Each brings the classic Xiaomi “great value for money” equation to the table. Each has a formidable reputation. Each is targeting the mid-segment of the Indian smartphone market. So which one do you go for? The Poco X2 or the Redmi Note 8 Pro? The comeback kid or the bestselling veteran?
Let us try and find out, shall we?
Poco X2 vs Redmi Note 8 Pro: Who’s got the looks?
This is going to be an interesting one. Both phones are big and slightly heavy but nevertheless, very good to look at, with gradient glass backs. The Poco X2 looks a little more distinct with the different textured circles around its camera unit on the back and the dual punch-hole cameras in the front. Yes, we have a soft corner for the beautiful gamma green edition on the Redmi Note 8 Pro, but let’s be honest, the Poco X2 is more likely to stand out in a smartphone crowd. The Note 8 Pro does look good but is more subtle. Winner: Poco X2
Poco X2 vs Redmi Note 8 Pro: All right, refresh those displays!
When it comes to displays, there is just one winner out there. Both phones have full HD+ LCD displays, but the Poco X2 has a 6.67-inch one as compared to the 6.53-inch one on the Note 8 Pro. And then there is the little matter of the display on the X2 coming with a 120 Hz refresh rate, which is unmatched in its price segment. They are both good displays, but the X2 wins this easily. Winner: Poco X2
Poco X2 vs Redmi Note 8 Pro: When Snapdragons and Helios collide!
When it comes to processors, the battle between the two phones is a fascinating one. The Poco X2 comes with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 730G, while the Poco X2 is driven by the MediaTek Helio G90T chip. Both are octa-core processors. On sheer reputation, the odds would seem to lie with the Qualcomm chip which also has an 8 nm architecture as compared to the 12 nm on the G90T, but we have seen exceptional performance from the G90T, especially in the gaming department, so we are going to surprise some and call this one a tie. Winner: Tie
Poco X2 vs Redmi Note 8 Pro: Randomly accessing memory and storage matters
When it comes to RAM and storage, both phones are very closely matched, coming with 6 GB/ 64 GB, 6GB/ 128 GB and 8 GB / 256 GB variants. Both also come with expandable memory options, supporting cards of up to 512 GB. However, the Redmi Note 8 Pro has a dedicated memory card slot while the Poco X2 makes you sacrifice one of the two SIM card slots on board for it. Which is why the Redmi Note 8 Pro wins this one. Narrowly. Winner: Redmi Note 8 Pro
Poco X2 vs Redmi Note 8 Pro: Quad Camera face off
Both the Poco X2 and the Redmi Note 8 Pro come with quad-camera arrangements on the back. And they sound largely similar – a 64-megapixel main sensor, an 8-megapixel ultrawide sensor, a 2-megapixel depth sensor, and a 2-megapixel macro sensor. But while the Redmi Note 8 Pro has a Samsung GW1 64 megapixel sensor, the X2 comes with the Sony IMX686 one. And the difference is telling – we got much better color and detail on the X2 than on the Redmi Note 8 Pro, and even video quality was discernibly better. It is not as if the Note 8 Pro has bad cameras (we think they are among the best in the sub-Rs 15,000 segment) – it is just that the Sony IMX686 changes the 64-megapixel game. And this becomes particularly noticeable when you are shooting landscapes or at night, where the low light photography game of the Poco is easily the superior! Winner: Poco X2
Poco X2 vs Redmi Note 8 Pro: Self-shooting wars
Both the Note 8 Pro and the Poco X2 have 20-megapixel selfie cameras but the Poco X2 also has a second 2-megapixel sensor, and that results in far better portrait selfie snaps, with better-defined edges. That apart, both phones are reasonably equally matched, but that second camera gives the Poco the edge. Winner: Poco X2
Poco X2 vs Redmi Note 8 Pro: Game on!
When it comes to gaming, the battle between the two phones is a formidable one. Yes, graphics seem marginally smoother on the Poco X2 thanks to that high refresh rate, but then games actually seemed to load slightly faster on the Redmi Note 8 Pro and even sometimes seemed to work faster. It is a very close call, to be honest, and given the similar RAM configurations of both devices, we would call this a tie. Winner: Tie
Poco X2 vs Redmi Note 8 Pro: When U and I get into software battles
In terms of software, the Poco X2 totally bosses the Note 8 Pro. Not only does it run on the Android 10 with MIUI 11 out of the box (the Note 8 Pro is getting both through updates), but it also comes with the Poco Launcher, and cuts out the ads that for many are the biggest minus point in MIUI. Only one winner here. Winner: Poco X2
Poco X2 vs Redmi Note 8 Pro: Them battery battles
Both phones come with 4500 mAh batteries. But the Poco X2’s bigger display, combined with that 120 Hz refresh rate means it trails well behind the Redmi Note 8 Pro. The X2 lasted about a day of heavy usage, while the Redmi Note 8 Pro went well beyond that and could almost see off two days if used carefully. Yes, the Poco X2 does charge faster thanks to its 27W charger in the box, as compared to the 18W one on the Redmi Note 8 Pro, but in terms of sheer battery life, the Note 8 Pro wins comfortably. Winner: Redmi Note 8 Pro
Poco X2 vs Redmi Note 8 Pro: Generally speaking
In general routine day to day tasks like web browsing, social networking, multitasking and messaging, both phones matched each other. The slightly more compact form factor of the Note 8 Pro makes it a bit easier to use but the difference is not a killer one. The sound quality on both phones is again about the same, although we felt that the Poco X2 had a slightly higher volume. And when it comes to viewing films and videos, the bigger display of the Poco and the refresh rate can give it a slight edge. We are calling this one a tie again. Winner: Tie
Poco X2 vs Redmi Note 8 Pro: Price
The Redmi Note 8 Pro has a clear price edge over the Poco X2. The Note 8 Pro starts at Rs 14,999 as compared to the Rs 15,999 at which the Poco X2 starts. In fact, for the starting price of the Poco X2, you can get a 6 GB / 128 GB variant of the Redmi Note 8 Pro. There is an even wider difference in the top (8 GB/ 256 GB) variants of the two devices – the Note 8 Pro is available for Rs 17,999 while the Poco X2 comes for Rs 19,999. Winner: Redmi Note 8 Pro
Poco X2 vs Redmi Note 8 Pro: Buy which one then?
The battle between the former Xiaomi siblings is a ferociously close one. On paper, the Poco X2 might seem to have the better of the comparing, winning five parameters and losing three. But the point to note (pun intended) is that the Note 8 Pro holds its own in crucial departments like gaming and battery life and matches the X2 in general performance. We think that the real difference between the two devices is photography – if you consider cameras to be important, the Poco X2 is perhaps the best phone money can buy for under Rs 25,000. The “SmoothAF” display has great potential but at the moment, it does not make the sort of killer difference – many might prefer the better battery life on the Note 8 Pro. Another factor that might make people favor the X2 is the software on it. Not only does the Poco X2 have a relatively cleaner UI with (so far) no ads on it, but it also enjoys a great reputation in terms of delivering updates. We can see geek and photography lovers opting for the Poco X2, but the Redmi Note 8 Pro remains a very powerful mainstream option!
