Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsOn published specifications, the Xiaomi 18 Pro Max is the stronger value for most buyers: it has an 8,500mAh battery, 200MP Leica main and periscope cameras, more storage choices and a 6.9-inch privacy display. The Huawei Mate 90 Pro Max is the more distinctive choice if you prefer Huawei’s variable-aperture camera, HarmonyOS and Huawei’s charging ecosystem. Neither phone has enough independent testing yet to prove better real-world camera quality, battery endurance or sustained performance.
Key specifications at a glance
| Specification | Xiaomi 18 Pro Max | Huawei Mate 90 Pro Max |
|---|---|---|
| Announcement | September 24, 2026 | October 1, 2026 |
| Display | 6.9-inch privacy display | 6.9-inch, 2848×1320 (PhoneArena database) |
| Processor | Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 | Not stated in the cited specifications |
| Rear cameras | 200MP Leica main, 200MP Leica periscope and 50MP ultrawide | Triple camera system; 50MP main with variable f/1.4–f/4.0 aperture (PhoneArena database) |
| Front cameras | Not stated in the cited specifications | 13MP autofocus ultrawide plus 3D depth camera |
| Battery | 8,500mAh Xiaomi Jinsha River battery | 6,800mAh typical; 6,615mAh rated |
| Wired charging | 100W | 100W SuperCharge |
| Wireless charging | 50W | 50W Huawei wireless SuperCharge |
| Reverse charging | Not stated in the cited specifications | 18W wired reverse charging |
| Operating system | HyperOS 4 | HarmonyOS |
The figures come primarily from the manufacturers’ China-market pages, with PhoneArena’s database used as secondary confirmation for several Huawei fields. A specification sheet cannot establish camera processing, heat management, modem performance or battery life away from a test bench.
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Battery and charging: Xiaomi has the larger reserve
Xiaomi’s 8,500mAh advantage
Xiaomi lists an 8,500mAh battery, 1,700mAh more than Huawei’s published 6,800mAh typical capacity. Android Central independently reports the same Xiaomi capacity. That extra reserve should give the Xiaomi more headroom for long camera sessions, gaming, navigation and travel, although actual endurance depends on display brightness, network conditions, software and temperature.
The Xiaomi supports 100W wired and 50W wireless charging. The manufacturer calls the cell its “Xiaomi Jinsha River battery.” No independent charging-time or battery-runtime result is available, so the wattage should not be treated as a guaranteed top-up time.
#1 Best Overall
- International Model - No Warranty in US. USA ONLY COMPATIBLE WITH TMOBILE / MINT, TELLO GLOBAL VERSION . ****** Does NOT Work With Verizon Sprint Boost Metro Pcs At&t Cricket ***** . Unlocked Worldwide . - FCC ID: 2AFZZPNFAG
- Dual Nano sim 5G + eSIM (No micro SD support): 5G: Supports NSA + SA5G: 5G SA: 5G SA: n1/2/3/5/7/8/12/20/25/26/28/38/40/41/48/66/71/75/ 77/78/79 5G NSA: n1/2/3/5/7/8/20/28/38/40/41/66/71/75/77/78/79 : 4G: LTE FDD: B1/2/3/4/5/7/8/12/13/17/18/19/20/25/26/28/32/66/71 4G: LTE TDD: B38/39/40/41/42/48: 3G: UMTS: B1/2/4/5/6/8/192G: GSM: B2/3/5/8 Supports 4x4 MIMO
- Leica Summilux optical lensVARIO-APO-SUMMILUX 1:1.67-2.9/14-100 ASPH.Leica 23mm main camera50MPLight Fusion 1050L image sensor1" sensor size3.2μm 4-in-1 Super Pixelƒ/1.67OIS23mm equivalent focal lengthLeica 200MP 75-100mm telephoto200MPSamsung HPE image sensor1/1.4" sensor size2.24μm 16-in-1 pixel sizeƒ/2.39-ƒ/2.Rear camera video recording8K (7680x4320) video recording at 30fps4K (3840x2160) Dolby Vision video recording at 30fps, 60fps, 120fps1080p (1920x1080) Dolby Vision video recording at 30fps, 60fps720p (1280x720) video recording at 30fpsLog video recording up to 4K at 120fpsAcademy Color Encoding SystemSlow motion video
- 6.9" Xiaomi HyperRGB OLED display (174.5mm)Xiaomi Shield Glass 3.0Resolution: 2608 x 1200 Xiaomi HyperRGBRefresh rate: 1-120HzTouch sampling rate: Up to 300HzColor gamut: DCI-P3Color depth: 12bitBrightness: 3500 nits multi-scenario peak brightnessEye-care DC dimmingOriginal color PRO | Pro HDR | Wet touch technologyHDR10+, Dolby VisionTÜV Rheinland Low Blue Light (Hardware Solution) CertifiedTÜV Rheinland Flicker Free CertifiedTÜV Rheinland Circadian Friendly Certified
- Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 Mobile Platform3nm manufacturing processCPU:2 x Prime Core, up to 4.6GHz6 x Performance Core, up to 3.62GHzGPU:Adreno GPUAI:Qualcomm AI engine
Huawei’s charging options
Huawei specifies a 6,800mAh typical battery and a 6,615mAh rated capacity, with 100W wired SuperCharge and 50W wireless SuperCharge. It also supports 18W wired reverse charging, which can be useful for earbuds or another phone. Huawei’s documentation does not establish a reverse-wireless mode in the cited specifications.
