I get a thrill each time Xiaomi teases one thing new. Proper now, I’m occupied with by no means looking for an outlet once more.
I by no means get bored trying out Xiaomi’s telephones. They’ve foldables, huge one-inch Sony sensors that seize photos with putting depth, and now POCO X8 Professional leaks trace at a handset that might pack one of many greatest batteries you’ll see in a mainstream smartphone. In China, the identical machine will quickly launch because the Redmi Turbo 5, promising just a few surprises alongside the best way.
Xiaomi’s transfer to tackle Tesla within the EV market sounds wild (I’m curious too), however the smartphone facet is simply as thrilling. Whereas the common worth of smartphones in the USA is forecast to extend from 2023 to 2028, Xiaomi is taking a distinct strategy. The POCO X8 Professional might stand out by providing sturdy efficiency at a worth that is sensible. In fact, like something value chasing, there’s a catch.
Launch date and worth
Leaks counsel Xiaomi is making ready to launch the Redmi Turbo 5 in November for the Chinese language market. The machine will observe with a global rollout—because the POCO X8 Professional—round January.
Trying on the Turbo 4’s launch tag of CN¥1,999 ($280) for the 12 GB + 256 GB setup, the brand new mannequin ought to sit near that mark. With some new options on board, I’d nonetheless guess on a worth close to $280, a spread the place Xiaomi tends to drag forward of the gang.
Design and show
Digital Chat Station says that the POCO X8 Professional will sport a steel mid-frame, a giant step up from the plastic design of its predecessor. The punch-hole display screen design provides a glossy, fashionable contact that makes the cellphone look sharper.
On the show entrance, the Redmi Turbo 5 shines with a 6.7-inch AMOLED panel, packing a 1220 x 2712 decision and a crisp 446 ppi pixel density. Pictures pop and scrolling feels easy due to the 120 Hz refresh fee. Nevertheless, what units the Turbo 5 aside is the 4,000 nits peak brightness, making the display screen simple to see even below direct daylight. For comparability, the iPhone 17 Professional Max reaches 3,000 nits outdoor.
Efficiency
Sensible Pikachu says that the Turbo 5 might run on MediaTek’s Dimensity 8500 Extremely chipset. Speaking about MediaTek, the 9500e and 8500 chips are anticipated to drop by January. The 9500e stands out with speeds as much as 3.73 GHz. Its CPU mixes 1× Cortex-X925, 3× Cortex-X4, and 4× Cortex-A720 cores. So whereas the 9500e focuses on uncooked energy, the Dimensity 8500 leans towards steadiness. It makes use of TSMC’s 4nm course of and packs eight high-performance cores primarily based on ARM’s new A725 design.
If Xiaomi goes with the Dimensity 8500 Extremely, the Turbo 5 will be part of the OPPO Reno 15 Professional, HONOR Energy 2, and realme Neo 8, all rumored to sport the identical MediaTek chip.
Battery
Smartphone makers have been pushing battery sizes to new heights in 2025, with the HONOR X70 hitting 8,300 mAh. And it appears to be like like the subsequent breakthrough could possibly be even greater.
One other report from Digital Chat Station claims that Xiaomi plans to pack a 9,000 mAh battery into one in all its upcoming telephones. The only-cell silicon battery is prepared for manufacturing, in line with the Weibo tipster.
Which mannequin will get this monster battery stays unclear. Some sources level to a base 7,500 mAh model, so the 9,000 mAh possibility may go to a Professional or Professional Max variant. On prime of that, the mysterious handset will help 100 W quick charging, which raises the stakes even larger.
Nonetheless, I doubt the Redmi Turbo 5 sequence will attain markets exterior China with the identical battery. Telephones with greater silicon-carbon cells often drop capability for Europe and the US. So, preserve your expectations in examine.
When you marvel why Apple and Samsung don’t supply huge batteries, the reply comes right down to strict rules. For example, US federal guidelines (49 CFR 173.185) limit lithium-ion batteries inside telephones to twenty Wh, which caps the dimensions firms can ship. That explains my battle with the iPhone 15 Professional final week—my battery died in the course of trip (kudos to my energy financial institution for getting me to the lodge with out a downside).
Parting ideas
If Xiaomi brings the POCO X8 Professional to international markets with the identical 9,000 mAh battery, I’m already planning the best way to seize one right here in Armenia. I can think about by no means worrying about working out of juice, even on my longest days out. Simply occupied with carrying a cellphone that lasts via journeys, work, and random scroll periods makes me smile. However hey, in the event you’re within the “battery beats slim” camp like me, don’t get too excited simply but—Xiaomi may play it protected exterior China.
Grigor Baklajyan is a copywriter protecting know-how at Gadget Circulation. His contributions embody product opinions, shopping for guides, how-to articles, and extra.