Xiaomi's 18 Pro series brings the latest Snapdragon chip and a Samsung-style privacy screen
Xiaomi has launched the 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max in China, featuring Qualcomm's new Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 chip and a privacy screen similar to Samsung's. A global release is planned later this year.
Xiaomi has officially unveiled its 18 Pro series smartphones, now on sale in China with a global rollout expected later this year. The 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max are among the first phones to feature Qualcomm's newest mobile chipset, the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6, with the Pro Max running the higher-end version of the chip. Xiaomi showcased the devices at the Snapdragon Summit in Hawaii.
Privacy screen
One of the standout features is a privacy-focused display mode resembling the technology Samsung used in the Galaxy S26 Ultra, designed to make screen content harder to view from an angle. Xiaomi's version offers more granular controls: enabling the feature for a specific app, such as a banking app, also hides related notifications, split-screen views and floating windows for that app. The privacy mode can be triggered by location, activated manually via a side button, or suggested automatically when the front camera detects a potential onlooker.
Display and design
Both models use LTPO AMOLED panels with a variable 1-120Hz refresh rate, 2K resolution and peak brightness of 4,000 nits. The 18 Pro has a 6.4-inch screen, while the 18 Pro Max measures 6.9 inches. Both retain the secondary rear display carried over from the 17 Pro series, which can show notifications and host mini apps created with Xiaomi's Xiao AI assistant.
Cameras, battery and pricing
The rear camera setup is identical across both models: a 200MP main lens, a 200MP telephoto lens and a 50MP ultrawide lens. Battery capacity has grown compared to the previous generation, with 7,000mAh in the 18 Pro and 8,500mAh in the 18 Pro Max, supporting 100W wired charging, 50W wireless charging and 27W reverse wireless charging. Base configurations come with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. Color options include black, white, pink, blue and a special red edition with a translucent back panel. Starting prices are 5,999 yuan (about $894) and 6,999 yuan (about $1,043) respectively.
