Poco F8 Ultra Canadian review: Android’s iPhone

When I first pulled the Poco F8 Ultra out of the box, I initially thought the company had sent me the wrong device. It looked and felt exactly like iPhone 17 pro maxright down to the camera body. It wasn't until I turned it on that I remembered that this is a high-end Android.

Poco's Android brand is trying to be iOS. This isn't necessarily a bad thing. The phone is fast, polished and performs exceptionally well. But this is a phone that follows, not leads, and it's this lack of originality that disappoints an Android fan like me.

Is this a great phone? Hell yes. Is it great Android? Well, there are some nuances that you should study before answering this question.

A premium performer in a familiar face

When I take the F8 Ultra out of my pocket, it's mistaken for an iPhone. The all-metal body with rounded corners, aluminum alloy middle frame and rectangular decoration on the back panel create a sense of déjà vu. The black version I use has a matte glossy fiber and looks elegant, but the Denim Blue version uses Xiaomi's third generation nanotech material and is supposed to have a denim look that is durable and stain resistant. I didn't get to play with it, but the whole line reminds me of what Android looks like when it's following rather than leading.

I have no complaints about performance. The phone is very fast thanks to its dual chipset architecture: the flagship Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 and the updated VisionBoost D8 chipset. Poco claims AnTuTu score is over 3.9 million and I believe it. I ran it through my own Geekbench test and it gave a single-core score of 3,583 and a multi-core score of 10,989, which matches the iPhone 17 Pro with 3,900 single-core and 9,900 multi-core.

In the few weeks I've used it as my daily driver, I haven't stuttered once. Even multitasking was a breeze. Games are also good and load Call of Duty: Mobile version And Honkai: Star Railway fast. Its dedicated cooling system consists of a dual-channel 3D IceLoop system that works hard to ensure the phone only gets warm when playing these games. But this is not a dedicated gaming phone like Redmagic 11 Pro I just reviewed it so I wasn't shocked. However, this is not a gaming phone. This is simply a powerful multifunctional device.

A feast for the eyes (and ears)

The Poco F8 Ultra really shines as an entertainment device.

The screen is great. Poco debuted its HyperRGB display here, and unlike traditional 2K OLEDs, it uses a full RGB sub-pixel structure. The result is exceptional clarity comparable to 2K, but uses 20 percent less power than conventional OLED. It has deep blacks and vibrant colors and I could still see clearly on a sunny winter day. My favorite parts of the screen are the thin 1.5mm bezels. I don't like bezels.

What makes this phone better than any iPhone is its speakers. They are simply amazing. I was very excited to partner with Bose and they did not disappoint. Poco has partnered with the audio giant to create a premium speaker system with three speakers and 2.1 channel architecture. This jargon means the sound is loud and clear. I continue to be amazed by the rich bass and detailed sound this slim device produces.

You can choose between a dynamic sound profile for rich bass or a balanced sound profile for clean vocals. Of course I chose Dynamic.

Professional-level photography with a trick

The camera system is great. The main setup includes a 50-megapixel camera with optical image stabilization (OIS). Large 1/1.31″ sensor provides increased light sensitivity compared to F7 last year. The images are clear, detailed and perfect.

I'm a big fan of Xiaomi's camera interface, which Poco continues to use on all its devices. This is my favorite camera UI of any phone, especially the Pro setting, which allows me to adjust every little detail of the camera, from aperture to ISO to white balance. Lenses have finally mastered this excellent interface.

These cameras feature Poco's world's first 50MP periscope telephoto lens with 5x zoom and unfortunately this is where I ran into problems. I tried to get distant objects as close as possible, but the sensor just couldn't figure out what I was looking at. The image remained blurry because the lens never focused. I moved back a little and the camera instantly stabilized and became clear, but I couldn't get a clear photo at maximum zoom.

The video, on the other hand, was excellent. Android has always lagged behind iPhone when it comes to video, but the Poco F8 Ultra is the first close contender I've used. It records exceptional video, smoothes out shaky and shaky images, and produces stunning 4K quality at 60fps (my personal best option for mobile video). Poco also includes software enhancements such as ultra-clear 1440P dynamic shots with EIS stabilization and HDR enhancement. As a result, this phone records video better than the latest models. Pixel or Galaxy S25.

Perfect video capture coupled with Bose speakers makes this device a great YouTube or TikTok streamer.

Stifling OS but great battery

Poco F8 Ultra packs a massive 6,500mAh battery, the largest Poco has ever used. A day and a half of regular use is not a problem. According to Poco, the 100W wired HyperCharging technology takes just 38 minutes to go from 0 to 100 percent, but I don't know because it doesn't come with a charging brick. It supports 50W wireless charging, which I used without any complaints.

In fact, my biggest gripe with this device remains unchanged from last year's F7 Ultra: the operating system. The phone runs on Xiaomi Hyper OS 3, which features artificial intelligence and Google Gemini.

The problem is that Poco has made Android difficult by locking everything down. Themes, icons, home screen layout and other customizations are only available through the Poco experience. I couldn't install a new launcher on it at all. I'm a fan of Smart Launcher 6, but like last year, it doesn't work on Poco F-series devices. I already have an iPhone; I value Android for its highly customizable features, so I'm extremely disappointed by this walled garden approach.

Is it worth buying?

The Poco F8 Ultra is a fantastic phone for those who just want great hardware that's reliable, fast and fun to use, but don't want an iPhone. Non-technical people will appreciate this device. This is a great choice if you don't care about setup and want great cameras, speakers, and a beautiful screen.

However, if you're a customizer or an Android enthusiast, it's worth a pass. Just take it iPhone 17 pro at this moment.