In October 2018, Xiaomi launched the Poco brand. The subsidiary was meant to focus on delivering the maximum smartphone for the minimum money. The debut device — the Poco F1 (or Pocophone F1 in Western markets) — arrived to rave reviews thanks in no small part to the $299 price tag and flagship Snapdragon 845 processor.
Fast forward to April 2020, the revived sub-brand released the Poco F2 Pro. This new device takes a slightly different approach. No longer are the specs the true focus. Instead, Poco brought in quality metal and glass parts, a couple more cameras, and a pop-up module to create a more well-rounded phone.
But at $499, is it worth upgrading from the F1 to the F2? Find out in Android Authority’s Poco F2 Pro vs Poco F1 comparison!
Poco F2 Pro vs Poco F1 hardware: Apples and oranges
Credit: Ryan-Thomas Shaw / Android Authority
The biggest and most important upgrade that Poco gave us with the F2 Pro is the hardware. Instead of a basic polycarbonate build, we’re treated to Gorilla Glass 5 and aluminum with more funky color options. There’s now a red power button, a pop-up selfie camera, and an in-display fingerprint scanner. These replace the big ‘ole notch and rear capacitive fingerprint scanner of the F1.
No longer does the Poco feel like a compromise when holding it in the hand. Instead, it feels as well made as any flagship smartphone, which is a huge jump over its predecessor.
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The switch to metal and glass isn’t perfect, however. Polycarbonate is far more immune to cracks and structural damage than glass. It means that one doesn’t feel the need to cover the phone in a case, allowing you to appreciate the design. With the glass and metal build of the F2 Pro, I’ve had the included case on it since day one because I’m worried about scratching and cracking it.
Credit: Ryan-Thomas Shaw / Android Authority
Most of the creature comforts that we liked about the F1 remain, such as the headphone port, IR blaster, and dual SIM tray. However, Poco cut the microSD card slot, which could be a deal breaker for some people. Neither device has any official water or dust resistance.
Continue reading: Bring back plastic phones.
Display: More big changes
Credit: Ryan-Thomas Shaw / Android Authority
The new display