What Xiaomi smartphones are similar to the iPhone X: a complete guide to choosing and setting up

In the 2017, Apple introduced the iPhone X, a revolutionary bezel-less model, Face ID and OLED- screen, which has long set trends in the industry. Today, years later, many users are looking for alternatives with similar characteristics but at a more affordable price. And here, Xiaomi smartphones are entering the arena, some of which not only copy, but sometimes surpass Apple’s flagship in some respects.

But how do you find the one among the dozens of Redmi, POCO and Mi models that is as close to the iPhone X in design, performance or camera?

• 🔍 Top -5 Xiaomi models that visually and technically resemble the iPhone X (with a comparative table)
• 📱 Key differences in hardware: why the Snapdragon 845 does not always lose A11 Bionic
• 🎨 Secrets of MIUI That Will Make Your Xiaomi UI Look Like iOS 11 (With Step-by-step Instructions)
• 🔋 Autonomy: Why some Xiaomis last longer than the iPhone X, despite a smaller battery capacity

Importantly, we won’t be comparing prices “like 2017” — we’ll focus on current capabilities and real-world experiences in 2026. If you’re looking for a smartphone with the spirit of the iPhone X but the freedom of Android, this guide is for you.

1 Top-5 Xiaomi smartphones that resemble iPhone X

Visual similarities are not just notch, but also the aspect ratio, the body material, and even the location of the cameras, and we selected models that are as close to the iPhone X in appearance and hardware as possible.

The critical nuance is that only the Xiaomi Mi 8 has the same iPhone X notch with an infrared camera for face unlocking — similar to the Face ID, but less reliable. The other models either use a retractable camera (Redmi K20 Pro) or a simplified notch without 3D- scanning (POCO F1).

If you’re looking critical, take the Mi 8 or Mi 9. If performance is more important, look towards the Redmi K20 Pro with the Snapdragon 855, which beats the A11 Bionic in some tests (for example, in AnTuTu 9).

2. Comparison of processors: Snapdragon vs A11 Bionic

The CPU is the heart of the smartphone. The iPhone X has an Apple A11 Bionic (6 cores, 10 nm), and the top Xiaomi of the period — Snapdragon 845/855 (also 10/7 nm). On paper, the difference seems huge, but in reality it is more complicated.

According to Geekbench 5 (2026):

• 📊 A11 Bionic: single-core - 1100, multi-core - 2500
• 📊 Snapdragon 845: single-core - 950, multi-core - 2300
• 📊 Snapdragon 855: single-core - 1150, multi-core - 2800

In practice, this means:

• ⚡ iPhone X opens apps faster and keeps the interface smoother for longer (thanks to iOS optimization).
• 🎮 Xiaomi on the Snapdragon 855 (Redmi K20 Pro, Mi 9) is better at handling heavy games (Genshin Impact, Call of Duty Mobile) due to the more powerful Adreno 640 graphics.
• 🔋 A11 Bionic is more energy efficient: with the same battery capacity, the iPhone X (2716 mAh) will last longer than the POCO F1 (4000 mAh) in standby mode.

The takeaway for gamers: if you want maximum performance in games, take Xiaomi on the Snapdragon 855. For everyday tasks (social media, photos, videos), the iPhone X still feels more confident.

3. Screens: AMOLED vs OLED - which is better?

The iPhone X is equipped with a OLED- Samsung screen with support for HDR10 and Dolby Vision, a resolution of 2436×1125 and a pixel density of 458 ppi. Xiaomi at that time had both AMOLED (Mi 8, Mi 9) and IPS (POCO F1) displays. Let's see which is better.

Advantages of OLED/AMOLED:

• 🖤 Deep black (pixels turned off completely).
• 🌈 A wider color gamut (up to 110% DCI-P3 for the Mi 9 vs 100% for the iPhone X).
• ⚡ Less power consumption when displaying dark themes.

Disadvantages of OLED/AMOLED in Xiaomi:

• ⚠️ Burnout of pixels after 2-3 years (especially if you use a navigator or games with static elements frequently).
• 🔍 Grain at low brightness (characteristic of early AMOLED Samsung).
• 💰 Expensive repairs (replacing the screen with the Mi 9 will cost 15,000–20,000 ₽).

If you watch videos or play a lot, AMOLED in the Xiaomi Mi 9 or Redmi K20 Pro will be preferable to IPS in the POCO F1. But if you need a smartphone for text work or long reading, IPS may be more comfortable for the eyes.

