The Poco F9 Ultra is a mid-range smartphone that offers performance and battery life typically found in more expensive flagship models, but at a lower price. It is the successor to the Poco F8 Ultra, launched less than a year earlier, and features the same Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset and overall design. However, it includes several upgrades, such as a massive 8,050mAh battery, a new 200MP main camera sensor, and some of the best speakers on any phone. The base model with 12GB RAM starts at $799 in the US and £899 in the UK, which is a $70 / £150 increase over the F8 Ultra’s original price. Despite this, Poco claims the price remains "competitive" given the features included. The F9 Ultra’s 6.9-inch AMOLED display is one of the largest on a flagship phone and can refresh at up to 185Hz, the highest tested on any smartphone. This high refresh rate is available in certain compatible games, enhancing gameplay experience. The phone also features a unique Bose-tuned subwoofer on the back, along with dual speakers, making it excellent for hands-free calls and listening to podcasts without headphones. The massive battery is among the largest available in the UK at the time of writing (September 2026) and can last up to three days with moderate use. The F9 Ultra starts at $799 in the US, though availability is limited to direct sales rather than major carriers. In the UK, it is priced at £749, which is £150 more than the F8 Ultra’s starting price. However, the older model is currently on sale for £649, making it a much better deal. In comparison, the F9 Ultra is significantly cheaper than the Galaxy S26 Ultra and the Pixel 11 Pro XL, both of which are more expensive and feature inferior chipsets. The F9 Ultra’s 200MP main camera outperforms the Galaxy S26’s 50MP sensor, and its 5x optical zoom is an upgrade over the S26’s 3x zoom. The F9 Ultra features a 6.9-inch AMOLED display with a resolution of 1200 x 2608 and a peak brightness of 10,000 nits, though this high brightness is only achieved in a small portion of the screen. The display can refresh at up to 185Hz, the highest tested on any phone, and performs well in bright sunlight. Users can also adjust display settings in detail for better customization. The phone runs Xiaomi’s HyperOS 3, based on Android 16, and is expected to receive four major platform updates and six years of security patches, ensuring long-term software support. The F9 Ultra’s battery is made of silicon-carbon, which provides efficient power and can be charged to 100% in 95 minutes using a 100W charger. However, the charger is not included in the UK box, so users must purchase it separately. The phone also supports 50W wireless charging and can be used as a power bank for other devices through 27W wired reverse charging and 22.5W reverse wireless charging. While the F9 Ultra is a strong contender in its price range, there are other similarly priced phones, such as the Xiaomi 17T Pro and Oppo Find X9 Pro, that offer comparable or even better features.