The word “Power” means something different on the Poco M8 Power. Instead of chasing benchmark scores or adding high-end hardware, Poco has taken a simpler route: put an 8,000mAh battery inside the phone and build the rest of the experience around it. That gives the M8 Power one of the biggest batteries you can get in this segment, along with a large 6.99-inch AMOLED display and a surprisingly long software support commitment.
The trade-offs become apparent elsewhere. The Snapdragon 4 Gen 4 is firmly an entry-level chipset, charging is not particularly fast for a battery this large, the cameras are merely adequate, and there is only a single speaker. After spending time with the Blaze Orange version, the M8 Power comes across as a phone that knows exactly what it wants to be — but whether that makes it a good buy depends heavily on your priorities.
5HyperOS 3 brings long-term value, despite some rough edges
The M8 Power ships with Android 16 and HyperOS 3, and Poco’s update promise is unusually strong for this price segment: four years of OS updates and six years of security updates.
The software itself offers plenty of customization, AI editing tools, Circle to Search, Gemini, HyperIsland and Xiaomi’s ecosystem features. The IR blaster also works through Mi Remote, which remains a useful addition.
There is, however, some bloatware. Several third-party apps and games come pre-installed, while setup also pushes additional app recommendations. Most of these can be removed, but the overall experience would feel cleaner with less bundled software.
Performance inconsistencies also extend to the interface, with occasional stutters during navigation. These aren’t severe enough to make the phone frustrating to use, but they are noticeable.
