Xiaomi 18 Pro vs 18 Pro Max: what's new, and would you buy one?
Xiaomi's first phones with Qualcomm's newest chips bring dual 200MP cameras and much bigger batteries.
Xiaomi moved fast after Qualcomm's new chips were announced, launching the 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max almost immediately. Both are on sale in China, and Xiaomi says the series will go global, though the Indian announcement only mentioned the 18 Pro.
The 18 Pro Max is the 6.9-inch flagship with the Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6. Its camera gets a big rethink: the 50MP main sensor becomes a 200MP 1/1.28-inch unit, and the 5x periscope is replaced by a 200MP 3.2x (75mm) module. The zoom is shorter on paper, but the extra resolution allows more cropping without losing detail. The battery grows by 1,000mAh to 8,500mAh.
The 18 Pro grows slightly to 6.4 inches, mostly by trimming bezels: it's only 0.7mm taller and 0.2mm wider than before. It uses the standard 8 Elite Gen 6, the same pair of 200MP cameras, and a 7,000mAh battery (+700mAh).
Global pricing and dates are still unknown, and it remains to be seen whether international models keep these huge batteries. What do you think: is Xiaomi heading in the right direction?
