Xiaomi 18 series chipsets and cameras tipped, could adopt a tiered strategy to keep prices in check
Xiaomi has yet to launch its flagship Xiaomi 17 series in global markets but the next series is already being talked about. Early leaks suggest the Xiaomi 18 lineup will split more clearly between base and Pro models this time. Most of the information comes from tipster Digital Chat Station on Weibo, and it centres on Qualcomm’s upcoming chip strategy and camera upgrades.
Qualcomm is expected to announce two chips in September – the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 and the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 Pro. The Pro version is tipped to be the company’s most powerful smartphone chip for the time to come. According to the leak, the standard Xiaomi 18 may use the regular 8 Elite Gen 6, while the 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max could step up to the Pro processor.
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The likely reason is cost. The Pro chip is said to support newer standards like LPDDR6 RAM and higher GPU configurations, which would increase the overall price of the phone. By using the non-Pro chip in the Xiaomi 18, Xiaomi could keep the base model at a more competitive flagship price, while reserving the top silicon for higher-end versions.
For context, the Xiaomi 17 and 17 Pro both ran on the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 and used 6.3-inch LTPO AMOLED displays. They were positioned as compact flagships in a market full of larger 6.7-inch phones. The Xiaomi 18 is now rumoured to move to a 6.4-inch display. That is a small increase on paper, but it may give Xiaomi extra room internally for camera hardware or thermal management without changing the overall feel too much. The Pro models are expected to stay close to the same size.
Cameras could be where the gap narrows between models. The Xiaomi 17 Pro featured a 50MP periscope telephoto camera with 5x optical zoom, while the standard Xiaomi 17 used a more basic telephoto lens. This time, the Xiaomi 18 is expected to get a periscope camera as well, possibly the same 50MP f/3.0 unit used in the 17 Pro. That alone would address one of the key differences between last year’s base and Pro versions.
There are also claims that the Xiaomi 18 Pro, Pro Max and Ultra could feature a 200MP periscope telephoto camera, with some reports suggesting dual 200MP sensors for the main and zoom cameras on the Pro models. If that happens, Xiaomi would be competing more directly with brands like OPPO and Vivo in the high-resolution zoom space.
The Pro models are also expected to retain the rear secondary display seen on the Xiaomi 17 Pro, though with more use cases. However, it’s unclear whether they’ll be launched outside of home territory.
Xiaomi is likely to unveil the 18 series in China in September, shortly after Qualcomm announces its new chips. As always, the final picture will depend on pricing and real-world performance, but on paper, the focus on updated silicon and stronger zoom hardware suggest exciting upgrades. Buyers should wait for more information on pricing to think of a purchase decision.
