Poco has officially announced the processors that will power its upcoming smartphones. For context, the previous model in this lineup, the Poco X7 Pro, launched in January 2025, featuring the MediaTek Dimensity 8400 Ultra chipset.
On the social platform X, Poco confirmed it will bring new devices powered by MediaTek’s Dimensity 9500s and Dimensity 8500 Ultra chips to the global market. Interestingly, the brand referred to the upcoming series as the ”Poco X Pro series,” avoiding the previously rumored ”Poco X8 Pro series” name.
Early rumors suggest the lineup will include at least two models: the Poco X8 Pro and Poco X8 Pro Max.
The higher-end Poco X8 Pro Max is tipped to feature the Dimensity 9500s – a powerful octa-core chip built on a 3nm process. It sits just below the flagship MediaTek Dimensity 9500, which you might find in devices like the Vivo X300 Pro.
The more budget-friendly Poco X8 Pro is expected to run on the Dimensity 8500 Ultra, crafted on a 4nm process node. This chipset sports eight Cortex-A725 cores alongside a Mali-G720 GPU.
So far, Poco hasn’t revealed an official launch date for these new models. However, rumors are swirling about a possible global unveiling on March 14. It’s also believed that the Poco X8 Pro and X8 Pro Max will essentially be international versions of the Redmi Turbo 5 and Redmi Turbo 5 Max, which debuted previously on the Chinese market.
For readers unfamiliar with the Russian and Chinese smartphone scene, Poco and Redmi are sister brands under the Xiaomi umbrella. Redmi’s launches in China often precede international releases rebranded under Poco or Redmi, making these global versions an important watchpoint for tech enthusiasts worldwide. The Dimensity 9500s and 8500 Ultra chips represent MediaTek’s push to bring high efficiency and flagship-level performance to more affordable phones, making this lineup a key player in the mid-range market in 2026.
What makes this announcement notable beyond specs is how Poco continues to carve out its niche as a go-to brand for budget-conscious buyers who still want a taste of high-end tech. The Dimensity 9500s, with its 3nm architecture, promises excellent performance and improved power efficiency, fitting right into the global trend of 5G-enabled, high-speed processors trickling down from top-tier flagships to more accessible devices.
With the expected global rollout tied so closely to Redmi’s Chinese models, the Poco X Pro series not only showcases the growing synergy between Xiaomi’s sub-brands but highlights how companies are tailoring launches to maximize impact in both local and international markets. If Poco delivers on these leaks, the X8 Pro series could bring serious competition to other mid-range smartphones, especially in emerging markets hungry for power-packed yet affordable phones.