Xiaomi 17 Series to Launch with Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 and Bold New Direction

Xiaomi has made a bold move this year by skipping the expected 16 series entirely and jumping straight to the Xiaomi 17 lineup. The company clearly wants to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Apple’s freshly unveiled iPhone 17 family, and in doing so it is making one of the most daring branding decisions in its history. Some fans see this as clever marketing, others as needless imitation, but one thing is certain: Xiaomi intends to make noise in the flagship space.

According to company president Lu Weibing, the Xiaomi 17, 17 Pro, and 17 Pro Max will all be revealed later this month.

The headline feature is Qualcomm’s brand-new Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 processor, making Xiaomi the first to launch with the cutting-edge chip. This silicon promises a huge leap in both AI processing and energy efficiency, and Xiaomi is betting big on it. Interestingly, the base Xiaomi 17 is said to deliver upgrades over the 15 series while sticking to the same price tier – the Xiaomi 15 launched in China at CNY 4,499 (around $630).

The Xiaomi 17 Pro is positioned as a compact photography powerhouse, optimized for mobile imaging in a smaller form factor that appeals to users who dislike oversized phones. Meanwhile, the Pro Max pushes the boundaries of the brand’s flagship ambitions. Rumors suggest it may even include a secondary rear display, reviving the experimental design language Xiaomi has occasionally flirted with. Both high-end models are expected to target users who want maximum features, though critics point out the “Pro Max” naming feels borrowed straight from Apple.

On the hardware front, the base Xiaomi 17 is rumored to sport a 6.3-inch LTPO OLED display with 1.5K resolution and a silky 120Hz refresh rate. Other whispers include a massive 7,000mAh battery – a rarity among premium phones – and an ultrasonic in-display fingerprint sensor for more reliable security. If these leaks prove accurate, Xiaomi could be delivering one of the longest-lasting flagship devices on the market.

Not everyone is convinced. Long-time Xiaomi followers question whether aligning model numbers with Apple helps or hurts the brand. Some argue that Xiaomi risks losing its own identity by shadowing Apple’s naming convention, even down to the “Pro Max” suffix. Others, however, are excited that Xiaomi is bringing more compact devices back into focus and hope the 6.3-inch form factor trickles down to its Poco sub-brand in future releases.

Regardless of the debate, Xiaomi has managed to capture attention before the phones are even official. Between the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 debut, huge batteries, and camera-first ambitions, the Xiaomi 17 series is shaping up to be one of the most talked-about smartphone launches of the year.