Xiaomi 17 Pro Max Is A Bold Flagship with Dual Screens and Massive Battery

The Xiaomi 17 Pro Max arrives as the crown jewel of Xiaomi’s 2025 flagship lineup, combining ambitious hardware with a bold secondary display. Early days into usage, the device impresses with its raw specifications and daring design choices—even as several trade-offs emerge under scrutiny.

At the heart of the device lies the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, built on a 3 nm process and paired with up to 16 GB of RAM and UFS 4.1 storage. In hands-on testing, the chipset demonstrates formidable performance, breezing through multitasking, 120-fps gameplay, and intensive workloads. Forbes highlighted that even heavy tasks run smoothly, although benchmark results still trail behind Apple’s A-series chips in some metrics. The fluid responsiveness is consistent, with minimal thermal throttling under sustained stress—something many reviewers praised.

Perhaps the most headline-grabbing feature is the rear secondary display. Xiaomi’s “Dynamic Back Display” spans 2.9 inches on the Pro Max (smaller on the standard Pro model), with a 120 Hz refresh rate. This panel offers functionality beyond novelty—it supports widgets, displays incoming notifications, and can act as a preview screen for selfies using the main cameras. Wired noted that while the usefulness is somewhat situational, Xiaomi has crafted the interface to feel more polished than a gimmick. Some users on forums have already adapted workflows—flipping music controls, QR codes, or quick status views onto the back display for convenience.

Speaking of displays, the main 6.9-inch LTPO AMOLED panel operates at 120 Hz and reaches a peak brightness of 3,500 nits. TechRadar called the main and secondary panels a standout in today’s flagship pack, especially under bright outdoor conditions. Visual clarity, contrast, and color fidelity hold up impressively even under harsh sunlight.

When it comes to endurance, Xiaomi bets big with a 7,500 mAh Si/C battery, paired with 100W wired and 50W wireless charging. According to Notebookcheck’s camera review, the device sustains all-day performance with ease, and its battery longevity gives it an edge over some competitors in heavy usage. The charging speeds, when optimal, restore a significant charge in minutes, making the device usable for power users without long downtimes.

Photography performance is anchored by a triple 50MP Leica-tuned setup (wide, ultra-wide, and 5× periscope telephoto). Compared to the 17 Pro sibling, the Pro Max’s telephoto module features a slightly larger sensor and brighter aperture, offering richer results in low light. Notebookcheck observed that in daylight, the differences are subtle—yet the Pro Max’s lens shows its advantage in portraits and zoomed compositions. That said, the ultra-wide sees a narrower field of view compared to its predecessor (going from 14mm to 17mm equivalent), a point some users noted in community threads as a design trade-off.

Still, the phone is not perfect. Weighing in at 219 g, it leans toward the heavy side, especially for extended handheld usage. Its size (162.9 × 77.6 × 8 mm) and heft make single-hand operation a challenge. Community posts in subreddits like r/Android report that some users experienced mild fatigue or grip concerns during long sessions with the 17 Pro Max. Others have commented on the device’s design echoes of Apple’s iPhone 17 lineup—both in its camera module shape and its new naming convention—fanning discussion about originality versus market alignment.

Another contention is software: the 17 Pro Max ships with HyperOS 3, Xiaomi’s Android skin that leans heavily into AI features and bespoke UI elements. Some reviewers appreciate the polish; others warn of potential bloat and aggressive background optimizations that may affect app stability. In creator circles, echoes of skepticism arise over how Xiaomi might limit customization or hide advanced options under simplified layers.

Regional availability also remains a point of tension. So far, Xiaomi has launched the 17 series in China, with uncertain timelines for global release—especially for the Pro and Pro Max models. Notebookcheck and TechRadar both speculated that international versions, if they arrive, may see changes in battery capacity or features due to regulatory or supply constraints.

In summary, the Xiaomi 17 Pro Max is a flagship loaded with ambition. Its dual-screen novelty, enormous battery, top-tier performance, and Leica camera optics make it a compelling contender. But design trade-offs, weight, software choices, and regional restrictions make it less of an obvious buy for everyone. For enthusiasts and power users who value bold features and aren’t afraid to accept some compromises, the 17 Pro Max offers one of the most daring flagship experiences of 2025.