Pocophone F1 for Rs 29,999 but is it still relevant in 2019?

Xiaomi Poco F1 is still perpetuating its hype in the market even after more than a year of its release. Recently the head of Pocophone Global Alvin Tse tweeted that Poco F1 will get MIUI 11. This news has been exciting for everyone. Poco F1 is the best device for the mid-range budget. The current price of Pocophone F1 in Nepal is Rs 29,999. Poco F1 sure has upheld its position for the best smartphone in Nepal under Rs 30,000. What really makes this device distinct from others? Let us inspect in detail. Moreover, check out the successor, POCO F2 Pro which launched as a Redmi K30 Pro rebrand.

Xiaomi Poco F1 Key Specifications

Release Date	August 2018
Display	6.18 inches, 1080 x 2246Pixels
Chipset	Snapdragon 845 (10 nm)
Memory	6 GB RAM, 128 GB internal storage
Primary Camera	12 MP, f/1.9, dual pixel PDAF + 5 MP, f/2.0 Shoot videos: 2160p@30/60fps, 1080p@30fps (gyro-EIS), 1080p@240fps, 720p@960fps
Selfie Camera	20MP, f/2.0 Shoot videos: 1080p@30fps
OS and UI	Android 8.1 (Oreo), upgradable to Android 9.0 (Pie)
Battery	4000mAh
Colors Available	Graphite Black, Steel Blue, Rosso Red, Armored Edition with Kevlar
Xiaomi Poco F1 Price in Nepal	Rs. ~~33,999~~ 29,999 (6/128 GB)

Design and Display

Poco F1 flaunts 6.18-inches display with an IPS LCD panel having a resolution of 1080 x 2246 pixels. The F1 has 82.2% screen-to-body ratio. Corning Gorilla Glass 3 is used for protection by Xiaomi. Talking about the display, wide notch can be seen that confines 20MP selfie camera. The wide notch is quite noticeable just like of iPhone X or the recent iPhone 11. For the back of the phone, Xiaomi has used plastic built body. This certainly may make you feel less premium while holding the device but this is reason F1 comes handy in the budget. The F1 rocks dual camera on the back. The rear camera is followed by the fingerprint sensor. You’ll find a SIM card slot is on the left and both volume keys and power button are placed on the right edge. The headphone is a must for gaming. Luckily, the F1 has 3.5 mm audio jack on the top, which is woefully missed in current devices.

Also, read: Xiaomi Redmi Note 7 Pro released in Nepal with a super-affordable price

Cameras

On the camera department, Poco F1 rocks 12 MP, f/1.9, dual pixel PDAF + 5 MP, f/2.0, depth sensor as the rear camera. The dual rear camera is aligned vertically. Dual-LED flash is placed beside the lenses. With these lenses, you can shoot videos: 2160p@30/60fps, 1080p@30fps (gyro-EIS), 1080p@240fps, 720p@960fps. As per Xiaomi, these lenses enhance the brightness and the quality of the photo with improved focus speed even if you are in motion or in low-light conditions.

The wide notch on the front is where 20MP, f/2.0 selfie camera is allotted. This lens support video shooting: 1080p@30fps. These camera lenses are cope-up perfectly with the price of the device.

Performance, Software, and Battery

Poco F1 offers high-end processor with low-price. This fairly distinct F1 from other smartphones. The F1 is powered by Snapdragon 845 (10 nm) chipset under the hood. In fact, the SD845 was Qualcomm’s flagship chipset at the release of this phone.

A massive 4000mAh battery fuels this device [bigger than OnePlus 6]. They have included 18-watt fast charging (Quick Charge 3.0) to refuel this massive battery. No doubt that Poco F1 surely make other smartphones a run for their money. The F1 ships with Android 8.1 (Oreo) out of the box, which can be later upgraded to Android 9.0 (Pie). However, as per the recent news, F1 will get MIUI 11 upgrades (based on Android 10) as well for even better smooth performance. Poco F1 is paired with 6GB of RAM and 128GB storage. The internal storage can be upgraded up to 256GB with dedicated micro SD card slot. For the color variant, F1 is available in Graphite Black, Steel Blue, Rosso Red, Armored Edition with Kevlar.

For the PUBG lovers, this is the complete setup device for an affordable price. You can play PUBG at HD graphics (at high frame rates), still, there will be no lagging in the device. This is where GPU Adreno 630 aids in the performance. Now, you may have a question regarding the heating during the gameplay. Not to even bother about that. Xiaomi has a solution. They implemented Liquid cooling technology in Poco F1 [this is feature Samsung gives their users in their top-flagship like Galaxy Note 10]. The liquid cooling technology assists the F1 for thermal issues.

Is Pocophone F1 still relevant in late 2019, after more than a year of release?

Okay, the F1 was first seen on August 2018, but what would make a better compelling mid-range phone in 2019? A better performing chipset, a larger battery, and up-to-date software, right? Well, well, well. The Pocofone F1 has it all. The Snapdragon 845 on this phone still blows most of the top smartphones under 30000 in the Nepali market out of the water (such as Redmi Note 7 Pro which uses SD675, Huawei Y9 Prime 2019 which uses Kirin 710F, Samsung Galaxy M30s which uses Exynos 9611, and Mi A3 which uses SD665.)

Talking of the battery, 2019 seems to embrace 4000mAh as standard battery size and the F1 definitely stands proud on that. And as aforementioned, the F1 will be receiving the Android 10 based MIUI 11 software update, which means the handset will still shine as fresh as new. To compare even the 1000$ phone (at launch) Galaxy Note 8 won’t receive the love of Android 10.

The only thing that the F1 might lag behind (in 2019) is on the camera department, but that too can be overcome with a proper software update because the F1 has the same IMX363 camera sensor that you’ll find on Pixel 3. And if you are gossiping about that hideous notch on the top of the F1, please be reminded the latest and best iPhone 11 still wears it. Proudly.

So, we guess, if you consider all the benefits of the phone that it offers, the pros surely outweigh the cons. Which means, let me rephrase it, the Pocophone F1 is, yes, still relevant to buy in 2019. In fact, it’s a steal-deal offer.

The Good	The Bad
Monstrous 4000mAh battery	No water resistance
Snapdragon 845 (10 nm) chipset	IPS LCD panel
Liquid cooling technology included
Smooth performance during intensive PUBG gameplay
Best features on a modest budget

Also Read: Xiaomi Mi Mobile Price in Nepal 2019 [UPDATED]

Xiaomi Pocophone F1 Price in Nepal

Undoubtedly, Poco F1 is an incredible device on a mid-range budget. Xiaomi has packed Poco F1 with good hardware, decent cameras, Snapdragon processor, and a massive battery. What more would a buyer look for in a device better than these features? Poco F1 is exceptional in its pricing with the awesome features they offer. In Nepal, the price of Pocophone F1 is Rs 33,999 29,999 for 6/128GB variant, available on Sasto Deal.

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