an out of this world Android gaming telephone in flagship clothes

The Poco F7 Extremely generally is a little bit of a game-changer for the Android scene. It’s the primary Extremely-branded telephone from Poco, which is a fairly large deal, as it is a corporate that I’ve come to understand in my time reviewing telephones as a lower-mid-range standout, leaving its sibling logo, Xiaomi, to the flagship sport.

With that during thoughts, and as partial to earlier Poco telephones, I knew I had to take a look at it, and whilst I don’t wish to destroy the remainder of this telephone an excessive amount of, this Android is easily value its Extremely standing. So, may just this possible flagship-killer declare a place in our information to the highest gaming telephones? Let’s get into it.

The Poco F7 Extremely is to be had to reserve now by means of the logo’s respectable website online and Amazon in the United Kingdom or AliExpress in the United States. If you happen to order sooner than April 10, 2025, there also are some introductory provides, together with unfastened items and reductions. You’ll select up the 12GB+256GB model for $649/£650 or the 16GB+256GB model for $699/£699. It is available in both black or yellow colorways, however for this overview, we gained the yellow 16GB+512GB type.

As is the case with nearly all of 2025’s maximum spectacular Android telephones, the Poco F7 Extremely packs the Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset, which makes it a completely implausible performer. Daily duties, whether or not it’s scrolling thru social media or surfing on-line, are great and clean. Nonetheless, in case you in reality wish to see the F7 Extremely shine, all you must do is load up some of the selections from our information to the highest Android video games.

I driven the in-game settings as prime as they’d pass in each PUBG Cell and Honkai Famous person Rail, together with the non-compulsory spice up to 60 FPS within the latter, and the F7 Extremely ran each video games with none problem. There was once a slight little bit of body fee dipping all over particular assault animations at double pace in HSR, however truthfully, I’ve noticed that on a lot more dear telephones, and it’s now not constant sufficient to be an issue.

The F7 Extremely additionally options Xiaomi’s Sport Turbo instrument, which you’ll be able to use to have interaction the Wild Spice up efficiency mode. With Wild Spice up working, you’ll be able to tinker with extra efficiency settings, boosting the answer for shocking gameplay visuals, particularly in bright titles akin to Genshin Have an effect on, or go for good body fee keep an eye on, the place you succeed in body charges of as much as 120 FPS. It’s any other issue that makes the F7 Extremely really feel like a gaming telephone in conceal. I looked at the RedMagic 10 Professional overdue closing 12 months, which is an out-and-out gaming telephone, and the degrees of efficiency and customization between the 2 units are strikingly equivalent.

On the other hand, whilst the F7 Extremely’s efficiency is implausible, there’s a caveat. This telephone will get heat when gaming, and it doesn’t take lengthy for the again panel to warmth up. I used to be simplest taking part in Honkai Famous person Rail for round quarter-hour once I felt the software beginning to get lovely toasty, and whilst it’s now not scorching sufficient to drive you to forestall gaming, it’s hotter than I’d like. In equity, it’s not anything you’ll be able to’t get round by way of equipping the F7 Extremely with a case, but when Poco is concentrating its efforts on gaming efficiency in long term fashions, it would want just a little extra in the best way of cooling tech.

You’ve additionally were given each Google Gemini and Circle to Seek with Google, which, in my view, are the 2 most respected AI-powered options because the smartphone business went all in on synthetic intelligence following the Samsung Galaxy S24 release closing 12 months. After all, it is helping that Apple Intelligence has had one thing of a tumultuous rollout, however even nonetheless, Google Gemini is the most efficient AI assistant in the market, and for Poco in an effort to be offering it to customers in a inexpensive telephone than both the Samsung Galaxy S25 or the Google Pixel 9 is a large win for the rising telephone logo. Out of doors of that, there isn’t an excessive amount of AI to take care of, and truthfully, that’s just a little of a aid for me, as trying out AI options is my least favourite a part of this task.

The only factor value noting on this segment is that the F7 Extremely doesn’t beef up eSIMs. If, like me, you’re old-fashioned and nonetheless use that tiny plastic chip, then this isn’t a deal-breaker in any respect. On the other hand, in case you’ve dedicated to the use of an eSIM, it’s an attractive major problem and one thing that Poco would possibly wish to deal with with long term Extremely fashions.

With regards to design, the F7 Extremely may well be one in all Poco’s maximum understated telephones up to now. Sure, it’s yellow; there may be that, however another way, it has an excessively equivalent shape issue to many different Android flagships available on the market, akin to the location of all buttons at the right-hand facet of the software and a unmarried USB-C charging port at the backside. This isn’t an issue; it’s simply value noting in case you’re on the lookout for one thing just a little other from the remainder of the selections from our information to the highest Android telephones.

Now not simplest does the F7 Extremely glance great, but it surely feels top rate, too. It is helping that it’s IP68, making it water-proof sufficient to make use of optimistically when it’s raining, which is a fairly large deal right here in the United Kingdom. The round digital camera set-up at the again provides to the chic really feel, which is what you wish to have in case you spend greater than $600 on a brand new telephone.

