Poco announced the arrival of two new flagship smartphones, the F9 Ultra and the F9 Pro, on 1 September 2026. Both devices are positioned as the global counterparts of Xiaomi’s Redmi K100 Pro Max and Redmi K100 Pro, which were released in China in August. The launch comes just three months after Poco’s previous F8 series, which debuted on 26 November 2025, and arrives ahead of Qualcomm’s Snapdragon Summit later in September, meaning the phones ship with the current‑generation Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 rather than the next‑generation silicon.
Hardware platform and performance
The decision to retain the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chip—used previously in the F8 Ultra—was explained by Poco as a way to keep pricing competitive amid a global memory shortage. This move also narrows the performance gap that existed between the prior‑generation F8 Pro, which used an older Snapdragon 8 Elite, and the new F9 Pro, which now shares the same processor as the Ultra. Poco’s internal testing reported an AnTuTu benchmark score of 4,165,108 for the F9 Ultra, the highest it has recorded on a Poco device.
Both phones pair the main SoC with a dedicated VisionBoost D8 graphics module. Under internal test conditions, the combination enables up to 185 frames per second in selected games, with native support for more than 20 titles and five additional games reaching the same rate through Smart frame‑rate upscaling. Poco cautioned that real‑world frame rates will depend on the game, graphics settings, thermals and network conditions.
Display, audio and charging
The F9 Ultra features a 6.9‑inch HyperRGB AMOLED panel, while the F9 Pro carries a slightly smaller 6.59‑inch screen. Both displays operate at a 185 Hz refresh rate and employ a full‑RGB subpixel layout built on the new M11 luminescent material. Poco quoted peak brightness of 4,500 nits for typical use and up to 10,000 nits for HDR content. The screens also carry TÜV Rheinland Quadruple Eye Care certification under Xiaomi Vision Care.
Audio hardware is supplied through Poco’s ongoing partnership with Bose. The Ultra is equipped with dual 1115D stereo speakers plus a 1620‑milliwatt independent subwoofer, delivering a 2.1‑channel sound experience. The Pro uses dual 1115F speakers in a sealed cavity without a subwoofer. Both models ship with two tuning profiles and will receive a Game audio mode via OTA in September that raises footstep volume for better directional awareness in supported titles.
Charging capabilities include 100 W wired fast charging and 50 W wireless charging across the lineup. Reverse charging is supported at 27 W wired and 22.5 W wireless. Neither phone includes a power adapter in the box; chargers are sold separately.
Battery, camera and pricing
Battery capacity diverges from the Chinese Redmi siblings. The F9 Ultra houses an 8,050 mAh cell, a reduction of about 1,020 mAh (≈11 %) compared with the K100 Pro Max’s 9,070 mAh battery. The F9 Pro contains a 6,330 mAh unit, 2,250 mAh (just over a quarter) smaller than the K100 Pro’s 8,580 mAh pack. Poco describes the Ultra’s endurance as “two‑day” and the Pro’s as “all‑day” based on its internal lab testing. A Xiaomi representative indicated that the smaller cells were required to meet global standards, though no specific standards or markets were identified.
The camera array introduces Poco’s first 200 MP primary sensor with optical image stabilization on both models, complemented by a 32 MP front‑facing camera. The Ultra adds a 5× periscope telephoto lens offering 10× lossless zoom and up to 20× AI Ultra Zoom. The Pro, by contrast, carries a 50 MP floating telephoto lens with 2.5× optical zoom and a minimum focusing distance of 10 cm. Neither press release mentioned an ultra‑wide camera, even though the Chinese Redmi equivalents include one.
Pricing begins at $799 (≈€1,099) for the Ultra with 12 GB RAM and 256 GB storage, rising to $949 (≈€1,199) for the 16 GB/512 GB variant and $1,199 (≈€1,399) for the 16 GB/1 TB model. Early‑bird discounts lower those figures to $729, $799 and $1,059 respectively, or €829, €899 and €1,199. The Ultra is offered in Dark Cherry and Black.
The F9 Pro starts at $699 (≈€899) for the 12 GB/256 GB configuration and $769 (≈€999) for 12 GB/512 GB, with early‑bird pricing of $649 and $699 (or €739 and €799). It is available in White, Aurora Green and Black. The Aurora Green variant features a glow‑in‑the‑dark back panel that charges under sunlight or indoor light and can be drawn on with a separately sold laser pointer.
Overall, the F9 Ultra and F9 Pro aim to deliver flagship‑level performance, high‑refresh‑rate displays and a groundbreaking 200 MP camera while maintaining price points that reflect current component constraints. The devices arrive just before Qualcomm’s upcoming chipset announcement, positioning Poco’s latest offerings as the most powerful phones in its portfolio to date.
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