POCO managed to carve out a niche in the budget and mid-range categories by delivering value-focused phones, and devices like the X7 Pro exemplify this trait. If anything, POCO is doing a better job in this area than its Redmi sister brand, and this is clearly evident in the mid-range, where last year's F6 Pro is still a fantastic choice.
The brand is doing things a little differently in 2025; while it's still launching the F7 Pro, the focus this year is the F7 Ultra — its most powerful phone yet. The F7 Ultra is a definite statement from POCO that it can produce a phone that can hold its own against the best that OPPO, Vivo, Google, and Honor have to offer.
With the latest Qualcomm silicon, a QHD panel, 5300mAh silicon battery, and 120W charging, the F7 Ultra has a solid foundation, but its the cameras where the device truly stands out. POCO admitted in the past that cameras aren't the biggest priority for the brand, and while its phones took decent photos, they didn't measure up to their immediate rivals.
That's changing with the F7 Ultra; the phone has a 50MP main camera with a Light Fusion 800 imaging module, and it's joined by a 50MP telephoto with 2.5x optical zoom, and 32MP wide-angle lens. The best part is the price, with the phone debuting at $649, undercutting its rivals by a sizeable amount.
I used the F7 Ultra for just over two weeks, and here's why I think it is the best value-focused flagship you can buy in 2025.
