CMF Phone 1 vs POCO X6: Who Wins This Budget Battle
Jul. 8, 2024The CMF Phone 1 is finally here and while its 6GB/128GB variant is priced at Rs 16,000, its 8GB/128GB variant’s pricing pits it against the POCO X6. At just Rs 1,000 higher, the X6 offers double the storage. But, is that all the advantage it has over theCMF Phone 1? If you’re in the market for a budget phone, which is the better option in the end? I have crafted this in-depth CMF Phone 1 vs POCO X6 comparison to answer those questions for you! So, without any further ado, let’s get right into it!
CMF Phone 1 vs POCO X6: Specs at a Glance
When it comes to box contents,POCO X6 easily takes the win here. From the compatible 67W charger to a Type-C cable and even a good-quality silicone case, you get it all in the box. On the other hand, the CMF Phone 1 doesn’t arrive with anything, but the SIM ejector, Type C to Type C cable, and those throwaway papers.
Also, out of the box, we got the Black plastic colorway for the CMF Phone 1. Here, I have slapped on the orange leather panel, which costs an additional Rs 1,499. You canchange the CMF Phone 1’s back coverby buying the seperately sold bundle.
The POCO X6 is certainly more hassle-free in comparison, letting you choose between three different colors, that are priced the same.
Talking about the design of the phones, I have with me thePOCO X6’s Snowstorm White variant. And, as I said, we received the Black color of the Phone 1. Right off the bat, the Phone 1’s design undoubtedly looks unique. With the back panel customization going for it, there’s a lot more to it. This is peak nostalgia meets modern design.
On the other hand, the POCO X6’s back panel, although pretty, is conventional at this point. The glass-mimicking plastic is getting old now, I feel. Besides, if you are considering getting either of the leather back panels of the Phone 1, it will instantly feel more premium in hand.
I also prefer the minimalistic camera module design of the CMF Phone 1, while the POCO X6’s massive module is a bit unappetizing. It also makes the phone wobble when placed on a desk. While the Phone 1 is not entirely wobble-free, it wobbles less than the X6.
Talking about the in-hand feel of the devices, thePhone 1 feels more solid in hand, and the matte plastic panel with the sandy texture at the back feels good. However, thescrew indents and the dial on the Phone 1 at the back feel very pricklywhen you hold the phone.
Like most people, I rest my phone on my pinky finger during one-hand usage, and the dial at the bottom didn’t let me do that comfortably. It kept slipping and after a while, I just got annoyed. On the other hand, theX6’s edges are softer, making it more comfortable to hold.
The button placement of the Phone 1 is also well thought out. Just like on theNothing Phone 2a, the volume rockers and power buttons are placed on either side of the frame.
Meanwhile, the POCO X6 just stuffs it all up on the right, which I don’t like, personally. But, the X6 wins me over with the presence of a3.5mm headphone jack. Meanwhile, the CMF Phone 1 doesn’t offer one.
That’s pretty much it for the design, so let’s get into the multimedia experience on the two phones next!
Both phones have a 6.67-inch 120Hz AMOLED display, with theX6 offering a higher 1.5K resolution. Moreover, thePOCO X6’s 12-bit panelis just of better quality in comparison to the Phone 1’s 10-bit one. The bezels are also sleeker on the X6.
However, while both displays support HDR 10+, our POCO X6 hasn’t been able to play HDR videos for quite some time now. I talked about this problem in myNothing Phone 2a vs POCO X6 comparisonas well. Well, it’s still there and prevents us from hitting peak brightness levels on the phone.
Now, thedetails are sharper on the X6, thanks to the 1.5K resolution, colors appear more natural on it as well. ThePhone 1 boosts the colorsby a bit making them look more saturated.Blacks are richer on the POCO X6, and those darker scenes in Stranger Things looked better without coming off as unnaturally saturated.
On top, the CMF Phone 1 usesAGC DragonTrail Pro Protection, while the POCO X6 sports the superiorGorilla Glass Victus.
The Phone 1’s speakers are very average though, all thanks to amono speaker setup. On the other hand, thePOCO X6’s stereo speakersare way better, offering a punchier output richer in bass, mids, highs, and lows. The sound separation of the X6’s stereo speakers is also good enough.
There’s no doubt that the CMF Phone 1’sAndroid 14-basedNothing OS 2.6is the cleaner software here. From having no bloatware to smooth animations everywhere, the Phone 1’s UI feels more responsive and fluid.
While thePOCO X6’s HyperOSbloatware problem is an eyesore, the satisfying animations and haptic integration do make a difference. Haptics integration in typing to simply using the volume slider or plowing through recent apps, it’s a more fulfilling experience. Nothing OS doesn’t have that level of haptic integration in the UI.
However, the Nothing OS 2.6 does bring quality-of-life updates like a dedicated Game Mode, Pop-up view for apps, and more. But, it’s nothing that the POCO X6 didn’t have already. HyperOS is easily the more feature-packed skin.
What makes it all the more amazing are features likeXiaomi Interconnectivity. Back in May itself, I talked about how Xiaomi shouldn’t limit itsInterconnectivity featureto only its premium offerings. Now, when I checked the POCO X6, the feature was available, and I’m really happy about it. Because, if you’re in the Xiaomi ecosystem, this feature is going to be one hell of a lifesaver.
Meanwhile, the Nothing OS doesn’t have any such unique features backing it up in the Phone 1.
In addition to that, while the CMF Phone 1 will get only2 years of major OS updates, thePOCO X6 is backed by 3 yearsof them. That makes a difference, especially if you want your device to be future-proof. So, while the Phone 1 will see only till Android 16, the POCO X6 will get Android 17.
