Xiaomi 17 Pro Max vs. iPhone 15 Pro Max: A Deep Dive into Flagship Power
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For the power user prioritizing longevity and charging speed, the Xiaomi 17 Pro Max emerges as the winner. Its 20:50h active use battery score and 100W charging significantly outperform the iPhone 15 Pro Max. However, the iPhone 15 Pro Max’s superior display brightness and tightly integrated ecosystem remain compelling advantages.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Xiaomi 17 Pro Max | Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 |
| 4G bands | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 48, 66, 71 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 30, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 46, 48, 53, 66 - A3106 |
| 5G bands | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 18, 20, 25, 26, 28, 38, 40, 41, 48, 66, 70, 71, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 83, 84, 89 SA/NSA | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 26, 28, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 53, 66, 70, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA/Sub6 - A3106 |
| Speed | HSPA, LTE, 5G | HSPA, LTE, 5G, EV-DO Rev.A 3.1 Mbps |
| Technology | GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2025, September 25 | 2023, September 12 |
| Status | Available. Released 2025, September 25 | Available. Released 2023, September 22 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front (Dragon Crystal Glass 3), aluminum frame | Glass front, glass back, titanium frame (grade 5) |
| Dimensions | 162.9 x 77.6 x 8 mm (6.41 x 3.06 x 0.31 in) | 159.9 x 76.7 x 8.3 mm (6.30 x 3.02 x 0.33 in) |
| SIM | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM | · Nano-SIM + eSIM + eSIM (max 2 at a time; International)· eSIM + eSIM (8 or more, max 2 at a time; USA)· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM (China) |
| Weight | 219 g (7.72 oz) | 221 g (7.80 oz) |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Xiaomi Dragon Crystal Glass 3 | Ceramic Shield glass |
| Resolution | 1200 x 2608 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~416 ppi density) | 1290 x 2796 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~460 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.9 inches, 116.6 cm2 (~92.3% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.7 inches, 110.2 cm2 (~89.8% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | LTPO AMOLED, 68B colors, 2160Hz PWM, 120Hz, Dolby Vision, HDR Vivid, HDR10+, 3500 nits (peak) | LTPO Super Retina XDR OLED, 120Hz, HDR10, Dolby Vision, 1000 nits (typ), 2000 nits (HBM) |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (2x4.6 GHz Oryon V3 Phoenix L + 6x3.62 GHz Oryon V3 Phoenix M) | Hexa-core (2x3.78 GHz + 4x2.11 GHz) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM8850-AC Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 (3 nm) | Apple A17 Pro (3 nm) |
| GPU | Adreno 840 | Apple GPU (6-core graphics) |
| OS | Android 16, HyperOS 3 | iOS 17, upgradable to iOS 26.1 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 512GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 16GB RAM, 1TB 16GB RAM | 256GB 8GB RAM, 512GB 8GB RAM, 1TB 8GB RAM |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | Laser AF, color spectrum sensor, Leica lens, Dual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR, panorama | Dual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR (photo/panorama) |
| Triple | 50 MP, f/1.7, 23mm (wide), 1/1.28", 1.22µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 50 MP, f/2.6, 115mm (periscope telephoto), 1/1.95", 0.8µm, PDAF (30cm - ∞), OIS, 5x optical zoom 50 MP, f/2.4, 17mm, 102˚ (ultrawide), 1/2.88", 0.61µm, PDAF | 48 MP, f/1.8, 24mm (wide), 1/1.28", 1.22µm, dual pixel PDAF, sensor-shift OIS 12 MP, f/2.8, 120mm (periscope telephoto), 1/3.06", 1.12µm, dual pixel PDAF, 3D sensor‑shift OIS, 5x optical zoom 12 MP, f/2.2, 13mm, 120˚ (ultrawide), 1/2.55", 1.4µm, dual pixel PDAF TOF 3D LiDAR scanner (depth) |
| Video | 8K@30fps (HDR), 4K@30/60/120fps (HDR10+, 10-bit Dolby Vision HDR, 10-bit LOG), 1080p@30/60/120/240/960fps, 720p@1920fps, gyro-EIS | 4K@24/25/30/60fps, 1080p@25/30/60/120/240fps, 10-bit HDR, Dolby Vision HDR (up to 60fps), ProRes, 3D (spatial) video, stereo sound rec. |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR, panorama | HDR, Dolby Vision HDR |
| Single | 50 MP, f/2.2, 21mm (wide), 1/2.88", 0.61µm, PDAF | 12 MP, f/1.9, 23mm (wide), 1/3.6", 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS SL 3D, (depth/biometrics sensor) |
| Video | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps, HDR10+, gyro-EIS | 4K@24/25/30/60fps, 1080p@25/30/60/120fps, gyro-EIS |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 35mm jack | No | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes, with stereo speakers (with Dolby Atmos) | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.4, A2DP, LE, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive, LHDC 5 | 5.3, A2DP, LE |
