The second POCO phone in the Philippines has been launched, formally signaling the return of the former Xiaomi sub-brand to the country.

(Update, July 1: This might be something you’d be interested in: Cheaper POCO F2 Pro clear winner in speed test against Xiaomi Mi 10.)

Even better? You can already buy it from Mi Authorized Stores starting today, June 15. The POCO F2 Pro with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage is priced at P26,990 (around $537), and the one with a higher memory configuration — 8GB/256GB — is retailing at P29,990 ($596).

SEE ALSO: Xiaomi Mi 10, Mi 10 Pro now available in PH

But you can even get the smartphone at a lower price, on its first-sale day online. Purchase it from Lazada Philippines June 18th, and the POCO F2 Pro’s two variants will be priced at only P24,990 ($497) and P27,990 ($557), respectively.

Expensive at first glance, we know, considering the Pocophone F1 was sold for P17,990 ($358) at launch. Then again, you may want to consider that it’s 5G-ready (though we don’t know if it’s compatible with the 5G network in the Philippines). Plus, the POCO F2 Pro is using Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 865, a chip that has increased the cost of owning flagship devices. So much so that even OnePlus’ premium models are more expensive than ever.

Video: POCO F2 Pro Philippine launch, in case you missed the livestream

Now, if you compare the pricing of this POCO with those of the, say, Samsung Galaxy S20 Plus and the OnePlus 8 Pro — a point POCO raised during its product presentation — you’ll see that it is indeed 40% to 50% cheaper. In fact, it is the most affordable Snapdragon 865 phone that’s available locally. The Galaxy goes for P55,990 ($1,113); the OnePlus, on the other hand, sells for P45,990 ($914).

We’re just comparing based on what we see on paper. The user experience may be a different matter. At least those who want to own a Snapdragon 865 phone, but can’t because of prohibitive prices have a choice in the POCO F2 Pro, a rebranded Redmi K30 Pro. You can see its complete specs below.

POCO F2 Pro specs

• 6.67-inch FHD+, 2,400 x 1,080 AMOLED display with HDR10+, Corning Gorilla Glass 3
• Octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 processor with 5G
• 6GB/8GB RAM
• 128GB/256GB storage
• Quad 64MP, f/1.69 (main), 13MP (ultra wide), 5MP (macro), 2MP (depth) rear cameras
• 20MP (main) front camera
• Fingerprint sensor (under-display)
• 4,700mAh battery with 30-watt USB-C fast charging
• POCO Launcher 2.0 based on Android 10
• Colors: Neon Blue, Phantom White, Electric Purple, and Cyber Grey

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