Xiaomi Confirms: 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max Coming to Europe in November
If you were looking forward to the Xiaomi 18 Pro or 18 Pro Max, you no longer need to import them. Both phones will be available in European stores this month after their release in China in September. Whether this is good news depends on how much you value a smaller battery.
Xiaomi announced the November launch via a brief post on its social media channels, but has yet to reveal a date or price. "Say hi, world! The Xiaomi 18 Pro series is coming worldwide in November,” the brand writes, followed by an invitation to share which market you’re most looking forward to. At the Chinese launch on September 23, Xiaomi had already announced an international release, though at that time also without a specific date.
What Xiaomi has and hasn’t confirmed
So the only thing that’s certain is the month. Xiaomi has not yet officially confirmed that the European Xiaomi 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max differ from the Chinese versions, but it was already apparent at the time of the announcement. The European energy labels later confirmed what we had already suspected: the 18 Pro here comes with a 6000 mAh battery (China: 7000 mAh) and the 18 Pro Max with a 7050 mAh battery (China: 8500 mAh). Furthermore, the 18 Pro charges at 90 watts instead of 100 watts; the Pro Max retains its 100 watts. Since there is less battery capacity to charge, charging times will differ little in practice. However, a smaller battery does mean fewer hours per charge.
European version: smaller battery, higher price
Prices were also leaked earlier, and we listed them in a previous post alongside the import prices. In short: according to those leaks, the European 18 Pro starts at €1399 and the 18 Pro Max at €1599, with 12GB of RAM across all variants. That is a significant price increase. Last year, the Xiaomi 17 came to Europe for €999 and the 17 Ultra for €1499. The 18 Pro thus lands just below the price point of last year’s Ultra, and the Pro Max goes another €100 beyond that, even though European buyers actually get a smaller battery than their Chinese counterparts. Xiaomi will have to explain at launch exactly what you are getting in return for that extra cost.
Wait for European release or import?
We have already tested the Xiaomi 18 Pro as an import model, with its privacy screen on the front and the rear screen, which now has more uses. We praised it for its long battery life, powerful performance, and remarkably strong vibration motor. Our imported model also had some shortcomings, but we were able to resolve most of them, as you can read in our Xiaomi 18 Pro review.
With the European version, you are mainly buying peace of mind: a warranty through Xiaomi Netherlands, Google services, and Dutch as the system language without any workarounds. Android Auto, eSIM, and 5G on the 700 and 1800 MHz bands used by Dutch carriers also work without hassle. On the other hand, you sacrifice battery life and charging speed, and—based on the leaks—you pay between 28 and 39 percent more than you would for an import.
If a larger battery and saving a few hundred euros are worth it to you, and you do not mind doing some setup work, you are probably better off with an import. If you just want a phone that works right out of the box, wait for the launch—and especially the final price.
