- The POCO X8s has been certified by Thailand’s NBTC, Singapore’s IMDA, and Europe’s EEC, bringing it closer to launch.
- A Geekbench listing points to a Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 chip, 12GB RAM, and Android 16, while a 50MP main camera is tipped.
- An India launch may reportedly be off the table, though POCO has not confirmed any market list or price yet.
The POCO X8s is one step closer to a public release, and that's a big deal for fans of the X8 lineup. It's passed certification in multiple markets, and leaked benchmark listings suggest a meaningful performance upgrade over the existing POCO X8. So, what can you expect? If the Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 rumor holds, this would be the upper-mid-range model that's been missing from the lineup.
POCO X8s Specifications
| Specification | Details (from leaks/certifications) |
|---|---|
| Model number | 2609CPC5FG |
| Chipset | Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 (rumoured) |
| RAM | 12GB (rumoured) |
| Operating system | Android 16 (reported via Geekbench) |
| Rear camera | 50MP main camera (tipped) |
| Connectivity | 5G, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, NFC (via IMDA) |
| Certifications | NBTC (Thailand), IMDA (Singapore), EEC (Europe) |
| Price | Not announced; expected above POCO X8, below X8 Pro |
What’s New and Key Features
Here's the thing: the POCO X8s is an improved version of the POCO X8, which launched earlier this year with a Snapdragon 6s Gen 4 chip. And that's a problem, because the 6s series just doesn't cut it for heavy users. But the rumoured Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 upgrade changes everything. You can expect noticeably stronger CPU and GPU headroom, better sustained performance in games, and faster app loading in day-to-day use.
Certifications are the strongest signal that launch is near. The NBTC listing in Thailand confirms the POCO X8s name, while the IMDA listing in Singapore identifies POCO as the brand and Xiaomi Electronics as the applicant. And the same model number, 2609CPC5FG, appears across these databases. That consistency suggests one global variant is being prepared for multiple regions.
The phone has also been spotted on Geekbench with Android 16 and 12GB RAM. If accurate, that means the X8s would ship with the newest version of Android out of the box, alongside enough memory for heavy multitasking and background app retention. Now, that's what you want from a mid-range phone.
Design, Build, and Connectivity
No design renders or build materials have been revealed in the sources. What we do know is limited to the IMDA listing’s description: a “5G mobile phone with Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and NFC.” That confirms basic wireless connectivity but says nothing about weight, thickness, or body material. And yet, that's not the interesting part.
What the certifications tell us is regional coverage. Approval from NBTC, IMDA, and EEC indicates POCO is preparing for Southeast Asian, Singapore, and European markets. GizChina reports that a global launch is expected, with Europe among the potential markets. Meanwhile, 91mobiles notes that XimiTime’s tip suggests the phone could launch in Europe, Turkey, Russia, and China, with the Chinese variant possibly carrying the model number M583CF under Redmi branding.
This matters for Indian buyers because a certified global unit does not automatically mean an India release. The discrepancy is worth highlighting: GizChina talks about a global launch, while 91mobiles says an Indian launch is “reportedly off the table.” POCO has not issued an official statement, so treat both possibilities with caution. But look, if the X8s doesn't launch in India, that's a missed opportunity for POCO.
Display and Input
There are no direct display specifications for the POCO X8s in these leaks. For context, the existing POCO X8 5G uses a 6.83-inch 1.5K AMOLED panel with a 120Hz refresh rate, according to 91mobiles. If the X8s follows the same family design, a similar display is plausible, but that is speculation and not confirmed. Now, a 120Hz AMOLED panel is what most buyers in this segment expect.
In practice, it makes scrolling feel smoother and keeps motion in games and video look fluid. But without confirmation of the X8s display, it's safer to wait for official specifications before judging whether the phone will match or improve upon the X8’s screen. And yet, you can't help but feel that POCO will deliver on this front.
Input-related details such as haptics, fingerprint sensor placement, or button layout have not been mentioned in the sources. Given that the IMDA listing only covers connectivity and the NBTC/EEC entries are standard approval records, we cannot verify whether the X8s will have any changes to the display cutout, bezels, or physical controls. But that's not the end of the story.
Performance and Battery
The headline feature here is the rumoured Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 chipset. According to GizChina, a Geekbench listing shows the POCO X8s with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 processor, 12GB of RAM, and Android 16. The reported scores are 972 in single-core and 3,297 in multi-core, as relayed by My Mobile India via Ground News. These numbers mean the phone should slot into the upper mid-range tier.
The Snapdragon 6s Gen 4 in the POCO X8 delivers noticeably weaker performance in CPU-heavy tasks like video editing, multitasking, and heavy games. The 7 Gen 4’s reported Geekbench score suggests a meaningful jump, though real-world performance will depend on thermal management, software tuning, and the phone’s cooling system. And that's where things get interesting.
The 12GB RAM is also relevant. More RAM helps keep apps and games in memory, so you won't need to reload them as often. Android 16 adds the latest OS features and security updates out of the box — assuming the leak is accurate. Now, that's a great combination for a mid-range phone.
Battery details for the X8s have not been revealed. For comparison, the POCO X8 5G packs an 8,340mAh battery with 67W charging, according to 91mobiles. Whether the X8s carries over the same battery is unknown, but if it does, that would be a strong selling point for a mid-range phone. You can't have too much battery life, after all.
Performance Benchmarks
| Benchmark | POCO X8s (reported) | POCO X8 | What it tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| Geekbench single-core | 972 | No data | CPU performance for single-threaded tasks; higher is better. |
| Geekbench multi-core | 3,297 | No data | CPU performance with all cores active; higher is better. |
Note: These scores come from a leaked Geekbench listing and have not been verified by POCO. The POCO X8’s own Geekbench scores were not included in the source material, so a direct numeric comparison is not possible. But look, the X8s is shaping up to be a solid performer.
POCO X8s vs. Rivals
The X8s is not on sale yet, so a definitive vs. comparison is premature. Based on leaked positioning, it would sit above the POCO X8 and below the POCO X8 Pro series. GizChina says the X8s “should be cheaper than the POCO X8 Pro series and just a little more expensive than the non-S variant.” That's a good spot to be in, considering the specs.
In India, the POCO X8 5G starts at ₹26,999, according to 91mobiles. If the X8s is only slightly more expensive than that, it could land in a competitive upper-mid-range price band. And that's where the X8s could shine. So, here's the thing: the POCO X8s has the potential to be a game-changer in the mid-range segment, and it's going to be interesting to see how it plays out.