The Poco M6 Plus is the third instalment in Poco’s M6 series of smartphones, following the M6 Pro and entry-level M6. We reviewed the M6 and M6 Pro last year and found them to be quite reliable for everyday use. The new ‘Plus’ variant was launched earlier this month and costs a small premium over its two siblings. The smartphone is currently retailing for Rs 13,000 on Flipkart. In terms of upgrades, the M6 Plus gets a new 108MP sensor for the primary camera, an ‘Accelerated Edition’ of the Snapdragon 4 Gen 2 chipset under its hood, and a slightly bigger battery that charges faster than the other two variants. On paper, the smartphone flaunts the same specs as its Xiaomi cousin, Redmi 13. We used it for a week and went through its ins and outs. Here is our review of the Poco M6 Plus.
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In This Article
Poco M6 Plus Review: Design and Display
Here’s what you get inside the Poco M6 Plus retail box:
- Smartphone
- 33W power adapter
- USB Type-C to Type-C cable
- Clear plastic case
- SIM ejector
- Quick start guide
The Poco M6 Plus flaunts a glass back, which is unusual for this segment. This glass back also gives the smartphone a fair bit of weight. At 205g, it is one of the heavier smartphones in this price category. The weight is distributed evenly across the body of the device and it does not feel top-heavy at all. Similar to the two M6 variants, the M6 Plus gets a dual-tone finish on its back panel. The top third of the panel which caters to the vertical camera array is darker than the rest of the body. Three colour variants are on offer – Graphite Black, Ice Silver, and Misty Lavender.
The plastic frame of the smartphone houses the volume rocker keys and the side button on its right edge. The side button also doubles as a fingerprint sensor. The bottom edge contains the primary microphone, USB slot, and speaker grille. The hybrid SIM slot lies on the left edge of the frame. The headphone jack and IR blaster are positioned on the top edge. There is no secondary speaker or microphone on the device.
The 6.79-inch IPS LCD panel on the M6 Plus has a 120Hz refresh rate and can reach a peak brightness of 550 nits. This brightness level is optimum for indoor use but presents some legibility issues under direct sunlight. An LCD panel also means that you don’t get Always on Display on this device. There is also no under-display fingerprint reader on this phone. However, the fingerprint sensor on the side key is pretty snappy. The touch response of the display is decent and there are no lags while browsing web pages and apps. The punch-hole cutout for the selfie camera sets the M6 Plus apart from the other two variants which sport the waterdrop notch. All three variants have similarly sized bezels around the display.
The viewing experience offered by the LCD panel is satisfactory. The images produced on the screen have rich colours but they lack the deep blacks that AMOLED displays are known for. The single, bottom-firing speaker outlet produces a slightly tinny audio output but it can reach a loud volume level. We streamed multiple titles on the device across platforms like Netflix, Prime Video, and Disney+ Hotstar, and were happy with the overall viewing experience. Sure, we would have preferred an AMOLED display and a secondary speaker but given the price of the smartphone, these tradeoffs make sense.
Poco M6 Plus Review: Performance and Cameras
The Poco M6 Plus is powered by the Snapdragon 4 Gen 2 ‘Accelerated Edition’ chipset. The smartphone is available in two RAM variants – 6GB and 8GB. Both variants are available with 128GB (UFS 2.2) on-device storage which can be expanded further using a micro SD card. The 8GB variant fetches Rs 14,500.
On the Geekbench 6 app, the Poco M6 Plus scored 963 points in the single-core test and 2,217 points in the multi-core test. This is higher than the entry-level and Pro variants, which scored 700 & 1,915 and 863 & 1,893 points respectively. The Redmi 13, powered by the same chipset as the M6 Plus, scored 953 & 2,207 points when we reviewed the smartphone.
The Poco M6 Plus is a reliable smartphone for everyday use. We used the smartphone for calling, emailing, media streaming, social media browsing, and other routine tasks. While the apps do take slightly longer to load compared to midrange devices, it is all smooth sailing once you get over the initial hump. The inclusion of an IR blaster significantly increased the functionality of the device. We used it as a TV and AC remote throughout the review period. With 5G connectivity onboard, we never had to slog through sluggish speeds while using mobile internet on the M6 Plus.
The M6 Plus’ performance takes a noticeable hit upon running demanding games on the device. We played Call of Duty Mobile and Asphalt Legends Unit on the smartphone and encountered frequent jitters. This can be solved by switching to low graphics but that takes the bite out of the overall gameplay. However, titles like Candy Crush Saga and Subway Surfers run without any hiccups and the touch response rate while playing these games is quite pleasant. If a good gaming performance is your biggest priority, there are other better options for you.
On the OS front, Xiaomi’s HyperOS puts up a good display. There is a good range of customisation options for the home and lock screens. The software is well-optimised for the platform and provides a very intuitive browsing experience. We also like the native Mi Remote app for the IR blaster. It registered all the devices that we tried it on without needing multiple attempts. The only thing that lets down the software experience is the sheer volume of bloatware on this phone. Thankfully, these apps can be removed and we recommend taking the time to make the interface ‘cleaner’.
The 5,030mAh battery pack on this device lasts an entire day with ease. You can even push it to 1.5-2 days if you cut down on media streaming and other power-intensive tasks. Our daily usage on the Poco M6 Plus during the review period consisted of 1-2 hours of media streaming, 1 hour of gaming, frequent video calls, and social media browsing. At the end of each day were left with a 15-20% charge. The 33W power adapter provided inside the box can fully charge the smartphone in just over an hour.
The Poco M6 Plus has the same camera setup as the Redmi 13. The 108MP primary shooter is the centrepiece of the rear camera setup. There’s also a 2MP macro sensor for closeups. Up front, the 13MP selfie camera lies inside a punch-hole cutout.
The 108MP camera puts in a great performance in outdoor daylight conditions. The images taken in well-lit conditions are detailed, balanced, and showcase rich colours. We were happy with the contrast level and dynamic range displayed by the images. These results are almost identical to the ones we saw on the Redmi 13.
In limited lighting conditions, the primary shooter struggles to properly brighten the subject. The images are soft and grainy. The results are much better when there’s some artificial lighting available. This performance is at par with the rest of the segment.
We were particularly impressed by the portrait shots taken by the Poco M6 Plus. The smartphone does a good job of detecting the subject’s edges and separating it from the background. The level of background blur applied to the portrait shots is satisfactory. This isn’t something that is usual for budget smartphones.
The 13MP front-facing camera delivers good results in indoor and outdoor lighting conditions. The smartphone does a good job of keeping the skin brightening and smoothening effects to a minimum. The selfies are clear, balanced, and pack a lot of detail. The portrait mode works well with the front camera too.
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Conclusion
The Poco M6 Plus ticks all the right boxes for a budget smartphone. It has an amazing primary shooter, a premium glass back panel, and a clean design. The OS, while bloatware-ridden, is very intuitive and offers a lot of personalisation options. The Snapdragon 4 Gen 2 AE chipset at the heart of this device isn’t designed to handle intense gaming sessions but it does a good job of handling routine tasks. If you prioritise form factor, photography, and consistent everyday performance, this is the smartphone for you.
Poco M6 Plus: Pros
- Good photography performance
- Versatile battery life
- Glass back panel
- IR blaster
- Affordable
Poco M6 Plus: Cons
- Lacks a dual-speaker setup
- Contains bloatware
