Why you should choose the Xiaomi 17 Pro Max over the iPhone 17 Pro Max
The Xiaomi 17 Pro Max offers superior battery life, faster charging, and a unique secondary screen, making it a more cost-effective and feature-rich alternative to the iPhone 17 Pro Max. Picture: Xiaomi
Image: Xiaomi
While Apple made a big splash, as usual, with the release of its new fleet of iPhone 17 models, another major competitor might just offer a far better bang for your buck in a smartphone that’s just as good, if not better.
The phone in question is the Xiaomi 17 Pro Max which was released last week in China, and like its name suggests, it’s a direct competitor to the iPhone 17 Pro Max.
The big difference between the phones, aside from the operating systems (iOS v Android), is the groundbreaking new secondary screen next to the rear camera on the Xiaomi 17 Pro and Xiaomi 17 Pro Max.
This allows the user to see exactly what the main camera has in frame while taking a selfie.
Xiaomi Outshines iPhone Pro Max with Superior Battery Life and Faster Charging
The traditional front-facing camera used for selfies is therefore rendered redundant by comparison.
This feature alone should pique the interests of any person wanting to buy the latest and greatest phone on the market.
While most of the other features of the phones are quite similar, the Xiaomi is a clear winner in another important department - battery life. While the iPhone Pro Max has the best battery of any iPhone with a 4832mAh cell allowing 39 or 41 depending on the SIM model, the Xiaomi should be significantly superior.
The Xiaomi boasts an incredible 7500mAh battery and also offers faster charging with 100W capability as opposed to Apple’s 45W offering.
Xiaomi Offers Better Value with Lower Price and Enhanced Features
Apple fans will point out that Xiaomi has copied most of the features of the latest iPhone, but it has done so with a couple of definite quality-of-life improvements.
For South African buyers, though, there’s a hitch. It’s only currently available in China, but it goes for around R14,489. In South Africa, the iPhone 17 Pro Max starts at R31,299 from the iStore.
Of course, there’s a significant amount added to the purchase price for tech like iPhones in South Africa as the same model would cost the equivalent of R20,639 in the USA.
It’s difficult to say then what this Xiaomi model will cost when it comes to South Africa (rumoured to be in early 2026), but it will definitely be less than its iPhone competitor.
Therefore, along with its lower price, improved battery, and handy secondary screen for the camera, the Xiaomi is the better value buy.
It’s probably worth waiting for.