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To reduce the risk of AMOLED- screen burnout, turn on Settings → Display → Auto-Rotation of wallpaper and use dark themes in applications.

4.Camera: Can I shoot like on the iPhone X?

The iPhone X is famous for its dual camera (12 MP wide-angle + 12 MP telephoto) with optical zoom and portrait mode. Xiaomi had different approaches at the time, from budget modules to Sony's flagship IMX- sensors.

The main conclusions:

• 📸 Xiaomi Mi 9 and Redmi K20 Pro have a wide-angle camera that is not in the iPhone X — this is a plus for shooting architecture or landscapes.
• The 🎥 iPhone X is better at shooting video (especially in 4K 60 fps) thanks to the A11 Bionic processor and iOS optimization.
• 🌃 In low light conditions, the Xiaomi Mi 8/9 loses to the iPhone X due to the less advanced Night Mode algorithm (it hasn’t been in MIUI 10/11 yet).

If you want a wide angle and high detail (48 MP), look towards the Mi 9 or K20 Pro, but be ready for manual fine-tuning in Lightroom.

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For the best photos on Xiaomi, install GCam (Google Camera) – this will significantly improve HDR processing and portrait mode.

5. MIUI vs iOS: How to make Xiaomi look like an iPhone

The MIUI interface is far from the minimalism of iOS 11, but it can be adapted. Here are 5 key tweaks to make your Xiaomi visually closer to the iPhone X:

Install Nova Launcher with the theme "iOS 11"|Hide the search bar on the main screen|Disable animations in Settings → Special opportunities → Remove animations.|Install the San Francisco font (download.ttf and download through Themes)|Activate navigation gestures (Settings) → Display. → Full-screen gestures)-->

For full immersion:

1. 🎨 Install icons: download the iOS Glyphs pack from MIUI Themes (free).
2. 🔊 Sounds: Replace the standard tunes with marimba.mp3 (iPhone ringing) and sms-received.caf (SMS). Files can be found on Zedge.
3. 🔒 Lock screen: in Settings → Lock screen, select the "Cyberlat" style and turn off notifications on the screen.

Warning: Some themes and launchers can slow down the system, especially on the POCO F1 with 6GB of RAM.

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To remove ads in MIUI, go to Settings → Memory → Clean up and turn off “Recommendations”.

6.Autonomy: Why Xiaomi sometimes lasts longer

On paper, the iPhone X with a 2716 mAh battery should play the POCO F1 (4000 mAh) or the Redmi K20 Pro (4000 mAh), but the real difference isn't always obvious.

Factors affecting autonomy:

• 🔋 Background optimization: iOS severely limits the background activity of apps, and Android does not. Xiaomi needs to manually disable autoruns for social networks and instant messengers.
• 📶 Modem: The Snapdragon 845/855 supports more modern communication standards (4×4 MIMO, LTE Cat.18), which can increase battery consumption in weak signal areas.
• 🌡️ Temperature: Xiaomi is more likely to overheat when charging or gaming, forcing the system to limit performance and waste extra energy on cooling.

How to extend the life of the battery on Xiaomi:

1. Turn off Settings → Battery → Optimize charging (this slows down battery wear, but can reduce battery life from a single charge).
2. Activate Settings → Battery → Power saving mode at 20% charge.
3. Set the background limit for applications through Settings → Apps → Permissions → Auto Run.

In GSMArena (2026), the Redmi K20 Pro spent 14 hours in video mode and the iPhone X 11 hours. But in standby mode (social networks, instant messengers), the iPhone X lasts 10-15% longer.

7 Repairability and Upgrades: Which Is Cheaper to Repair?

One of Xiaomi’s key advantages over the iPhone is the low cost of repair and the availability of spare parts.

POW updates:

• 🍎 The iPhone X received updates to iOS 16 (2022), but with iOS 17, support stopped.
• 🤖 Xiaomi Mi 8/9 has officially been upgraded to MIUI 12.5 (based on Android 11). Unofficial firmware (like LineageOS) can give Android 13, but at the risk of losing stability.

⚠️ Warning: When replacing the screen with unofficial parts on Xiaomi, support for Always-On Display (if any) may disappear. On the iPhone X, True Tone refuses after unoriginal repairs.

FAQ: Frequent questions about Xiaomi as an alternative to the iPhone X