In case you missed it, POCO has just launched its newest midrange smartphone, the POCO M8 Pro 5G.
Priced under PHP 17K, the device marks POCO’s first smartphone release for 2026. But what does it actually bring to the table, and is it a strong start for the brand this year?
Find out in our review.
First things first, the design, since this is one of the first things you’ll notice on a device. It might not come as a shock to some that the POCO M8 Pro 5G is essentially a rebranded and slightly modified version of the REDMI Note 15 Pro+, which we’ve also reviewed here.
Why? Well, from the overall design to the camera module, everything is pretty much the same.
Check out the side-by-side photos below. If were to place the two devices side by side, they’d look like twins, aside from the color options, right? The only real way to tell them apart is the branding found on the back.
Moving on to the build, the POCO M8 Pro 5G comes with an IP68 rating, making it resistant to dust and accidental water exposure. POCO also claims the device can survive being submerged in up to 2 meters of water for as long as 24 hours.
Meanwhile, the display is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 for added durability.
Around the frame, the power button and volume rocker are located on the right side, while speaker grilles are at the top and bottom. You’ll also find the SIM card tray and charging port at the bottom.
On the front, the POCO M8 Pro 5G features a 6.83-inch AMOLED display with a 1.5K resolution.
It supports a peak brightness of up to 3,200 nits. However, under normal use, the screen offers up to a brightness of around 1,800 nits, which is still plenty for outdoor visibility.
It also supports HDR10+, which enhances contrast and color accuracy for compatible videos.
Below you can see how the device was used as a navigator in Cebu during the Sinulog Festival, and the display remained readable even under direct sunlight.
Camera-wise, the POCO M8 Pro 5G comes with a 50MP main camera and an 8MP ultra-wide camera.
The main camera delivers decent photos in both bright and low-light conditions, capturing good detail and natural colors for everyday shots. It’s particularly convenient for social media posting, as images look true-to-life without much editing.
For video, the POCO M8 Pro 5G can capture sharp details with HDR effects, even at night, producing natural colors without excessive grain. However, recording at its highest setting, 4K@30FPS, tends to be shaky, making 1080P@30FPS a more stable and reliable choice.
The 32MP front camera produces good selfies with natural-looking colors and sufficient detail. That said, selfie video recording can appear slightly pale or flushed in low-light conditions, so it’s best used in well-lit environments.
The POCO M8 Pro 5G is powered by the Snapdragon 7s Gen 4 processor built on a 4nm process, paired with an Adreno GPU. For everyday use, it handles tasks smoothly,casual scrolling, watching movies, and navigation all run reliably without noticeable lag.
For gaming, the device shows promise, but we’ll be publishing a dedicated gaming review soon. Stay tuned for our full performance tests.
As mentioned earlier, the M8 Pro 5G was used as a navigator during a two-day trip. During that time, it also handled light tasks such as watching movies and browsing social media. Even after two full days of moderate use, the device still had around 25% battery remaining.
While it wasn’t tested under heavy tasks like gaming or video editing, it is still a reliable option for casual users who need a phone that lasts through long days.
Last but not least, price! The POCO M8 Pro 5G comes in two configurations, one with 8GB RAM and 256GB storage priced at PHP 16,999, and another with 12GB RAM and 512GB storage priced at PHP 19,999.
So that concludes our review of the POCO M8 Pro 5G. What are your thoughts about this device? Let us know in the comments below.
If you want to have a better look of this device, you might want to check out our experiential review video on our YouTube Channel!
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