Xiaomi POCO F8 Ultra 6.9Global Version 50Mp SD8 Elite 16/512GB Gen5 Review

The Xiaomi Poco F8 Ultra is a 6.9-inch Android phone with a flagship chip and a $900 price tag, but it delivers underwhelming performance and a poor camera. It's not a good value compared to its competitors.

The Xiaomi Poco F8 Ultra is a big-screen Android phone with some flagship ambitions, but it lands in a tricky spot. People searching for 'big Android phones' or 'phones with Snapdragon 8 Elite' will find it, but at a $900 price tag, it's competing directly with established giants. The specs on paper are interesting: a 6.9-inch AMOLED screen with Dolby Vision, the latest Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chip, and a massive 6500mAh battery. It's unlocked and supports 5G, which is a plus. But our data shows this phone has some serious issues that make it a hard sell.

The Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 processor is a top-tier chip, but in the Poco F8 Ultra, it doesn't seem to deliver. Our performance benchmarks put it in the 17th percentile, which means it lags behind most phones we test, including many with older or less powerful chips. That's a real letdown for a phone with this processor. In practice, you might notice slower app launches, more stuttering in games, or just general sluggishness compared to other $900 phones. Having a great chip on paper doesn't guarantee a great experience.

At $900, this phone is asking you to pay flagship money. But our scores show it delivers middle-of-the-pack or worse performance in almost every category except raw storage size. You're essentially paying for a big screen and a battery spec. For the same price, you could get a Galaxy S26, a Pixel 10, or an iPhone 15, all of which will offer a much more polished and performant experience. This phone's value proposition is weak.

Let's name some names. The Samsung Galaxy S26 at this price will have a better display, a vastly better camera, and smoother performance. The Google Pixel 10 will likely crush it in camera quality and software polish. Even the Motorola Moto G in this competitive list, which is usually more budget-focused, might offer a more balanced experience for less money. The OnePlus 15 is another direct competitor with a similar chip but historically better optimization. The Poco F8 Ultra loses out in almost every head-to-head.

Skip this phone if you care about camera quality, smooth performance, or overall software polish. It's also not for anyone who wants a proven, reliable flagship experience. If you just want a huge screen and are willing to accept major compromises everywhere else, maybe consider it, but we'd suggest looking at older Galaxy Note models or other large-screen alternatives instead.

Should you buy this? No, not unless you have a very specific and unusual need that only this phone meets. For almost everyone, this is a bad deal. You're spending $900 on a phone that performs poorly, has a bad camera, and doesn't excel in any area except having a physically large screen and a big battery capacity. Our data strongly suggests you'll be disappointed. Look at the competitors instead.