The POCO M8 Power is one of the most interesting battery-focused smartphones to launch in India in 2026.

While many phones in this price range compete on cameras, processors or flashy designs, POCO has taken a different approach with the M8 Power. The phone is built around one major idea:

Give users a huge 8,000mAh battery without making the phone feel like a compromise everywhere else.

Along with the massive battery, the POCO M8 Power comes with a 120Hz AMOLED display, Snapdragon 4 Gen 4 chipset, 5G connectivity, HyperOS 3 based on Android 16, up to 8GB RAM, 128GB storage and 45W fast charging.

The starting price in India is ₹24,999 for the 6GB + 128GB variant, while the 8GB + 128GB version is listed at ₹27,999.

But here’s the big question:

Is the POCO M8 Power really the best budget phone of 2026?

Or did POCO put so much focus on the battery that it compromised performance and cameras?

Let’s take a detailed look.

POCO M8 Power Price in India

The POCO M8 Power starts at:

₹24,999 — 6GB RAM + 128GB storage

The higher configuration costs:

₹27,999 — 8GB RAM + 128GB storage

Prices can vary during sales and promotional offers, so buyers should check the current selling price before purchasing. Gadgets 360 reports the same ₹24,999 starting price and ₹27,999 price for the 8GB model.

Interestingly, some launch-period offers and retailer pricing have placed the phone below its listed starting price, with Smartprix reporting an effective launch price around ₹21,999.

That makes the M8 Power considerably more interesting if you can find it near the lower promotional price.

POCO M8 Power Specifications at a Glance

Specifications and pricing are based on current 2026 reports and reviews.

Design and Build Quality

The POCO M8 Power follows the company’s recognizable design language but puts more emphasis on practicality than premium thinness.

The biggest physical compromise comes from the enormous battery.

An 8,000mAh battery requires more internal space than the batteries found in many conventional smartphones.

That means this isn’t the phone for someone whose number-one priority is having the thinnest and lightest device possible.

Instead, POCO has designed the M8 Power for people who are happy to carry a slightly larger phone in exchange for dramatically longer battery life.

Reviewers have highlighted the phone’s large physical footprint as one of the trade-offs associated with its battery-focused design.

8,000mAh Battery – The Main Attraction

Let’s get to the feature that gives the phone its name.

8,000mAh battery

This is an enormous battery for a mainstream smartphone.

For comparison, many smartphones in the same general price category use batteries closer to the 5,000–7,000mAh range.

The M8 Power pushes that number all the way to 8,000mAh.

And this isn’t just a specification designed to look good on a box.

Independent reviews found the phone capable of lasting through very long usage periods.

Digit reported that the M8 Power survived a full day of heavy use involving gaming, YouTube, Netflix, calls and general scrolling, and could stretch to around a day and a half with lighter usage. Its PCMark Work 3.1 battery test reached 20 hours and 9 minutes.

India Today similarly described it as easily capable of being a two-day phone for many users, with almost 20 hours in its PCMark battery test.

Can the POCO M8 Power Last Two Days?

Yes, for many users.

But battery life depends heavily on how you use the phone.

If you mainly use:

• WhatsApp
• Instagram
• Chrome
• YouTube
• Calls
• Music
• Navigation

the M8 Power can comfortably last a very long time.

Heavy gamers will naturally consume more power.

Still, the huge battery gives you considerably more breathing room than a typical smartphone.

Battery Test Results

Different independent tests produce slightly different numbers.

Digit recorded:

20 hours 9 minutes

in its PCMark Work 3.1 battery test.

MySmartPrice reported:

19 hours 39 minutes

in its PCMark battery test.

The results are impressive, although they also demonstrate an important point:

Bigger battery does not automatically mean the longest battery life.

Display efficiency, processor efficiency, software optimization and thermal management all affect endurance.

45W Fast Charging

An 8,000mAh battery is fantastic until you have to charge it.

Thankfully, POCO includes:

45W fast charging

The charger is included in the box according to multiple reviews.

Digit recorded a full 0–100 percent charge in approximately 1 hour 43 minutes, while other reviews have reported charging times around 1 hour 50 minutes.

That’s not extremely fast by flagship standards.

But considering the battery is 8,000mAh, the charging time is reasonable.

22.5W Reverse Charging

One of the coolest features is:

22.5W reverse wired charging

This allows the M8 Power to act like a giant power bank.

You can use it to charge:

• Wireless earbuds
• Smartwatch
• Another smartphone
• Small USB-powered devices

Digit specifically found the feature useful for topping up other devices.