Improbable efficiency is something, but it surely doesn’t rely for far until you marry it with a top-tier show. Thankfully, that’s precisely what you get with the Poco F7 Extremely, with its 6.67-inch AMOLED display and 120Hz refresh charges enabling velvety gaming visuals in all of the highest cell video games. If all that wasn’t sufficient, the telephone additionally has great, slender bezels, so that you’re getting a variety of show retail property while you’re gaming or looking at a film.

With regards to brightness, I didn’t have any problems taking part in Pokémon TCG Pocket underneath the blaring spring sunshine, because of the F7 Extremely’s 1,800 nits ranking with a three,200 nits height. Merely put, it’s a really beautiful display, with the 3200 x 1440 pixel answer providing persistently crisp visuals that make streaming or gaming really feel much more enticing.

As I generally tend to do when reviewing a brand new telephone, I took a couple of photographs of my pretty puppy, Floyd, to peer how the principle lens held up. The consequences are respectable. It lacks just a little definition in comparison to the consequences I were given from the Nubia Z70 Extremely, however that telephone prides itself on its cameras, while the F7 Extremely is extra of a efficiency beast. After just a little extra trying out, I discovered that panorama pictures glance significantly better, and I were given a really perfect shot of the homes underneath my house at the hill. It kind of feels that the sticking level for the F7 Extremely’s major digital camera is a topic, however once more, it’s now not horrible; it simply doesn’t rather fit the result of probably the most different telephones round this value level.

Basically, the F7 Extremely’s ultrawide and telephoto cameras are forged, and in case you’re simply the use of them for some panorama and portrait photographs on your social media, you shouldn’t have any actual lawsuits. Issues get just a little dicier in case you’re extremely shut up or capturing at evening, as whilst there’s a evening mode possibility, it nonetheless lacks high quality in comparison to photographs you’re taking in ideally suited lights. Thankfully, I’d take a stellar performer over fancy low-light photographs any day of the week, so it’s now not sufficient to place me off.

I would possibly sound just a little crucial of the F7 Extremely’s cameras thus far, however I’ve to mention that the selfie digital camera is lovely nice. It captures a really life like mirrored image of the topic, and in contrast to the principle digital camera, pores and skin tone is sort of all the time spot-on. It additionally doesn’t drive the adorn filter out on you. It’s important to manually make a choice it, which is a pleasant contact, as I’ve discovered myself having a look distinctly extra made-up when trying out telephones within the closing 12 months, simplest to appreciate the instrument is digitally changing my face, main to a couple uncanny valley effects.

If there’s something I all the time know I’m going to get from a Poco telephone, it’s a competent battery. Admittedly, the F7 Extremely’s 5,300 mAh cellular isn’t the most important battery we’ve noticed in a Poco telephone, as this 12 months’s inexpensive Poco X7 Professional had a 6,000 mAh unit. On the other hand, this software nonetheless packs sufficient battery lifestyles to closing you a complete day with round 10-20% left over in case you’re the use of it sporadically. If you happen to’re settling in for an extended consultation of taking part in the most efficient cell video games, it may well be extra like six or seven hours, as I misplaced round 15% an hour when sport trying out.

With regards to charging speeds, the Poco F7 Extremely’s 120W juicing is frankly ridiculous. For context, the Samsung Galaxy S25 Extremely, one in all 2025’s premier Android telephones, simplest provides 45W charging. That signifies that when the use of the proper apparatus, you’ll be able to simply rate the F7 Extremely from complete to flat in underneath 40 mins. Now not simplest that, however this software provides 50W wi-fi charging, which, once more, dwarfs the S25 Extremely’s 15W pace.

The price that the Poco F7 Extremely provides is exceptional, offering top-tier efficiency, an easy-to-use instrument enjoy, and succesful cameras for less than $700. Right through this overview, I’ve in comparison it to the iPhone 16 and Samsung Galaxy S25, however basically because it’s nearer to these telephones in relation to value level. Actually, this factor can compete with the a lot more dear iPhone 16 Professional Max and S25 Extremely fashions, and if that doesn’t persuade you that it’s value selecting up, I don’t know what’s going to.

As with each and every telephone, there are a few caveats. On the other hand, nearly all of those drawbacks have answers. If you happen to don’t like how heat the telephone will get, stick a case on it, and also you gained’t really feel it. If you happen to most often use an eSIM, return to plastic for a short while. It would really feel like a step again, however truthfully, it’s value it for this telephone.

The RedMagic 10 Professional is a brilliant Android gaming telephone at a equivalent value level to the Poco F7 Extremely, but it surely helps to keep just a little bit cooler when underneath power. Admittedly, it has its personal caveats, basically in that its very sq. design isn’t for everybody, and its unmarried Android replace isn’t just about as beneficiant because the Poco’s 4 years. Nonetheless, relating to gaming, it’s a real performer. For extra main points, take a look at our RedMagic 10 Professional overview.

iPhone 16

Whilst the Android pageant is healthier than ever, you continue to can’t in reality pass fallacious with an iPhone. Whilst it may well be just a little dearer, the iPhone 16 provides a moderately easier-to-use instrument enjoy than the Poco F7 Ulta, even supposing the Apple Intelligence AI options nonetheless want just a little paintings. For extra in this possibility, take a look at our iPhone 16 overview.