POCO M8 Series: The Redmi Rebrands are Getting a Major Upgrade
pocoThursday, 18 December 2025 at 12:17
POCO is back at its favorite game—taking Xiaomi’s Chinese releases and polishing them up for the rest of us. If the latest leaks from WinFuture and recent FCC filings are anything to go by, the upcoming POCO M8 and M8 Pro are basically the global twins of the Redmi Note 15 family. But before you roll your eyes at another rebrand, you should know that POCO is actually making some "Pro" moves that might make these better than the originals.
The Big One: POCO M8 Pro
Let's talk about the M8 Pro because it’s the clear standout. While its Redmi cousin in China likes to show off a 200MP camera, POCO is reportedly taking a different path. They’re likely swapping in a 50MP main sensor. Now, that might sound like a step backward to some, but in the real world, a high-quality 50MP chip often produces much cleaner, more natural photos than a pixel-binning 200MP monster that’s mostly there for marketing. Plus, it helps keep the price in that "POCO sweet spot."
The real reason to get excited? The battery. We are looking at a massive 6,500mAh unit. Most of us are used to the standard 5,000mAh, so this is a huge leap. Toss in 100W HyperCharge, and you’re looking at a phone that could easily last two days and then top up in the time it takes you to drink a cup of coffee. Under the hood, it’s rocking the Snapdragon 7s Gen 4, which is a great balance of speed and efficiency for the mid-range.
The Everyday Hero: Standard POCO M8
Then there’s the regular POCO M8. It’s a bit more modest, using the Snapdragon 6 Gen 3, but it’s still no slouch for daily scrolling. You get a slightly smaller 6.77-inch OLED and a 5,520mAh battery with 45W charging. It won't break any speed records, but for a budget-friendly device, it covers all the bases. One thing I love? The Pro gets an IP68 rating, meaning it can actually survive a dunk in water—a rarity for this price point.
Expect these to drop in January 2026 running HyperOS 2.2 (Android 15). If the pricing stays as aggressive as it usually is, POCO might have just designed the best value phones of the year before the year even really starts.
Key points
- Redmi Heritage: The M8 and M8 Pro are global rebrands of the Redmi Note 15 and Note 15 Pro+.
- Endurance King: The M8 Pro features a massive 6,500mAh battery with 100W fast charging.
- Pro Performance: Powered by the Snapdragon 7s Gen 4 (Pro) and Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 (Standard).
- Rugged Build: The Pro model includes an IP68 rating, rare for its price segment.
- Launch Window: Expected to debut globally in January 2026 with HyperOS 2.2.
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