Xiaomi Mi 9 Pro vs. iPhone 11 Pro Max: A 2024 Retrospective on Two Flagship Titans
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For the average user in 2024, the iPhone 11 Pro Max remains the more compelling choice. Its superior battery life, consistently excellent camera performance, and continued software support outweigh the Mi 9 Pro’s faster charging and theoretical processing advantage. The A13 Bionic’s efficiency is key.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Xiaomi Mi 9 Pro | Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 |
| 4G bands | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 17, 41 - China | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 11, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 46, 48, 66 - A2218 |
| Speed | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (7CA) Cat20 2000/150 Mbps | HSPA, LTE 1.6 Gbps DL, EV-DO Rev.A 3.1 Mbps |
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / LTE | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE |
| CDMA 800 & TD-SCDMA | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 29, 30, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 46, 48, 66, 71 - A2161, A2220 | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2019, September. Released 2019, September | 2019, September 10 |
| Status | Discontinued | Available. Released 2019, September 20 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 6), glass back (Gorilla Glass 5), aluminum frame (7000 series) | Glass front (Corning-made glass), glass back (Corning-made glass), stainless steel frame |
| Dimensions | 157.2 x 74.6 x 8.5 mm (6.19 x 2.94 x 0.33 in) | 158 x 77.8 x 8.1 mm (6.22 x 3.06 x 0.32 in) |
| SIM | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM | · Nano-SIM + eSIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM (China) |
| Weight | 196 g (6.91 oz) | 226 g (7.97 oz) |
| - | IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 4m for 30 min) Apple Pay (Visa, MasterCard, AMEX certified) | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass 6 | Scratch-resistant glass |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2340 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~403 ppi density) | 1242 x 2688 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~458 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.39 inches, 100.2 cm2 (~85.5% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.5 inches, 102.9 cm2 (~83.7% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | Super AMOLED, HDR10 | Super Retina XDR OLED, HDR10, Dolby Vision, 800 nits (HBM), 1200 nits (peak) |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (1x2.96 GHz Kryo 485 & 3x2.42 GHz Kryo 485 & 4x1.8 GHz Kryo 485) | Hexa-core (2x2.65 GHz Lightning + 4x1.8 GHz Thunder) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM8150 Snapdragon 855+ (7 nm) | Apple A13 Bionic (7 nm+) |
| GPU | Adreno 640 (700 MHz) | Apple GPU (4-core graphics) |
| OS | Android 10, MIUI 11 | iOS 13, upgradable to iOS 26.1 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM | 64GB 4GB RAM, 256GB 4GB RAM, 512GB 4GB RAM |
| UFS 2.1 | NVMe | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | Laser AF, Dual-LED flash, HDR, panorama | Dual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR (photo/panorama) |
| Single | - | 13 MP, f/2.2, PDAF |
| Triple | 48 MP, f/1.8, 27mm (wide), 1/2.0", 0.8µm, PDAF 12 MP, f/2.2, 54mm (telephoto), 1/3.6", 1.0µm, PDAF, 2x optical zoom 16 MP, f/2.2, 13mm (ultrawide), 1/3.0", 1.0µm, PDAF | 12 MP, f/1.8, 26mm (wide), 1/2.55", 1.4µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 12 MP, f/2.0, 52mm (telephoto), 1/3.4", 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS, 2x optical zoom 12 MP, f/2.4, 120˚, 13mm (ultrawide), 1/3.6" |
| Video | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/120/240fps, 1080p@960fps | 4K@24/25/30/60fps, 1080p@25/30/60/120/240fps, HDR, stereo sound rec. |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR | HDR |
| Single | 20 MP, f/2.0, (wide), 1/3", 0.9µm | 12 MP, f/2.2, 23mm (wide), 1/3.6", 1.0µm SL 3D, (depth/biometrics sensor) |
| Video | 1080p@30fps | 4K@24/25/30/60fps, 1080p@25/30/60/120fps, gyro-EIS |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | No | No |
| 35mm jack | No | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.0, A2DP, LE, aptX HD | 5.0, A2DP, LE |
| Infrared port | Yes | - |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (L1), BDS (B1), GALILEO (E1+E5a) | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, QZSS |
| Radio | No | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 2.0, OTG | Lightning, USB 2.0 |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, hotspot |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass | Face ID, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer |
| - | Ultra Wideband (UWB) support | |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 40W wired, QC4 30W wireless 10W reverse wireless | Wired, PD2.0, 50% in 30 min Wireless (Qi) |
| Type | Li-Po 4000 mAh, non-removable | Li-Ion 3969 mAh, non-removable (15.04 Wh) |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Dream White, Titanium Black | Matte Space Gray, Matte Silver, Matte Gold, Matte Midnight Green |
| Models | - | A2218, A2161, A2220, iPhone12,5 |
| Price | About 500 EUR | $ 233.00 / C$ 369.75 / £ 226.95 / € 249.00 |
| SAR | - | 1.16 W/kg (head) 1.17 W/kg (body) |
| SAR EU | - | 0.95 W/kg (head) 0.99 W/kg (body) |
| Pricing | ||
|---|---|---|
| 256GB 4GB RAM | - | $ 874.46 |
| 512GB 4GB RAM | - | $ 1,004.31 |
| 64GB 4GB RAM | - | $ 435.00 |
| RENEWED | - | $ 485.00 |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Audio quality | - | Noise -94.3dB / Crosstalk -81.5dB |
| Battery life | - | Endurance rating 102h |
| Camera | - | Photo / Video |
| Display | - | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | - | -25.6 LUFS (Very good) |
| Performance | - | AnTuTu: 459713 (v7), 536883 (v8) GeekBench: 13870 (v4.4), 3503 (v5.1) GFXBench: 57fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
Xiaomi Mi 9 Pro
- Significantly faster wired and wireless charging.
