POCO F4 GT launched: The best gaming phone on the market?

The POCO F3 GT was one of 2021’s best gaming phones, offering an upper-mid range Dimensity 1200 chipset, retractable shoulder triggers, and a large battery with fast charging. Now, POCO is back at it again as it’s launched the POCO F4 GT in global markets.

Much like the POCO F3 GT was a rebranded version of the China-only Redmi K40 Gaming phone, the POCO F4 GT is a rebadged version of the Redmi K50 Gaming device. That means you’re getting a Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor, a dual vapor chamber cooling system, and a flat 6.67-inch FHD+ 120Hz OLED screen. That chipset in particular should deliver a significant performance boost over last year’s phone, although we hope sustained performance isn’t an issue.

The POCO F4 GT also retains its predecessor’s retractable shoulder triggers, popping out of the body via a pair of mechanical switches. These physical triggers should deliver a more tactile experience than capacitive shoulder buttons seen on many other gaming phones.

What else are you getting?

Poco’s latest gaming phone is also equipped with a 4,700mAh battery and 120W charging. This is a capacity drop compared to the POCO F3 GT’s 5,065mAh battery, but you do get a charging speed increase from 67W (with POCO touting a zero to 100% charging time of 17 minutes). Thankfully, the 120W charger is included in the box.

The POCO F4 GT has a pretty pedestrian camera system here as you’d expect from a gaming phone, featuring a 64MP main shooter (IMX686), an 8MP ultrawide lens, and a 2MP macro camera. A 20MP camera (IMX596) in a punch-hole cutout handles selfies and video calls. The previous phone offered a similar camera system and we thought photos were lackluster as a result, so we’re not expecting major improvements on the new device.

Other noteworthy features include Bluetooth 5.2, Gorilla Glass Victus on the front, MIUI 13 atop Android 12, NFC, quad speakers, Wi-Fi 6E support, and a side fingerprint scanner.

Price and availability

Poco’s latest flagship offering is available at a starting price of €599 (~$639) for the 8GB/128GB model, while the 12GB/256GB variant has a recommended price of €699 (~$746). The company says it’s offering an early bird price of €499 (~$533) and €599 (~$639) respectively from April 26-29. Even at its standard price, the phone is cheaper than the likes of the Samsung Galaxy S22, Google Pixel 6, and Apple iPhone 13 Mini in Europe, although you do miss out on features like wireless charging and an IP rating.

Expect to find the POCO F4 GT in Cyber Yellow, Knight Silver, and Stealth Black colorways. It looks like those on the hunt for a gaming phone or those who prioritize performance over everything else should keep this phone in mind.

This isn’t the only product launched on the day, as POCO also launched its first ecosystem products in the form of the POCO Watch and POCO Buds Pro Genshin Impact Edition. The smartwatch retails for €79 (~$84) and packs a square 1.6-inch AMOLED screen, 5ATM water resistance, 100 fitness tracking modes, GPS tracking, SPo2 monitoring, and up to 14 days of juice.

Meanwhile, the POCO Buds Pro Genshin Impact Edition retails for €69 (~$74) and offers active noise cancellation, wireless charging, 9mm drivers, audio alerts based on Genshin Impact, and an IPX4 rating. POCO adds that the earbuds can be connected to two devices at once and lasts for up to 28 hours via the charging case (or six hours via the earbuds alone).