Ahead of the Xiaomi 17 series launch, Lu Weibing, President of Xiaomi, shared a hands-on comparison of the Xiaomi 17 Pro Max with the iPhone 17 Pro Max on Weibo. He emphasized that Xiaomi did not copy Apple’s camera island design, noting visible differences in both devices. Xiaomi claims its design is inspired by the Mi 11 Ultra (2021), not Apple.
Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 Exclusive
The Xiaomi 17 series will be the first smartphones to feature Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 SoC, unveiled on September 23. Xiaomi secured an exclusive window for the chipset, meaning competitors won’t release devices with it before October.
Pricing and Launch Timeline
In China, the Xiaomi 17 Pro will cost between CNY 5,000–6,000 ($700–$850), and the Pro Max between CNY 6,000–7,000 ($850–$1,000). International prices will likely be higher. The series is expected to become available in China before October 1, 2025.
Unique Features
The Xiaomi 17 Pro Max includes a rear display that supports call handling, music controls, travel information, countdowns, and acts as a full camera viewfinder for improved selfies using the rear cameras. Lu compares this to the cover displays found on foldable flip phones.
Conclusion
Xiaomi is positioning the 17 Pro Max as a premium alternative with unique functionality, powerful performance, and a design distinct from Apple’s iPhone 17 Pro Max, while creating anticipation ahead of its Chinese release.