Poco F4, Poco X4 GT announced: Powerful Redmi phones in disguise

The Poco F3 and Poco X3 GT were two of the better mid-range phones in 2021, offering plenty of grunt and attractive pricing. So how does the company follow up with these devices, then? Well, enter the Poco F4 and Poco X4 GT.

Both of these phones pack features like 67W wired charging (via an included charger), dual speakers, an IR blaster, NFC, a side fingerprint scanner, and Wi-Fi 6. The phones also share features like similar secondary rear cameras (8MP ultrawide and 2MP macro). So what makes them different, then?

Poco F4: If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it?

It should come as no surprise to see that the Poco F4 is a rebranded version of the China-only Redmi K40s, with no major visual changes. You’re getting a Snapdragon 870 chipset, a 6.67-inch FHD+ 120Hz OLED screen with Gorilla Glass 5, and a 4,500mAh battery. That processor choice, in particular, is pretty interesting, as it means the phone has the same chipset as its predecessor.

Related: Everything you need to know about Xiaomi phones

Otherwise, the phone stands out from its predecessor thanks to the aforementioned 67W wired charging speed, capable of going from zero to 100% in 38 minutes. The phone also sports a 64MP main camera with optical image stabilization. By comparison, the Redmi K40s had a 48MP shooter with OIS, while the Poco F3 missed OIS entirely.

Other notable Poco F4 features include a 20MP selfie camera, 360Hz touch sampling rate, Bluetooth 5.2, and MIUI 13 with the Poco Launcher atop Android 12.

Poco X4 GT: A powerful proposition

Poco’s second phone revealed today is the Poco X4 GT, picking up where last year’s Poco X3 GT left off and essentially being a rebranded Redmi Note 11T Pro. The new phone ups the ante with a 6.67-inch 144Hz LCD panel, for starters. This screen includes a seven-stage refresh rate switch, varying from 30Hz to 144Hz. However, we do see one display-related downgrade as the X3 GT’s Gorilla Glass Victus protection makes way for the older Gorilla Glass 5.

Otherwise, the phone packs a Dimensity 8100 chipset, making for a pretty decent step up in power over last year’s Dimensity 1100 SoC. Mediatek previously said the Dimensity 8100 takes aim at the Snapdragon 870 and Snapdragon 888. In fact, Poco claimed that the phone was able to offer the same average FPS in Free Fire compared to the Poco F4 GT and its Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 SoC.

Poco’s LCD-toting phone also serves up a 5,080mAh battery capable of going from zero to 100% in 46 minutes. Look at the back of the phone and you’ve got a 64MP main camera (no OIS here), along with the expected 8MP ultrawide camera and 2MP macro lens. Either way, the battery, charging speed, and rear cameras don’t seem like an upgrade over the X3 GT.

Other Poco X4 GT features include a 16MP selfie camera, 270Hz touch sampling rate, MIUI 13 for Poco atop Android 12, a 3.5mm port, and Bluetooth 5.3. The latter two features, in particular, are missing from the Poco F4.

Poco F4, X4 GT pricing and availability

The Xiaomi-affiliated brand confirmed that the Poco F4 and X4 GT will be available in Western Europe, the Middle East, South East Asia, and several other markets.

Expect to pay a starting price of €399 (~$419) for the 6GB/128GB Poco F4, while the 8GB/256GB model will set you back €449 (~$472). Poco says the phone is also available at an early bird price of €349 (~$367) and €399 (~$419) respectively.

Meanwhile, the Poco X4 GT starts at €379 (~$398) for the 8GB/128GB variant, with the 8GB/256GB model setting you back €429 (~$451). Fortunately, Poco is offering early bird pricing of €299 (~$314) and €349 (~$367) respectively.