For travelers, this can be surprisingly useful.

Imagine going on a trip with:

Phone + earbuds + smartwatch

Instead of carrying another power bank, your phone itself can provide emergency power.

Display: 120Hz AMOLED

POCO hasn’t treated the display as an afterthought.

The M8 Power features a large AMOLED panel with a 120Hz refresh rate. Reviews have praised the display for its colors, viewing angles and suitability for media consumption.

This is important because an 8,000mAh battery would be less exciting if it were paired with a poor display.

Instead, the M8 Power is designed to be a strong entertainment phone.

Why 120Hz Matters

A 120Hz refresh rate makes scrolling and animations feel smoother.

You can notice the difference when:

• Scrolling websites
• Browsing Instagram
• Moving through menus
• Playing supported games
• Swiping through photos
• Watching certain high-frame-rate content

For a phone positioned around ₹25,000, a 120Hz AMOLED display is a strong feature.

Large Screen for Netflix and YouTube

The large display is another reason to consider this phone.

The M8 Power is particularly well suited for people who use their phone as a portable entertainment device.

If you regularly watch:

• YouTube
• Netflix
• Movies
• Cricket
• Web series
• Instagram Reels

the large AMOLED panel can make the experience much more enjoyable.

The Week also highlighted the phone’s large AMOLED screen and its suitability for users focused on messaging, YouTube, calls and music.

Performance: Snapdragon 4 Gen 4

Now we reach the biggest compromise.

The POCO M8 Power uses the:

Qualcomm Snapdragon 4 Gen 4

This is a budget-focused chipset.

And that tells us something important about the phone.

POCO is not positioning the M8 Power as a performance monster.

Instead, the priority is:

Battery → Display → Everyday usability

rather than:

Gaming → Benchmark scores → Maximum performance

India Today described the performance as average but sufficient for everyday use.

Everyday Performance

For normal tasks, the phone should be perfectly usable.

Typical tasks include:

• WhatsApp
• Instagram
• Facebook
• Chrome
• YouTube
• Google Maps
• Banking applications
• Email
• Video calls
• Music streaming

The M8 Power is designed to handle these activities without requiring a high-end processor.

Is POCO M8 Power Good for Gaming?

Casual gaming: Yes.

Heavy gaming: Not the best choice.

This distinction is important.

Games such as casual puzzle games and lighter titles should be fine.

But if you’re buying a ₹25,000 phone specifically for demanding games, there are stronger performance-focused alternatives.

The Snapdragon 4 Gen 4 is simply not designed to compete with higher-end gaming chipsets.

MySmartPrice also described the processor as not being aimed at demanding gaming.

PUBG / BGMI Gaming

For games such as BGMI, performance depends on the game’s graphics settings.

The M8 Power can handle gaming, but you shouldn’t expect flagship-level frame rates or maximum graphics settings.

If gaming is your main reason for buying a phone, compare the chipset first.

If battery life is your priority and gaming is occasional, the M8 Power makes much more sense.

HyperOS 3 and Android 16

The POCO M8 Power runs:

HyperOS 3 based on Android 16

This gives the phone a modern software platform.

The interface will be familiar to existing Xiaomi and POCO users.

You get:

• Customization
• Themes
• POCO Launcher
• Xiaomi ecosystem features
• Android 16 features
• Multitasking tools

Software Update Support

One of the most impressive aspects of the M8 Power is its promised software support.

POCO promises:

4 Android OS updates

and

6 years of security updates

According to India Today, this means the phone is expected to receive Android updates up to Android 20.

That’s a significant advantage for someone planning to keep the phone for several years.

Is There Bloatware?

Unfortunately, yes.

Like many budget and mid-range smartphones, the M8 Power comes with pre-installed third-party applications.

Some reviewers criticized the amount of bloatware, including applications that cannot always be removed.

This doesn’t make the phone unusable, but users who prefer a very clean Android experience may find it annoying.

POCO M8 Power Camera

The camera system is one area where POCO has clearly saved some money.

The phone has a:

50MP rear camera

and an:

8MP front camera

The setup is much simpler than phones that offer multiple lenses and more advanced stabilization.

Is the Camera Good?

It’s okay.

But don’t buy the M8 Power primarily for photography.

The 50MP main camera can produce good photos in decent lighting.

However, it isn’t designed to compete with camera-focused phones.

The biggest issue is versatility.

You don’t get a premium multi-camera system designed for:

• Long-distance zoom
• Professional video
• Advanced low-light photography
• Optical stabilization

Video Recording

Video is another weak point.

