Xiaomi 17 Pro Max unveiled with dual‑screen design and Snapdragon 8 Elite

Sep, 27 2025

Design, display and the secondary screen

When Xiaomi announced the 17 Pro Max in September 2025, the first thing that caught eyes was the dual-screen concept. The primary display is a 6.9‑inch AMOLED panel with a 20:9 aspect ratio and QHD resolution of 1220 × 2656 pixels. At 463 ppi the screen feels razor‑sharp, whether you’re scrolling social feeds or watching 4K video.

The twist is the back‑mounted secondary screen. Earlier Xiaomi models used a tiny strip or a simple notification panel, but the new version is larger and runs Android UI elements independently. Users can toggle music controls, check calendar alerts, or run a mini‑camera view without waking the main screen. The rear panel is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass Victus, making it durable while still keeping the phone thinner than many rivals.

Weight is another surprise. Despite housing a 7500 mAh battery and two displays, Xiaomi managed to keep the device lighter than Apple’s iPhone 17 Pro Max, thanks to a magnesium‑aluminium alloy frame and careful internal layout. The phone feels solid in hand but not cumbersome, an advantage for people who carry their phone all day.

Performance, battery and camera capabilities

Under the hood lives the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, the first Android flagship chip to hit the market this year. Paired with 16 GB of LPDDR5X RAM, the 17 Pro Max handles heavy gaming, multi‑app multitasking and AI‑driven photo processing without a hiccup. Storage comes in three flavors – 256 GB, 512 GB and a whopping 1 TB – all using UFS 4.0 for lightning‑fast read/write speeds.

Battery life is a headline feature. A 7500 mAh cell, combined with LTPO OLED technology that adjusts refresh rate from 1 Hz up to 120 Hz, stretches usage well beyond a full day of screen‑on time, even for power users who stream video, play games and run background sync. Xiaomi’s proprietary thermal management system spreads heat across a graphite‑based heat pipe, keeping the processor cool during sustained workloads. Benchmarks show the phone outpacing the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra and even the newest Pixel models, though occasional throttling can occur under extreme stress.

Photography remains a strong suit thanks to the continued partnership with Leica. The rear camera module includes a 108 MP main sensor, a 13 MP ultra‑wide lens and a 10 MP periscope telephoto unit with 5× optical zoom. Leica’s colour science gives images a natural look with rich contrast, and the secondary screen can act as a viewfinder for selfies taken with the rear cameras, a quirky but handy feature.

Software-wise, the device ships with MIUI 14 based on Android 15. MIUI adds a dedicated “Dual‑Screen” mode that lets you assign apps to the rear display, similar to a small tablet experience. There’s also a “Power‑Saver” profile that caps the refresh rate and dims the secondary screen to extend battery life further.

• Primary display: 6.9‑inch AMOLED, QHD, 463 ppi.
• Secondary display: 2.5‑inch OLED, functional UI for notifications and shortcuts.
• Processor: Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5.
• RAM/Storage: 16 GB RAM, up to 1 TB UFS 4.0.
• Battery: 7500 mAh with LTPO, lasts over 24 hours on mixed use.
• Camera: 108 MP main + 13 MP ultra‑wide + 10 MP periscope (Leica partnership).

The 17 series also includes a smaller 17 model with a 6.3‑inch screen and a 7000 mAh battery, weighing just 191 g, and a mid‑range 17 Pro that sits between the standard and Pro Max in terms of specs. This tiered approach gives consumers a clear upgrade path without forcing them into the top‑tier price bracket.

Overall, the Xiaomi 17 Pro Max positions the company as a genuine contender in the premium smartphone arena. By mixing a bold dual‑screen design, top‑tier performance and a Leica‑branded camera system, Xiaomi offers an alternative to Apple and Samsung that feels fresh rather than a copy. The real test will be whether consumers embrace the rear screen in daily life, but early hands‑on reports suggest that the feature adds genuine convenience, especially for multitaskers and media lovers.