There's no escaping that the new Xiaomi 17 Pro and Pro Max have a lot in common with Apple's latest iPhones. The naming conventions, for one thing, Xiaomi conveniently skipped a 16th version of its phones and went straight to calling its new one No. 17. To keep pace with Apple? I couldn't possibly say.
Then there's the design, with a rear bar that stretches across the top of the phone's back, much like the camera plateau on Apple's iPhone 17 Pro. Except that Xiaomi's bar is something radically different.
It's a second display tucked into each phone designed to act as a clock, a notifications panel or a photo preview for taking selfies with the rear camera. It echoes back to the 1.1-inch screen on the Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra. I'm not sure exactly what the best use is for it, and I don't even know if it's a feature I particularly want, but it's there, and maybe it'll be the next big thing.
The Xiaomi 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max run on Android 16 with the company's HyperOS software running on top. Andrew Lanxon/CNET
The phones also have a brand-new Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 processor, which will be the default chip on most flagship Android phones going into 2026.
Xiaomi took the wraps off its 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max at an event in Beijing, and while I've been able to get phones in my hand for early testing, they're running China-specific software right now, meaning my experience with the phones is limited. The phones will get a global release, likely toward the end of the year or early 2026 -- perhaps during CES 2026. Certainly, we expect the company to unveil the Xiaomi 17 Ultra (the update to the photography-focused Xiaomi 15 Ultra) at Mobile World Congress in late February.
Here's what struck me about the phone so far.
The Xiaomi 17 Pro has 2 displays
The rear display could be used with a case for a gaming mode of sorts. Xiaomi
The second 2.66-inch screen on the back of the phone is certainly the standout addition here. Dual-screen phones aren't unique (especially if you consider the outer displays on foldables like the Galaxy Z Flip range), but they're certainly unusual to see on a candybar phone like this. Xiaomi says it serves several potential purposes: It can be a clock, show incoming notifications and even run video games.
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