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There is a term I have not used in quite some time: “flagship killer.” It originated in an era when a smartphone could feature a flagship-grade SoC alongside otherwise average or acceptable components and still generate strong interest. The Poco X8 Pro Max appears positioned to revisit this concept and bring the term back into relevance.
Read also: All POCO smartphone reviews
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
Specifications
- Processor: MediaTek Dimensity 9500s
- RAM: 12/16 GB
- Internal storage: 256/512 GB
- Body: glass + metal / reinforced composite
- Water resistance: IP69K + MIL-STD-810H
- Display: 6.83 inches, AMOLED, 120 Hz, 1.5K
- Brightness: up to 3200 nits
- Cameras: 50 MP + 8 MP + 20 MP
- Wi-Fi: 7
- Bluetooth: 6
- IR port: Yes
- NFC: Yes
- SIM cards: 2 nanoSIM + eSIM
- User interface: HyperOS 3 based on Android 16
- Battery: 8500/9000 mAh
- Charging speed: up to 100 W
- Reverse charging speed: 27 W
Poco X8 Pro Max Video review
Positioning and price
The Poco X8 Pro Max is priced at approximately $520 for the 12/256 GB configuration and around $570 for the 512 GB variant, depending on the market. The device is available in three standard color options: black, white, and blue. In addition to this model, the lineup also includes more affordable variants – Poco X8 and Poco X8 Pro – which offer reduced specifications and target lower price segments.
Package Contents
The box includes a silicone case, a USB Type-A to USB Type-C charging cable, and a SIM eject tool. A power adapter is not included, which may present a limitation depending on the user’s existing accessories.
Design of the Poco X8 Pro Max
One aspect that has notably changed compared to earlier “flagship killer” devices is the design approach. Previous models in this category often featured aggressive, overly stylized aesthetics. The Poco X8 Pro Max avoids this direction. In the white variant, the device presents a more restrained and refined appearance. The finish leans toward a light blue tone, with minimal branding on the rear panel, resulting in a cleaner overall look.
The design is further defined by two camera modules and two flash units arranged symmetrically. They are placed within a noticeably raised camera bump, which prevents the device from lying flat on a surface.
The chassis uses a combination of glass and a metal frame, with a matte finish along the edges. Glass back panels have become less common in this segment, making this choice relatively notable.
Regarding durability and protection, most sources indicate ratings such as IP69K and MIL-STD-810H, while others mention only IP53. It is not always clear whether these specifications refer to different variants within the lineup. For the purpose of this assessment, the higher certification claims are considered. It is also worth noting that IP ratings and MIL-STD standards address different aspects: IP certifications relate to resistance against dust and water ingress, whereas MIL-STD-810H refers to a series of environmental durability tests. By the way, find out here how IPX differs from MIL-STD.
On the downside, the chassis is not fully symmetrical and tends to wobble when placed on a flat surface, both with and without the case. While this behavior is not critical in everyday use, the manufacturer’s official description refers to the design as “symmetrical,” which does not align with the actual physical layout. This inconsistency is worth noting.
Lighting Around the Cameras
The Poco X8 Pro Max features a circular LED light surrounding the camera modules. This design choice aligns the device somewhat with gaming-oriented models, where RGB elements are increasingly common even in lower price segments. In this case, however, the implementation is more functional than decorative. The lighting system is configurable through a dedicated settings menu, allowing it to serve multiple purposes beyond simple visual styling.
The settings menu offers a comprehensive set of features for the LED lighting. It can act as a notification indicator for multiple apps, respond to music playback, and visualize timers or burst-shot sequences (although the latter was not fully functional in my testing). Importantly, for an app to appear in the compatible list, it must be updated to the latest version via Google Play. This ensures proper integration with the lighting system.
As a result, apps like YouTube and YouTube Music, previously missing from the audio-synchronization list, now appear as compatible. The lighting system supports RGB effects; however, the music-driven patterns cannot be customized. On the other hand, users can adjust the color for incoming calls and app notifications, as well as control brightness. Overall, while it is not as iconic as the Glyph interface on Nothing devices, the system is fully functional and intuitive, making it easy to get accustomed to over time.
Display
The Poco X8 Pro Max is equipped with a 6.83-inch AMOLED panel with a resolution of 1280×2772 pixels and an aspect ratio of 19.5:9, resulting in a pixel density of 447 PPI. The device supports Always-On Display, a 120 Hz refresh rate, and high-frequency PWM at 3840 Hz. The screen also offers advanced visual features, including Dolby Vision, HDR10+, and HDR Vivid support, delivering enhanced dynamic range and color performance.
The manufacturer also claims a 12-bit panel, but it’s worth noting that even flagship devices often advertise 12-bit support while delivering 8- or 10-bit panels with FRC (Frame Rate Control). For most users, this is not an issue – FRC only affects professional color work, and professional colorists are unlikely to rely on a smartphone for critical tasks. The peak brightness is advertised at around 3500 nits, though this applies to HBM (High Brightness Mode) rather than standard HDR. Even so, the display performs well in direct sunlight and outshines many competitors that have yet to upgrade their panels.
