August 15, 2026, 2:37 pm | Read time: 2 minutes
The Xiaomi 18 could be one of the first smartphones to feature Qualcomm’s upcoming top chip. A leak now reveals further details–and also hints at a significantly higher price.
Five Colors for the New Xiaomi Flagship Model
The information is still based on rumors, but the Xiaomi 18 could be unveiled in China as early as September. Particularly interesting are new details released by the well-known insider “Digital Chat Station.” According to these, the upcoming flagship smartphone will be available in five colors: black, white, pink, blue, and red.
In terms of design, Xiaomi apparently won’t be taking any big risks. According to the leak, the square camera module will remain in its current position at the top left on the back. This means the Xiaomi 18 will visually align closely with its predecessors. Whether the smartphone will also be available in Europe later is still uncertain.
Also of interest: Xiaomi plans smartphone with mega battery
Leak Reveals First Details on Xiaomi 18 and 18 Pro
New iPhone Could Be Super Expensive
New Snapdragon Promises Significant Speed Boost
Internally, Xiaomi could make a significant leap. The Xiaomi 18 is expected to be among the first smartphones equipped with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6. The new high-end processor is to be manufactured using the particularly modern 2-nanometer process at TSMC, potentially offering significantly more performance and efficiency.
According to current information, the chip features a self-developed Oryon CPU with eight cores, a shared 16-MB L2 cache, and an Adreno-845 GPU. It also supports faster LPDDR5X memory. In practice, this could allow the Xiaomi 18 to deliver significantly more performance in demanding apps and games compared to the current generation.
Xiaomi 18 Could Be Significantly More Expensive
The potential price details are less encouraging. The Xiaomi 18 could start at more than 5,499 yuan in China, which is approximately 710 euros. For comparison, the Xiaomi 17 was priced at 4,499 yuan at launch in China–about 580 euros.
One reason for the potential price increase is higher memory prices. Xiaomi President Lu Weibing has already warned of ongoing cost pressures. In his view, the higher costs could persist at least until the end of 2027 and may even impact prices until 2028. Whether the Xiaomi 18 will indeed be more expensive will likely be revealed with the official launch.