The smartphone market in 2025 continues to see fierce competition in the premium segment, with manufacturers pushing hardware boundaries while trying to maintain competitive pricing. POCO, Xiaomi's sub-brand known for value-focused devices, has now entered the high-end market with its most ambitious offering yet. The POCO F7 Ultra represents the brand's attempt to challenge established players like Samsung, Google, and Apple with flagship specifications at a significantly lower price point.
Design and Build Quality
The POCO F7 Ultra sports a refined design that departs from the brand's typically flamboyant aesthetics. Available in yellow and black colorways, the device features flat sides with beveled edges that enhance grip comfort. The yellow variant stands out with its matte finish that effectively resists fingerprints. The phone's aluminum mid-frame contributes to its premium feel, while the 212g weight provides a substantial but well-balanced in-hand experience. The circular camera housing on the rear is more subdued than previous POCO designs, with a subtle yellow accent ring adding a touch of distinction. With IP68 dust and water resistance rated for submersion up to 2.5 meters, the F7 Ultra offers durability that matches its premium positioning.
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| Showcasing the sleek side profile of the POCO F7 Ultra, emphasizing its modern design and finish |
Display Excellence
The F7 Ultra comes equipped with a 6.67-inch QHD+ (3200 x 1440) Flow AMOLED display that supports both Dolby Vision and HDR10+. The panel delivers impressive brightness levels, reaching 1,800 nits in high brightness mode and peaking at 3,200 nits, ensuring excellent outdoor visibility. POCO has implemented several eye-care features, including 3840Hz PWM dimming and circular polarization technology for more natural light output. The variable refresh rate extends up to 120Hz, though users need to manually enable both QHD+ resolution and 120Hz refresh rate as the device ships with FHD+ and auto refresh settings by default. Color accuracy is impressive out of the box, with multiple calibration profiles available including Original, Vivid, Saturated, P3, and Adobe sRGB. The display is protected by POCO's custom Shield Glass solution, which has proven resilient against scratches and impacts.
Flagship Performance
Under the hood, the F7 Ultra packs Qualcomm's latest Snapdragon 8 Elite processor, paired with either 12GB RAM and 256GB storage or 16GB RAM and 512GB storage. This hardware configuration delivers exceptional performance that rivals or exceeds other flagship devices. Benchmark results show the F7 Ultra performing admirably, though there are indications that HyperOS 2.0 isn't fully optimized yet. In Geekbench 6, the device scored 2889 in single-core and 8326 in multi-core tests, with a GPU score of 17,293. AnTuTu benchmarks reached 2,533,644 points, outperforming the Galaxy S25 Ultra but falling slightly behind the OnePlus 13.
Gaming performance is particularly impressive, with the dedicated VisionBoost D7 chip optimizing video playback and enabling smooth 120fps gaming. However, like most Snapdragon 8 Elite devices, the F7 Ultra does run hot during extended gaming sessions, though temperatures remain within manageable limits. Thermal tests showed the device reaching 117.5°F during stress testing, comparable to the OnePlus 13 but warmer than the Galaxy S25 Ultra with its larger vapor chamber.
Battery Life and Charging
The F7 Ultra houses a 5,300mAh silicon battery that comfortably lasts through a full day of use. In standardized testing, the device achieved 21 hours and 30 minutes of continuous video playback at 200 nits brightness, slightly behind the OnePlus 13 and Galaxy S25 Ultra. Where the F7 Ultra truly shines is charging speed—the included 120W charger can replenish the battery from 1% to 100% in just under 30 minutes (28 minutes and 20 seconds to be precise). Users need to enable Boost charging mode to access the full 120W charging capability, as the phone defaults to 90W. While the charging speed is impressive, it's worth noting that these fast charging rates are only achievable with POCO's proprietary charger, not standard USB-C PD chargers.
Camera Capabilities
POCO has significantly improved its camera system with the F7 Ultra, addressing what has historically been a weak point for the brand. The triple camera array consists of a 50MP Light Fusion 800 main sensor with OIS, a 50MP telephoto lens with 2.5x optical zoom and OIS, and a 32MP ultrawide lens. The main camera delivers impressive results with accurate color reproduction and good shadow handling. The telephoto performs well at its native 2.5x zoom but loses detail at higher magnifications. Video capabilities have also seen substantial improvements, with support for 8K24 and 4K60 recording.
The camera system includes a Super Macro mode that leverages the telephoto lens for close-up shots at 60mm equivalent focal length. While the F7 Ultra's cameras don't quite match those of premium flagships from Google, Samsung, or Apple, they represent a significant leap forward for POCO and perform admirably for the price point.
Software Experience
The F7 Ultra runs Android 15 with POCO's HyperOS 2.0 overlay. The interface bears some resemblance to iOS, particularly in the quick settings panel design. While the software offers extensive customization options, it does come with several pre-installed applications, though most can be uninstalled. POCO promises four Android OS updates and at least five years of security updates, though the brand has historically been slower than competitors in delivering timely updates. The software experience is fluid, but there are indications that further optimization could improve performance and battery efficiency.
Value Proposition
Starting at USD $649 for the 12GB/256GB model and USD $699 for the 16GB/512GB variant, the POCO F7 Ultra significantly undercuts similarly-specified flagships. Launch promotions further reduce these prices by USD $50, making the 512GB model particularly attractive at just USD $649 during the initial sales period. For those seeking even greater value, the F7 Pro offers many of the same features, including the same design, display, and main camera, with a larger 6,000mAh battery at USD $499 (12GB/256GB) or USD $549 (12GB/512GB).
Conclusion
The POCO F7 Ultra represents an impressive achievement in the flagship smartphone space, delivering premium hardware and features at a significantly lower price point than established competitors. While it doesn't quite match the camera capabilities of the most expensive flagships and its software could benefit from further optimization, the overall package offers exceptional value. For consumers seeking high-end performance without the premium price tag, the F7 Ultra stands as one of the most compelling options in the 2025 smartphone market.