POCO M8 Pro Review Vs POCO M8 | Best Budget Phone for 2026?

Reviewing Xiaomi's POCO M8 Pro 5G after several days of using as my full-time phone, including camera testing, gaming on Wuthering Waves and battery life impressions. The POCO M8 Pro could be an early contender for best budget smartphone of 2026. But how does it compare vs the M8 and is it worth the upgrade? You'll find quite a few improvements here, over the previous M7 Pro and also the regular phone. The POCO M8 Pro camera setup sports a large Light Fusion sensor, for upgraded low light photography, as well as an ultra-wide shooter if you want an alternative view. Battery capacity is also much bigger, complete with fast charge support - for excellent life and quick recharging. The POCO M8 Pro runs the same Xiaomi HyperOS software of course, still on version 2. However, you're guaranteed four OS updates, as well as a couple of extra years of security patching. That's the same as the standard M8. Plus, the POCO M8 Pro is better for gaming, especially on massive open world titles such as Wuthering Waves. Check out my Xiaomi POCO M8 Pro 5G review for all you need to know about this budget smartphone. More affordable phone reviews coming in 2026! Xiaomi POCO M8 Pro 5G Review Chapters: 0:00 - Two for one 0:49 - Design 3:20 - Features & HyperOS 7:15 - Display & audio 9:56 - Performance & gaming 11:46 - Battery life 13:13 - Cameras 15:44 - Verdict