Poco and Redmi: What’s the real difference between Xiaomi’s sub-brands?

When choosing a Xiaomi smartphone, many people are faced with a dilemma: which is better – Poco or Redmi? At first glance, both brands are owned by the same company, offer similar prices and even look like twins, but behind this apparent similarity lie fundamental differences in the “stuffing”, the target audience and the philosophy of development.

The secret is history: Poco was originally created as a performance-focused gaming sub-brand, while Redmi was marketed as a budget flagship with a balance of price and opportunity. Today, the boundaries have blurred — Poco is not just a gamer, Redmi is mastering premium features. But key differences remain, and understanding them will help avoid disappointment when buying.

In this article, we’ll look at 10 critical ways Poco and Redmi differ from one another, from a hardware platform to software optimization, and how the same processor can run faster in a Poco F5 than in a Redmi Note 12 Pro+, which chips are only available to Poco owners, and where Redmi is more profitable despite lower performance.

1. Processors: Why is Poco always faster?

The main difference between Poco and Redmi is under the hood: even if both smartphones are equipped with the same chipset (for example, the Snapdragon 7+ Gen 2), it works 10-15% more efficiently at Poco.

Poco uses proprietary LiquidCool technology (liquid cooling with increased diameter heat pipes), whereas Redmi often restricts itself to graphite gasket. For example, the Poco F5 Pro with the same Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1, as the Redmi K60 Pro, scores 8-12% more points in benchmarks due to better heat sink.

• 🔥 Poco: overclocking chipsets (e.g. Snapdragon) 732G POCO X3 against 730G Redmi Note 9 Pro, aggressive cooling, optimization for gaming.
• ⚖️ Redmi: standard versions of processors, balance between performance and energy efficiency, priority autonomy.
• ⚡ Exception: flagship Redmi K-series (e.g, K70 Pros can overtake the average Poco on iron».

Key test: run Genshin Impact at maximum graphics settings. Poco F4 with Snapdragon 870 will hold 50-55 FPS for 30 minutes, while Redmi Note 11 Pro+ with the same chipset in 15 minutes will fall to 40-45 FPS due to overheating.

2. Screens: refresh rate vs color reproduction

Here, Poco and Redmi go their separate ways, the first being on smoothness (high Hz), the second being on picture quality (resolution, color gamut).

Poco almost always offers 120Hz even in budget models (e.g. Poco) X5 s AMOLED 20,000 ₽), While Redmi in this segment is limited to 90 Hz (Redmi Note 12), but the flagship Redmi K-series receives a new model. 2K-Dolby Vision-enabled screens, which are not even the top Pocos.

⚠️ Note: Poco often lacks an adaptive refresh rate (e.g. Poco). X4 Pro only fixed 60/120 Hz), which reduces the battery life of 10–15% Compared to Redmi of the same price range.

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If you want to keep your interface smooth but don’t want to sacrifice autonomy, look for the Poco Adaptive FPS mode (not available on all models), which automatically reduces the frequency to 60 Hz on the menu and increases to 120 Hz in games.

3. Cameras: megapixels vs processing

On paper, Redmi cameras often look impressive, with 200 MPs in the Redmi Note 12 Pro+ or 108 MPs in the Redmi K50, but in practice, Poco often beats rivals by better processing and optimizing algorithms.

Reasons:

• 📸 Night mode: Poco uses Night Mode 2.0 technology with multi-frame synthesis, whereas Redmi is often limited to software processing.
• 🎥 Video: Poco F4 shoot off 4K@60fps without cropping, while Redmi Note 11 Pro+ With the same characteristics, it gives a strong digital zoom.
• 🔍 In Poco, the viewing angle of the ultra-wide camera is usually 5-10° wider (e.g. 119)° vs 115° redmi).

Example: Compare the Poco X5 Pro (108 MP, Samsung HM2) to the Redmi Note 12 Pro+ (200 MP, Samsung HPX) with half the resolution, Poco is more likely to win in detail when shooting indoors.

4.Software: MIUI vs POCO Launcher

Both brands operate on MIUI, but with key differences:

1. Features: Poco uses POCO Launcher – “light” version of MIUI without unnecessary Xiaomi services (for example, without Mi Video, Mi Music).
2. Bloatwar: Redmi has 30-40% more system applications (e.g. Mi Pay, Mi Home) preinstalled.
3. Updates: Poco gets security patches 1-2 months later than Redmi, but is less likely to suffer from bugs after updates.

Turn off “Recommendations” in Settings → Main screen|

Install ADB and execute pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.mi.android.globalFileexplorer|

Use App Cloner to duplicate system applications with originals disabled |

Turn off auto-update for unnecessary services on Google Play

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Hidden Poco: In the developer settings (Settings → About Phone → MIUI version, tap 7 times) there is a Force GPU Rendering option that speeds up interface animations by 20 to 30 percent. Redmi often doesn't have this feature.

5. Autonomy: Why does Redmi live longer?

Paradoxically, despite the less-performing processors, Redmi almost always wins in tests of autonomy.

1. Battery capacity: Redmi Note 12 Pro+ has 5000 mAh vs. 4500 mAh in Poco F5.
2. Optimization: Redmi defaults to Ultra Battery Saver mode, which limits background activity.
3. Screen: AMOLED in Poco with 120Hz eats 25% more energy than OLED with 90Hz in Redmi.

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If you need a smartphone “all day” without recharging, choose Redmi with a battery of 5000 mAh and a screen of 90 Hz. Poco is suitable for those who are willing to sacrifice 1-2 hours of autonomy for smoothness.

Test: when you use it actively (social networks, messengers, 1 hour of games), Redmi Note 12 Pro+ discharges in 10-12 hours, while Poco F5 discharges in 8-9 hours.

6. Design and Materials: Plastic vs Glass

Poco and Redmi differ not only in the “stuffing”, but also in appearance:

• 🖼️ Rear panel: Poco is more likely to use matte plastic (e.g. Poco) X5), Redmi is a glossy glass (Redmi Note 12 Pro)+).
• 🔄 Weight: Poco is lighter by 10-15 g due to the plastic case (180 g vs 195 g at Redmi).
• 🎨 Colors: Poco offers more aggressive colors (yellow, green), Redmi - classic (black, white, blue).

⚠️ Warning: Redmi glass backs are prone to scratches after 2 to 3 months of use without a cover. Poco plastic is more resistant to mechanical damage, but gets dirty faster (especially lighter options).

Example: Poco F4 has an aluminum frame, while Redmi K50 has a metal-coated plastic frame. To the touch, the difference is noticeable: Poco seems more premium, despite the lower price.

7.Price: Where is the real benefit?

Compare prices for similar models (as of June 2026):

Bottom line: Poco is 10 to 15 percent cheaper at comparable performance, but loses in autonomy and build quality. Redmi justifies the overpayment with more premium materials and advanced cameras.

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If you have a budget but you want maximum performance, take Poco. If you want more cameras and design, pay for Redmi. Except for the flagship Poco F-series (like the F5 Pro), which even beats the Redmi K in price/opportunity ratio.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions