POCO has been on a roll lately, and the model is doing all the appropriate issues with its funds and mid-range telephones. What’s significantly attention-grabbing is that POCO now collaborates with Marvel to launch limited-edition fashions of its telephones, like final yr’s X7 Professional Iron Man Version. The model is renewing that license in 2026 with the introduction of the POCO X8 Professional Iron Man Version.
This yr’s cellphone seems fairly totally different, and if something, it grabs much more consideration. I am going to get to the design in a minute, however let’s begin with the X8 collection. POCO is debuting the X8 Professional and X8 Professional Max globally, and the gadgets at the moment are on sale within the U.Ok., India, and different key markets. The X8 Professional begins at £289 ($385) within the U.Ok. for the 8GB/256GB mannequin, and ₹33,999 ($367) in India.
(Picture credit score: Apoorva Bhardwaj / Android Central)
The Iron Man version is available in at $399, and it’s bought in a 12GB/512GB configuration — the cellphone prices ₹43,999 ($476) in India. The POCO X8 Professional Max, in the meantime, begins on the equal of $469. That is what the gadgets price:
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- POCO X8 Professional (8GB/256GB): $329 / £289 / ₹32,999
- POCO X8 Professional (12GB/256GB): ₹37,999
- POCO X8 Professional (8GB/512GB): $369 / £319
- POCO X8 Professional (12GB/512GB): $399 / £349
- POCO X8 Professional Iron Man Version (12GB/512GB): $399 / ₹37,999
- POCO X8 Professional Max (12GB/256GB): $469 / £359 / ₹42,999
- POCO X8 Professional Max (12GB/512GB): $529 / £399 / ₹46,999
The POCO X8 Professional Max is kind of attention-grabbing because it comes with MediaTek’s Dimensity 9500s platform and an enormous 8,500mAh battery. It is clear that POCO is aiming the system to be a mid-range various to the Nord 5 and the Pixel 10a, and it has lots to ship in that space. I am going to speak in regards to the X8 Professional Max in a special publish, as a substitute turning my consideration to the X8 Professional.
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As I am utilizing the X8 Professional Iron Man Version, I am going to concentrate on the design. The cellphone is available in a singular field with loads of Marvel accouterments — together with a customized case — and there is a sense of event when unboxing the cellphone. The cellphone itself feels higher in-hand than its predecessor, and that is as a result of it has a smaller 6.59-inch panel.
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You get Iron Man in a black-and-gold armor, with the Stark Industries emblem inscribed beneath. The gold accent serves to distinguish the design a bit of bit, and it contrasts properly with the general aesthetic. Whereas it’s a bit ostentatious, there is not any doubting that the X8 Professional Iron Man Version is constructed to attract eyeballs — even with the case on, you will get loads of consideration whereas utilizing this cellphone outdoor (I positively did).
I additionally like that the cameras do not jut out an excessive amount of, and the digital camera housing has a minimalist design that does not draw consideration away from the Iron Man armor. The rear has a silky texture that feels good to carry, and I did not trouble with the case more often than not. One other constructive is the metallic mid-frame; it feels a lot nicer to carry and use, and positively offers the cellphone an upmarket look.
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(Picture credit score: Apoorva Bhardwaj / Android Central)(Picture credit score: Apoorva Bhardwaj / Android Central)
There’s additionally a number of customized icons and software program results, however apart from that, the X8 Professional Iron Man Version is just like the common mannequin. The 12GB/512GB configuration is ideally suited, and also you get LPDDR5X RAM and UFS 4.1 storage modules, so on this space, the system is not any totally different to the F8 Extremely or different flagships.
I like that the worldwide mannequin additionally will get a much bigger 6,500mAh battery this time — it was unique to the Indian mannequin final yr. The larger battery lasts all day with ease, and even with heavy use, there aren’t any issues attending to the top of the day. Xiaomi’s commonplace 100W charging tech is undamaged, and because it’s based mostly on USB PD, you should utilize any PD charger and cost the cellphone at 100W.
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(Picture credit score: Apoorva Bhardwaj / Android Central)(Picture credit score: Apoorva Bhardwaj / Android Central)(Picture credit score: Apoorva Bhardwaj / Android Central)
The smaller 6.58-inch OLED panel is a pleasure to make use of; it will get brighter than final yr and has wonderful colours, and also you get all of the software program customizability that you just’re used to with different POCO telephones. You get 3,840Hz PWM dimming as properly, and Dolby Imaginative and prescient content material in choose streaming platforms.
Switching to the internals, the Dimensity 8500 Extremely is sort of an identical to final yr’s 8400 Extremely; it makes use of the identical cores and can also be constructed on a 4nm node. It will get barely quicker because of increased frequencies, however the distinction is not noticeable in each day use. That mentioned, it stays a good mid-range chipset, and I did not see any points in common use.
(Picture credit score: Apoorva Bhardwaj / Android Central)
It is a comparable story with the cameras, and the 50MP foremost digital camera does a good sufficient job. It is not on the identical degree because the F8 Extremely, however it’s higher than its predecessor, and it holds up properly sufficient on this class.
The X collection has bought extremely properly in India, and the X8 Professional builds on final yr’s X7 Professional. It’s barely quicker, lasts barely longer, and the cameras take barely higher photographs — an iterative improve if ever there was one. Nonetheless, the X7 Professional debuted at ₹26,999 ($292), so POCO by some means must persuade patrons to pay much more to get a cellphone that is largely comparable. I believe there’s sufficient new with the X8 Professional to justify a purchase order, and if you happen to’re within the system, the X8 Professional Iron Man Version is the plain selection.
