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Marques Brownlee - Xiaomi 17 Pro Max: An iPhone... But Better!

Thumbnail of the video “Marques Brownlee - Xiaomi 17 Pro Max: An iPhone... But Better!”
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Author: Marques Brownlee
Categories: Technology
Tags: technology
Views: 2 · Last viewed: 2026-10-16 08:09 UTC

Short Summary

Main recommendation: The Xiaomi 17 Pro Max is presented as an iPhone-like phone that outperforms the iPhone 17 Pro Max in display brightness, chip performance, battery capacity, charging, and its rear-screen feature, though it is currently sold only in China. The reviewer says it is "like an iPhone, but better," while noting the design and software borrow heavily from iOS.

Key Points

  • Design and software closely resemble the iPhone, including flat sides, a similar camera plateau, iOS-style quick controls and icons, and a model naming scheme that skips a number to match Apple's.
  • The 6.9-inch display matches the iPhone Pro Max size, is slightly higher resolution, gets noticeably brighter, and uses a smaller top cutout by replacing Face ID with an ultrasonic under-display fingerprint reader.
  • The Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chip essentially matches the iPhone's record-setting single-core performance and beats it in multi-core and GPU tests, paired with 16 GB RAM and up to 1 TB UFS 4.1 storage.
  • The 7,500 mAh silicon-carbon battery supports 100 W wired and 50 W wireless charging, is lighter than the iPhone 17 Pro Max, and offers 22.5 W reverse wireless charging; he speculates it could charge an iPhone from dead to 100%.
  • Triple 50-megapixel cameras produce detailed, crisp shots, with a 5x optical telephoto that gives natural bokeh; he notes the cameras tend to overexpose his own face's skin tone like many phones from this region, though skin tone with no face detected is more accurate.
  • The rear 2.9-inch, 3,000-nit, 120 Hz OLED display doubles as a high-quality selfie viewfinder and a customizable always-on clock, notification display, timer, and music control screen.

Details Worth Noting

  • Concrete instructions: On the rear display, double-tap to wake it and show the clock; swipe down to check and manage notifications; swipe from the cameras to open the camera app; swipe from the right edge to close the open app; hold down and swipe to switch between watch or clock faces; and use the Settings app's personalization section to change colors, complications, widgets, and themes. Enable the rear preview by tapping the button in the top corner of the camera viewfinder. Use the auto-mode exposure slider and the teleprompter mode in the camera app when needed.
  • The rear screen is 3,000 nits and 120 Hz, edge to edge with only camera cutouts, and comes with a pre-installed screen protector on both front and back.
  • The phone is rated IP68 for dust and water resistance.
  • The reviewer could not daily-drive the phone because it is a China-only model, and tested it for only a few days.
  • A retro handheld gaming case with buttons and a D-pad connects via Bluetooth to play mini games on the rear screen.

Bottom Line

The Xiaomi 17 Pro Max offers hardware and rear-screen features that exceed the iPhone 17 Pro Max on paper and in the reviewer's early use, but its China-only availability makes it impractical for most buyers for now.