Xiaomi has launched the Xiaomi 18 Pro and Xiaomi 18 Pro Max in China, making them the first smartphones to use Qualcomm’s new Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 family. The 18 Pro uses the standard chip, while the Pro Max is equipped with the Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme variant.

The new flagships also add larger batteries, hardware-level privacy controls and expanded functionality for the rear displays introduced on their predecessors. Xiaomi said both models will receive a global launch later this year.

Rear screens gain AI-powered features

Both phones retain a screen on the back of the device. Xiaomi is expanding its usefulness with tools powered by the company’s Xiao AI assistant, including the ability to create custom mini apps.

Examples shown by Xiaomi include a water-drinking reminder, an egg-cooking timer and a recipe recommendation app. The rear panel can also show widgets, display AI-generated wallpapers and provide access to Xiao AI.

The display has a practical camera role as well. It can act as a viewfinder for the phones’ three rear cameras, allowing subjects to see themselves during photography or video capture.

Triple 200MP camera system

The Xiaomi 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max share the same camera hardware. Their main camera uses a 200MP sensor with a 23mm equivalent focal length and a 1/1.28-inch sensor size. Xiaomi identifies the sensor as the Light Hunter 960.

A second 200MP camera serves as a 75mm equivalent periscope telephoto lens, offering 3.2x optical zoom from a 1/1.56-inch sensor. The system is completed by a 50MP ultrawide camera with a 102-degree field of view.

2K LTPO displays and privacy protection

The 18 Pro has a 6.4-inch display, while the Pro Max uses a 6.9-inch panel. Both are 2K LTPO AMOLED screens with variable refresh rates ranging from 1Hz to 120Hz, a claimed peak brightness of 4,000 nits and Xiaomi Dragon Crystal Glass 3 protection.

Xiaomi has built privacy controls directly into the display hardware. The feature limits visibility from side angles and can be configured to activate based on location. It can also hide notifications, floating windows and split-screen app layouts.

A dedicated AI button on the left side provides quick access to the privacy feature. Xiaomi says its implementation offers broader controls than the comparable privacy display feature on Samsung’s Galaxy S26 Ultra.

Battery capacity and China pricing

The Xiaomi 18 Pro includes a 7,000mAh battery, which Xiaomi says is 11% larger than its predecessor’s. The 18 Pro Max steps up to an 8,500mAh cell, a 13% increase. Both support 100W wired charging, 50W wireless charging and 27W reverse wireless charging.

Other specifications include Xiaomi HyperOS 4 and IP69 ingress protection. Standard colors are black, white, pink and blue, while a special red edition adds transparent elements to the rear panel.

In China, pricing starts at CNY 5,999 for the 18 Pro with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. The 18 Pro Max starts at CNY 6,999 with the same memory and storage configuration. Higher configurations reach 16GB of RAM and 1TB of storage, with the special editions priced above the standard models.