Today’s a big day for Xiaomi’s sub-brand POCOPHONE as it launches its “Master of Speed” in Malaysia. The first sales of the device kicked off today in conjunction with the grand opening of the Mi Store in Mid Valley Megamall, in Kuala Lumpur.
If you’re wondering, “POCO-what?” you should read this post and learn why it’s such a talked about smartphone.
Anyway, POCOPHONE is offering two configurations of the POCOPHONE F1 in Malaysia – the 6GB RAM + 64GB storage and 6GB RAM + 128GB RAM in Steel Blue and Rosso Red.
However, a spokesperson of Xiaomi Malaysia informed me today that the POCOPHONE F1 Armoured Edition will make its way to Malaysian shores some time this year. He said that it will be made available in limited quantities and the units will likely be sourced from India.
The Armoured Edition is certainly one to look out for, as it boasts a Dupont Kevlar aramid fibre back, a step up from the polycarbonate back found on the standard version. That’s not all, it features a whopping 256GB of storage and tops 8GB of RAM. In India, the Armoured Edition sells for INR28,999 (MYR1,703), which prices it above Xiaomi’s flagship Mi 8.
It’s no surprise why people are scrambling to get their hands on the POCOPHONE F1. It’s the cheapest Snapdragon 845-powered smartphone in the market today, a title held briefly by ASUS’ ZenFone 5z.
It does many things well, in areas where it matters to the user. Admittedly, it’s neither the sexiest, best built or fanciest smartphone you’ll find. That said, if you’re looking for performance above all else, the POCOPHONE F1 is compelling indeed.
Plus, it’s got a big battery, pretty good cameras and it’s literally priced to kill.
Some of the specs you already know, but here’s a quick summary. It packs a 6.18-inch Full HD+ display (2246×1080) with an 18.7:9 screen aspect ratio protected by Gorilla Glass. It’s powered by one of the most powerful SoCs on the planet – the Snapdragon 845, coupled with up to 8GB of RAM and up to 256GB of storage with the option to expand further via microSD.
There’s a 12MP f/1.9 and 5MP f/2.0 dual-camera system with Dual Pixel AF and a 20MP selfie shooter on the front.
It packs a large 4,000mAh battery that supports Quick Charge 3.0 charging via USB Type-C.
Also, it runs a customised POCO Launcher on top of MIUI 10. Its “turbocharged engine” is said to be faster and better than OnePlus’ Oxygen OS.
POCOPHONE F1 pricing and availability
- POCO F1 6GB RAM + 64GB storage – MYR1,249 (Mi Stores, 30 August)
- POCO F1 6GB RAM + 128GB storage – MYR1,428 (Mi Stores, Lazada Malaysia, 30 August)
- POCO F1 8GB RAM + 256GB storage – INR28,999 (MYR1,703) – not available yet
- POCO F1 Armoured Edition 8GB RAM + 256GB storage – INR29,999 (MYR1,762) – coming soon
Due to SST implementation, from 10 September onwards, the 6GB + 64GB storage version will be priced at MYR1,299, while the 6GB + 128GB storage version will go for MYR1,499.
