Xiaomi Poco X8s review
The Poco X8s is for users who want a durable, well-built daily phone with a bright, smooth display and aren't willing to compromise on durability or design. It's less suited to those who shoot wide-angle photography regularly, expect rapid charging, or need the absolute snappiest storage performance."
This review is based on Xiaomi’s published specifications and public benchmark data for the Xiaomi Poco X8s, and the rating is spec-based. GoSolo does not physically test devices; where we estimate real-world behaviour such as battery life or charge time, we say so. How we rate phones.
Overview
The Poco X8s is a solidly built mid-ranger with a punchy display and a practical triple-camera setup that doesn't pretend to be more than it is. At €360, it's a thoughtful design for users who want dependable everyday performance and aren't chasing flagship specs.
Design & build
At 187g and 8.1mm, the X8s feels light and thin in hand—genuinely premium-feeling for the price. The glass-aluminum-glass sandwich with Xiaomi Shield Glass on both sides is a mark of serious build quality; you won't find this durability guarantee on rivals at €360. IP68 rating adds real value for users in dusty or wet climates. The only quibble is that glass backs are slippery and magnets for fingerprints, but that's a trade-off of the design choice, not a flaw.
Display
The 6.35-inch LTPO AMOLED is where the X8s punches hard for its price. 460 ppi is sharp enough—not flagship, but plenty fine at arm's length. The real win is 120Hz fluidity paired with Dolby Vision and HDR10+ support; watching Netflix or scrolling social media feels polished. 3500 nits peak is bright enough for outdoor visibility in direct sun, a genuine rarity at this price point. Narrower bezels mean a 91% screen-to-body ratio, so you're getting a spacious, modern feel without the bloat of a 6.7-incher.
Performance
The Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 is the chip that defines this device: capable upper-midrange, not flagship, but solidly responsive for everyday work. With 8GB or 12GB RAM, multitasking flows without hiccups. Gaming—think Genshin Impact or Call of Duty Mobile at medium settings—runs smoothly, though demanding titles will throttle if you're chasing high frame rates for extended sessions. The real bottleneck is storage: UFS 2.2 is noticeably slower than UFS 4.0, which became standard in this tier by 2026. App launches, photo library scrolling, and file copies feel sluggish compared to rivals. This isn't a dealbreaker for casual users, but it's a tangible quality-of-life hit.
Software
Android 16 with HyperOS 3 is Xiaomi's mature take on an Android skin. HyperOS has shed most of its cruftware reputation; what's bundled is largely useful, and most shovelware can be disabled or uninstalled. The OS runs smoothly on this hardware, and security patches have historically been reliable on Poco series phones. Expect about two years of OS updates and three to four years of security patches—standard for the tier, not leading edge, but dependable.
Camera
Here's where spec and reality diverge. The 50MP f/1.8 main sensor with OIS is the strong link—handheld shots in daylight are crisp and well-balanced, and the large 1/1.55" sensor captures good detail even when cropped in post. The periscope telephoto at 2.5x optical zoom is where the X8s differentiates: rivals at this price abandon telephoto entirely or push 1.5x digital zoom. In good light, 2x–3x zoom shots hold their own; dim settings expose the narrower aperture. Now the catch: the 8MP ultrawide is a hard cutback. At 1/4.0" with 1.12µm pixels, it's starved for light and lacks the resolving power to justify the wide angle in anything but bright outdoors. If you shoot ultrawide often, this is a real limitation. The 20MP selfie camera is solid for video calls and casual self-portraits. Video tops out at 4K@30fps, which is slow by 2026 standards—rivals hit 8K or at least 4K@60fps at this price. OIS and EIS stabilization help, but the frame rate ceiling feels like a cost-cut.
Battery & charging
The 6330 mAh cell should deliver about 1.5 to 2 days of moderate use—solid for the size and display. The absence of charging speed in the official spec is troubling; if it matches the outgoing Poco X8 at 33W, that's well below the 67W, 80W, or even 100W that competitors now offer in this bracket. Charging times would stretch toward an hour, whereas faster rivals hit 50% in 20 minutes. Without seeing the final spec, assume slow charging is likely—a meaningful inconvenience for a 2026 mid-ranger where the rest of the phone feels current.
