The Poco F9 Ultra is a new flagship phone, but instead of the processor and camera taking center stage in our hands-on, it’s the speaker system.
Yes, really. The Bose-tuned 2.1 audio delivers one of the best listening experiences you can have on a phone, and the fact it’s also a high-performance device is icing on a Dark Cherry cake.
The best speakers on a phone?
Even better than the Google Home Speaker
The F9 Ultra is Poco’s second collaboration with audio experts Bose, and calling the F9 Ultra one of the best sounding smartphones I’ve heard isn’t hyperbole.
The audio system consists of symmetrical stereo speakers and an independent subwoofer, making it just like a 2.1 audio setup inside your phone.
This is the same as the F8 Ultra, but for the new phone, Poco and Bose have redesigned the acoustic port, improved dust protection around the driver next to the camera, and tuned the system for clearer and more detailed sound.
The result is stunning. Where the Poco F9 Ultra impresses is when you turn the volume up. There’s none of the harshness and overly bright treble you hear from lesser phone speakers, and instead it’s rich, full, balanced, and pleasant to listen to. It’s all due to the small subwoofer and full-range ability.
Listening to Le Sserafim’s Ash and comparing it to the Google Pixel 11 Pro reveals just how different the F9 Ultra sounds. You hear the track’s details immediately through the Poco F9 Ultra, but they are mostly lost on the Pixel 11 Pro, where the bright vocals overpower the sound.
The F9 Ultra benefits from tuning the built-in Bose equalizer, and I’ve found using the custom Rock mode with the Dynamic profile active brings out the best. If you leave it in standard you may be disappointed.
I’ve been reviewing the Google Home Speaker recently, and I think the Poco F9 Ultra’s speakers sound just as good, if not better, at times. The speaker system is a genuine reason to buy the Poco F9 Ultra, just don’t use it in public please.
Poco beats the Pixel 11 Pro’s HiLight
It’s actually fun and useful
New for the Poco F9 Ultra is a circular light which runs around the speaker next to the camera on the back of the phone.
It seems to be a single bright white color, and is fully customizable in the software. It flashes when a call comes in, can be tailored to light up when a notification arrives, and rhythmically pulsates when you play music. It even works with certain games, including PUBG Mobile.
Yes, it’s a gimmick, and no, it’s not as varied or unique as Nothing’s Glyph Lights, but it’s exactly what Google’s HiLight should have been. It works with all notifications out of the box, it interacts with music, and can be completely turned off if you don’t want it.
Poco F9 Ultra specs
A flagship phone
Now I’ve talked about the brilliant sound system, what about the rest of the Poco F9 Ultra?
This is the brand’s flagship phone, and it has everything you’d expect. The processor is the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 with either 12GB or 16GB of RAM, plus the choice of 256GB, 512GB, or 1TB storage space.
The screen is a 6.9-inch AMOLED with a 2608 x 1200 pixel resolution. It’s best to ignore the headline-grabbing 10,000 nits peak brightness, as it covers just 1% of the screen panel, but the 850 nits typical brightness is decent, and the 2,200 nits High Brightness Mode should make it visible in most conditions.
A 200-megapixel main camera with optical image stabilization is joined by a 50MP wide-angle camera, and a 50MP telephoto for a 5x optical zoom. Finally, there’s a big 8,050mAh battery with 100W wired charging and 50W wireless charging.
Other features include an IP68 dust and water resistance rating, a 3D IceLoop cooling system, 27W reverse charging, and a 32MP front camera.
Using the Poco F9 Ultra
A big, brawny flagship
This is a chunky phone. Don’t expect it to be a lightweight challenger to phones like the Motorola Edge 70.
At 235 grams, it’s noticeably heavier than phones like the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8, and the 8.74mm width combined with the huge 6.9-inch screen means it needs a firm grip to use with one hand.
The model in our photos is in a cool Dark Cherry color, which is a deep, metallic red. Poco has always been keen to experiment with colors and finishes, and while I don’t like this quite as much as the denim F8 Ultra, it’s a mature and eye-catching shade that often appears different colors in different lighting.
Unfortunately, at the time of writing, I can’t run any performance benchmarks. I’m less interested in the scores, and more interested to see how effective the F9 Ultra’s cooling system is under load.
I played Asphalt 9: Legends and didn’t notice any adverse heating up, so I’m confident it should be fine. It’s also worth saying how good the speakers sound playing games, with the added tactile effect where you can feel the tiny thump of the main driver through your fingertips.
Poco F9 Ultra price and availability
Poco does not officially sell its smartphones in the US, but it is possible to import them if you’re keen.
Poco should release the F9 Ultra in the UK, where the F8 Ultra was available, and a wider global launch in Europe and other regions is expected.
The base 12GB/256GB model is listed at $799 or 1,100 euros, while the 16GB/512GB model is $949 or 1,200 euros. Finally, the 16GB/1TB model is $1,200 or 1,400 euros.
Poco has an early bird offer on all the phones, and the deals make it worth buying one quickly. The 16GB/512GB version is $799 or 900 euros, and the pick of the bunch.
Our full review of the Poco F9 Ultra will be out soon.
