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POCO has once again confirmed its reputation as a manufacturer that offers much more powerful hardware in the budget segment than one would expect at this price. The new C81 line continues this strategy: both models cost less than $250, feature 120Hz displays and batteries that put much more expensive devices to shame. The differences between the gadgets are well-calibrated, not accidental, so it’s important to consider them before buying.
Both POCO C81 and C81x are powered by an octa-core Unisoc T7250 processor manufactured on a 12-nanometer process technology and use LPDDR4X RAM and UFS 2.2 drives. The main feature in this price range is support for 120 Hz, which ensures extremely smooth picture quality. The displays of both models have TÜV Rheinland certification, which guarantees eye protection from blue light and no flicker. Wet Touch 2.0 technology has also been introduced, thanks to which the sensor correctly recognizes touches even with wet or greasy fingers, making applications convenient for use in kitchen or production environments.
The main difference between the screens is brightness. The C81 model has a 6.9-inch panel with a peak of 800 nits, while the C81x’s 6.88-inch display is limited to 600 nits. In practice, this difference becomes noticeable in direct sunlight.
The real breakthrough was the battery capacity. The POCO C81 has a 6300 mAh battery, which allows you to count on two days of reliable operation with moderate use. The younger version of the C81x is equipped with a 5200 mAh cell, which is also a solid indicator for the price of $226. The manufacturer assures that both batteries can withstand 1000 charging cycles while maintaining 80% of their capacity, a critical indicator for those who plan to use a smartphone for three or four years. Both devices support 15W charging and have a reverse wired charging function (7.5W), which allows you to recharge your headphones or a friend’s phone.
The most significant, though less noticeable at first glance, difference lies in the software. The POCO C81 comes with Android 16 and HyperOS 3 out of the box, while the C81x runs on Android 15 with HyperOS 2. This may seem like a small thing at first, but Android 16 offers significant improvements in privacy management, adaptive refresh rate performance, and notification handling. In addition, having a newer version of the system at the start means that the C81 will stay up to date longer before the update cycle ends.
The cameras and memory in the devices are well worth the price. Both models have a 13-megapixel main module and an 8-megapixel front camera. The software supports HDR, night mode, AI sky enhancement, and portrait effects. Video recording is limited to 1080p resolution at 30 frames per second. The 64 GB internal storage can be expanded using microSD cards up to 2 TB. There is also a virtual RAM expansion: 4 GB can be added to the physical 4 GB in the C81 and 3 GB in the C81x. Sales will start on April 27, with the C81x starting at $226 and the C81 starting at $249.
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