Battery verdict: Xiaomi is the logical pick if capacity is your priority. Huawei matches the headline wired and wireless charging rates and adds documented 18W wired reverse charging, but its smaller battery remains a hardware disadvantage for heavy users.
Camera hardware: resolution versus variable aperture
What Xiaomi is offering
Xiaomi’s system combines a 200MP Leica high-dynamic-range main camera, a 200MP Leica periscope camera and a 50MP ultrawide. A 200MP periscope is unusually explicit hardware for long-range photography: it gives the phone a high-resolution sensor dedicated to telephoto work rather than relying only on digital crop. The Leica branding describes Xiaomi’s imaging partnership, but it does not by itself guarantee better images than Huawei.
Rank #2
- International Model - No Warranty in US. USA ONLY COMPATIBLE WITH TMOBILE / MINT, TELLO GLOBAL VERSION . ****** Does NOT Work With Verizon Sprint Boost Metro Pcs At&t Cricket ***** . Unlocked Worldwide . - FCC ID: 2AFZZPNFAG
- Dual Nano sim 5G + eSIM (No micro SD support): 5G: Supports NSA + SA5G: 5G SA: 1/2/3/5/7/8/12/20/25/26/28/38/40/41/48/66/75/77/78 5G NSA: n1/3/5/7/8/20/28/38/40/41/66/75/77/78: 4G: LTE FDD: B1/2/3/4/5/7/8/12/13/17/18/19/20/25/26/28/32/66/71 4G: LTE TDD: B38/39/40/41/42/48: 3G: UMTS: B1/2/4/5/6/8/192G: GSM: B2/3/5/8 Supports 4x4 MIMO
- Leica Summilux optical lensVARIO-SUMMILUX 1:1.67-3.0/15-115 ASPH.Leica 23mm main camera50MPLight Fusion 9502.4μm 4-in-1 Super Pixelf/1.67OIS23mm equivalent focal lengthLeica 115mm periscope telephoto50MPf/3.0OIS115mm equivalent focal lengthLeica 15mm ultra-wide camera12MPf/2.215mm equivalent focal length120º FOV Rear camera video recording8K (7680 x 4320) video recording at 30fps4K video recording at 120fps p (190+ (1280 x 720) video recording at 30fpsLog video recording up to 4K at 30fps, 60fpsSlow-motion video recording:- 720p at 120fps, 240fps, 480fps, 960fps, 1920fpootSteady
- 6.83" 144Hz eye-care AMOLED displayCorning Gorilla Glass 7iResolution: 1.5K, 2772 x 1280, 447 PPIRefresh rate: Up to 144Hz refresh rate*Touch sampling rate: Up to 480Hz, 3500Hz instantaneous*Color gamut: 100% DCI-P3Color depth: 12bit, 68 billion colorsBrightness: 600 (typ), 2000 (HBM)Peak brightness: 3500nits (UHBM) @APL25 dimmingOriginal color PRO | Pro HDR | Wet Touch Technology 2.0 | Xiaomi Vision Care*HDR10+, Dolby VisionTÜV Rheinland Low Blue Light (Hardware Solution) CertifiedTÜV Rheinland Flicker Free CertifiedTÜV Rheinland Circadian Friendly CertifiedTÜV Rheinland Intelligent Eye Care Certified
- MediaTek Dimensity 95003nm processCPU:1 x C1-Ultra, up to 4.21GHz3 x C1-Premium, up to 3.5GHz4 x C1-Pro, up to 2.7GHzGPU: Mali G1-UltraAI: NPU 990
Huawei’s variable-aperture approach
PhoneArena lists Huawei’s main camera as 50MP with a variable f/1.4–f/4.0 aperture. Changing the aperture lets the lens admit more light at the wide setting or increase depth of field and control exposure at narrower settings. Huawei’s official specification also lists a 13MP autofocus ultrawide front camera and a 3D depth camera, a combination aimed at autofocus selfies and depth-aware features.
