We know how much the Xiaomi 18 Pro Max could cost. It will be the most expensive Xiaomi flagship in history

Updated 23. 9. 2026: Xiaomi 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max have already been officially unveiled. Real prices, full specs, and availability are in the article Xiaomi 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max are here. The text below reflects expectations from before the premiere.

Xiaomi has already shown the first glimpse of its new flagship phone and the series launch is coming Xiaomi 18 any time now. But this year, something changed that we’ve not been used to for years: there won’t be an Ultra model at the top of the lineup. And according to the leaks so far, it won’t be any cheaper either.

Updated 20.9. 2026 at 17:45: New reports directly from the manufacturer!

SmartphonesAlso read · SmartphonesFor the first time, Xiaomi has officially unveiled the expected Xiaomi 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max flagships! Here’s the official presentation date.Read article

No Ultra this year—the top spot goes to 18 Pro Max

That the Ultra series will drop out this year was first said by the insider Kartikey Singh. According to him, Xiaomi will unveil within the eighteen lineup only three phones and Xiaomi 18 Ultra will not be among them—its place at the top will be taken by Xiaomi 18 Pro Max. The reason is supposed to be memory and storage that have gotten much more expensive over the last year.

Worth adding one thing that gets lost in the headlines. The well-known Chinese leaker Digital Chat Station claims that Ultra development is paused, not stopped—Xiaomi is supposed to return to it with the next generation as Xiaomi 19 Ultra. So it’s not the end of the entire series, just skipping one year. The manufacturer hasn’t commented on it, so everything we know today comes from leaks.

Such prices are expected from the Xiaomi 18 series

A summary of the expected global pricing was put together by the site XimiTime. Xiaomi 18 Pro is said to be in the range of $1,249 to $1,349, with the flagship Xiaomi 18 Pro Max between $1,399 and $1,499. The base Xiaomi 18 should start somewhere between 899 and 999 dollars.

If that sounds like a lot, you’re right—it’s more than we’re used to with regular Xiaomi flagship phones. The explanation is the same as with the canceled Ultra model: memory and storage have become significantly more expensive, and manufacturers pass that on in the final prices. Xiaomi isn’t alone in this either—this year, competitors’ prices have moved in the same direction.

At least the good news is that the phones will reach us at all. According to the information so far, Xiaomi 18, 18 Pro, and 18 Pro Max will go to Europe—it would be the first series where we’ll also get the top model.

Equipment that Xiaomi charges more for

For the camera, there’s talk of a pair of 200 MPx SmartSens sensors with LOFIC 3.0 technology and a 1/1.28-inch size, with one of them expected to be periscope-based. Performance will be handled by Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 Pro, which has already shown up in Geekbench with two cores at 5.11 GHz. A new feature is also supposed to be a separate AI button for HyperOS functions.

For the Pro Max, there’s also mention of a battery with a capacity of around 8,500 mAh and a significantly larger secondary display on the back. What’s also interesting is the return of the transparent version, which older fans will remember from the Mi 10 Ultra— it was always one of the most sought-after variants.

When will the phones arrive?

According to the current schedule, in September 2026 in China Xiaomi will unveil the 18 Pro, 18 Pro Max, and the already announced Xiaomi 18 Fold. The standard Xiaomi 18 will have to wait much longer—it’s expected in December, or possibly in early 2027. Internally, the models are tracked under codename names: Venice (base), Hongkong (Pro), and Madrid (Pro Max).

Take everything above and treat it as what it really is: a collection of leaks ahead of the launch. Prices for flagship phones can change literally up to the very last day, and the European price tags for Xiaomi are set separately. However, the official figures won’t last long—the launch is a matter of days.

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