Xiaomi has officially revealed its 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max smartphones, which are now available for purchase in China ahead of a planned global release later this year. The devices stand out for being among the first handsets to utilize Qualcomm’s newest mobile chipset, the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6. While the standard 18 Pro runs on the base version of the chip, the 18 Pro Max is equipped with the higher-end iteration. Xiaomi showcased these devices at the Snapdragon Summit held in Hawaii.
A key differentiator for the new lineup is the integration of privacy-focused display technology similar to that found in the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra. This feature restricts the viewing angle of the screen, making it difficult for bystanders to see what is being displayed. Xiaomi’s implementation offers more granular control than Samsung’s version; users can enable privacy mode for specific applications to shield sensitive data like banking details from notifications, split-screen views, and floating windows. The phones also include location-based triggers and can use the front-facing camera to detect if someone is attempting to snoop on the screen, prompting a suggestion to activate the feature. Users can also manually toggle the privacy mode via a side button.
Both models feature LTPO AMOLED displays with variable refresh rates ranging from 1 to 120Hz, 2K resolution, and peak brightness of 4,000 nits. The 18 Pro measures 6.4 inches, while the 18 Pro Max offers a larger 6.9-inch screen. Retaining the design language of the previous generation, both phones include secondary rear displays that can show notifications and run mini-apps generated by Xiaomi’s Xiao AI assistant. The camera systems remain unchanged from the 17 Pro series, featuring a 200MP main lens, a 200MP telephoto lens, and a 50MP ultrawide camera.
Power delivery has been improved with slightly larger batteries compared to the previous generation. The 18 Pro houses a 7,000mAh battery, while the 18 Pro Max includes an 8,500mAh cell. Both devices support 100W wired charging and 50W wireless charging, along with 27W reverse wireless charging. Base configurations include 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. The phones are available in black, white, pink, and blue, plus a special edition red with a transparent rear panel. Pricing starts at 5,999 yuan (approximately $894) for the 18 Pro and 6,999 yuan (approximately $1,043) for the 18 Pro Max.
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