- Android’s open ecosystem and customization options.
- Potentially lower price point (depending on market and condition).
- Potentially shorter software support lifespan.
- Less efficient processor leading to shorter battery life.
- 4GB of RAM may feel limiting in 2024.
Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max
- Exceptional battery life and power efficiency.
- Consistent camera performance and excellent video quality.
- Long-term software support and ecosystem integration.
- Slower charging speeds compared to the Mi 9 Pro.
- Less customization options compared to Android.
- Higher initial purchase price (when new).
Display Comparison
The iPhone 11 Pro Max boasts a measured peak brightness of 820 nits, providing excellent visibility in direct sunlight. While the Mi 9 Pro’s display specifications aren’t provided, Xiaomi typically prioritizes vibrant colors. The iPhone’s ‘infinite’ contrast ratio, characteristic of OLED panels, delivers deeper blacks and a more dynamic image. The lack of high refresh rate on either device is noticeable by today’s standards, but the iPhone’s color accuracy and brightness give it a slight edge.
Camera Comparison
Both devices excel in camera performance, but approach it differently. The iPhone 11 Pro Max is renowned for its consistent image processing and natural-looking photos and videos. The Mi 9 Pro, while capable, likely relies on more aggressive image sharpening and color boosting, typical of Xiaomi’s processing style. Without specific sensor size details for the Mi 9 Pro, it’s difficult to make a direct comparison, but the iPhone’s computational photography and video stabilization are generally considered best-in-class for its time. The iPhone’s video capabilities, in particular, are a significant advantage.
Performance
The Qualcomm Snapdragon 855+ in the Mi 9 Pro, fabricated on a 7nm process, offers strong performance with its octa-core configuration. However, Apple’s A13 Bionic, built on a 7nm+ node, demonstrates superior single-core performance and efficiency. The A13’s hexa-core design, with its Lightning and Thunder cores, is optimized for both burst performance and sustained workloads. While the Mi 9 Pro might win in some synthetic benchmarks, the A13’s real-world responsiveness and thermal management are superior, leading to a smoother user experience over time. The Mi 9 Pro’s 4GB of RAM is also a limiting factor compared to the iPhone’s 4GB, especially with modern app demands.
Battery Life
The iPhone 11 Pro Max achieves an impressive endurance rating of 102 hours, a testament to the A13 Bionic’s power efficiency and optimized software. The Mi 9 Pro’s battery capacity isn’t specified, but its 40W wired charging and 30W wireless charging are significantly faster than the iPhone’s charging speeds (wired PD2.0, 50% in 30 min, and Qi wireless). However, the Mi 9 Pro’s faster charging is offset by potentially higher power consumption, while the iPhone’s longevity provides peace of mind. The Mi 9 Pro’s 10W reverse wireless charging is a niche feature, but useful for topping up accessories.
Buying Guide
Buy the Xiaomi Mi 9 Pro if you prioritize incredibly fast charging – 40W wired and 30W wireless are still impressive – and enjoy the flexibility of Android. It’s a good option for power users who frequently transfer large files or game extensively. Buy the Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max if you value long-term reliability, a polished user experience, and a consistently excellent camera system. Its enduring battery life and ongoing software updates make it a safer, more predictable investment.