Don’t buy the Pro just yet: This smaller, metal flagship could be worth the wait

Apple deferred the launch of the base iPhone 18 model this year, releasing only the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. Consequently, many Chinese OEMs, such as Xiaomi, also deferred the launch of their base Xiaomi 18 flagship, releasing only the Xiaomi 18 Pro and Xiaomi 18 Pro Max instead. While the Xiaomi 18 Pro series’ leaked global pricing already sounds painful, new leaks show that it might just be worth waiting for the base Xiaomi 18 instead.

According to reliable tipster Smart Pikachu on Weibo, the base Xiaomi 18 retains its small(er)-screen form factor while taking major design cues from its larger sibling.

The device is tipped to sport an expansive camera island in the top-left corner, paired with a distinct two-tone metal-splicing finish across the rear chassis. Xiaomi is also reportedly prepping fresh color options to complement the updated industrial design.

Under the hood, the compact flagship looks poised to deliver top-tier performance without any real size-related compromises. The leak claims the Xiaomi 18 will run on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6, paired with a massive ~7,000mAh battery, which would be a notable leap in battery capacity for a small-format Android handset.

Imaging could see an equally aggressive overhaul. The leaker notes a “dual 200MP” camera setup for the standard Xiaomi 18 flagship. Beyond the core spec sheet, the tipster notes that the Xiaomi 18 Pro’s Smart Privacy Display won’t be passed down to the vanilla Xiaomi 18 flagship.

Xiaomi has maintained a strong track record of packing flagship silicon, capable cameras, and other impressive specs into a manageable footprint. If these battery and sensor upgrades materialize, the standard Xiaomi 18 could stand out as one of the most balanced pocketable flagships on the market.

The pricing and availability situation is up in the air, though, but it’s a given that this would be fundamentally cheaper than its Pro siblings. If the Xiaomi 18 Pro’s price puts you off, you can wait until the Xiaomi 18 launches. Hopefully Xiaomi doesn’t wait until the iPhone 18’s launch to launch the Xiaomi 18.