Design and Build Quality
The POCO X6 Neo offers a sleek and minimalist design, available in two attractive colors: Astral Black and Martian Orange. As the slimmest POCO phone ever made, it measures just 7.69mm in thickness and weighs 175 grams, making it comfortable and light in the hand. The phone features a fingerprint sensor embedded in the power button, ensuring ease of use and quick access.
Display
The X6 Neo comes with a 6.67-inch AMOLED display featuring a 120Hz refresh rate and FHD+ resolution, delivering sharp visuals and vibrant colors. With a peak brightness of 1000 nits, the display offers good outdoor visibility and provides an immersive viewing experience with a 93.3% screen-to-body ratio. The punch-hole design further enhances the screen’s appeal, making it perfect for media consumption.
Camera Performance
The POCO X6 Neo is equipped with a 108MP primary camera, which captures well-balanced, detailed images. The 2MP macro lens allows for creative shots, although its low-light performance can be a bit underwhelming. The 16MP front-facing camera performs well in daylight conditions but struggles in low light, leading to less impressive selfies in dim environments. Video stabilization is another area where the X6 Neo could improve, as videos can appear shaky during recording.
The camera software offers various modes such as 108MP, Night, Pro, AI Watermark, Panorama, Time-Lapse, Slow Motion, and more. While the image quality is generally decent, the X6 Neo’s vibrant color processing can sometimes lead to overexposure, especially compared to its Redmi counterpart.
Performance
Under the hood, the POCO X6 Neo features a MediaTek Dimensity 6080 chipset paired with up to 12GB of RAM and 256GB of internal storage. This setup ensures smooth performance in daily tasks and gaming. Even demanding games like Genshin Impact run well, though prolonged sessions cause the phone to heat up. Additionally, the phone supports memory extension, turning storage into RAM for up to 12GB, improving multitasking performance.
In benchmark tests, the POCO X6 Neo scored 445,887 in AnTuTu, while Geekbench scores were 759 for single-core and 1941 for multi-core performance. These scores are respectable for the price but fall behind other competitors in this segment.
Software
The phone runs MIUI 14, which is based on Android 13. MIUI 14 brings useful features such as Dual Apps (for running two accounts of the same app), Floating Windows (for multitasking), and Second Space (for privacy and creating a separate space on the phone). While the interface offers a lot of customization, it does come with some bloatware, and users may experience some occasional clunkiness.
Battery and Charging
The POCO X6 Neo is powered by a 5,000mAh battery that offers decent battery life, easily lasting a full day with regular use. For heavier usage, you may need to recharge by the evening. The phone supports 33W fast charging, which takes the device from 0 to 100% in approximately 1 hour. In the PCMark battery test, the X6 Neo lasted 10 hours and 38 minutes, which is on the lower side compared to other devices in the same price bracket.
Additional Features
- 3.5mm headphone jack
- IR blaster
- Dual SIM support
- Fingerprint sensor embedded in the power button
- Memory expansion for up to 12GB RAM
Pros
- Slim, lightweight design
- 120Hz AMOLED display with good outdoor visibility
- 108MP primary camera with vibrant image quality
- Memory expansion feature (up to 12GB RAM)
- Decent gaming performance
- 33W fast charging
- Affordable price tag for the features
Cons
- No water resistance rating
- No wireless charging support
- Limited camera performance in low light
- No optical zoom or telephoto lens
- Video stabilization could be better
Price
The POCO X6 Neo is available in different storage configurations:
- 6GB RAM + 128GB storage
- 8GB RAM + 128GB storage
- 12GB RAM + 256GB storage
Prices typically start at around $220 USD (approx.), with variations depending on the configuration and region.
Final Verdict
The POCO X6 Neo is an attractive option for users looking for a blend of style, performance, and value for money. While it faces stiff competition in its price range from devices like the Moto G54 5G, Lava Blaze Curve 5G, and the Redmi Note 13 5G, it offers a solid display, great camera performance for the price, and a sleek design that is hard to ignore. Although it may not be perfect in every aspect—particularly when it comes to low-light camera performance and battery life—it is still a solid choice for consumers who want a reliable, feature-rich smartphone without breaking the bank.
