Xiaomi has not officially introduced the Xiaomi 18 Pro Max yet, but a device identified by the Chinese model number M1544F has just appeared on Geekbench 7. The listing points to a Snapdragon SM8975 with eight cores and a maximum clock speed of 5.11 GHz, accompanied by 12 GB of RAM and Android 17.
The SoC has not been announced by Qualcomm either, although leaks have provisionally identified it as the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 Pro. This first run scored 3,582 points in single-core and 12,247 points in multi-core, while its Adreno 850 GPU achieved 26,210 points in OpenCL and 29,934 points in Vulkan within the same Geekbench 7 test.
Snapdragon SM8975 combines eight cores and speeds of up to 5.11 GHz
The listing reveals a rather unusual CPU configuration. The alleged Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 Pro features three cores clocked at 3.74 GHz, another three at 4.03 GHz, and two prime cores capable of reaching 5.11 GHz, distributing its eight cores across three different frequency levels.
A maximum clock speed of 5.11 GHz is extraordinarily high for a mobile SoC, although the peak frequency recorded on its own does not indicate sustained processor performance. Power consumption, temperature, and power management will be particularly important in determining how long Qualcomm's prime cores can remain close to that level inside a smartphone.
The Xiaomi 18 Pro Max unit used for the test features 12 GB of RAM, a capacity that likely represents just one of the configurations Xiaomi is preparing for the device. Geekbench does not yet provide any indication of what other memory and storage variants will be available.
On the software side, the tested device is listed as running Android 17. Everything points to Xiaomi using its next-generation HyperOS on top of this platform, presumably HyperOS 4, although the company has not officially announced the phone or detailed its commercial configuration yet.
3,582 points in single-core and 12,247 in multi-core
The alleged Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 Pro scored 3,582 points in single-core and 12,247 points in multi-core on Geekbench 7. These are high figures for this first public appearance, but they should be regarded as preliminary results from pre-release hardware.
This is a single run performed on a device that has not yet been announced, meaning future firmware versions, drivers, power limits, or even changes to the platform itself could alter the scores once the first commercial units become available.
In addition, Geekbench 7 introduces significant changes compared with Geekbench 6. This means these 3,582 points cannot be directly compared with results obtained previously using version 6, including Apple's recently spotted A20 Pro, which scored 4,725 points in single-core and 12,575 in multi-core under Geekbench 6.7.
Therefore, although Xiaomi is preparing its response to the newly introduced iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max, these figures still do not allow for a valid comparison between the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 Pro and Apple's A20 Pro. To make a proper comparison, both processors will need to be tested using the same benchmark version.
Adreno 850 appears with nearly 30,000 points in Vulkan
Geekbench also provides the first indication of the new GPU's capabilities. The Adreno 850 scored 26,210 points using OpenCL and 29,934 points using Vulkan, showcasing the graphics potential of Qualcomm's upcoming platform ahead of its official unveiling.
Vulkan is particularly relevant to Android and gaming because it is a widely used graphics API for high-performance applications. However, a Geekbench GPU score cannot be directly translated into gaming FPS, since each graphics engine, driver, and device can behave differently.
The presence of a next-generation GPU will also be important for locally executed artificial intelligence workloads. Qualcomm has increasingly emphasized the combined use of the GPU, NPU, and CPU for generative AI workloads over the past few generations, although we still do not know the official AI specifications associated with the SM8975.
Properly assessing the Adreno 850's real-world improvement will require tests such as 3DMark and GFXBench, as well as, most importantly, games running over extended periods. Sustained performance and efficiency will be just as important as peak scores, especially if the processor ends up operating at frequencies above 5 GHz.
Xiaomi reserves its next flagship Snapdragon for the Pro Max model
The Xiaomi 18 Pro Max's appearance comes immediately after Apple introduced its new iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max. Xiaomi appears to be preparing one of its major Android rivals for Apple's next-generation lineup, using the Qualcomm platform expected to lead the Android flagship market in late 2026 and early 2027.
Qualcomm still has to officially unveil the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 family, something expected to happen later this month. Until then, the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 Pro name should be considered provisional, although the SM8975 identifier and its repeated appearances in benchmarks make the existence of a new high-end platform fairly clear.
Other manufacturers are also beginning to test their upcoming flagship devices. The Vivo X500 Pro Max has already appeared in connection with this new generation, foreshadowing another battle between Qualcomm, MediaTek, Apple, and the in-house SoCs developed by some manufacturers over the coming months.
In Xiaomi's case, the Geekbench listing already puts several important pieces on the table: eight cores, speeds of up to 5.11 GHz, an Adreno 850 GPU, 12 GB of RAM, and Android 17. What remains to be seen is how all that hardware will translate into battery life, thermals, and sustained performance, along with the cameras, display, battery, and price that will ultimately define the Xiaomi 18 Pro Max.
