. Multitasking is smooth thanks to HyperOS, which brings customization options. However, the software experience is marred by bloatware, ads, and dark patterns, detracting from an otherwise fluid interface.
Camera Performance
The POCO M6 Plus features a dual-camera setup, including a 108 MP Samsung ISOCELL HM6 primary sensor and a 2 MP macro lens. While the main camera delivers decent detail for its price, it struggles with dynamic range, resulting in overexposed highlights and crushed shadows.
Portrait mode tends to smooth skin excessively, and low-light performance is noisy. Though functional, the camera falls short of expectations. Competitors like the Realme C65 offer better exposure and color accuracy in similar price ranges.
Battery Life
One of the standout features of the POCO M6 Plus is its impressive 5,030 mAh battery. It provides 9-10 hours of screen-on time with heavy use and outperforms competitors like the Realme C65 and iQOO Z9X in endurance tests.
In a 4K video loop test, the phone lasted 992 minutes (16.5 hours). However, the 33W fast charging takes about 75 minutes to fully charge, lagging behind rivals like the iQOO Z9X, which offers faster 44W charging.
Verdict
The POCO M6 Plus 5G is a solid mid-range option at $199 USD, offering stylish design, reliable everyday performance, and excellent battery life. However, its display quality, gaming capabilities, and camera performance are middling, with several alternatives offering better value in the same price range.
If you’re looking for a mid-range phone with long battery life and basic 5G connectivity, the POCO M6 Plus 5G is a good option. For those prioritizing a brighter display, better cameras, or faster charging, alternatives like the iQOO Z9X or Realme C65 might be worth considering.
