The smartphone market the world over is seeing some pretty wild launches one after the other.
Xiaomi’s has just dropped its latest flagship, the Xiaomi 17 series in China and it’s already making waves on X. There is a whole debate going on: is it challenging iPhone 17 Pro Max. Both the phones are powerhouse flagships, but they come from completely different philosophies.
Here’s a full comparison of specs to make an informed decision whether you want to buy the phone or not?
Design and display: Apple’s elegance meets Xiaomi’s experimentation
Both these phones feature very similar 6.9 inch OLED displays with 120Hz refresh rate. However, Xiaomi has an edge, thanks to a mini display on the rear panel. And the display is not just cool, but it’s useful for quick notifications, music controls; you can even take selfies with the main camera just like you can do with Galaxy Z 7 Flip. The mini screen is most hyped up because it looks fresh, futuristic and definitely innovative.
Cameras: Leica-tuned creativity vs Apple’s reliable precision
Photography and camera quality has become a major factor in helping consumers choose their smartphone these days. Because almost every flagship does heavy lifting in this segment these days.
iPhone 17 Pro Max has a triple camera setup, with all three, main and ultrawide, using 48MP sensors..
Xiaomi’s partnership with Leica gives the Xiaomi 17 Pro Max a distinct personality gives it an edge again. The Xiaomi gets a triple 50MP camera setup, including a 5x periscope lens as well as a 50MP front camera.
Apple’s 18MP selfie shooter still performs admirably, but Xiaomi clearly went all-in on creative expression this year.
Performance and battery
Under the hood, Apple packs the A19 Pro chip and it goes without saying that iOS optimisation ensures seamless performance across apps and games.
In real-world use, both phones fly but Xiaomi might edge out Apple in extended gaming or heavy workloads. Xiaomi packs Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, a powerful chipset, designed super fast performance, AI and gaming.
However, we will know the reality once the benchmarks are out.
Battery is where Xiaomi clearly wins. The Xiaomi 17 Pro Max features a 7500mAh battery with 100W wired and 50W wireless charging support. On the other hand, Apple packs a 5088mAh cell and a 40W wired charging support with 15W MagSafe.
Price and value
Apple’s iPhone 17 Pro Max starts at Rs 1,49,900 for the 256GB variant, Meanwhile, the Xiaomi 17 Pro Max costs 6000 Yen which if converted costs Rs 74,700 and Rs 87,200 in India. Of course, the final price will be higher with added tax, even then it’s a deal.
Final take
Both phones define what a true flagship looks like, but both have different appeal and are targetting different kinds of consumers.
If you want refinement, reliability, and seamless ecosystem integration, the iPhone 17 Pro Max remains the gold standard. But if you crave innovation, camera magic, and unbeatable value, the Xiaomi 17 Pro is the dark horse everyone’s watching.
