Inside China Tech
Xiaomi has unveiled its first “mid-fold” smartphone, the Xiaomi 18 Fold, at a launch event on September 7. Lei Jun said the device has been in development for 20 months and is positioned as Xiaomi’s most premium smartphone to date, sitting between compact clamshells and large book-style foldables.
The Xiaomi 18 Fold starts at RMB 10,999 and debuts the 3nm XRING O3 AI flagship SoC alongside the first CXMT LPDDR6 memory in a consumer phone.
When folded, the Xiaomi 18 Fold uses a 5.38-inch outer display for one-handed use; unfolded, it reveals a 7.58-inch inner display with an aspect ratio close to √2:1. Both LTPO panels support 1-120 Hz adaptive refresh, a 3,000-nit peak brightness, and 1,440 Hz high-frequency PWM dimming. Xiaomi says the inner crease is under 30 μm. The hinge is built around a new-generation Dragon Bone structure, while the inner screen is protected by dual-layer UTG and the outer/inner cover glass uses Xiaomi Dragon Crystal Glass 3.0. The frame is a 7-series aluminum alloy, and the whole device is rated for 1.2 m drops.
At 5.02 mm thick on one side and 219 g, the phone is engineered for one-handed control despite the larger inner screen.
The mid-sized form factor is meant to bridge small foldables and full-size book folds. Xiaomi says the software supports up to six apps running side by side, plus a floating WeChat window. The back panel has a racetrack-shaped camera deco, flat wraparound mid-frame, and ultra-elliptical large-radius corners.
XRING O3 and CXMT LPDDR6 Lead the Spec Sheet
The Xiaomi 18 Fold is the first device to ship with Xiaomi’s self-developed XRING O3 AI flagship SoC, built on a 3 nm process. The chip integrates 24 billion transistors, a 10-core all-big-core CPU, and a 16-core G2-Ultra NX GPU. The dedicated NPU delivers 200 TOPS, and every major block includes an AI acceleration unit. In Xiaomi’s lab, the chip scored 5.22 million on AnTuTu V11, with the company claiming 60% higher multi-core performance, 85% better GPU performance, and 64% lower GPU power than the previous generation.
The XRING O3 also marks the commercial debut of a fully integrated Xiaomi flagship SoC with an AI acceleration unit across every major block.
The top configuration pairs the XRING O3 with the world’s first CXMT LPDDR6 memory, offering memory bandwidth up to 113.8 GB/s. A vapor chamber and high-conductivity graphite handle thermals; Xiaomi claims one hour of open-world gaming keeps the device at 41.8 °C.
On the camera side, the Leica Summilux triple-camera system includes a 200 MP main sensor with a 1/1.56-inch optical format and f/1.7 aperture with OIS, a 50 MP ultra-wide, and a 50 MP periscope telephoto with 3.5x optical zoom and OIS. Fold-specific modes let users shoot while closed and preview on the cover screen, or edit photos on the unfolded display.
A 6,000 mAh Jinshajiang stacked battery, using 20% silicon content and 920 Wh/L energy density, supports 67 W wired, 50 W wireless, and 7.5 W reverse wireless charging. Connectivity includes Xiaomi Star 5G, Wi-Fi 7, and UWB.
Out of the box, the phone runs HyperOS 4 and includes the on-device Xiaomi MiMo large model, plus the new XiaoAI Inspiration Sphere interaction layer. Xiaomi says it has adapted more than 200 functions for the mid-fold large screen, including free multi-window layout and cross-device app handoff, with third-party optimizations for WPS, CapCut, and Wind.
Pricing starts at RMB 10,999 for the 12 GB + 256 GB model. The 12 GB + 512 GB version costs RMB 11,999, the 16 GB + 512 GB version is RMB 12,999, and the 16 GB + 1 TB LPDDR6 configuration is RMB 14,999. A limited ceramic special edition, restricted to 1,500 units and only in the 16 GB + 1 TB trim, is priced at RMB 15,999. Xiaomi also introduced a RMB 199 magnetic remote control stand with a built-in microphone and camera shutter button.
The Xiaomi 18 Fold will be offered in Xiye Red, Warm Gold White, and Black, with the ceramic edition as a limited run.
Comments
Join Inside China Tech to join the conversation.