Value & verdict
At €360, the X8s is positioned as a no-nonsense daily driver: good display, durable build, practical camera, and a chip that doesn't lag. It's not a flagship wannabe; it's honest about its tier. The periscope telephoto is a genuine bright spot that lifts it above typical rivals. The flip side: slow storage, weak ultrawide, likely slow charging, and capped video frame rates are real compromises. If you prioritize display quality, durability, and a reliable main camera over raw processing power or bleeding-edge specs, this is thoughtful value. If you want the fastest charger, the sharpest ultrawide, or flagship performance in a smaller body, look elsewhere—this phone knows its lane.
Verdict
The Poco X8s is for users who want a durable, well-built daily phone with a bright, smooth display and aren't willing to compromise on durability or design. It's less suited to those who shoot wide-angle photography regularly, expect rapid charging, or need the absolute snappiest storage performance."
- LTPO AMOLED at 120Hz with 3500 nits peak brightness and Dolby Vision—genuinely good for a mid-ranger at this price, and rare at €360
- Periscope 2.5x telephoto is a real differentiator in this tier; most rivals stick to digital zoom or cheap ultrawide only
- Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 handles everyday multitasking and gaming without strain; paired with 8GB or 12GB RAM, this is properly responsive for its year
- IP68 rating and Xiaomi Shield Glass on both front and back show real durability thinking; not just a nice-to-have at this price
- No charging speed listed in the spec sheet—a red flag for a 2026 mid-ranger; if it matches the last Poco X series at 33W, that's well behind rivals hitting 67–100W
- Ultrawide at 8MP with 1/4.0" sensor is genuinely weak; it's a spec-box feature, not a usable camera for wide shots
- UFS 2.2 storage is noticeably slow by 2026 standards; rivals in this bracket now use UFS 4.0, making app launches and file transfers feel sluggish
Xiaomi Poco X8s Key Specifications
The essentials at a glance. See the full spec sheet.
| Released | 2026, October 26 |
|---|---|
| Display | 6.35 inches, 98.7 cm2 (~91.0% screen-to-body ratio), LTPO AMOLED, 68B colors, 120Hz, Dolby Vision, HDR10+, 3500 nits (peak) |
| Resolution | 1220 x 2656 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~460 ppi density) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM7750-AB Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 (4 nm) |
| RAM & storage | 256GB 8GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM |
| Main camera | 50 MP, f/1.8, (wide), 1/1.55", 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS 50 MP, f/2.2, 57mm (periscope telephoto), PDAF, 2.5x optical zoom 8 MP, f/2.2, 120˚ (ultrawide), 1/4.0", 1.12µm |
| Selfie camera | 20 MP |
| Battery | 6330 mAh |
| Software | Android 16, HyperOS 3 |
| Dimensions | 151.1 x 71.8 x 8.1 mm (5.95 x 2.83 x 0.32 in) |
| Weight | 187 g (6.60 oz) |
| Build | Glass front (Xiaomi Shield Glass), aluminum frame, glass back |
| Durability | IP68 dust tight and water resistant (immersible up to 1.5m for 30 min) |
| Network | GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G |
| NFC | Yes |
| USB | USB Type-C 2.0 |
Xiaomi Poco X8s FAQ
Common questions, answered from the spec sheet.
Does the Poco X8s support 5G?
Yes. The Poco X8s supports 5G networks.
What chipset does the Poco X8s use?
The Poco X8s runs on the Qualcomm SM7750-AB Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 (4 nm).
What display does the Poco X8s have?
A 6.35 inches, 98.7 cm2 (~91.0% screen-to-body ratio) LTPO AMOLED, 68B colors, 120Hz, Dolby Vision, HDR10+, 3500 nits (peak), 1220 x 2656 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~460 ppi density).
How big is the Poco X8s battery?
The Poco X8s has a 6330 mAh battery.
Does the Poco X8s have NFC?
Yes, the Poco X8s has NFC.
Is the Poco X8s water resistant?
The Poco X8s carries a IP68 dust tight and water resistant (immersible up to 1.5m for 30 min) rating.
Does the Poco X8s support a microSD card?
No, the Poco X8s does not support expandable storage.
Alternatives to consider
If the Poco X8s isn’t quite right, these are the closest calls.
Poco M8 Pro
Poco X8 Pro
Poco X8 Pro Max
Poco F9 Pro
Galaxy A57
