Introduction and Specifications
Straight from 15 to 17. This year’s flagship lineup from Xiaomi aligns with Apple’s naming scheme to directly compete with the iPhone 17 series. It also introduces a new Pro Max version which is, to some extent, the spiritual successor to the Xiaomi 15 Pro. It’s just that now it’s a small one.
One thing to keep in mind is that we are reviewing the Chinese version of the Xiaomi 17 Pro Max. An international model hasn’t been announced yet, so some hardware or software features may differ if and when the phone is released internationally. We bought our review unit from the Mi Store in China, but many third-party sellers will offer gray imports so the phone is definitely worth considering.
The Xiaomi 17 Pro Max sits at the top of the lineup, at least for now, until the Xiaomi 17 Ultra comes out, and is built around a 6.9-inch LTPO OLED display. That’s a slight bump from the 6.73-inch screen on last year’s Xiaomi 15 Pro.
However, the display on the front is not a center feature. This is the one on the back. Yes, Xiaomi is trying something bold with its flagship series, and it’s slapping a secondary display on the back. It’s again an LTPO OLED with the same refresh rate and high-end specs, but in a 2.9-inch diagonal. This is definitely something that sets the Xiaomi 17 Pro Max apart and spices up the flagship segment. Then again, a secondary display isn’t unheard of. In fact, this is a well-known but forgotten feature.
Xiaomi itself has one phone with a secondary display in its portfolio – the Xiaomi 11 Ultra. However, the display was smaller and less functional at the time, while the 17 Pro Max offers a more polished design and a handful of cool features that make the display more useful.
Xiaomi 17 Pro Max Specs at a Glance:
- body: 162.9×77.6×8.0mm, 219g; Glass front (Dragon Crystal Glass 3), aluminum frame; IP68 dust tight and water resistant (submersible up to 6m for 30 minutes).
- Display: 6.90″ LTPO AMOLED, 68B color, 2160Hz PWM, 120Hz, Dolby Vision, HDR Vivid, HDR10+, 3500 nits (peak), 1200x2608px resolution, 19.56:9 aspect ratio, 416ppi Secondary Secondary Display (on back) LTPO AMOLPI HDR10+, 3500 nits (peak), 2.9 inches, 596 x 976 pixels.
- Chip Set: Qualcomm SM8850-AC Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 (3nm): Octa-core (2×4.6 GHz Orion V3 Phoenix L + 6×3.62 GHz Orion V3 Phoenix M); Adreno 840.
- Note: 512 GB 12 GB RAM, 512 GB 16 GB RAM, 1 TB 16 GB RAM; UFS 4.1.
- OS/Software: Android 16, Hypervisor 3.
- Rear camera: wide (main): 50 MP, f/1.7, 23mm, 1/1.28″, 1.22µm, Dual Pixel PDAF, OIS; Telephoto: 50 MP, f/2.6, 115 mm, 1/1.95″, 0.8 µm, PDAF (30 cm – ∞), OIS, 5x optical zoom; Ultra wide angle: 50 MP, f/2.4, 17mm, 102˚, 1/2.88″, 0.61µM, PDAF.
- Front Camera: 50 MP, f/2.2, 21mm (wide), 1/2.88″, 0.61µm, PDAF.
- Video capture: Rear camera: 8K@30fps (HDR), 4K@30/60/120fps (HDR10+, 10-bit Dolby Vision HDR, 10-bit log), 1080p@30/60/120/240/960fps, 720p@1920fps, Gyro-EIS; Front camera: 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps, HDR10+, Gyro-EIS.
- Battery: 7500mah; 100W Wired, PD3.0, QC3+, 100W USB PD+PPS, 50W Wireless, 22.5W Reverse Wireless.
- contact: 5G; Wi-Fi 7; BT 5.4, Optix HD, Optix Adaptive, LHDC5; NFC; Infrared port.
- Miscellaneous:: Fingerprint reader (under display, ultrasonic); Stereo speakers (with Dolby Atmos); Ultra Wide Band (UWB) support.
Another prominent feature is the new Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset. This made the Xiaomi 17 series the first phone in the world to run Qualcomm’s latest and greatest silicon at launch. As always, it promises not only performance improvements but better performance as well.
There is also a small update in the camera department. The main camera gets a smaller aperture, but a larger and new Light Fusion 950L sensor. The 5x telephoto camera also swaps out the sensor for a larger one thanks to a new prism layout.
Perhaps the most notable change to the camera hardware is the selfie unit. It’s now 50MP with AF – a well-deserved update.
Last but certainly not least, the battery gets a substantial upgrade and now has a capacity of 7,500 mAh. However, since this is a Chinese unit, we don’t know if the international version will be as generous.
Either way, we’re impressed with the fact that there’s no shortage in the charging department, as large batteries pose a challenge for fast charging protocols. The 17 Pro Max makes no compromises, supporting 100W fast wired charging and 50W wireless charging on Xiaomi’s proprietary HyperCharge standard.
Some other notable additions include UWB support and 512GB UFS 4.1 internal storage as a default option.
Xiaomi 17 Pro Max Unboxing
Since this is a Chinese unit we’re reviewing, the retail box is quite generous. Not only will you get the usual USB-A-USB-C cable for charging and data transfer, but Xiaomi’s 100W Hypercharge charger is also inside. You also get a transparent, protective silicone case.
If the phone hits the European market, however, the charger will most likely be left out of the box.
