After more than a year since the release of the POCO F1 (Pocophone F1 in the Philippines), Xiaomi‘s POCO is finally back on the global stage, bringing with it a smartphone that’s familiar to us.

(Update, June 15: Official now! Read POCO F2 Pro is PH’s cheapest Snapdragon 865 phone so far.)

(Update, June 9: The answer’s yes! Read POCO F2 Pro Philippine launch date announced.)

(Update, June 5: In the Philippines, too? Nice! Read POCO Philippines is back! POCO F2 Pro coming soon?)

The company has launched the POCO F2 Pro, basically a rebranded Redmi K30 Pro with POCO Launcher 2.0, a launcher that has already been downloaded 10 million times. Internationally, the device is priced as follows:

• 6GB/128GB: €499 (around P27,160 or $542)
• 8GB/256GB: €599 (P32,604 or $651)

Fret not, we still have POCO Launcher 2.0 based on the Android 10 which will make your life easier.

Enjoy speedier app search using App Drawer, and stay organized with the automatic group apps feature. Last but not least, we have Dark Mode that everybody loves. #PowerfullyCool pic.twitter.com/kEv7aMFEIN

— POCO (@POCOGlobal) May 12, 2020

POCO 2.0 Launcher

That pricing may be higher than the first Pocophone, but take note that this is already a 5G phone — something that offers a technology that’s not ubiquitous yet. Plus, consumer electronics in Europe are more expensive than in other places because of higher taxes. This product is still cheaper than the OnePlus 8 Pro.

Our only gripe is that the POCO F2 Pro is a rebadged model. We would have wanted to see a different unit, not something from another Xiaomi brand’s lineup. But that’s just us. And we’re probably going to get over that soon.

Livestream: POCO F2 Pro global launch, in case you missed it. Program stars at the 36:34 mark

The POCO F2 Pro has everything a flagship phone should feature. It boasts a Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 processor; a 4,700mAh battery with 30-watt fast charging; liquid cooling; a 6.67-inch AMOLED screen with HDR10+ support and Widevine L1 certification; a 64-megapixel rear quad camera; a 20-megapixel pop-up selfie shooter; and Android 10.

With the industry’s first flagship telemacro installed, #POCOF2Pro can be 2X macro. #PowerfullyCool pic.twitter.com/z4AyROidzP

— POCO (@POCOGlobal) May 12, 2020

Ready to ‘macro’?

The smartphone even has a headphone jack and an IR blaster — a nod to the “past.”

Here’s a surprise: The POCO F2 Pro in Neon Blue, Phantom White, Electric Purple, and Cyber Grey (somewhat like our Huawei P40 Pro unit, no?) is already up for purchase from online stores Gearbest and AliExpress. Soon, it will be available on ecommerce sites such as POCO.net, Amazon, Lazada, Shopee, and JD Central.

POCO F2 Pro specs

• 6.67-inch FHD+, 2,400 x 1,080 AMOLED screen with HDR10+, Corning Gorilla Glass 3
• Octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 processor with 5G
• 6GB/8GB RAM
• 12GB/256GB storage
• Quad 64MP, f/1.69 (main), 13MP (ultra wide), 5MP (macro), 2MP (depth) rear cameras
• 20MP (main) front camera
• Fingerprint sensor (under-display)
• 4,700mAh battery with 30-watt USB-C fast charging
• POCO Launcher 2.0 based on Android 10
• Colors: Neon Blue, Phantom White, Electric Purple, and Cyber Grey

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