| Infrared port | Yes | - |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS (L1+L5), BDS (B1I+B1c+B2a), GALILEO (E1+E5a), QZSS (L1+L5), NavIC (L5), GLONASS | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS, QZSS, NavIC |
| Radio | No | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 3.2, Display Port, OTG | USB Type-C 3.2 Gen 2, DisplayPort |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e/7, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e, tri-band, hotspot |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (under display, ultrasonic), accelerometer, proximity, gyro, compass, barometer | Face ID, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 100W wired, PD3.0, QC3+, 100W PPS 50W wireless 22.5W reverse wireless | Wired, PD2.0, 50% in 30 min 15W wireless (MagSafe) 15W wireless (Qi2) - requires iOS 17.2 update 4.5W reverse wired |
| Type | Si/C Li-Ion 7500 mAh | Li-Ion 4441 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Black, White, Purple, Green | Black Titanium, White Titanium, Blue Titanium, Natural Titanium |
| Models | 2509FPN0BC | A2849, A3105, A3106, A3108, iPhone16,2 |
| Price | About 720 EUR | € 758.79 / $ 579.87 / £ 628.29 |
| SAR | - | 1.07 W/kg (head) 1.11 W/kg (body) |
| SAR EU | - | 0.98 W/kg (head) 0.98 W/kg (body) |
Xiaomi 17 Pro Max
- Exceptional battery life (20:50h active use)
- Ultra-fast 100W wired charging
- Versatile charging options (wired, wireless, reverse wireless)
- Display brightness significantly lower than iPhone
- Camera details are currently unknown
Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max
- Incredibly bright display (1787 nits)
- Powerful A17 Pro chip with efficient architecture
- Renowned camera system with advanced video capabilities
- Shorter battery life (16:01h active use)
- Slower charging speeds compared to Xiaomi
Display Comparison
The iPhone 15 Pro Max’s display dominates in peak brightness, reaching a measured 1787 nits compared to the Xiaomi 17 Pro Max’s 1026 nits. This translates to superior visibility in direct sunlight. While both utilize 3nm chipsets, the display power draw will impact overall efficiency. The Xiaomi 17 Pro Max’s panel specifications are not provided, but the brightness difference suggests Apple has prioritized outdoor readability. Users sensitive to flicker may benefit from investigating the PWM dimming rate on the Xiaomi, as Apple typically leads in this area.
Camera Comparison
Context data for the Xiaomi 17 Pro Max camera is limited. However, the iPhone 15 Pro Max’s camera system is renowned for its computational photography and video capabilities. While sensor size and aperture data are missing for the Xiaomi, the iPhone’s image processing pipeline is a significant advantage, particularly in low-light conditions. The absence of details regarding OIS on the Xiaomi makes it difficult to assess its stabilization performance. Users prioritizing video recording will likely favor the iPhone 15 Pro Max’s ProRes capabilities.
Performance
Both devices leverage 3nm fabrication, but employ different architectures. The Xiaomi 17 Pro Max’s Qualcomm SM8850-AC Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 features an octa-core configuration (2x4.6 GHz Oryon V3 Phoenix L + 6x3.62 GHz Oryon V3 Phoenix M), while the iPhone 15 Pro Max utilizes Apple’s hexa-core A17 Pro (2x3.78 GHz + 4x2.11 GHz). The Snapdragon’s higher clock speeds on its prime cores suggest a focus on burst performance, while Apple’s architecture is known for sustained efficiency. The lack of RAM specifications for the Xiaomi makes a direct comparison difficult, but LPDDR5x is expected on both, ensuring fast memory access. Thermal management will be crucial; the Snapdragon’s potential for higher heat output needs to be effectively managed to avoid throttling.
Battery Life
The Xiaomi 17 Pro Max delivers a substantial advantage in battery endurance, achieving 20:50h of active use compared to the iPhone 15 Pro Max’s 16:01h. This nearly 4-hour difference is significant for heavy users. Furthermore, the Xiaomi’s charging capabilities are far superior, offering 100W wired charging (with PD3.0, QC3+, and 100W PPS), 50W wireless, and 22.5W reverse wireless. The iPhone 15 Pro Max is limited to slower wired charging (50% in 30 min, likely around 27W) and 15W wireless charging (MagSafe/Qi2). The Xiaomi’s reverse wireless charging is also significantly faster at 22.5W versus the iPhone’s 4.5W.
Buying Guide
Buy the Xiaomi 17 Pro Max if you need exceptional battery life, blazing-fast charging, and aren't locked into the Apple ecosystem. It’s ideal for content creators, gamers, and travelers who rely heavily on their phones throughout the day. Buy the Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max if you prioritize a stunningly bright display, seamless iOS integration, and a refined user experience, and are willing to trade some battery endurance for these benefits.