This article may contain personal views and opinion from the author.
This phone has one of the coolest backs I've ever seen | Image by PhoneArena
I've never been a full-blown Marvel fan, even though I kind of liked the first Iron Man movie. It was funny, with the right ingredients—a pinch of humor, a lot of action, some drama, and, at the end, the hero saves the day. A bit formulaic but done the right way.
Now, when it comes to smartphones, the formula seems to be getting more boring with each generation. Just swap the processor, throw in some AI features no one would use, call it something "Ultra," and move on.
I was pleasantly surprised by the Poco X8 Pro Iron Man edition because it reminded me that smartphones can look cool and a few simple design decisions can make a huge difference. Under the hood and overall, the phone is identical to the regular X8 Pro. But on the outside — it's just like the quote from the first movie — "Iron Man... that’s kinda catchy. It’s got a nice ring to it."
This phone kind of made me an Avengers fan because it looks so cool.
The retail box itself looks like a briefcase for the Iron Man suit. It's got Marvel, Avengers, and Iron Man written all over it and looks awesome.
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Inside the box things look even cooler. There are Tony Stark quotes, and the SIM ejector tool is the most sophisticated one I've seen so far. It looks like a Marvel pin.
The full contents of the box include the phone, a sick-looking hard protective back, a cardboard separator with Iron Man graphics, a red USB-C cable, the aforementioned SIM ejector tool, and that's it. Sadly, no charger.
Taking out the phone, I noticed the compact size and also the different feel of the back. The Iron Man graphics are multi-layered and using different textures. The centerpiece with the Iron Man picture and logo is glossy, while the background is matte frosted glass.
Another cool touch is the Stark Industries logo on the bottom and the placement of the LED flash. It's in the center of what looks like a technical drawing of the Arc Reactor. When you turn on the LED, it looks like you're powering up the core. Pretty awesome.
The hardback cover deserves attention as well — normally, I wouldn't want to cover a special edition phone with a case, but this one's different. It's even cooler than the phone itself. The case features a soft fabric on its inner side with the Iron Man logo. The outer part of the case resembles part of the Iron Man suit, with a glossy upper portion and a ridged lower section bearing the Tony Stark signature.
The design package is backed up by the UI, to some extent. The wallpaper is there, the icons are custom-made to look like Tony Stark gadgets, and even the third-party ones are put inside sort of a mechanical bracket.
What is missing are sounds. I wished Poco did something with the phone powering up, like the suit taking off or something like that. All the sounds are the default Poco sound you'd find in any other Poco phone. And that's a missed opportunity.
What's the final verdict? | Image by PhoneArena
For more details you can check the Poco X8 Pro Iron Man edition hands-on article, but if we concentrate on the design, this phone is a win. At $399 it's way cooler even than your $1000+ Galaxy S26 Ultra.
Of course, I'm talking solely about the aesthetics here, as the phone itself can be classified as a midrange device. But I really like it and think more brands should explore this route. I know Apple doesn't need collaborations to sell iPhones, but wouldn't it be super cool to see a Thor edition iPhone or a Superman iPhone 18 Pro Max for the DC fans out there? What about the Batman edition? Asus made one with the ROG Phone 6! Come on, Samsung and Apple — give us some coolness already!
Mariyan, a tech enthusiast with a background in Nuclear Physics and Journalism, brings a unique perspective to PhoneArena. His childhood curiosity for gadgets evolved into a professional passion for technology, leading him to the role of Editor-in-Chief at PCWorld Bulgaria before joining PhoneArena. Mariyan's interests range from mainstream Android and iPhone debates to fringe technologies like graphene batteries and nanotechnology. Off-duty, he enjoys playing his electric guitar, practicing Japanese, and revisiting his love for video games and Haruki Murakami's works.
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