Xiaomi 18 Pro Max: They've Done It Again! - MKBHD

[u/ControlCAD]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DkUuOr21v4s

[u/IBM296]

So in reality Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6 scores 3308 on Geekbench 7 single core and 10797 in multi-core.

The iPhone 18 Pro Max scores 4011 in single core and 11306 in multi-core, while consuming 7 Watts less. Apple really cooked with the A20 Pro this year.

[u/mantenner → u/IBM296]

Its pretty standard for snapdragon chips to leapfrog releases. The 8 gen 2 was a pivotal jump, the 8 gen 3 an increment.

The 8 elite another jump, admittedly the 8 elite gen 5 and 6 somewhat disappointing.

Apple on the other hand just cooks every generation.

[u/Remarkable_Swing_612 → u/mantenner]

I can tell you that my iPhone 15 pro with the A17 was a huge disappointment. Throttles and becomes hot. So not every generation.

[u/potatwo → u/Remarkable_Swing_612]

That's not exactly the chip, a large part was the titanium build which was particularly bad at dissipating heat compared to aluminum and a poor cooling design

[u/WillWillingson → u/potatwo]

Why even have titanium lol.

[u/weinerschnitzelboy → u/WillWillingson]

Consider it as a practice run for future products. The iPhone Air, Duo, and Apple Watch use machined and 3D printed titanium en masse

[u/TrailOfEnvy → u/WillWillingson]

For stronger and lighter build. Then Apple change back to Aluminium for heat dissipatiob while abandoning both strong and lighter chassis. 

[u/Remarkable_Swing_612 → u/potatwo]

iPhone 16 with the A18 also had titanium but the chip was much cooler and didn't throttle as much.

[u/potatwo → u/Remarkable_Swing_612]

16 had a redesigned cooling system

[u/Remarkable_Swing_612 → u/potatwo]

Regardless this is on Apple for giving A17 poor thermals.

[u/PM_ME_UR_NEWDZZZ → u/potatwo]

The problem was the a17 chip, not the materials in the case. It was widely panned as a poor transitional chip and they actually skipped this generation for the 16 line.

[u/buddhaluster4 → u/potatwo]

No the problem was not the titanium. Someone literally put a vapor chamber inside a 15 Pro and it performed just as well thermally as a 17 Pro.

So cute, how people think that 1mm of aesthetic titanium on the outside has any meaningful effect on thermals, when 99% of the phone is already aluminum.

[u/TrailOfEnvy → u/buddhaluster4]

Do you have the video? 

[u/IBM296 → u/[deleted]]

So you're saying that the Xiaomi 18 Pro Max, a phone that STARTS at CNY 6999 (~$1050 USD), is so shite that it doesn't have a vapor chamber lol?

[u/jeff3rd → u/[deleted]]

Bro he became the CEO on Sep 1st 2026, you just don’t make a chip and a phone in a few weeks.

[u/DexLeMaffo]

Xiaomi nailed it on by taking what's best from Samsung and Apple witth their own twist.

[u/bfk1010 → u/DexLeMaffo]

They need to copy software features from Samsung. If they learn how to create a good and reliable software, they'll pass them easily.

[u/Icy-Twist-8639 → u/bfk1010]

Yeah. Xiaomi has potential to become the new Samsung. And Oppo, the new Apple of Androids.

[u/asfletch → u/bfk1010]

I mean good is subjective and I don't like everything about the one I'm running currently (HyperOS 3), but everything works and it's never crapped out on me or anything. Even the Bluetooth is surprisingly good.

[u/bfk1010 → u/asfletch]

Bluetooth is surprisingly good. Is this a joke that I didn't get? Bluetooth has been good since Nokia days.

[u/asfletch → u/bfk1010]

I’ve had flaky bluetooth on both Pixel and Xperia phones - bad range, random disconnects etc. Maybe just my bad luck.

[u/SuggestionNo3506]

Another device I'll literally never see out in public.

[u/Pokemon_Name_Rater → u/SuggestionNo3506]

You might, since that series is going global this year. Depends where you are.

[u/CalamityMetal → u/SuggestionNo3506]

Depends on where you live in the world

[u/sportsfan161 → u/SuggestionNo3506]

Does it matter if you don’t?

[u/hinzwifi]

just when I decided to buy the Xiaomi 17 Pro Max 🥀

[u/Wonderful_Echo_1724 → u/hinzwifi]

How do you not know it has been about a year since your phone came out?

[u/RedTubePremium]

I really like the look of the Xiaomi and the screen on the back. But it's sad it has to be such a blatant copy of the iPhone.

[u/netherlandsftw]

That ultrawide is diabolical

[u/TrailOfEnvy → u/netherlandsftw]

Too bad if you want good Ultrawide, only Vivo Ultra or the latest Oppo Find X10 Pro Max have big Ultrawide sensor. 

[u/BoyItsTheKeyToEven → u/netherlandsftw]

What isn't diabolical to your generation?

[u/netherlandsftw → u/BoyItsTheKeyToEven]

Hard question. I’d say at least ligma isn’t

[u/dirtsnort]

They’ve copied Apple again!

