Xiaomi 18 Fold Could Challenge Galaxy Z Fold8 With 5.02mm Body and Xring O3 Chip

Xiaomi is reportedly preparing a foldable phone that could give Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold8 a serious fight. The Xiaomi 18 Fold is said to combine a large 7.58-inch inner display with a remarkably thin 5.02mm body and a total weight of just 219 grams, putting it closer to the weight of a conventional flagship smartphone than many large foldables.

The reported design is particularly interesting because Xiaomi appears to be focusing on reducing both thickness and weight without giving up high-end display specifications. When unfolded, the Xiaomi 18 Fold is said to measure just 5.02mm thick and carry an IP59 rating for protection against dust and water. At 219 grams, it would also be considerably easier to carry than some larger foldable phones.

The cover display reportedly measures 5.38 inches and has a resolution of 1,712 x 1,168 pixels. Opening the phone reveals a 7.58-inch main display with a 2,364 x 1,672 resolution. Both panels are expected to support a 120Hz refresh rate and reach up to 4,000 nits of brightness. If these specifications make it to the final product, Xiaomi would be offering high refresh rates and very high peak brightness on both screens rather than limiting those features to the internal panel.

Performance could be another major selling point. The Xiaomi 18 Fold is reportedly powered by the company’s Xring O3 ARM processor, which is said to feature 10 CPU cores, a 16-core GPU, and boost frequencies of up to 4.35GHz. Xiaomi reportedly claims that the new chip delivers 52% higher performance than the previous Xring O1 and can even surpass Apple’s A19 Pro in performance.

The reported specifications put the Xiaomi 18 Fold directly against Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold8, particularly in terms of size, weight and display hardware. Xiaomi’s thinner chassis could give it an advantage for users who want a large foldable without carrying the bulk normally associated with this category.

The company has not yet provided all the details needed to judge the phone, however. Pricing, camera hardware, battery capacity, charging speeds, and global availability will be important factors once the Xiaomi 18 Fold officially launches. With Huawei also expanding its foldable lineup with the double-folding Mate XT2, the competition in the premium foldable market is becoming increasingly interesting.