Poco X8 Pro Max review: a powerful gaming-focused smartphone?

We tested the Poco X8 Pro Max, a powerful smartphone built with mobile gaming in mind. But does that automatically make it a good all-round phone?

A new challenger has stepped into the ring. Xiaomi seemingly decided its line-up still wasn’t quite crowded enough, so it has launched yet another model: the Poco X8 Pro Max - essentially a pumped-up take on the X8 Pro.

This mid-range handset targets people who prioritise raw speed and SoC muscle, and who want to game on their phone without spending the equivalent of a minimum-wage monthly salary on a device with the latest trendy Snapdragon. With MediaTek’s Dimensity 9500s (not to be confused with the Dimensity 9500 in the Oppo Find X9 Pro) and a huge 8500 mAh battery, the Poco X8 Pro Max is positioned for marathon gaming sessions.

That said, its price bracket is packed with serious alternatives. To earn its spot, it has to show it isn’t falling behind everywhere else. Can it deliver? Read on.

Poco X8 Pro Max 12/256 GB at the best price

• Base price: 529 €
• Amazon: -19% - 429 € - View offer
• Rakuten: -19% - 429 € - View offer
• Xiaomi: -19% - 429 € - View offer
• See more offers

Price and availability of the Poco X8 Pro Max

The Poco X8 Pro Max is already on sale via Xiaomi’s official website. While the recommended retail price is 533 euros for 256 GB storage and 583 euros for 512 GB, it’s hard to imagine it being sold for long at those figures. Right now, thanks to the launch deal, it comes in at 430 euros or 470 euros, depending on the memory option.

Three colours are planned: black, white, and blue.

What we like about the Poco X8 Pro Max

Gaming performance

The Dimensity 9500s uses the same configuration as the 9400+ found in the Xiaomi 15T Pro. It’s manufactured on TSMC’s 3 nm process and includes a Mali-G925 Immortalis MC11 GPU. It’s paired with 12 GB of LPDDR5X RAM and UFS 4.1 storage.

Beyond the spec-sheet bragging rights, real-world use broadly backs up Xiaomi’s claims. Day to day, the Poco X8 Max feels extremely smooth, with polished animations that you’ll actually enjoy seeing. The CPU doesn’t stumble, even with photo editing or light video work.

That same impression carries over to gaming. Everything runs without noticeable slow-downs or frame drops. Lighter, well-optimised games such as Asphalt and Genshin Impact keep pushing frames effortlessly, while Fortnite holds a stable 60 FPS even with all settings maxed out. If you want 90 or 120 FPS, you’ll need to reduce graphics a bit - but that will only matter to the most demanding players. Even over long sessions, heat remains controlled, allowing the chip to keep performing without drawing attention to itself.

A huge battery

Very few phones can claim an 8500 mAh battery. Thanks to silicon–carbon technology, the Poco X8 Pro Max still manages to fit that capacity into a fairly conventional design. In practical terms, you can comfortably get through two full days without worrying about power. Photos, video, gaming, GPS navigation… this Poco shrugs off heavy use and can still leave you with over 50% by the end of the day. It’s genuinely enjoyable. If you rein things in, a third day is even within reach.

On top of that, you get 100 W fast charging. Xiaomi highlights its in-house HyperCharge branding, but the USB port also supports 100 W PPS (Power Delivery) - a widely used standard across many third-party chargers. Do note, however, that there’s no charger in the box, so you’ll need to buy one separately. Also, there’s no wireless charging at all, which will be a drawback for some.

Still not enough to impress? One extra perk: the Poco X8 Pro Max can double as a power bank thanks to 27 W reverse charging. In other words, you can charge a Galaxy S26 at its full speed by plugging it into your phone - a neat way to make others envious.

A well-finished, durable design

With this model, Xiaomi doesn’t try to reinvent anything, opting instead for a fairly standard 2026 look. In simple terms, the Poco X8 Pro Max is like an iPhone 17 with the footprint of an iPhone 17 Pro Max, and it weighs 218 grams. It’s large and on the heavy side, but that’s part of the package. If you want a big display and a battery that can handle hours of gaming, that’s a sine qua non.

The rear panel uses a matte finish, broken up by a slightly glossier vertical strip. In white, it creates an almost pearlescent effect that’s both attractive and understated. Even more discreet: both camera lenses are surrounded by circular LED rings. Invisible when off, they can show charging status when the phone is plugged in, or signal calls and other notifications when it’s placed face down. It’s a small touch, but it adds welcome character.

Durability has also been considered. With Gorilla Glass 7i on the display and an IP68 rating, it should cope with scratches, knocks, dust, and water - within reason, of course. This isn’t a rugged handset.

