Poco has been teasing its comeback for some time, but the F2 Pro is now finally official, following the company's 12 May launch event.

The brand officially separated from Xiaomi back in January, since when it's launched the X2, followed by this more premium F2 Pro. Here's everything you need to know about this affordable flagship.

Design & Display

  • Finishes: Neon Blue, Electric Purple, Cyber Grey, Phantom White
  • 6.67-inch OLED screen, 1080 x 2400 pixels, HDR10+
  • Dimensions: 163.3 x 75.4 x 8.9 / Weight: 218g
  • In-screen fingerprint scanner
  • 3.5mm headphone jack

The standout feature of any phone these days is the screen - and Poco has gone with a large 6.67-inch panel. It's AMOLED, so expect inky blacks from this superior-than-LCD technology.

Best of all, however, there's no notch, no punch-hole camera, no screen interruptions whatsoever. That's because, like the Redmi K30 Pro on which this Poco is based, there's a built-in mechanised pop-up front camera. That means the screen is left to be the star of the show.

Poco F2 Pro Spec image 1
Poco

The screen is capable of HDR10+ on the high dynamic range front, helped along by its 800 nits maximum output (500 typical). There's also Corning Gorilla Glass 5 protection to help avoid scratches.

Various colour options are available, although whether these will be region specific when availability comes into the Mi store isn't clear at this stage.

Unusually for a flagship there's a 3.5mm headphone jack - which we're always pleased to see. A fingerprint scanner under the screen keeps things up to date. However, there's no mention of weather-sealing.

Hardware & Battery

  • Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 processor
    • 128GB storage, 6GB RAM
    • 256GB storage, 8GB RAM
  • LiquidCool Technology 2.0
  • 4700mAh battery
  • 30W fast-charge
  • Wi-Fi 6, 5G

Poco isn't mucking about when it comes to power potential. The combination of Qualcomm's top-end Snapdragon 865 platform - paired with 6GB or 8GB of RAM, depending on variant - and a design incorporating liquid cooling technology makes this spec more akin to a gaming phone.

How does this LiquidCool Technology 2.0 system work? There's a large vapour chamber, surrounded by multiple stacks of graphite and graphene - which are super heat absorbers - to speed the cooling process. Always handy when that processor is driving hard and generating heat. It should also assist with battery longevity too.

Poco F2 Pro Spec image 1
Poco

Longevity for any flagship can be a concern, but the Poco houses a 4,700mAh battery - which is a bigger capacity compared to most other phones on the market. There's also 30W fast-charging which can top-up the battery from dead to full in little more than an hour at the plug.

Speedy connectivity from Wi-Fi 6 should mean quick downloads. Poco has also ventured into 5G wireless connectivity here - something the Qualcomm platform caters for - for the speediest connection when on the go (availability dependent).

Cameras

  • Quad rear cameras:
    • Main (26mm): 64-megapixel, f/1.9 aperture
    • Wide (13mm): 13MP
    • Macro: 5MP, f/2.2
    • Depth: 2MP
  • 20MP mechanised pop-up selfie camera

We've already mentioned that headline pop-up camera to the front, but you'll find a lot more going on around the back: there's a quad camera arrangement, including the renowned 64-megapixel Sony IMX686 sensor. It's renowned because it's larger than typical and typically uses four 'pixels' in one for oversampling - delivering great 16-megapixel output by default. 

Poco F2 Pro Spec image 1
Poco

In addition to the ultra-high resolution option, there's a 13-megapixel wide-angle, 5-megapixel macro, and a separate depth sensor for assisting with software-made background blur. We wouldn't get too excited about the macro and depth sensor, though.

Video can be captured at 8K (at 24fps) or 4K (at 60fps).

Price & Availability

  • Price: €499 (6GB+128GB) / €599 (8GB+256GB)

The real eye-catching part of all this? The price. To be able to buy a 5G phone for under €500 - the UK / US pricing is not confirmed at this stage, but equates to £440 / $540 equivalent - is really quite something.

Global availability is immediate, via GearBest or AliExpress, with more local channels expected in the future. In the UK, for example, it will be a Xiaomi Mi Store sale point, starting from "summer" according to the company.