WEB DESK: Tech YouTuber Marques Brownlee’s recent comparison between the Xiaomi 17 Pro Max and Apple’s iPhone 17 Pro Max has sparked renewed discussion among smartphone enthusiasts.
What began as online criticism over design similarities has now shifted towards appreciation, with many recognising Xiaomi’s latest flagship as a serious competitor to Apple’s premium model.
A familiar design, but with smart innovation
At first glance, the Xiaomi 17 Pro Max looks strikingly similar to the iPhone 17 Pro Max, from its flat edges and speaker layout to the camera module’s plateau-like design. Yet, Xiaomi’s version manages to feel more refined in some aspects. It’s lighter despite housing a larger battery, offers an IP68 rating for water and dust resistance, and even ships with screen protectors on both the front and back glass.
Both smartphones feature 6.9-inch displays with nearly identical bezels. However, Xiaomi’s screen impresses with its brightness and clarity, and the brand’s choice to include an ultrasonic fingerprint reader instead of Apple’s Face ID gives users a faster, more flexible unlocking experience. The removal of the Dynamic Island cutout also gives the phone a cleaner, uninterrupted look.
Performance and power: Xiaomi comes out swinging
Under the hood, Apple’s iPhone 17 Pro Max runs on the A19 Pro chip, maintaining its reputation for powerful and efficient performance. But Xiaomi is no pushover. Powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chip, the 17 Pro Max matches Apple’s single-core performance and surpasses it in multi-core and GPU results.
According to NanoReview, the Xiaomi 17 Pro Max beats the iPhone 17 Pro Max by a wide margin in Antutu performance scores, despite its much lower price.
The phone packs 16GB of RAM and up to 1TB of UFS 4.1 storage, making it one of the most capable smartphones available. Brownlee noted that Xiaomi’s combination of raw power and cooling efficiency gives it an edge in demanding tasks like gaming and heavy multitasking.
Battery life and charging leave iPhone behind
Battery life has long been a strong suit for Xiaomi, but this time it has gone above and beyond. The 17 Pro Max carries a massive 7,500mAh silicon-carbon battery, far exceeding Apple’s capacity. It supports 100W wired charging and 50W wireless charging, with the charger included in the box, something Apple users can only envy.
Camera and the surprise back display
In the camera department, the Xiaomi 17 Pro Max sports three 50-megapixel lenses, outperforming the iPhone’s trio of 48-megapixel sensors in most conditions. The 5x optical zoom lens delivers portrait shots with excellent depth and natural bokeh. Brownlee did note occasional overexposure in skin tones, but overall praised Xiaomi’s image quality.
Perhaps the most eye-catching feature is the 2.9-inch OLED screen built into the back of the phone. This mini display isn’t just a gimmick, it doubles as a selfie viewfinder, a notification screen, a clock, and even supports small games. With its 3000-nit brightness and 120Hz refresh rate, it adds both style and utility.
Xiaomi’s sell-out success in China
Two weeks ago, a report revealed that the Xiaomi 17 Pro Max had completely sold out in China, with tech outlets noting that shelves were emptied within hours of its release. The phone’s lower price compared to the iPhone 17 Pro Max, coupled with its powerful specifications, quickly turned it into a fan favourite.
Xiaomi’s success suggests that Apple’s long-standing dominance in the premium smartphone market may finally have a real challenger. For many users, the 17 Pro Max isn’t just an iPhone alternative but a statement that high-end innovation doesn’t always need to come with a sky-high price tag.