This smartphone is much cheaper than a Galaxy S25 Ultra and even faster, but there is a catch – NotebookCheck.net News
Those who look beyond the mainstream smartphones from Samsung and Apple can often find cheaper options with larger batteries and more power. The Xiaomi 17 Pro Max is one such example. However, it’s only available as an import, which comes with a few pitfalls.
Sure, you can get fantastic smartphones like the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra or the Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max, but depending on the storage capacity, you’ll also pay well over $2,000.
Do you really have to spend that much money on a top-of-the-line phone? Xiaomi says “No!” with its 17 Pro Max, which copies the iPhone’s name for a reason – they want to compete with the best. We recently put the smartphone through its paces and can say that it does a pretty good job.
The Xiaomi phone is just as high-quality, but cheaper
The Xiaomi 17 Pro Max comes with a very sturdy and stylish metal housing, almost invisible bezels and even a secondary display on the back as a bonus feature.
In terms of performance, it holds its own thanks to a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 processor. Battery life is excellent given the massive 7,000 mAh battery. Another technically impressive aspect is that its dimensions and weight are almost identical to those of its competitors from Samsung and Apple despite the significantly larger battery,
What the Xiaomi phone cannot do, however, is be as expensive as the phones from Korea and the US. At TradingShenzhen, the model with 1 TB of storage and 16 GB of RAM costs just over $1,200. This is just under the price of cheapest iPhone 17 Pro Max, and even the cheapest Samsung offers much less storage for the same price.
If only it weren’t for the import process
Importing via TradingShenzhen comes with a number of limitations. Firstly, local warranty rights do not apply, although the retailer does offer its own warranty policy. Secondly, almost all goods imported to the US are now subject to import duties. Thirdly, the Chinese software on the smartphone comes with certain restrictions. For example, eSIM support isn’t available, as eSIMs aren’t yet widespread in China. Lastly, using Android Auto is at least not fully possible. And English is the only Western language available. Many of the pre-installed apps are also unusable outside of China.
For those who still might be tempted
The Xiaomi 17 Pro Max is undoubtedly a great value option among top-of-the-line smartphones. It is high-quality, fast and has excellent battery life.
If you’d like to learn more, we recommend taking a look at our detailed review of the Xiaomi 17 Pro Max.
Editor of the original article: Florian Schmitt – Managing Editor Mobile – 1356 articles published on Notebookcheck since 2009
I initially wrote about gaming laptops when I joined Notebookcheck in 2009. I was then involved with the setup of the comparison portal Notebookinfo and worked with social media concepts for large companies like BMW and Adidas, while also returning to work for Notebookcheck in 2012. Nowadays, I focus on smartphones, tablets, and future technologies. Since 2018 I have been Managing Editor for mobile device reviews, working alongside my colleague Daniel Schmidt.
Translator: Jacob Fisher – Translator – 2504 articles published on Notebookcheck since 2022
Growing up in regional Australia, I first became acquainted with computers in my early teens after a broken leg from a football (soccer) match temporarily condemned me to a predominately indoor lifestyle. Soon afterwards I was building my own systems. Now I live in Germany, having moved here in 2014, where I study philosophy and anthropology. I am particularly fascinated by how computer technology has fundamentally and dramatically reshaped human culture, and how it continues to do so.
