Xiaomi has just debuted the first phones packing the new Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 and 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6 chipsets in China.
The Xiaomi 18 Pro carries the standard chip, whereas the top-end 18 Pro Max steps up to the Extreme edition. Storage ranges from a standard 12GB RAM and 256GB combo right up to a 16GB RAM and 1TB pairing on both phones.
Up front, both models feature crisp 2K LTPO AMOLED displays capable of ramping between 1Hz and 120Hz depending on what you are doing. The 18 Pro sports a slightly smaller 6.4-inch display, whilst the 18 Pro Max sticks to a roomier 6.9-inch panel. Both screens hit a peak brightness of 4,000 nits and are shielded by Xiaomi Dragon Crystal Glass 3.
Privacy gets a massive bump here with a built-in hardware screen filter designed to block out nosey onlookers from side angles. It goes a step further than similar tech like Samsung’s Galaxy S26 Ultra setup, letting you trigger the filter based on your location and selectively hiding notifications, floating windows, or split-screen apps. You can also toggle it instantly using the dedicated AI button on the left edge.
For photography, both phones get the exact same triple-camera setup. The main shooter relies on a huge 200MP Light Hunter 960 sensor, accompanied by a 200MP periscope telephoto lens offering 3.2x optical zoom and a 50MP ultrawide camera with a 102-degree field of view. They are accompanied by a 50MP selfie camera.
Around the back, Xiaomi has thrown in a secondary 120Hz rear display, measuring 2.7 inches on the Pro and 2.9 inches on the Pro Max. You can use the Xiao AI assistant to build custom rear mini-apps.
Battery capacities have taken a nice step forward too, jumping to 7,000mAh on the Pro and a massive 8,500mAh on the Pro Max. Fast charging is well catered for with support for 100W wired, 50W wireless, and 27W reverse wireless charging. Out of the box, both handsets run HyperOS 4 and carry top-tier IP69 dust and water resistance ratings.
Colour options include black, white, pink, and blue, alongside a special edition red model complete with semi-transparent rear panels.
Prices start at CNY5,999 (~RM3,659) for the 12GB+256GB model for 18 Pro and CNY6,999 (~RM4,269) for 18 Pro Max, scaling up to CNY9,999 (~RM6,099) and CNY10,999 (~RM6,709) for the 16GB+1TB models. They are currently exclusive to China, though Xiaomi has promised a global rollout later in the year.