POCO M8s Launching Soon in Nepal: And It Looks Familiar

After a long hibernation that started in January 2024, POCO finally woke up in early 2026 and brought banger after banger: the X7 Pro, F7, F8 Pro, and many more. And the best part? Only one of them has seen a price hike over the months, which is honestly impressive given the current market. Hopefully, that momentum continues.

Now, POCO is making way for two new launches, the POCO M8s and the M8 Pro, both coming very soon. Here, we will primarily be focusing on the POCO M8s.

The POCO M8s made its global debut back in April 2026, and Nepal is a little late to the party. But what makes it more interesting is that the phone bears a striking resemblance to one of Redmi’s budget offerings. Let’s see which one.

What is the Price of POCO M8s in Nepal?

POCO smartphones have always nailed the pricing here in Nepal, and their recent launches have been no exception, with most of them avoiding any major price hike. The X7 Pro was the only one that got more expensive, but everything else has held steady. I honestly do not know how POCO has managed to pull that off in this market, but I am not complaining.

That said, the M8s could very well follow that same pattern and land at a very reasonable price.

The POCO M8s price in Nepal could start at Rs. 38,499 for the 6/128GB variant. There is also talk of an 8/256GB variant making its way to Nepal, which could come in at around Rs. 45,499.

The phone has not officially arrived in Nepal just yet, but according to POCO officials, both the POCO M8s and the M8 Pro could land any time this week.

Before we get into the design similarity, it is worth understanding where the M series fits in POCO’s lineup, especially since this is the first time the M series is entering Nepal after POCO’s long hibernation.

The F and X series have always been the headliners. The F8 Pro brought flagship-level performance, and the X7 Pro sat in the performance mid-range space. The M series, on the other hand, sits below both; it is POCO’s more budget-friendly offering.

So, back to which phone the POCO M8s resembles, it is the Redmi 15. And honestly, that is not a surprise at all. Both POCO and Redmi fall under Xiaomi’s broader umbrella, sharing the same parent company. It is not uncommon for the two brands to share hardware, designs, and even chipsets, just packaged differently and targeted at different audiences. Think of it as Xiaomi making one phone and selling it under two different jerseys.

Now, copying the design is one thing, but what about the specs? Are they just as similar as last year? Let’s find out.

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POCO M8s Overview

When I said the M8s resembles the Redmi 15, it’s not just about the specs; I am primarily talking about the dimensions and the design. Both phones share the exact same dimensions, and even the rectangular camera module is identical.

Being a budget phone, the body is entirely plastic, no surprises there. But at least the phone handles dust and water exposure better with an IP64 rating. The flat sides house the usual lineup: a volume rocker, a power button, a SIM tray, a USB-C port, and a single bottom-firing speaker. The power button also doubles as a fingerprint scanner, which is a common sight in budget phones.

What is more impressive, at least on paper, is the display. The M8s packs an FHD+ (1080 x 2340) IPS LCD with support for up to 144Hz. But here is the catch: given the hardware, which we will get into shortly, hitting that 144Hz in real usage is unlikely. In reality, you will probably hover closer to 120Hz, which is still perfectly smooth for scrolling and general navigation at this price.

Moving to the hardware, the POCO M8s runs Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 6s Gen 3, the same chip as the Redmi 15 5G, which never made it to Nepal.

No hate on the processor; it is a capable chip. But the 6s Gen 3 launched back in mid-2024, and on a 2026 phone, it does feel a little dated. That said, it still offers far better performance than the Redmi 15 4G that launched in Nepal last year.

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The phone comes in 6GB RAM with 128GB storage, and there is also an 8GB variant with 256GB storage. And if that is still not enough, there is a hybrid microSD card slot for further expansion.

The camera department, just like the Redmi 15, is not particularly exciting. The M8s packs a 50MP main camera alongside an auxiliary lens. The module may look like a triple-camera setup at first glance, but that third cutout is purely decorative. Up front, there is an 8MP selfie shooter.

We have already done a detailed review of the Redmi 15. You can see how the camera fares out below.

In short, the Redmi 15 did better on portraits, and the rest was just enough to get by. Expect a similar experience from the POCO M8s.

Moving to the battery, and this is where the POCO M8s truly shines. It features a massive 7,000mAh unit paired with 33W fast charging. It even supports 18W reverse charging, so it essentially doubles as a mini power bank in your pocket.

But here is where I find things a bit confusing. If it were a standard Li-Ion battery, a 7,000mAh cell in an 8.4mm thick body would make some sense. But POCO claims it is a Si/C battery, a technology specifically designed to make cells thinner and more compact. So if that is the case, why is the phone still 8.4mm thick? That is a question worth asking.

And POCO has even thought about those last desperate moments before your phone dies. When the battery drops to just 1%, the M8s enters a low-power standby mode that still keeps you reachable, offering up to 59 minutes of calls and up to 7.5 hours of standby.

On the software side, the M8s ships with Android 15 out of the box, layered with Xiaomi’s HyperOS 2 skin. This was acceptable for the Redmi 15, but launching well into 2026, Android 15 on a POCO phone feels a bit dated. It is not a dealbreaker, but it is something worth keeping in mind for long-term users.

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The POCO M8s looks promising. The battery is genuinely impressive for the price, and the FHD+ display with 144Hz looks solid if it turns out to be true. The Snapdragon 6s Gen 3 is not the newest chip around, but it gets the job done for casual everyday use.

What really gives me hope for the M8s, though, is POCO’s track record in Nepal. Time and again, POCO has come in with aggressive pricing that makes their phones hard to ignore, and most of their 2026 launches have held that line better than most brands. If the M8s lands anywhere near the expected pricing, it could be a genuinely compelling option in the budget segment.

I am cautiously optimistic. POCO has earned that benefit of the doubt, and I am hoping the M8s is no different.

What are your thoughts on the POCO M8s? Let us know in the comments below!