Redmi K100 wants to play with the big guys and packs 200MP periscope lens
RedmiTuesday, 10 February 2026 at 13:48
Redmi's ditching its budget reputation fast. Smart Pikachu dropped news on Weibo recently claiming the K100 series is getting 200MP periscope cameras. We're talking proper telephoto hardware here, not the gimmicky sensors some brands slap on mid-rangers and call it a day.
Key Points:
- Redmi K100 series leaked with 200MP periscope telephoto camera in mass production evaluation
- Two China models confirmed: K100 and K100 Pro Max targeting high-end market positioning
- Global launch under POCO brand as F9 Pro and first-ever F9 Ultra variant
- POCO F9 Ultra would be first POCO device featuring 200MP periscope camera hardware
- Move signals direct competition with premium flagships in photography department
Two Models Confirmed
China gets two versions: the standard K100 and a K100 Pro Max. That naming alone suggests Redmi's pushing way past their usual territory. Pro Max tiers typically compete against phones costing twice as much.
The 200MP sensor reportedly going into production is almost certainly a periscope telephoto lens. Regular telephoto modules don't need this kind of resolution—periscopes benefit from massive pixel counts since they're handling optical zoom at longer focal lengths.
Global Branding Gets Interesting
Outside China, these phones rebrand under POCO. The K100 becomes the POCO F9 Pro globally, while the K100 Pro Max transforms into something new entirely: the POCO F9 Ultra.
That Ultra badge matters. POCO never used it before. Their F-series topped out at Pro models historically. Jumping to Ultra signals they're chasing flagship territory directly instead of dancing around it.
If the leak holds, the F9 Ultra becomes the first POCO device ever carrying a 200MP periscope camera. That's wild considering POCO built its reputation on value propositions, not camera bragging rights.
Why This Matters
Most flagship phones from established brands use 48MP or 50MP periscope modules. Some stretch to 64MP or occasionally 108MP. Jumping straight to 200MP is aggressive, especially for a sub-brand historically focused on affordability rather than specs domination.
Physics hasn't changed—cramming 200 million pixels onto a smartphone sensor creates challenges. Pixel size shrinks unless the sensor itself grows proportionally. Smaller pixels gather less light individually, which can hurt low-light performance unless computational photography compensates hard.
But if Redmi actually pulls this off at their typical price points? That disrupts the entire upper mid-range and lower flagship segment. Premium brands justify high prices partly through camera superiority. Once sub-brands match or exceed that hardware, the value equation shifts dramatically.
The Catch
We're still in leak territory here. Mass production evaluation doesn't guarantee market release. Companies test components all the time that never ship. But Smart Pikachu has decent track record with Xiaomi ecosystem leaks, so dismissing this entirely seems premature.
Watch for official announcements probably sometime later this year if development stays on track.
Loading
