Poco F4 GT with gamer special functions
In the price range below 600 euros, the top processor Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 is rarely found. The Poco F4 GT is also aimed at gamers in terms of sound and gameplay. The balanced stereo speakers are positioned so their openings are unobstructed while playing, and the mic is positioned so that landscape-mode commentary can be streamed unhindered.
The volume rocker on the left and the microphone in the middle – so that you can be clearly understood when streaming games.
As a special feature, there are two mechanical slide switches on the right edge that activate the “magnetic pop up trigger”. A red dot then signals that the smartphone is in gaming mode. Defined games are treated preferentially and can be activated directly via the game launcher. What just looked like the flap for a memory card is now a shoulder button and pops out about a millimeter from the housing. This supplements compatible games with two easily accessible shoulder buttons with a noticeable pressure point – but in the test this was by no means the case with every game.
The side view is determined by the slide switches for the retractable magnetic keys and the fingerprint sensor in the middle, which takes over the function of the power button.
The combination of crisp shoulder buttons for the index fingers and virtual buttons on the touchscreen for the thumbs is special, at least initially. Either way – a unique selling proposition. If that doesn’t appeal to you, you might appreciate the ability to assign functions like Camera, Record Video, Record Screen, Record Audio, Flashlight, Silent Mode, or Vibrate to the two shoulder buttons ” to assign. Double-click or press and hold. This would distribute four of the seven possible shortcuts.
Poco F4 GT: playful design?
The case is a whopping 76.7 millimeters (mm) wide and 162.5 mm long. Petite is different. Without the camera, the body is 8.5 mm thin. The scale stops at 210 grams. The processing looks solid. The metal frame is pleasantly matt. The keys, whether sunken or in use, offer a good pressure point. The back is a bit wild, but well designed, gaming PCs are usually extroverted in terms of appearance. This also applies to the Poco F4 GT, which is a bit more subtle in silver or black than in Poco screeching yellow. If so, then yes. Although the matte surface is a meeting point for fingerprints, the F4 GT makes a good haptic impression as long as the user doesn’t have a problem with the dimensions. The Zocker phone is not waterproof.
Poco F4 GT: processor and memory
Poco makes no compromises when it comes to the processor. With the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 with Adreno graphics unit, one of the currently most powerful mobile chips ensures speed. The results in Geekbench 5 are still restrained, slightly better than the predecessor Poco F3 and faster than the OnePlus 10 Pro with the same processor. That’s not that impressive. Not yet!
6.67 inch 120 Hertz OLED
The OLED display has a diagonal of 6.67 inches.
The 6.67-inch OLED display in 20:9 format has a resolution of 2400×1080 pixels. It is in the middle of the case with the same narrow edge at the top and bottom. Above is where the circular hole for the front camera is. Then the thumb hits the power button or the fingerprint sensor well. The index figure of the right hand rests on the volume rocker. The black value, contrast and viewing angles of the screen protected by Gorilla Glass Victus leave nothing to be desired, but occasionally the brightness does. Poco gives them 800 nits. That wouldn’t be outstanding, but okay and corresponds to the impression. The maximum screen change frequency is a fast 120 Hertz (Hz), which ensures a very smooth display. The sampling rate is 480 Hz. There is a front camera (IMX596; f/2.4) with a resolution of 20 megapixels (MP) for face recognition and selfies.
When the sun is shining, one wishes for more brightness of the display.
Poco F4 GT with triple camera
On the back, the Poco F4 GT offers three cameras with 64, 8 and 2 megapixels. The flash LED is hidden in the appropriate symbol under the camera block.
When it comes to cameras, there is more standard fare than superlatives. The 8MP ultra wide-angle (f/2.2) lens has a 120-degree shooting angle.
Ultra wide angle photo taken with the Poco F4 GT. The original file has a resolution of 3264×2448 pixels.
The main camera (IMX686; f/1.9) has a resolution of 64 MP and converts four to one pixel in standard mode, resulting in a 12 MP photo.
Standard photo taken with the Poco F4 GT. The original file has a resolution of 4624×3472 pixels.
The main camera takes telephoto shots. A maximum of tenfold enlargement is possible, but you can clearly see the digital origin.
Maximum zoom captured with the Poco F4 GT. The original file has a resolution of 4624×3472 pixels.
A macro lens completes the 2 MP lens trio, it provides usable results and is activated via the menu.
Macro photo taken with the Poco F4 GT. The original file has a resolution of 1200×1600 pixels.
The usual standard fare from the Xiaomi shelf can be found in the photo functions.
Poco F4 GT: features and storage
The equipment includes NFC, 5G, Bluetooth 5.2, Wifi 6, quad speakers and Dolby Atmos. The operating system used is MIUI 13 based on Android 12. The Poco F4 GT starts with 8 gigabytes (GB) of RAM (LPDDR5) and 128 GB of device memory. The large memory configuration increases to 12/256 GB. The memory is not expandable. The card slot only likes SIM cards – of which two are also welcome (dual SIM).
Poco F4 GT: Turbocharged battery
With 120 watts, the Poco F4 GT is at the forefront when it comes to charging speed.
The scope of delivery includes a transparent silicone case (on the mobile phone), a jack adapter for the USB-C socket, an angled charging cable with a metal plug and, above all, a power supply unit with a full 120 watts of charging power.
Poco F4 GT: prices, colors, release
The Poco F4 GT is available in Stealth Black, Knight Silver and Cyber Yellow. The version with 8/128 GB costs 599.90 euros, the version with 12/256 GB 699.90 euros (RRP).
Xiaomi Poco F4 GT on Amazon
Test conclusion: Poco F4 GT
Not even 600 euros for a gaming smartphone with the current Snapdragon top processor, 120 Hertz OLED and 120 watt charging power? That’s a rare combination. The Poco F4 GT impressively demonstrates its core competence with high 3D performance. Gamers are also happy about special goodies such as retractable shoulder buttons, streaming options and the powerful sound. The Poco F4 GT is different from its predecessor and is specifically aimed at the target group of smartphone gamers. Xiaomi has launched a price-performance rocket in this area.