Powerful Redmi phones in disguise

The Poco F3 and Poco X3 GT were two of the best mid-range phones in 2021, offering plenty of grunt and attractive prices. So how does the company track these devices? Well, enter the Poco F4 and the Poco X4 GT.

Both of these phones pack features like 67W wired charging (via included charger), dual speakers, IR blaster, NFC, side fingerprint scanner, and Wi-Fi 6. The phones also share features like similar secondary rear cameras (8MP ultrawide and 2MP macro). So what makes them different then?

Poco F4: If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it?

It shouldn’t be surprising to see that the Poco F4 is a rebranded version of the Redmi K40s only in China, with no major visual changes. You get a Snapdragon 870 chipset, a 6.67-inch FHD+ 120Hz OLED display with Gorilla Glass 5, and a 4,500mAh battery. This processor choice, in particular, is quite interesting, as it means the phone has the same chipset as its predecessor.

Related: Everything you need to know about Xiaomi phones

Otherwise, the phone stands out from its predecessor thanks to the aforementioned wired charging speed of 67W, capable of going from zero to 100% in 38 minutes. The phone also sports a 64 MP main camera with optical image stabilization. By comparison, the Redmi K40s had a 48MP shooter with OIS, while the Poco F3 lacked OIS altogether.

Other notable features of the Poco F4 include a 20MP selfie camera, 360Hz touch sampling rate, Bluetooth 5.2, and MIUI 13 with Poco Launcher on Android 12.

Poco X4 GT: a powerful proposition

Poco’s second phone revealed today is the Poco X4 GT, picking up where last year’s Poco X3 GT left off and being essentially a rebranded Redmi Note 11T Pro. The new phone ups the ante with a 6.67-inch 144Hz LCD display, to begin with. This screen includes a seven-level refresh rate switch, varying from 30Hz to 144Hz. However, we do see a display-related downgrade, as the X3 GT’s Gorilla Glass Victus protection makes way for the older Gorilla Glass. 5.

Otherwise, the phone packs a Dimensity 8100 chipset, which is a pretty decent power boost over last year’s Dimensity 1100 SoC. Mediatek previously said the Dimensity 8100 is targeting the Snapdragon 870 and Snapdragon 888. In fact, Poco claimed the phone was able to deliver the same average FPS in Free Fire compared to the Poco F4 GT and its Snapdragon 8 Gen 1. SoC.

Poco’s LCD phone also serves up a 5,080mAh battery capable of going from zero to 100% in 46 minutes. Look to the back of the phone and you have a 64MP main camera (no OIS here), along with the expected 8MP ultrawide camera and 2MP macro lens. Either way, the battery, charging speed, and rear cameras don’t seem like an upgrade over the X3 GT.

Other features of the Poco X4 GT include a 16MP selfie camera, 270Hz touch sampling rate, MIUI 13 for Poco on Android 12, 3.5mm port and Bluetooth 5.3. These last two features, in particular, are missing from the Poco F4.

Poco F4, X4 GT price and availability

The Xiaomi-affiliated brand has confirmed that the Poco F4 and X4 GT will be available in Western Europe, the Middle East, Southeast Asia and several other markets.

Expect to pay a starting price of €399 (~$419) for the Poco F4 6GB/128GB, while the 8GB/256GB model will set you back €449 (~$472). Poco says the phone is also available at an early bird price of €349 (~$367) and €399 (~$419) respectively.

Meanwhile, the Poco X4 GT starts at €379 (~$398) for the 8GB/128GB variant, with the 8GB/256GB model costing you €429 (~$451). Fortunately, Poco offers pre-registration prices of €299 (~$314) and €349 (~$367) respectively.