The cited Huawei information confirms a triple rear-camera system but does not provide the full resolution and focal-length breakdown for every rear camera. Xiaomi’s published page is more explicit about its rear-camera resolutions.
Which camera system should you choose?
- Choose Xiaomi on paper if you value maximum sensor resolution and a dedicated 200MP periscope for distant subjects.
- Choose Huawei if you value optical aperture control and Huawei’s approach to exposure and depth rendering.
- Wait for independent samples if your decision depends on night photography, skin tones, moving subjects, stabilization or video. No reliable independent test suite for this pair was located.
Displays and privacy
Xiaomi lists a 6.9-inch privacy display. A privacy layer is intended to narrow viewing angles so people beside you see less of the screen, which can matter on public transport or in offices. The cited Xiaomi specifications do not establish its resolution, refresh-rate behavior or how much the privacy mode affects brightness.
Rank #3
- International Model - No Warranty in US. USA ONLY COMPATIBLE WITH TMOBILE / MINT, TELLO GLOBAL VERSION . ****** Does NOT Work With Verizon Sprint Boost Metro Pcs At&t Cricket ***** . Unlocked Worldwide . - FCC ID: 2AFZZPNFAG
- Dual Nano sim 5G + eSIM (No micro SD support): 5G: Supports NSA + SA5G: 5G SA: 5G SA: n1/2/3/5/7/8/12/20/25/26/28/38/40/41/48/66/71/75/ 77/78/79 5G NSA: n1/2/3/5/7/8/20/28/38/40/41/66/71/75/77/78/79 : 4G: LTE FDD: B1/2/3/4/5/7/8/12/13/17/18/19/20/25/26/28/32/66/71 4G: LTE TDD: B38/39/40/41/42/48: 3G: UMTS: B1/2/4/5/6/8/192G: GSM: B2/3/5/8 Supports 4x4 MIMO
- Leica Summilux optical lensVARIO-APO-SUMMILUX 1:1.67-2.9/14-100 ASPH.Leica 23mm main camera50MPLight Fusion 1050L image sensor1" sensor size3.2μm 4-in-1 Super Pixelƒ/1.67OIS23mm equivalent focal lengthLeica 200MP 75-100mm telephoto200MPSamsung HPE image sensor1/1.4" sensor size2.24μm 16-in-1 pixel sizeƒ/2.39-ƒ/2.Rear camera video recording8K (7680x4320) video recording at 30fps4K (3840x2160) Dolby Vision video recording at 30fps, 60fps, 120fps1080p (1920x1080) Dolby Vision video recording at 30fps, 60fps720p (1280x720) video recording at 30fpsLog video recording up to 4K at 120fpsAcademy Color Encoding SystemSlow motion video
- 6.9" Xiaomi HyperRGB OLED display (174.5mm)Xiaomi Shield Glass 3.0Resolution: 2608 x 1200 Xiaomi HyperRGBRefresh rate: 1-120HzTouch sampling rate: Up to 300HzColor gamut: DCI-P3Color depth: 12bitBrightness: 3500 nits multi-scenario peak brightnessEye-care DC dimmingOriginal color PRO | Pro HDR | Wet touch technologyHDR10+, Dolby VisionTÜV Rheinland Low Blue Light (Hardware Solution) CertifiedTÜV Rheinland Flicker Free CertifiedTÜV Rheinland Circadian Friendly Certified
- Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 Mobile Platform3nm manufacturing processCPU:2 x Prime Core, up to 4.6GHz6 x Performance Core, up to 3.62GHzGPU:Adreno GPUAI:Qualcomm AI engine
Huawei is listed with a 6.9-inch 2848×1320 display in PhoneArena’s database. That database entry is useful as secondary confirmation, but Huawei’s regional specification sheet should take priority for the exact panel and feature set in the market where you buy.
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On screen size, the phones are effectively matched. Xiaomi has the clearer differentiator because it explicitly advertises privacy hardware; Huawei’s advantage cannot be established without a comparable privacy feature in its specifications.
Performance and sustained use
Xiaomi names Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6. Huawei’s cited specification does not name its processor. That makes Xiaomi easier to evaluate from a component perspective, but a chip name alone does not prove faster long sessions: cooling design, software scheduling and power limits determine sustained performance.
Rank #4
- This phone is unlocked and compatible with any carrier of choice on GSM and CDMA networks (e.g. AT&T, T-Mobile, Sprint, Verizon, US Cellular, Cricket, Metro, Tracfone, Mint Mobile, etc.).
- Please check with your carrier to verify compatibility.
- When you receive the phone, insert a SIM card from a compatible carrier. Then, turn it on, connect to Wi-Fi, and follow the on screen prompts to activate service.
- The device does not come with headphones or a SIM card. It does include a generic (Mfi certified) charger and charging cable.