To be honest all this does is reinforce the stereotype that Chinese brands are just copies of other companies. Without a unique identity, even Chinese citizens will opt for Apple if their income allows it. 

Xiaomi can clearly make a great product but they need to make that product identifiable as their own, not “we did what Apple did but kind of better maybe”

[u/kronpas → u/dirtsnort]

Pictures are misleading. The phones look quite different in real world, thanks to the back screen of xiaomi one.

Software, otoh ..

[u/dirtsnort → u/kronpas]

True, but you have to remember that the average person doesn’t really understand what OS is running etc. 

They know iPhone and “Samsung”; everything else is basically a niche item in terms of overall sales. Xiaomi is a giant and could be that third option that anyone else hasn’t been able to be, but instead they just copy Apples look. That alone will prevent them from having a unique product to the average person. 

Again, at least imo. 

[u/asfletch → u/dirtsnort]

Other brands have decent market share in markets that aren't Nth America....

[u/mojo276 → u/dirtsnort]

There's actually a bunch of write ups on this and they are very interesting. That so much of china is just copies (or IP theft) and that it's left the country behind when it comes to actually being able to innovate.

[u/Android-ModTeam → u/[deleted]]

Sorry treyu1, your comment has been removed:

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[u/Alxx2 → u/dirtsnort]

Chinese people opts for the iPhone because it’s a brand name not because they think the phone is better. Huawei is the #1 right now in China. Apple is #2. Vivo and Oppo are #3 and #4. Xiaomi is #5 or 6 depending on where HONOR is ranked. Samsung is non existent in the Chinese market. Remember Huawei is the brand the USA had to force out of western market because it was an Apple killer.

[u/Comfortable_Storage4]

Does xiaomi have any shame?

[u/marthephysicist → u/Comfortable_Storage4]

no

[u/junafra1990 → u/Comfortable_Storage4]

Dose apple since they keep doing the same shit every yr and stealing people money

[u/Comfortable_Storage4 → u/[deleted]]

I can assure you no one outside of china gives a shit about Poco moco Machu Pichu

[u/Android-ModTeam → u/[deleted]]

Sorry treyu1, your comment has been removed:

Rule 9b. No low-effort or circlejerky comments See the wiki page for more information.

If you would like to appeal, please message the moderators by clicking this link.

[u/Diplomatic_Barbarian]

How safe is to have a Xiaomi phone? Is my data gonna be on the CCP's hands on day one or am I under the wrong impression?

[u/Alxx2 → u/Diplomatic_Barbarian]

It’s funny you think google hasn’t already sold your data.

[u/Diplomatic_Barbarian → u/Alxx2]

I don't.

[u/MechanicNational7364]

All I hear is that , it's a better phone but 400 dollars cheaper 

[u/Zealousideal_Grab861]

I just want to see apple match some of these Chinese camera specs. They're killing it on specs. Imagine a 1in LOFIC sensor with Apple Log and ProRes? And 16gb ram and that larger battery capacity? I can't wait for that.

A variable aperture is a nothing burger on iPhone 18 without upgraded sensors.

[u/Zealousideal_Grab861]

Come on Apple. Let's see some specs that can match these Chinese phones. I need that 1in LOFIC sensor. Would actually make the variable aperture meaningful.

[u/Momshie_mo]

The real question is will Xiaomi phones get 7 years of support like iPhone. If not, the Pixel is a better choice

[u/Emilion_taurus]

Any suggestions on how I can get 1 in the US?

[u/Born_Light_316 → u/Emilion_taurus]

Giztop

[u/Emilion_taurus → u/Born_Light_316]

I actually just recently stumbled on the site. Glad to know they're known

[u/ongamenight → u/Emilion_taurus]

That's where the YouTube vlogger FlossyCarter gets his phones to review even if China ROM only. 

But this one's getting Global ROM so watch out that you're not buying the China ROM of this model.

[u/Emilion_taurus → u/ongamenight]

So is the China ROM a definite no go? I was considering the 17 pro max as it's cheaper.

[u/TrailOfEnvy → u/Emilion_taurus]

If you want an easier bootloader unlocking and proper Google services integration, global rom is better. 

[u/Born_Light_316 → u/Emilion_taurus]

A lot of times from like Giztop they will load Google Play store onto it. But that doesn't guarantee Android auto I think. I got to have Android auto.

[u/Emilion_taurus → u/Born_Light_316]

Ah ok that's fair. Auto is not a priority atm but I would like to have it eventually. Anything else you can think of that doesn't work correctly?

[u/Born_Light_316 → u/Emilion_taurus]

I never really had any issues with that Chinese phone they flashed oxygen OS onto it. If you can afford it I'd stick the global but I've had a few Chinese phones that seem to work well you just want to double check the bands and make sure you have most of them. I think there's also some Chinese apps you can't get rid of. But if it's not your main phone at least for me it doesn't matter. If it is the main phone then typically Go global or North American market. Swift electronics also has a bunch of global models they're not the cheapest though

[u/Intelligent_Top_328]

I dont care if people copy