There is not any escaping that the brand new Xiaomi 17 Pro and Pro Max have lots in frequent with Apple’s newest iPhones. The naming conventions, for one factor, Xiaomi conveniently skipped a sixteenth model of its telephones and went straight to calling its new one No. 17. To maintain tempo with Apple? I could not probably say.
Then there’s the design, with a rear bar that stretches throughout the highest of the telephone’s again, very similar to the digital camera plateau on Apple’s iPhone 17 Pro. Besides that Xiaomi’s bar is one thing radically totally different.
It is a second show tucked into every telephone designed to behave as a clock, a notifications panel or a photograph preview for taking selfies with the rear digital camera. It echoes again to the 1.1-inch display screen on the Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra. I am undecided precisely what the very best use is for it, and I do not even know if it is a function I significantly need, however it’s there, and possibly it’s going to be the subsequent huge factor.
The Xiaomi 17 Professional and 17 Professional Max run on Android 16 with the corporate’s HyperOS software program working on high.
The telephones even have a brand-new Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 processor, which would be the default chip on most flagship Android phones going into 2026.
Xiaomi took the wraps off its 17 Professional and 17 Professional Max at an occasion in Beijing, and whereas I have been capable of get telephones in my hand for early testing, they’re working China-specific software program proper now, that means my expertise with the telephones is proscribed. The telephones will get a worldwide launch, seemingly towards the top of the yr or early 2026 — maybe throughout CES 2026. Definitely, we anticipate the corporate to unveil the Xiaomi 17 Extremely (the replace to the photography-focused Xiaomi 15 Ultra) at Cell World Congress in late February.
Here is what struck me in regards to the telephone to this point.
The Xiaomi 17 Professional has 2 shows
The rear show could possibly be used with a case for a gaming mode of types.
The second 2.66-inch display screen on the again of the telephone is actually the standout addition right here. Twin-screen telephones aren’t distinctive (particularly in the event you take into account the outer shows on foldables just like the Galaxy Z Flip vary), however they’re actually uncommon to see on a candybar telephone like this. Xiaomi says it serves a number of potential functions: It may be a clock, present incoming notifications and even run video video games.
Actually, Xiaomi made a case with recreation controller buttons embedded into the again. Connect it to the telephone, and you should utilize the again display screen to play some fundamental video games. I have never achieved this as a result of I can not entry the video games, however it sounds good in principle. However it additionally appears like a gimmick. The telephone’s most important display screen may also present me notifications, a clock and let me play precise cell video games on it.
Is Xiaomi’s second show an innovation or simply for the birds?
This second show would not actually enchantment to me, a minimum of proper now, although I am eager to see the way it actually fares after I finally spend time with a European mannequin of the telephone. It might properly show to be a revolution that I merely cannot stay with out. Or it would proceed to really feel like contrived and added merely to distinguish the telephone from its rivals.
Xiaomi 14 Professional has stable cameras
I’ve briefly examined the cameras on a brief stroll on an arguably fairly grey day in Glasgow, Scotland. The telephone appears prefer it has two most important cameras, however actually, it is simply two that matter. There is a most important digital camera with a big sensor, a Leica lens and an f/1.6 aperture, and a telephoto digital camera that may obtain 5x optical zoom. On the 17 Professional Max, the telephoto homes a bigger picture sensor and a wider aperture — if you would like higher high quality zoom pictures, that is the one to go for.
It is a very grey scene, however the telephone’s most important digital camera has captured it properly.
At 5x optical zoom, pictures look crisp and clear.
Inside Glasgow’s Kelvingrove museum the telephone did an excellent job of capturing a pointy picture within the lower-light of the inside.
This 5x zoom shot is totally razor sharp, regardless of the low mild situations. Pretty stuff.
There’s additionally an ultrawide digital camera, however it’s weirdly housed in a small slit beneath the principle digital camera unit, like a forgotten sibling being pushed out of the household portrait. Nonetheless, it took an honest check shot in my arms on time, and I am positive it’s going to be wonderful for snaps.
I will have to take many extra pictures to return to a verdict about these cameras, however I anticipate them to be usually stable, as Xiaomi’s camera phones are typically. The {hardware} packed into these telephones is greater than able to taking great-looking pictures, although if pictures is a high precedence for you, I might advise ready to see what the corporate’s 17 Extremely has in retailer. The Extremely mannequin is the place Xiaomi packs its greatest pictures tech, and I’ve excessive hopes for the subsequent addition to the road.
The Xiaomi 17 Professional has the newest Qualcomm chip
Qualcomm has simply revealed its newest Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chip, which is already stuffed inside Xiaomi’s newest telephones. The chip is anticipated to be a powerhouse for CPU-related duties and gaming whereas additionally being extra power-efficient. Actually, Qualcomm reckons the chip has 35% higher energy effectivity than its predecessor.
Inside this telephone is among the world’s quickest and best processors.
However it’s additionally designed with AI duties in thoughts, so anticipate the worldwide variations to be filled with varied AI instruments, together with the standard Gemini Superior and Circle to Search from Google. My Chinese language mannequin did not have any instruments I used to be capable of absolutely benefit from, nor was I capable of set up our common benchmarks to see how this chip performs in opposition to rivals. I will stay up for this at a later date.
Look out: huge battery inside
The 17 Professional Max mannequin packs a whopping 7,500-mAh battery, one of many largest cells I’ve seen stuffed inside a telephone. Even with the addition of the second display screen, I might nonetheless anticipate the telephone to simply final a full day and doubtless a way into the second. The smaller 17 Professional has a 6,300-mAh battery, which is able to nonetheless seemingly put up fairly the battle.
Each telephones assist 100-watt wired charging, which is able to recharge the battery in a really brief period of time, so long as you will have a suitable charger.