- Tested for battery health and guaranteed to have a minimum battery capacity of 80%.
There are no reliable independent tests in the available material covering frame rates, throttling, thermal surface temperatures or long-term performance. Buyers who play demanding games or render video should treat both phones as unbenchmarked until testing for the exact regional firmware appears.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Software, apps and regional compatibility
HyperOS 4 on Xiaomi
Xiaomi ships the 18 Pro Max with HyperOS 4. The China-market edition may differ from an international release in preinstalled services, language options, notification behavior and supported payment features. Xiaomi said the series would launch internationally during 2026, but country-by-country dates, configurations and prices were not established.
HarmonyOS on Huawei
Huawei lists HarmonyOS. The experience, available app catalog and system services can vary substantially by country and by whether a handset is a China edition or a regional model. Banking, transit, streaming, workplace-management and contactless-payment apps should be checked individually before importing.
Best Value
- PRIVACY DISPLAY: Automatically hide your screen from those beside you. The built-in privacy display can be preset¹ to turn on when receiving notifications, typing passwords, or using specific apps
- TYPE IT IN. TRANSFORM IT FAST: Enhance any shot in seconds on your smartphone by using Photo Assist² with Galaxy AI.³ Add objects, restore details, or apply new styles by simply typing or tapping
- NIGHTS, CAPTURED CLEARLY: From gigs to city lights, record and capture moments after dark with clarity using Nightography so your photos and videos stay crisp and clear on your Samsung Galaxy
- MAKE IT. EDIT IT. SHARE IT: Turn everyday moments into something personal with creative tools built right into your mobile phone, whether it’s a special contact photo, custom wallpaper, an invitation or more⁴
- HELP THAT KEEPS UP: Stay in the moment while Now Nudge with Galaxy AI helps you respond faster and stay organized with smart suggestions⁵ that appear exactly when you need them on your phone
Import checks before paying
- Confirm the exact model number and whether it is a China edition or an officially sold regional version.
- Compare the phone’s 4G and 5G bands with your carrier’s bands, including low-band coverage used outside cities.
- Verify language support, app-store access, Google or other required services, banking and payment compatibility.
- Ask the seller who provides warranty service, where repairs are performed and whether the warranty is valid in your country.
- Calculate import tax, customs fees, return shipping and any regional charger or plug requirements.
- Check whether cases, screen protectors and the manufacturer’s 100W or 50W chargers are available locally.
Storage configurations and China pricing
Reported China pricing gives Xiaomi a broad range of memory and storage options. These are approximate euro equivalents, not confirmed European retail prices:
| Configuration | Approximate China-equivalent price |
|---|---|
| 12GB RAM / 256GB storage | €1,045 |
| 12GB RAM / 512GB storage | €1,194 |
| 16GB RAM / 512GB storage | €1,343 |
| 16GB RAM / 1TB storage | €1,492 |
Android Central reports Xiaomi configurations up to 16GB/1TB. PhoneArena lists Huawei’s base configuration as 12GB/512GB. The cited material does not establish Huawei’s complete storage ladder or a directly comparable launch price, so the Xiaomi figures should not be read as a price comparison for both phones.
Global availability, warranty and accessories
The cited Huawei and Xiaomi product pages are China-market pages. Xiaomi has announced an international launch during 2026, but the available reports do not give a confirmed launch date, local price or country list. Huawei’s product page confirms the Mate 90 Pro Max is an active Mate 90 product, not that it is sold in every region.
For either phone, local retail availability matters as much as the specification sheet. An imported handset can lose value if it lacks your carrier’s bands, cannot run essential services, has no local warranty or requires costly returns to China. Accessory compatibility is another practical issue: confirm that the charger supports the phone’s advertised charging mode and that cases and protectors fit the exact model.
Which flagship is worth buying?
Buy the Xiaomi 18 Pro Max when
- You want the largest published battery: 8,500mAh.
- You prioritize high-resolution Leica main and periscope cameras.
- You want a documented 16GB/1TB option.
- A 6.9-inch privacy display is useful to you.
- You can verify local bands, software services and warranty for the version you plan to import.
Buy the Huawei Mate 90 Pro Max when
- You specifically want a variable-aperture 50MP main camera.
- You prefer HarmonyOS and Huawei’s accessory and charging ecosystem.
- You need documented 18W wired reverse charging.
- The Huawei model is officially supported in your country, or you have confirmed that the China edition meets your app and carrier needs.
For a buyer choosing strictly from published hardware, Xiaomi offers more capacity, clearer camera specifications and more storage flexibility. Huawei earns consideration for its variable-aperture imaging design, front depth hardware and reverse charging. The final decision should be made only after checking the regional software, network and warranty details; those can outweigh a paper advantage in battery size or megapixels.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