A good screen with slightly noticeable viewing-angle shift

Up front is a 6.83-inch AMOLED display with 1.5K resolution (2772 x 1280 pixels) and a refresh rate up to 120 Hz. Out of the box, the refresh behaviour isn’t especially refined: when the home screen is animated it runs at 120 Hz; once it’s been static for over three seconds it drops to 60 FPS. Each app then gets its own frame-rate setting, typically either 60 or 120. It’s a basic approach, but with a battery this big it isn’t really an issue - and it lets you enjoy the panel at its best.

Rated at 3500 nits, the Poco X8 Pro Max’s brightness is nothing to be ashamed of compared with rivals. You can head off to sunny climates without worrying about glare making the screen unreadable. Do remember sun cream, though - you’re more delicate than your phone.

As with most phones today, the system settings let you adjust the colour profile, choosing between a more vivid look or a more natural one. One caveat: at around a 45° angle, colours become slightly darker and less true-to-life. It’s subtle and unlikely to bother most people unless you work with colour-critical content, but a trained eye will notice.

What we like less

Cameras that are only just fine for social media

You don’t need expert eyes to see that the Poco X8 Pro Max’s photo quality isn’t exactly breathtaking. For occasional snaps and posting Instagram stories, it’s adequate - but anyone expecting more may come away disappointed.

Let’s start with the hardware. The main camera uses a Light Fusion 600 50 Mpx sensor (1/1.95”, 1.6 µm) with a stabilised 6P lens at f/1.5. The ultra-wide relies on a SmartSens SC821CS sensor (1/4”, 1.12 µm) with an f/2.2 lens. First issue: there’s no telephoto camera, which forces the phone to crop in for zooming - inevitably more limited than something like a Nothing Phone 4a, for instance.

With the main sensor, a quick glance gives you the usual mid-range signature: good in daylight, softer at night while still being passable. The problems show up when you look closely. In the building shot, even at 50 ISO, there’s visible grain in the sky, and straight lines spill a little. At 2x zoom (sensor crop), the verdict is similar: in the Méliès photo, sign lettering isn’t crisp, and some text shows ghosting. Even in full daylight, moving subjects such as pigeons can end up looking abstract, making it hard to tell precisely where one bird ends and the next begins.

At night, motion isn’t just streaked - it’s often outright blurred, and bright lights produce halos that bleed across a noticeable area. You can also spot artefacts here and there, such as in the night sky on the ring-road photo.

As for the ultra-wide, even in decent conditions the results don’t really come together. In the florist’s stall shot, some bouquets merge into a single shapeless colourful mass, and subjects near the edges tend to warp. When light drops, blur and digital noise become pervasive, and faces lose so much detail that they can become completely unrecognisable.

In short, the Poco X8 Pro Max isn’t a camera-focused phone. If that’s what you need, you’re better off looking at Nothing, Google, or Samsung.

What we would rather not see at all

Xiaomi’s interface is still cluttered

I’ll keep saying it ad nauseam: Xiaomi’s software experience is a mess. It’s built on Android 16, with a recent security patch and HyperOS version 3. On paper, that sounds promising.

There’s plenty to like: it’s smooth, packed with customisation options, and includes some clever touches (such as using the LED rings around the lenses, or Xiaomi’s take on Apple’s Dynamic Island). Unfortunately, it’s all undermined by the pre-installed apps. There are far too many, they often duplicate Google’s equivalents (Mi Browser, App Mall, gallery, file manager… we get it), or they’re simply low quality. Despite all the controversy around Temu, Xiaomi still ships the app on its phones, and the bundled games aren’t even worth a glance - especially when you can find far better options on the Play Store in seconds.

Worse still, the relentless notifications from App Mall and the video player - both Xiaomi apps - feel oppressive and have no place in a clean operating system.

Our verdict on the Poco X8 Pro Max

The Poco X8 Pro Max could be a recommendable handset, particularly for those who want to play demanding games without ending up in an unpleasant conversation with their bank manager. The battery is a standout point: it can last two days straight without you needing to think about your usage at all, and that’s rare enough to be worth highlighting.

Its shortcomings are simply too pronounced for it to truly stand out in such a fiercely competitive price range. The cameras are poor and the software remains as unlikeable as ever. Given how many excellent phones are available for the same money, it’s hard to recommend this Poco wholeheartedly for anything beyond gaming (and even then).

Poco X8 Pro Max 12/256 GB at the best price

• Base price: 529 €
• Amazon: -19% - 429 € - View offer
• Rakuten: -19% - 429 € - View offer
• Xiaomi: -19% - 429 € - View offer
• See more offers

Poco X8 Pro Max

533 €

Overall score: 7.4

Category	Score
Design and ergonomics	8.5/10
Screen	7.5/10
Performance and interface	7.0/10
Battery life and charging	8.5/10
Photo	5.5/10

We like

• Strong performance for gaming
• Long battery life
• Design built to last
• Bright display

We like less

• Cluttered interface
• No wireless charging
• Photo quality doesn’t measure up

See the Poco X8 Pro Max