POCO’s latest flagship isn’t just another spec monster.
Most impressively, the F8 Ultra is going global, offering Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 muscle, a denim-esque rear finish, and even a Bose‑branded subwoofer built into the back — a combination of design materials and audio tech you’d be hard‑pressed to find on any other phone.
- Rear Subwoofer Delivers Bose-Tuned 2.1 Audio System
- Nano-Tech Material Creates Denim-Like Back Design
- Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 and Thermals Built for Play
- A 1.5K OLED Display and Fast Charging Capabilities
- 50MP Triple Camera With 5x Periscope Coverage
- Pricing, Availability, and the Pro Alternative
- Why This Phone May Be Worth Your Money and Attention
Rear Subwoofer Delivers Bose-Tuned 2.1 Audio System
The F8 Ultra carries a triple-speaker setup (speakers at the top and bottom, plus a dedicated bass driver on the back) to provide genuine 2.1 system sound.
POCO claims the system is tuned for greater low‑frequency output without added distortion, and it offers Dynamic or Balanced modes depending on whether you want to push bass or vocals to the front of the mix.
It’s an unusual approach for mobile audio. Stereo pairs without a dedicated bass unit are the base case on most premium phones, and front‑firing setups usually score best in third‑party assessments such as DXOMARK’s audio testing. A Bose‑branded hardware path indicates more nuanced crossover and enclosure work rather than a mere EQ tweak. How well the driver at the rear actually extends bass in a way that’s useful for games and video streams — without rattling the chassis on your desk — will be a significant real‑world test for gamers and video streamers.
Nano-Tech Material Creates Denim-Like Back Design
What catches the eye is the Denim Blue. It looks like jeans but is made from Xiaomi’s third‑generation nano‑tech composite, not fabric. Past uses of this material family on Xiaomi flagships have brought matte soft‑touch or vegan leather texture with enhanced stain resistance, and the same durability pitch also applies here.
If you want something more typical, there’s also a Black option with a matte‑gloss sheen back made of glass fiber. The comparison, though, gives the line an identity beyond spec sheets — something lost on many mid‑to‑premium phones.
Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 and Thermals Built for Play
At the heart of this is Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 with what POCO refers to as VisionBoost D8. The platform features AI Super Resolution in titles including Genshin Impact, Call of Duty: Mobile, and PUBG, as well as Smart Frame Rate for motion that smooths moving objects, akin to frame interpolation. POCO’s LiquidCool system is deployed to help keep clocks high, shedding heat from the chip reasonably aggressively — a wise move considering some early thermal issues spotted on certain 8 Elite Gen 5 devices from other brands.
Connectivity is also flagship‑level — with Wi‑Fi 7 onboard and support for POCO’s offline comms tech that can carry Bluetooth‑based voice over kilometer‑scale distances without cellular or Wi‑Fi (which the company bills as a niche but clever safety and outdoor feature).
A 1.5K OLED Display and Fast Charging Capabilities
The display extends to 6.9 inches at 1.5K resolution, with minimum brightness set at 1 nit, high‑brightness mode rated at 2,000 nits, and peak brightness capped on paper at 3,500 nits.
You get POCO Shield Glass for protection, and the device comes with an ultrasonic in‑display fingerprint scanner that should do a better job of unlocking your phone when wet. The F8 Ultra and its stablemates run HyperOS 3 and are IP68 rated.
The package is backed by a 6,500mAh battery. Charging reaches 100W over USB Power Delivery PPS — not a proprietary standard — so POCO has made a consumer‑friendly decision by aligning this charger with USB‑IF guidance, which in turn improves charger‑ecosystem interoperability. Wireless charging comes in at 50W, for both rapid top‑ups and overnight desk charging.
50MP Triple Camera With 5x Periscope Coverage
At the rear is a 50MP main camera on a 1/1.3‑inch sensor with a bright f/1.67 aperture, leading the pack. A 50MP 5x periscope delivers 10x lossless zoom, says the brand, plus 20x AI‑assisted “zoom” and a surprisingly close‑focusing (30cm) macro mode. A 50MP ultrawide completes the trio, and a 32MP front shooter takes care of selfies and video calls.
POCO also plays up creative effects with positive and negative film‑style filters, echoing rivals’ analog‑simulated profiles that have become popular in recent years. The big question is consistency: if the processing preserves natural texture at mid‑zoom and doesn’t over‑smooth, the hardware can perform respectably for its price class.
Pricing, Availability, and the Pro Alternative
The F8 Ultra comes in 12GB/256GB and has a starting price of $729 (or early pricing in select regions at $679). Listings in Europe indicate $829.99 suggested and $699.99 promotional pricing. Of note, POCO is promising four major Android version updates and six years of security patches — which harmonizes with promises from top Android providers as well as what research firms like Counterpoint have found about extending device longevity.
For less, there’s the F8 Pro, which includes a Snapdragon 8 Elite (not Gen 5), a 6.59‑inch 120Hz OLED display, and a 6,210mAh battery with support for wired charging up to 100W — no wireless. Its cameras are a 50MP main, 50MP 2.5x telephoto, and 8MP ultrawide, with a 20MP selfie sensor. It retains IP68, the ultrasonic sensor, the OS strategy, and POCO’s own LiquidCool system, so it makes sense if you can live without the periscope and Bose audio.
Why This Phone May Be Worth Your Money and Attention
With a denim‑esque back and an honest‑to‑goodness rear subwoofer, the F8 Ultra isn’t afraid of things most flagships won’t touch.
If POCO’s tuning gives you fuller sound without ergonomic oddities, and the nano‑tech finish resists chipping and flaking from active daily wear, this could be the rare Android flagship that feels different the moment it hits your hand — and sounds different from the second you tap play.
