For years, the one weak spot in even the most expensive smartphones has been the speakers. They’re functional, sure, but they’ve always sounded a little... tinny. You still needed a Bluetooth speaker for any serious music listening.
But what if a new phone was designed to make that separate speaker obsolete?
Meet the Redmi K90 Pro Max - the Chinese flagship that is heavily rumored to be rebranded globally as the POCO F8 Ultra. This isn’t just another high-spec phone; it’s a direct challenge to every audio standard we hold for mobile devices, thanks to a feature never before seen: a Bose-Tuned 2.1 Channel Sound System.
What is the POCO F8 Ultra’s 2.1 Channel Sound System?
The POCO F8 Ultra (Redmi K90 Pro Max) is the first major smartphone to feature a built-in 2.1 channel audio setup, which means it includes more than just the standard stereo (2.0) speakers. The system, which is professionally tuned by Bose, incorporates a dedicated visible subwoofer on the back of the device, alongside the traditional top and bottom speakers. This unique architecture allows the phone to deliver rich, balanced sound with noticeable, deep bass a quality that virtually no other smartphone can match.
🎧 A True 2.1 Channel Audio System (Tuned by Bose)
The most striking innovation of this phone is its sound architecture. Most flagship phones offer a stereo (2.0) setup, but the K90 Pro Max introduces a dedicated 2.1 channel system.
This system is characterized by:
Bose Tuning: The audio is "Sound by Bose," ensuring professional-grade calibration.
Dedicated Woofer: The back of the phone features a visible subwoofer component, which handles the low-frequency sounds (bass).
Symmetrical Co-Firing Speakers: Standard speakers are positioned at the top and bottom of the device to provide balanced, symmetrical sound delivery.
The result, according to the review, is a sound that is balanced and provides noticeable bass - a dimension often missing from standard phone speakers. The sound is so impressive, the reviewer suggests you might not even need earphones for watching movies or listening to music, making it perfect for an open-setting media experience.
🚀 The Flagship Specs to Match the Sound
Beyond its groundbreaking audio, the K90 Pro Max (POCO F8 Ultra) is a true powerhouse, packing top-tier specifications across the board:
Display: A massive 6.99-inch 2K AMOLED screen with a 12-bit panel and a smooth 120Hz refresh rate.
Performance: It runs on a cutting-edge Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 flagship processor, ensuring top-tier performance for all applications and gaming.
Battery Power: The phone houses a huge 7,560 mAh battery, supported by ultra-fast 100W wired charging.
Advanced Charging: It also supports 50W wireless charging and even 22.5W reverse wired charging, allowing the phone to function as a power bank for other devices.
Durability & Security: It features a premium metal body with glass protection, an IP68 water resistance rating, and an ultra-fast ultrasonic in-display fingerprint sensor.
Camera & Global Availability Outlook
The camera system is equally impressive, featuring a versatile triple 50MP camera setup on the rear. This includes a main lens with OIS, a wide-angle lens, and a 50MP periscopic telephoto lens (with OIS) for powerful zoom capabilities. The front-facing camera is a solid 32MP shooter.
The weight of the device is a respectable 228g, a necessary trade-off for fitting in the large battery and the complex 2.1 channel speaker system.
The Redmi K90 Pro Max (POCO F8 Ultra) is proving that true innovation doesn't always have to be about the screen or the chip, but can also come in the form of a forgotten media experience.
The phone is currently released in China as the Redmi K90 Pro Max, but the good news is that POCO has already been teasing a global release under the name POCO F8 Ultra. If the POCO F8 Ultra does come to the international market, it will likely carry a flagship price tag (the China price is around the equivalent of $600 USD). However, for that price, you’re not just buying a phone; you’re buying a portable cinema designed to compete not only with other smartphones but with your dedicated audio gear.
Keep an eye out for news on the POCO F-series early next year. This is one flagship that promises to be genuinely different.