A particular highlight is the under-display fingerprint scanner. It is positioned naturally where the finger rests, and it performs very quickly and reliably – even under the protective glass that comes pre-installed on the device.
This addresses a common issue with other manufacturers: fingerprint sensors often perform worse under third-party screen protectors, while the original factory glass is usually only available out of the box.
An exception is a recent review of a rugged device, where the screen came with a separate protective film and the original glass was included as a separate component. That review will be published here.
Performance of the Poco X8 Pro Max
Now we come to the key aspect that separates “flagship killers” from the rest. The Poco X8 Pro Max is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 9500s, a very recent 3-nanometer chip released less than three months ago. Its architecture and performance put it in a category akin to “proto-eight-core PCs.” But why exactly?
This is because the chip features a single Cortex-X925 core at 3.73 GHz, three Cortex-X4 cores at 3.3 GHz, and four Cortex-A720 cores at 2.4 GHz. Not all cores run at high frequencies, but thanks to the LITTLE-big architecture, the Dimensity 9500s delivers performance that positions it as a consistent competitor to the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 5.
On AnTuTu, the Dimensity 9500s scores between roughly 2,800,000 and a full 3,000,000 points, which is comparable to its competitor. Around 800,000 points come from the CPU and nearly 1,000,000 from the GPU. That said, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 does have higher-frequency cores.
So how does MediaTek compete at this level? Much of it comes down to the new memory standard, LPDDR5X Ultra, which is roughly 10% faster than standard LPDDR5X. As far as I can tell, the Poco X8 Pro Max is among the first smartphones to feature this RAM speed. Another notable model with similar memory is the OnePlus 15, which costs more than twice as much. On that basis, the RAM speed can be considered a clear advantage.
Don’t worry about the internal storage either – the Poco X8 Pro Max is advertised with UFS 4.1, which means sequential speeds above 4 GB/s and roughly half that for random reads/writes. However, in my sample, AnTuTu reported UFS 3.1, with speeds about half of that. It’s still plenty fast, but the discrepancy is definitely disappointing.
In gaming, the Poco X8 Pro Max performs very well… until it starts to overheat. The cooling system is essentially a graphite sheet covering most of the back of the phone. Even so, the manufacturer claims temperature changes of only about 3 °C, which is not particularly impressive.
In 3DMark stress tests, the device lost nearly 50% of its performance over 20 minutes, with the body heating up to almost 50 °C, making it uncomfortable to hold. Fortunately, unlike the Motorola Signature, this kind of heating also indicates that the heat is being effectively dissipated.
So, with an inexpensive mobile cooler from AliExpress, you can achieve significantly more stability in games. I predict up to a 20% boost in stability and a reduction in throttling. In fact, simply using active cooling like the Ulanzi CA25 camera-mount cooler increased stability in the Wild Life Stress Test from 53% to almost 72%.
Interestingly, there is no need to attach a cooler directly to the smartphone. The Poco X8 Pro Max appears to be the first device where, immediately after unboxing, the use of active cooling could be considered. This does not affect its position in the market relative to flagship models, as even high-end smartphones, which can cost twice as much, are not completely free from overheating issues.
Data Transfer and Audio
Regarding wireless capabilities, the information is based on the manufacturer’s specifications. According to these, the smartphone supports Bluetooth 6 with dual connection mode, allowing simultaneous audio playback on two sets of wireless headphones, for example.
The device also supports Wi-Fi 7, NFC, GPS/GLONASS/Beidou, and includes an infrared port. The SIM setup allows for two physical cards plus eSIM. It is unclear whether simultaneous standby is supported for all three; most likely, only two can be active at the same time.
In terms of audio, the device features true stereo speakers with reasonable volume and generally good quality. They are not exceptional, and some distortion is noticeable at high volumes, but for its price range, the performance is adequate.
Cameras
The X8 Pro Max is equipped with three camera modules. As a mid-range device, the primary focus is on the main sensor. This main camera performs well: 50 MP, 26 mm, with a PDAF Light Fusion 600 (or Lytia 600) sensor. These names likely refer to the same sensor, though the exact designation is somewhat unclear.
The main sensor has an aperture of f/1.5, which is wider than that of many primary cameras even on flagship devices. This advantage is partially offset by the sensor size, 1/1.95″, and the pixel size, 0.8 µm. Video recording is limited to 4K at 60 fps, but slow-motion capture and HDR10+ support are available.
The primary camera is versatile and performs reliably, though zoom is limited to 10x. Color reproduction is decent, contrast is good, and low-light performance exceeds expectations for this segment. The ultra-wide module, by contrast, is basic: 8 MP, 15 mm, 1/4” sensor, 1.12 µm pixels, f/2.2, without autofocus.