Reviews report that video recording is limited to 1080p at 30fps from the cameras, with stabilization being a significant weakness.

This means the M8 Power isn’t the best choice for:

• YouTube creators
• Travel vloggers
• Serious photographers
• Video creators

If content creation is your main goal, another phone would make more sense.

POCO M8 Power Audio

One notable compromise is the speaker setup.

The M8 Power uses a mono speaker, which some reviewers considered disappointing at this price.

This matters if you frequently:

• Watch movies without headphones
• Listen to music
• Play games using the speaker

Stereo speakers would have made the multimedia experience even better.

POCO M8 Power: Pros and Cons

Pros

✅ Huge 8,000mAh battery

The biggest reason to buy this phone.

✅ Excellent battery endurance

Independent testing shows around 20 hours in PCMark, with real-world use often extending to two days.

✅ 120Hz AMOLED display

Excellent for videos, browsing and social media.

✅ 45W charging

Reasonable charging speed for such a large battery.

✅ Reverse charging

The 22.5W wired reverse-charging feature makes the phone useful as an emergency power bank.

✅ Long software support

Four Android updates and six years of security updates are excellent for the segment.

✅ 5G

The phone is ready for modern 5G networks.

POCO M8 Power: Cons

❌ Average performance

The Snapdragon 4 Gen 4 isn’t aimed at demanding gaming.

❌ Basic cameras

Camera hardware is clearly not the phone’s strongest area.

❌ Weak video recording

1080p/30fps limitations make it less attractive for creators.

❌ Mono speaker

A stereo speaker setup would have been preferable.

❌ Large and heavy

The 8,000mAh battery comes with a physical-size trade-off.

❌ Bloatware

Some pre-installed applications may annoy users who prefer clean software.

POCO M8 Power vs POCO M8

The M8 Power is essentially designed around endurance.

The standard POCO M8 focuses more heavily on overall performance and slim design, while the Power model increases battery capacity dramatically.

The standard M8 5G, for example, uses a 5,520mAh battery, Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 and a 6.77-inch 120Hz AMOLED display.

The M8 Power goes in the opposite direction:

8,000mAh battery + Snapdragon 4 Gen 4.

That difference tells you exactly who each phone is targeting.

Who Should Buy the POCO M8 Power?

The M8 Power is ideal for people who:

• Hate charging their phone every night
• Travel frequently
• Watch lots of YouTube
• Stream movies
• Use mobile data heavily
• Need excellent battery endurance
• Want a large AMOLED screen
• Want 5G
• Want long software support
• Occasionally use reverse charging

For these users, the M8 Power makes a lot of sense.

Who Should NOT Buy the POCO M8 Power?

Avoid it if your priorities are:

Gaming

Choose a phone with a stronger chipset.

Photography

Choose a camera-focused smartphone.

Video creation

The M8 Power’s 1080p/30fps video limitation makes it less attractive for creators.

Lightweight design

The huge battery makes this a larger phone.

Clean Android

The presence of bloatware may be frustrating.

Is POCO M8 Power the Best Budget Phone in 2026?

This depends on what you mean by “best.”

If you mean:

Best battery phone?

Very strong contender.

Best phone for movies?

Very good choice.

Best phone for gaming?

No.

Best camera phone?

No.

Best phone for vloggers?

No.

Best phone for long-term battery-focused users?

Yes, potentially.

The phone has a very clear identity.

It’s not trying to be the best at everything.

POCO M8 Power Battery vs Performance

This is the central trade-off.

POCO could have used a more powerful processor.

But a more powerful chipset would potentially increase:

• Heat
• Power consumption
• Cost

Instead, the company chose a more modest processor and put the money and internal space into the battery.

That strategy makes sense if your priority is endurance.

How Long Can the POCO M8 Power Last?

For a normal user:

Around 2 days is realistic.

For lighter users:

Potentially longer.

For heavy gamers:

Expect significantly less.

Independent reviews consistently found the battery to be one of the phone’s strongest features.

Is 8,000mAh Better Than 5,000mAh?

Not necessarily in every situation.

A larger battery generally provides more capacity.

But actual battery life depends on:

• Processor efficiency
• Display efficiency
• Refresh rate
• Software
• Network signal
• Brightness
• Apps running in the background

That’s why some phones with smaller batteries can sometimes beat phones with larger batteries in standardized tests.

The M8 Power’s advantage is that its battery is large and its hardware is designed around endurance.

Should You Buy 6GB or 8GB?

If the price difference is manageable:

Choose 8GB RAM.

