POCO X8 5G Launches With 8340mAh Battery And Underwater Camera

POCO has expanded its smartphone lineup globally with the launch of the POCO X8 5G. The new handset arrives with a combination of a large battery, AMOLED display, 5G connectivity and a camera system designed for everyday photography.

The battery is easily one of the biggest attractions of the phone. The global version comes with an 8340mAh silicon carbon battery and supports 67W wired charging. POCO has also included 22.5W wired reverse charging, allowing the phone to share some of its battery power with compatible devices.

The company says the battery can retain up to 80 percent of its health even after 1600 charging cycles. Actual battery performance will naturally depend on network conditions, display settings and usage patterns, but the large capacity should appeal to people who prefer longer periods between charges.

The Indian launch is expected to bring another interesting change. Reports indicate that the India version could feature a 9000mAh battery instead of the 8340mAh unit offered globally. POCO is expected to launch the Indian model on September 4, although buyers should wait for the company’s official confirmation of the final specifications.

The display is another strong part of the package. POCO X8 5G comes with a 6.83 inch AMOLED panel featuring a 1.5K resolution and 120Hz refresh rate. The screen can reportedly reach a peak brightness of up to 3200 nits and supports HDR10+ along with 12 bit colour depth.

For additional protection, the display uses Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2. The panel also supports 3840Hz PWM dimming, a feature intended to provide more comfortable brightness control in suitable conditions.

Performance comes from Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 6s Gen 4 chipset. The global model can reportedly be configured with up to 12GB of LPDDR4X RAM and up to 256GB of UFS 3.1 storage. This gives buyers multiple choices depending on their storage and performance requirements.

The phone runs Android 16 with HyperOS 3. The software brings the device in line with the latest Android generation, while Xiaomi’s interface adds its own set of features and customisation options.

Photography is handled by a 50MP primary rear camera with both optical image stabilisation and electronic image stabilisation. The main sensor is accompanied by a 2MP depth sensor. For selfies and video calls, the phone gets a 16MP front camera.

POCO has also highlighted several camera functions that could make the handset more versatile. These include underwater photography, dual video recording and artificial intelligence based editing tools. Features such as glare removal, object erasing, image expansion and image enhancement are included.

The underwater shooting feature is particularly interesting because the phone carries multiple dust and water protection certifications. The global model has IP66, IP68, IP69 and IP69K ratings. These ratings indicate different levels of protection against dust and water exposure, although users should still follow the manufacturer’s safety instructions rather than treating the phone as completely waterproof in every situation.

The device also comes with a broad range of connectivity options. These include dual 4G VoLTE, WiFi 5, Bluetooth 5.1, GPS, GLONASS, NFC and a USB Type C port. An in display fingerprint sensor and infrared sensor are also included.

Another feature listed for the phone is Xiaomi’s offline communication capability. This could provide an additional communication option in certain supported situations, although availability and functionality may vary depending on region and software.

In terms of design, the global model weighs around 223 grams and measures approximately 163.45 by 78.27 by 8.6 millimetres. With a battery of this size, the phone is understandably positioned as a substantial device rather than an ultra light smartphone.

POCO has launched the global version in Black, Orange and White colour options. The three memory configurations reportedly include 6GB RAM with 128GB storage, 8GB RAM with 256GB storage and 12GB RAM with 256GB storage.

The reported starting price for the global 6GB and 128GB model is 269 dollars, which is around Rs 25,500. The 8GB and 256GB version is reported at 299 dollars, or approximately Rs 28,400, while the 12GB and 256GB variant is listed at 349 dollars, roughly Rs 33,100.

Indian pricing could be different from the global rates because of taxes, local specifications and the company’s launch strategy. The final India configurations also need to be confirmed.

With its large battery, high refresh rate AMOLED display, 50MP camera, strong water resistance and 5G connectivity, the POCO X8 5G is positioned as a feature packed smartphone in the mid range segment.

The upcoming India launch could make the phone even more interesting if the reported 9000mAh battery is confirmed. For now, buyers should wait for POCO’s official announcement before making a decision based on the leaked India specifications or pricing.