In terms of performance, the CMF Phone 1 is powered by theMediaTek Dimensity 7300. On the other hand, the POCO X6 is powered by theQualcomm Snapdragon 7s Gen 2. The Dimensity 7300 is slightly better than the 7s Gen 2. Check out our detailed comparison ofDimensity 7300 vs Snapdragon 7s Gen 2. So, in terms of daily usage or gaming performance, you barely feel any difference. In benchmarks, you will see the difference though, albeit minor. With that being said, here’s a rundown:
See, in daily usage, both these phones will serve you well, and won’t frustrate you with lags. My daily usage sees anywhere around 15 to 20 apps running in the background, and I never saw any major lags on the phones.
There will be minor stutters here and there, but that’s normal in this segment. TheRAM management is pretty good on the Phone 1though, with most apps not reloading completely when you revisit them. However, theX6 is slightly worse in this regard.
Otherwise, multitasking is mostly smooth on both phones and I didn’t have anything to complain about.
For benchmarks, I ran all the essential tests on the two phones, and here’s a rundown of it all:
As we see in the benchmarks above, both chipsets are quite close in numbers, so you will not see any difference in terms of performance. You don’t get 90FPS for BGMI or CoD Mobile on any of these two phones. But, gaming is not too bad at all and you getvery decent performance out of the phones. I tried a bunch of games and the performance was more or less identical.
Neither of the phones got uncomfortably hot even after over an hour or so of gaming, which is always a good thing. So,no thermal throttlingof any sort here. But, yes, the POCO X6 did run warmer in comparison.
The CMF Phone 1 comes with a dual rear camera setup, while the POCO X6 houses a triple setup. Now, the Phone 1 features a 50MP Sony IMX 882 primary sensor at the helm, while the POCO X6 sports a 64MP OmniVision OV64B primary sensor.
With all that out of the way, it’s time to put the setups to the test! Let’s begin.
During the day, the Phone 1’s primary sensor captures slightly better details in comparison to the X6’s shots. However, the X6 captures slightly more natural colors, while the Phone 1 saturates them a bit.
This saturation is a tad too visible in the case of human subjects. Skin tones appear very off on the Phone 1’s shots, while the X6 doesn’t do a whole lot of processing.
Theshadows and highlights are slightly more pronounced on the X6’s shots, allowing it to deliver better dynamic range in comparison to the Phone 1.
In portrait mode, the depth mapping is better on Phone 1. However, there’s not much of a difference in the edge detection.
At night, the POCO X6 captures better shots, retaining more details and less noise. Meanwhile, the Phone 1 handles light sources slightly better.CMF Phone 1 (L) vs POCO X6 (R) Night Time shots
Even when capturing selfies, the Phone 1 boosts skin tones a little too much, often making you look like you’ve been holding your breath for too long. The POCO X6 keeps it simple and provides standard shots that look decent enough. While there are more details in the Phone 1’s selfies, there’s oversharpening at play here, which makes the shots look unnatural.
When it comes to videos, both phones are capable of shooting atup to 4K 30FPS. However, since thePhone 1 lacks OIS, you will notice those micro-jitters when walking or moving too much. On the other hand, the X6 is a bit more stable, thanks to OIS. But, there’s some focus hunting issue that doesn’t make it that pleasant an experience either.
While both phones pack a big 5000mAh battery, the CMF Phone 1’s Nothing OS is not as power-hungry as the HyperOS. As a result, I got around7 hours of screen-on-timeon it. In comparison, the POCO X6 delivered around5.5 hours of SoT.
However, what the POCO X6 loses out in terms of battery backup, it makes up with itsfaster 67W fast chargingsupport. Meanwhile, you are limited to just33W on the Phone 1. So, while the X6 takes just 40-45 minutes to charge fully from 1% to 100%, the Phone 1 takes over an hour to do the same.
If you have a super strict budget of Rs 16,000, the CMF Phone 1 is an easy choice. However, if you are considering buying the 8GB variant of the device for Rs 2,000 extra, that’s where the Phone 1 stops making sense.
The POCO X6’s more rewarding box contents, better display, 3.5mm headphone jack, stereo speakers, and more comfortable design easily give it significant leverage over the Phone 1. While the Phone 1 does offer a better battery backup, the POCO X6 negates that with double the fast charging.
The POCO X6 also has slightly better cameras. Besides, the X6 offers an ultra-wide sensor at least, while you’re stuck with just a useless secondary depth sensor on the Phone 1. Then comes the performance, which is pretty much the same on both phones.
The Phone 1 offers back panel customization and all that, yes. But, the fact that each of those back panel bundles cost Rs 1,500 extra, added to the fact that the design is not the most comfortable, only gives the X6 more brownie points over it. Not to mention that costing Rs 1,000 extra, the POCO X6 also gives you double the storage.
Meanwhile, the CMF Phone 1’s 256GB variant will not even launch in India. The POCO X6 is also the more future-proof option, thanks to an extra year of major OS updates.
So, ultimately, a clean software experience is the Phone 1’s only saving grace. If you are all about that and don’t care about the other things, you have your answer. But, if you want a more value-for-money phone, it’shard to recommend the CMF Phone 1 over the POCO X6.
With that being said, that brings us to the end of this comparison. However, if you do have any other related questions, drop them in the comments down below and I’ll get right back to you!
Sagnik is a tech aficionado who can never say “no” to dipping his toes into unknown waters of tech or reviewing the latest gadgets. He is also a hardcore gamer, having played everything from Snake Xenzia to Dead Space Remake.
