I’ve been daily-driving cheap Android phones this year just to see how far “1 jutaan” devices have really come. After a week swapping between a handful of sub-Rp 2 million phones, I was hoping Poco’s new C81 Pro would be the one that finally nails the basics without weird compromises. Instead, it feels like another reminder that spec-sheet bait can still hide some very obvious corner-cutting.
Big 6.9-inch 120Hz Screen, Low-End Resolution
On paper, the Poco C81 Pro’s display sounds aggressive for the price: a 6.9-inch LCD, 1600 x 720 pixels, and up to 120 Hz refresh rate. That size alone is massive for this segment, and the high refresh rate is something brands love to throw around in marketing.
The problem is the resolution. Stretching 1600 x 720 across 6.9 inches is going to look soft compared to 1080p panels, especially for text-heavy use like chat apps, browsing, and reading. You’re trading sharpness to get that giant canvas and higher refresh number.
Brightness tops out at 800 nit (HBM), which should be manageable outdoors, at least on paper. Poco also throws in Wet Touch 2.0 so the screen stays responsive when it’s wet, plus TÜV Rheinland certification for eye protection. Those are nice-to-have features, but they don’t fix the core issue: this is a huge, fast panel held back by a very basic HD+ resolution.
Battery Beast, Slow-ish Charging
If there’s one area where the C81 Pro actually leans into its identity, it’s battery. Poco packs in a 6,000 mAh cell, which is big even by budget-phone standards. For people who just need a cheap device that doesn’t die halfway through the day, this is the main selling point.
Poco claims more than 2 days of normal use, 46 hours of calls, 79 hours of music playback, or 19 hours of video. That tracks with what we typically see from 6,000 mAh bricks paired with modest hardware. This is the kind of phone you hand to someone who never wants to think about a charger.
Charging, though, is capped at 15W. That’s not disastrous at this price, but pairing a 6,000 mAh battery with only 15W fast charging means you’re going to be parked on a cable for a while if you run it down. So yes, it lasts long, but topping it back up won’t be quick.
Unisoc T7250: Budget Chip, Modest Ambitions
Under the hood, the Poco C81 Pro is powered by the Unisoc T7250, built on a 12 nm process. It’s an octa-core CPU clocked up to 1.8 GHz, with a Mali-G57 GPU handling graphics. This is very clearly a low-end platform meant for basic tasks.
RAM is LPDDR4X at 4 GB across the board, which in 2026 is honestly the bare minimum for Android. Storage options are 64 GB or 128 GB UFS 2.2, which at least is faster than the eMMC we still see on some ultra-budget phones.
In real-world terms, this setup screams “messaging, social media, light browsing, and YouTube,” not gaming or heavy multitasking. The 120 Hz refresh rate on the display could even make things feel worse if the chip struggles to keep animations smooth. You get the illusion of high-end fluidity from the spec sheet, but this hardware combo is going to hit its limits fast.
Cameras: Just Enough, Nothing More
The camera system is very much what you’d expect from a budget device that doesn’t pretend to be a photography champ. On the back, you get a single 13 MP main camera with an f/2.2 aperture. Poco throws in standard modes like HDR, night, portrait, and document capture.
On the front, there’s an 8 MP f/2.0 camera for selfies and video calls. Both front and rear cameras top out at 1080p 30 fps video recording.
No ultrawide, no dedicated macro, no marketing circus around AI photography—just a basic main sensor and a selfie cam. For people who only need occasional snapshots and video calls, that’s fine. But if you care even a little about versatility or low-light performance, this setup isn’t going to impress.
Android 15 and HyperOS 3 on a Budget
One genuinely surprising angle here is software. The Poco C81 Pro ships with Android 15 and HyperOS 3 out of the box. Getting the latest Android version on a sub-Rp 2 million device at launch is not something every brand manages, and Poco deserves credit for that.
HyperOS 3 also brings a suite of AI features usually associated with higher-end devices. Poco highlights things like Gemini integration, Circle to Search, AI Sky, and more. On a Unisoc T7250 with 4 GB RAM, though, the real question is how smooth those experiences will actually be.
This is where the disconnect shows: you’re being sold modern AI tricks, but the hardware is entry-level. Expect them to work, but don’t expect flagship-level speed or responsiveness with multiple heavy apps running in the background.
Extras: NFC, Side Fingerprint, and Basic Design
The C81 Pro doesn’t skip all the basics. You do get NFC, which is still surprisingly missing on some budget phones and is essential if you live on contactless payments and transit. There’s also a side-mounted fingerprint sensor integrated into the frame, which is a practical placement and usually more reliable than cheap in-display readers.
The phone comes in three colors—Black, Gold, and Green—with dimensions of 171.56 x 79.47 x 8.15 mm and a weight of 208 grams. No surprise it’s heavy: that 6,000 mAh battery and 6.9-inch panel add up. If you prefer compact or lightweight phones, this is not for you.
Pricing: Aggressive, But with Clear Trade-Offs
In Indonesia, the Poco C81 Pro is priced at Rp 1.649.000 for the 4/64 GB model and Rp 1.799.000 for the 4/128 GB variant. Both will be available through Xiaomi Indonesia’s official online store.
Purely on price, these numbers are aggressive given you’re getting Android 15, HyperOS 3, a 6,000 mAh battery, 120 Hz screen, NFC, and a side fingerprint scanner. But those upsides are balanced by some pretty obvious compromises: a huge HD+ display, basic Unisoc silicon, and only 4 GB of RAM.
If you just want a big-screen, long-lasting phone for basic apps and media, the Poco C81 Pro will do the job and won’t hurt your wallet. If you’re hoping for a budget phone that feels truly modern across the board, this isn’t it.
Check back soon as this story develops.