The front-facing camera is also modest: 20 MP, f/2.2, with a sensor similar to the ultra-wide module (1/4”) and no autofocus.
EXAMPLES OF PHOTOS AND VIDEOS IN FULL RESOLUTION
On the downside, the SoC limits video capabilities: 4K at 60 fps on the main camera, FHD 30 fps on the ultra-wide, and FHD 60 fps on the front camera. On the surprising side, the device includes a professional video mode. This is unexpected at this price point, as comparable models from Redmi did not offer it, despite running HyperOS, and many other flagship devices from different manufacturers lack this feature entirely.
Poco X8 Pro Max Software
For those unfamiliar, Poco is a sub-brand of Xiaomi. The X8 Pro Max runs HyperOS 3 based on Android 16. I spent a short time with the interface, and my view that MIUI was at least on par remains unchanged; the new shell does not significantly alter that impression.
However, the system includes several features that can be considered advantages. For example, dynamic pop-up elements around the front camera are visually effective. Speaker volume can be increased up to 400%, and wired reverse charging is supported.
The software also offers a one-handed mode and a dedicated gaming mode. Users can adjust color temperature, enable a sunlight mode, or activate HBM (High Brightness Mode). Battery-related features include power-saving modes and detailed charging statistics.
One remaining limitation is the restricted gesture customization. The situation has improved compared to early versions of HyperOS, where the option existed but offered very limited choices.
Battery Life
Saving the best for last, the X8 Pro Max features the largest battery I can recall in a traditional-form-factor smartphone. Recently, we reviewed rugged devices with smaller battery capacities for comparison.
It is worth noting that the global version likely has an 8,500 mAh battery, while a unique 9,000 mAh model is planned for India.
Such large batteries typically use silicon-carbon technology, and the Poco X8 Pro Max follows this approach. Maximum charging speed is 100 W, but only with the proprietary charger, which is not included in the box.
Given that this is a Xiaomi device with a MediaTek flagship platform, full 100 W Power Delivery support cannot be fully guaranteed. However, wired reverse charging is supported. The phone does not offer wireless charging, but wired reverse charging reaches 27 W, which is, to my knowledge, a record for this category.
Overall, the charging behavior follows this pattern: Type-A chargers consistently provide fast charging, while Type-C chargers are more variable. For example, a modern Baseus EnerGeek GR11 delivered only 20 W even when the phone was at 11% battery, with all fast-charging modes enabled, and estimated a full charge time of around two hours. However, this applies only when using the original, built-in cable.
A five-year-old ZMI No.20 power bank delivered 100 W on the first attempt, estimating a full charge in roughly 45 minutes. This is impressive, though it required using the original Type-A to Type-C cable, as the ZMI No.20 supports Xiaomi’s proprietary fast-charging protocol.
Using the same cable with the Baseus charger resulted in a stable output of only 8 W – no more, no less.
The more important point is the overall potential. The Indian version with a 9,000 mAh battery is roughly twice the capacity of the Motorola Edge 50 Ultra. The Edge 50 Ultra, with its 4 nm Snapdragon 8s Gen3, achieved just over 12 hours on a single charge.
Doubling that gives an approximate endurance for the Poco X8 Pro Max. In the PCMark Battery Test at 50% brightness, the device lasted 20 hours. At such battery capacities, charging speed is less critical, and the battery is rated for 1,200 cycles while retaining up to 80% of its original capacity.
Finally, it is worth noting that even on my sample of the Poco X8 Pro Max, some apps reported an 8,500 mAh battery, while others showed 9,000 mAh. It is unclear whether this discrepancy is due to certification issues or simply because the device is very new.
Conclusion
Does the Poco X8 Pro Max deserve the “flagship killer” label? In my view, not entirely. That designation suggests exceptional performance above all, rather than excellent display or record battery life – both of which the X8 Pro Max offers.
The device also includes an LED around the cameras, a well-built body, comprehensive connectivity, a competent software interface, and professional video recording. Missing elements include wireless charging, fully stable cooling, and more versatile camera capabilities. Despite these shortcomings, the Poco X8 Pro Max performs its intended role effectively.
Read also:
- Samsung Galaxy S26 Review: Most Compact Flagship with Minimal Changes
- Motorola Signature: The Company’s First True Super-Flagship
- OPPO Reno15 Pro 5G Review: Performance and Capable Camera at Reasonable Price
Where to buy the Poco X8 Pro Max
Încărcare maxima (100w) am obținut cu un încărcător de 120w, (luat de pe emag)pe cablu de 6Ah, orice sub 120w incarca cu maxim 10w.
Scor AnTuTu, eram pe 60hz, deci probabil trece de 3 milioane.
E ufs 4.1, ți-a dat ție greșit testul, mai încearcă.