Poco M2 Pro review: Redmi Note 9 Pro with little tweaks that matter

Poco separated itself from Xiaomi earlier this year to form an “independent” identity. Poco, however, still borrows Xiaomi’s MIUI software, distribution, service channels and this time a full smartphone itself.
Just as its ideology Poco’s product lineup looks quite confusing to me but it is still trying hard to sustain and make a place for itself in an already crowded industry. I say confusing because Poco M2 Pro is actually the Redmi Note 9 Pro with little tweaks here and there that matter.
If I look back at Poco’s journey, with the Poco F1 it tried to bridge the gap between mid-range and flagship smartphones by bringing the Snapdragon 800 processor under Rs 25,000. Then came the Poco X2 which in my opinion is still one of the best smartphones under Rs 20,000 in India.
Now when Poco fans were expecting the Poco F2 to finally arrive in India, the company brings a brand new M series to attract consumers looking for a powerful smartphone under Rs 15,000 price bracket.
On paper, the Poco M2 Pro looks promising (if we forget the fact that it’s more or less the Redmi Note 9 Pro) and one of the best in the price point but how does it perform in real life usage? I used the Poco M2 Pro for about 10 days and here’s what I think about this affordable Poco phone.
Poco M2 Pro price in India: 16,999 (6GB RAM + 128GB storage)
Poco M2 Pro specifications: 6.67-inch FHD+ display | Corning Gorilla Glass 5 protection | 16MP front camera | 48MP AI quad rear camera | 5000mAh battery | side-mounted fingerprint sensor | 33W fast charging support