Xiaomi has announced the 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max, two new flagship smartphones featuring Leica-branded triple-camera systems. The company says the lineup will reach global markets (except the US), a first for its Pro phones. The phones are also the first powered by Qualcomm’s newly released Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6 and Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 chips.

Cameras

Unlike their predecessors, the two phones share identical camera setups. They pair a 200MP main camera with a 200MP periscope telephoto, a notable bump in resolution from the 50MP main and telephoto cameras found on the 17 Pro series. Those two cameras also benefit from faster apertures. Additionally, the phones feature a 50MP ultrawide, though it stays consistent with its predecessor’s.

The main camera uses a Type 1/1.28 (74.4mm²) sensor with LOFIC technology, which is designed to improve highlight handling and dynamic range. Xiaomi is among several phone makers now using the sensor architecture in high-end models. That main camera also features a Leica Summilux lens design, which combines precision glass and plastic elements, and Xiaomi says it offers CIPA-rated seven stops of shake correction.

Xiaomi

Xiaomi also introduced “Legendary Moment,” a new imaging system that the company says combines on-device and cloud-based processing with Leica color science. Xiaomi says the feature can apply camera-inspired styles, though it hasn’t provided many details yet.

Displays and design

Xiaomi

Both phones add a hardware-level Privacy Display feature, which looks broadly similar to the privacy-display technology Samsung introduced on the Galaxy S26 Ultra. Xiaomi says it can limit off-axis viewing for an individual app and automatically apply the protection to associated notifications, floating windows and split-screen views, while leaving the rest of the display unaffected.

The new phones also retain the secondary display on the back of the phone from the 17 Pro generation. In addition to showing notifications and widgets, it can serve as a live viewfinder when using the rear cameras, making it easier to frame higher-quality main-camera selfies or vlog clips without switching to the front-facing camera. It also allows users to set custom wallpapers and can interact with the phone’s AI assistant.

Xiaomi

In terms of primary display, the 18 Pro features a 6.4-inch panel, while the Pro Max is a larger 6.9 inches. Both use 120Hz LTPO AMOLED displays with 4000-nit peak brightness and Dolby Vision and HDR10+ support.

The 18 Pro uses Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6, while the 18 Pro Max receives the higher-tier Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6. Qualcomm announced both platforms on September 22, only one day before Xiaomi introduced the phones.

Pricing and availability

Xiaomi has launched the 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max in China, where they start at CNY 5,999 (about $895) and CNY 6,999 (about $1045), respectively. Xiaomi says the phones will reach global markets later this year, excluding the US, but it has not shared a specific launch schedule.