Last week saw the launch of the iPhone 17 series, with pre-orders following closely on September 12. That’s probably the biggest smartphone news of the month, maybe even the year, but Xiaomi has quickly followed Apple’s launch with a series of its own. Interestingly, Xiaomi has skipped the 16 series, so now the Chinese brand matches up with the iPhone.

Xiaomi’s decision to launch a Pro Max, along with its Pro and standard models, also hammers home the comparison. The previous 15 series used the ‘Ultra’ moniker. You can see Xiaomi’s range of announcements on its Weibo profile, which claims the 17 series will be released this September with three models (standard, Pro, and Pro Max).

Xiaomi 17 series appears on Geekbench

Multiple benchmarks for a new Xiaomi phone fitted with the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 processor have appeared on Geekbench. Scores vary, but the best we’ve seen so far were spotted by @Jukanlosreve on X. This is for the codenamed Xiaomi 25113PN0EC model, though it’s yet to be determined whether this is the standard model or the Pro/Pro Max. The listing reveals the device has 16GB of RAM and is running on Android 16.

Comparing the best we’ve seen from the Xiaomi 17 running on Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 with some iPhone 17 Pro benchmarks that appeared online last week (for Apple’s A19 Pro chip), we can see the CPU performance is a pretty close match. As always, these early benchmarks should be taken with a grain of salt, but it’s a solid indicator of performance so far.

A separate Xiaomi 17 listing, model number 25098PN5AC, has also been sighted. Overall, Xiaomi looks to deliver close competition to the iPhone 17 series. Based on official marketing material so far, the brand plainly says “we are directly competing with the iPhone in the same generation and at the same level” [translated].

The Xiaomi 17 is the most powerful standard flagship ever, featuring a comprehensive upgrade without increasing price. The two Pro models offer significant advancements in core technology, continuing to push the boundaries of the ultra-high-end.

The Xiaomi 17 Pro is Xiaomi’s most sophisticated compact imaging flagship; the Xiaomi 17 Pro Max is Xiaomi’s most powerful flagship in the industry.

Source: Lu Weibing on Weibo, Partner and President at Xiaomi

The success of Apple’s new range in China has been evident, easily outpacing the 16 series, so it’s a tough act to follow, but Xiaomi seems up to the challenge. Not just with the bold move to mimic Apple’s naming scheme, but with the performance to back it up. The reveal trailer also unveils an interesting “Magic Back Screen” which sets it apart from Apple’s new iPhones.

About the Author

Jack Goodall

At PC Guide, Jack is mostly responsible for reporting on hardware deals. He also specializes in monitors, TVs, and headsets and can be found putting his findings together in a review or best-of guide.