The 8GB + 128GB version gives you more headroom for multitasking and long-term use.

However, if your primary goal is saving money, the 6GB version should be sufficient for normal users.

For WhatsApp, YouTube, Chrome, Instagram and general usage, 6GB can be enough.

POCO M8 Power for Students

Students may actually be one of the phone’s best audiences.

Why?

Because students often need:

• Long battery life
• YouTube classes
• Online lectures
• WhatsApp
• Google Meet
• Chrome
• PDF reading
• Social media

The large battery means fewer charging interruptions during a long day of classes.

POCO M8 Power for Travelers

Travelers can also benefit significantly.

Imagine a long train journey or flight connection.

You may use:

• Google Maps
• YouTube
• Spotify
• Camera
• Messaging
• 5G
• Hotspot

all day.

An 8,000mAh battery gives you considerably more breathing room.

The reverse charging feature can also be useful when another device needs emergency power.

POCO M8 Power for Business Users

For calls, emails, messaging and navigation, the M8 Power is also practical.

If your phone is primarily a work tool rather than a gaming device, long battery life can be more valuable than benchmark performance.

Final Verdict

The POCO M8 Power is not the fastest smartphone in its price category.

It isn’t the best camera phone either.

But that’s not what POCO is trying to sell.

The M8 Power is a phone built around one simple promise:

Charge less. Use more.

Its 8,000mAh battery is genuinely impressive, and independent testing has confirmed excellent endurance. Digit recorded more than 20 hours in its PCMark test, while India Today found it capable of lasting around two days for many users.

The 120Hz AMOLED display makes the phone particularly good for watching videos and browsing, while 45W charging and 22.5W reverse charging add practical value.

The major compromises are the Snapdragon 4 Gen 4 performance, basic camera system, 1080p video recording, mono speaker and bulky physical design.

So, is it the best budget phone of 2026?

Our answer:

Not the best overall phone.

But if your number-one priority is battery life, the POCO M8 Power is one of the most compelling phones in its price range.

⭐ NextGadgetz Rating: 4.2/5

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the price of POCO M8 Power in India?

The POCO M8 Power starts at ₹24,999 for 6GB RAM + 128GB storage. The 8GB + 128GB variant is listed at ₹27,999.

Does POCO M8 Power have an 8,000mAh battery?

Yes. The phone features a massive 8,000mAh battery, which is its biggest selling point.

How long does the POCO M8 Power battery last?

Independent testing suggests around 20 hours in PCMark, while real-world reviewers found it capable of lasting around two days for many users. Actual battery life depends on usage.

Does POCO M8 Power support fast charging?

Yes. It supports 45W fast charging, with a charger included according to published reviews.

Can POCO M8 Power charge another phone?

Yes. It supports 22.5W wired reverse charging, allowing it to function as a power source for compatible devices.

Is POCO M8 Power good for gaming?

It is suitable for casual gaming, but it isn’t the best choice for demanding gaming. The Snapdragon 4 Gen 4 prioritizes efficiency and everyday use over high-end gaming performance.

Is POCO M8 Power good for photography?

The 50MP main camera is suitable for everyday photos, but the camera system is not its strongest feature. Buyers who prioritize photography should consider camera-focused alternatives.

Does POCO M8 Power record 4K video?

Reviews report that the cameras are limited to 1080p at 30fps for video recording, making the phone less suitable for serious video creators.

Does POCO M8 Power have AMOLED display?

Yes. The phone has a large AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate, making it well suited for streaming and everyday browsing.

Which Android version does POCO M8 Power use?

The POCO M8 Power runs HyperOS 3 based on Android 16.

How many Android updates will POCO M8 Power receive?

POCO promises four OS updates and six years of security updates, according to India Today.

Is POCO M8 Power heavy?

The large 8,000mAh battery contributes to a larger and heavier phone. This is one of the compromises buyers should accept in exchange for the exceptional battery capacity.

Conclusion

The POCO M8 Power is a smartphone for people who are tired of carrying a charger everywhere.

Its massive 8,000mAh battery, 120Hz AMOLED display, 45W charging, reverse charging and long software-support promise make it a compelling choice for heavy everyday users.

But don’t buy it expecting flagship-level gaming or camera performance.

The POCO M8 Power’s philosophy is simple:

Battery first. Display second. Everything else after that.

And honestly, that’s not a bad strategy.

For users who spend hours watching YouTube, browsing social media, using 5G, making calls and traveling without access to a charger, the M8 Power could be one of the most practical phones of 2026.

If battery life is your priority, the POCO M8 Power deserves a serious look.