Design, Display and the Surprise Rear Screen
When Xiaomi rolled out the Xiaomi 17 Pro Max this September, the first thing reviewers noticed was the sheer size of the front panel. The device carries a 6.84‑inch AMOLED panel that stretches nearly edge‑to‑edge, giving it a modern, almost borderless look. Under the glass, the bezels are only a few millimetres thick – a cue that Xiaomi is playing in the same design league as the iPhone 17 Pro Max and Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra.
What makes the phone truly stand out, however, is the added rear display. It’s a thin, rectangular screen that sits just above the camera module, offering quick glances at notifications, timers, or even a mini‑map when you’re on the move. Xiaomi calls this feature a "dual‑screen experience" and says it restores a concept that fell out of favour after the era of foldables, but with a practical twist. Early hands‑on impressions say the secondary panel is bright enough for outdoor use and reacts instantly thanks to a new haptic driver.
Power, Performance and Software
The headline battery figure is a jaw‑dropping 7,500 mAh. Xiaomi says this is built with silicon‑carbon technology that pushes the silicon concentration to its highest level yet, translating into faster charging and a longer charge cycle. Compared with the iPhone 17 Pro Max, which tops out at roughly 5,000 mAh, the 17 Pro Max offers about a 50 % increase in capacity. Even the smaller 17 Pro version gets a hefty 6,300 mAh cell, still 25 % larger than most rivals.Under the hood sits Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset, paired with up to 16 GB of LPDDR5X RAM. Storage options range from 512 GB to a massive 1 TB, giving power users plenty of room for 4K video, games and AI workloads. A 12 GB RAM variant also exists for markets that prefer a slightly lower price point.
Software-wise, Xiaomi introduced HyperOS 3, a custom skin built on Android 16. The OS features AI‑driven photo enhancements, adaptive battery management that learns your daily routine, and a new "HyperIsland" hub that aggregates widgets, shortcuts and media into one swipe‑able island at the bottom of the screen.
Photography gets a Leica touch, with a triple‑camera stack that includes a 108 MP main sensor, a 12 MP ultra‑wide lens and a 5 MP periscope telephoto capable of 5× optical zoom. Leica’s tuning promises colour accuracy and reduced noise, especially in low‑light scenarios. Test shots show vivid detail and a dynamic range that rivals dedicated compact cameras.
Pricing starts at CN¥ 5,999 (about US$ 843) in China, with a SAR 4,000 tag in Saudi Arabia. Xiaomi says the phone will roll out globally later this year, followed by an Indian launch that pits it directly against Apple’s iPhone 17 Pro Max, which starts at roughly Rs 149,900 for the 256 GB model.
Industry analysts are noting that the combination of a mammoth battery, a usable rear screen and a price under $900 could shake up the premium market. If the dual‑screen functionality proves reliable in daily use, Xiaomi could set a new benchmark for what flagship smartphones are expected to deliver.