Last week, we shared our experience with the POCO F9 Pro. It is one of the brand’s latest offerings in the current market, but this time, we’ll be talking about its bigger brother and latest flagship killer, the POCO F9 Ultra.
So, how does the Ultra version perform in real-life use? Read on to find out.
Design
First, let’s talk about the design. It still features a similar overall look, but this time, it does not come with the denim-inspired design on the back panel. It still looks premium without being too loud. It is simple yet eye-catching.
When it comes to its dimensions, the first thing you will notice is its size. The phone is huge and quite heavy, weighing 235 grams with a thickness of 8.5mm. Despite its size, it feels comfortable in the hand thanks to its slim build and aluminum frame. However, during long gaming sessions, this is where I started to notice the weight of the device.
As for durability, the POCO F9 Ultra features an IP68 rating and is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 7i.
Display
Now, when it comes to the display, the POCO F9 Ultra sports a 6.9-inch AMOLED screen with support for a 185Hz refresh rate, Dolby Vision, HDR10+, and a peak brightness of 4,500 nits.
For entertainment, the phone performs great. It delivers excellent image quality when watching videos or streaming content. The high refresh rate is also a great addition, although there are still very few apps that can take full advantage of it.
The bezels are also smaller, giving you more screen real estate when binge-watching your favorite shows. Outdoor visibility is not an issue either, thanks to its high brightness levels. It can even reach up to 10,000 nits of peak brightness for HDR videos, which I think is already more than enough.
My only issue with the display is its wide size, which makes the phone less ideal for one-handed use.
Camera
The POCO F9 Ultra sports a triple-camera setup consisting of a 200MP main camera, a 50MP telephoto camera, and a 50MP ultrawide camera. On the front, it has a 32MP selfie shooter.
In terms of camera quality, the main camera delivers detailed photos with good colors and dynamic range in well-lit conditions. The telephoto camera is also useful for capturing distant subjects while retaining a good amount of detail. Meanwhile, the ultrawide camera is a great option when you need a wider field of view.
When it comes to low-light photography, the main camera still performs well, retaining decent details and exposure even in darker environments. Night shots are generally usable, although some scenes may show noise and softer details.
As for selfies, the 32MP front camera produces good-looking images with decent skin tones and detail. It should be more than enough for social media posts, video calls, and everyday selfies.
For video recording, the rear camera can shoot up to 8K at 30FPS, while the front camera can record up to 4K at 30FPS.
Performance
Under the hood, the POCO F9 Ultra is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, which is the same chipset as its predecessor. While POCO could have paired it with the upcoming successor to the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, sticking with the current chipset helps keep the phone within a more affordable price bracket.
In terms of storage options, the POCO F9 Ultra comes in three variants, with up to 16GB of RAM and 1TB of storage.
When it comes to performance, the POCO F9 Ultra does not disappoint. It easily handles my day-to-day needs, from light tasks to long gaming sessions. Heavy multitasking is also handled with ease, with no noticeable slowdowns or performance issues.
For gaming, we played Zenless Zone Zero at maximum settings, and the phone performed well. We barely encountered any performance issues, and there were no noticeable frame drops during combat, which is a good sign for a demanding game.
Benchmark Results
- Antutu Benchmark: 4,023,733
- Geekbench 6 CPU: 2,933 / 9,595
- Geekbench 6 OpenCL: 16,583
- Geekbench 6 Vulkan: 23,419
- Wild Life Extreme: 7,321
- PCMark Battery Test: 23 hours & 30 minutes
As for the battery, the POCO F9 Ultra is backed by an 8,050mAh battery paired with 100W wired charging and 50W wireless charging.
Our battery test started on September 15 at 7:08 PM with 72% battery. By September 17 at 11:00 AM, the battery had dropped to 35%.
During the test, we used the device for light tasks, media consumption, and Zenless Zone Zero gaming. Also note that real-life daily usage may vary from person to person.
Price
The POCO F9 Ultra comes in three variants. The 12GB + 256GB configuration is priced at PHP 55,999, while the 16GB + 512GB model is priced at PHP 59,999. The top-end 16GB + 1TB configuration is priced at PHP 89,999.
POCO F9 Ultra Specs
- OS: Android 16
- Network: Dual SIM | 5G
- Connectivity: Bluetooth | WiFi
- Dimensions: 163.5 x 78 x 8.5 mm
- Weight: 235 grams
- Resolution: 2608 × 1200
- Refresh Rate: Up to 185Hz
- Screen Size & Display: 6.9-inch AMOLED
- Chipset: Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 Mobile Platform
- Graphics: VisionBoost D8
- RAM: 12GB | 16GB
- Storage: 256GB | 512GB | 1TB
- Rear Camera: 200MP HP5 main (OIS) | 50MP JN5 5x periscope telephoto (OIS) | 50MP ultra-wide
- Front Camera: 32MP
- Battery & Charging: 8,050mAh | 100W wired | 50W wireless HyperCharge
- Color/s: Black, Dark Cherry
Verdict
Overall, the POCO F9 Ultra is on strong footing despite using the same chipset as its predecessor. It offers almost everything we look for in a smartphone, including a large battery, a premium design, capable cameras, and strong performance.
So, that is our experience with the POCO F9 Ultra. What are your thoughts about this device? Let us know in the comments below.