Xiaomi is bringing its 18 Pro Max to international markets next week, but buyers outside China won’t be getting quite the same phone, with a smaller battery and less RAM than the original model.
Ahead of the global launch on 17 November, an Amazon Japan listing has revealed that the international version will come with a 7,050mAh battery, down from the enormous 8,500mAh cell found in the Chinese model. That’s a reduction of around 17%, confirming earlier reports that Xiaomi would be changing some of the hardware for its overseas release.
It’s a fairly substantial cut, particularly when battery capacity was one of the biggest talking points when the Xiaomi 18 Pro Max first launched in China on 23 September. That said, 7,050mAh is hardly a small battery. It still comfortably exceeds the 5,000mAh capacity of Samsung’s Galaxy S26 Ultra, although actual battery life will depend on more than the size of the cell.
The other compromise comes with memory. Xiaomi’s Japanese specifications indicate that the global model will be limited to 12GB of RAM, whereas Chinese buyers can opt for a 16GB configuration.
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For most everyday tasks, 12GB should still be plenty, even on a flagship phone. However, the missing 16GB option could disappoint buyers who want the highest specification available, especially given the high price Xiaomi is reportedly planning to charge.
Storage choices are also more straightforward, with the international model expected to come in 256GB and 512GB configurations. Buyers will reportedly have four colours to choose from: Black, Cosmic Blue, Velvet Red and White.
Beyond those differences, Xiaomi has been busy teasing the phone’s secondary display on its global social media channels. The rear screen was one of the more unusual features of the Chinese launch, and its prominence in the latest promotional material suggests Xiaomi is keen to make it a selling point internationally too.
Pricing remains the other big question. Amazon Japan hasn’t disclosed how much the phone will cost, although previous leaks have pointed to a starting price of €1,799 in Europe. That figure remains unconfirmed, and there’s no official UK price yet.
With the global launch now just days away, Xiaomi won’t have long to explain why international buyers are getting a smaller battery and fewer memory options. The 18 Pro Max still looks well equipped on paper, but at a rumoured price approaching €1,800, those differences are harder to overlook.
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