The smartphone performance race is officially heating up, and Xiaomi’s REDMI division is preparing to cool things down—literally. According to reliable industry insider Digital Chat Station on Weibo, mainstream brands are actively evaluating or confirming the integration of active cooling fans in their upcoming flagship killers. Leading the charge is the highly anticipated REDMI K90 Ultra, expected to launch in China around April 2026.
For our global readers, it is crucial to note our strict naming conventions: the REDMI K80 Ultra launched globally as the Xiaomi 15T Pro (not same device but same base), and the upcoming REDMI K90 Ultra is destined for global markets as the Xiaomi 17T Pro. However, sources indicate a major regional discrepancy—the global Xiaomi 17T Pro will not feature the physical cooling fan found on its Chinese counterpart.
Core Content: Why Active Cooling, and What Are the Specs?
The industry-wide shift toward active cooling is driven by a distinct bottleneck in chip performance growth and escalating manufacturing costs. Rather than solely relying on ultra-expensive processors, manufacturers are opting to pair standard high-end chips with physical fans to achieve aggressive, Pro-level performance releases.
The leaked specs for the upcoming Dimensity 9500-powered machine—widely believed to be the REDMI K90 Ultra—are nothing short of spectacular:
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Processor: MediaTek Dimensity 9500 paired with an independent display chip.
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Display: 1.5K resolution, 165Hz refresh rate with a 2D visual quadrilateral (flat) design.
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Battery & Biometrics: A massive battery capacity starting with an “8” (indicating 8000mAh or higher), alongside an ultrasonic fingerprint scanner.
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Audio & Haptics: Customized symmetrically tuned dual speakers and a substantially large vibration motor.
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The “Whole Scene” Fan: Unlike traditional gaming phones that only activate fans during gameplay, this active cooling system supports “whole scene” activation. Users will be able to turn it on outdoors during the summer, essentially using the phone as a pocketable electric fan while preventing thermal throttling.
How This Impacts the System and the Market
On the software side, the physical fan’s intelligent routing will be deeply embedded within Xiaomi HyperOS. Users can expect granular fan control and performance profiling to be managed directly through the HyperOS Game Turbo overlay.
Financially, the market is bracing for an impact. While we do not have an exact Chinese Yuan (CNY) or USD launch price just yet, an impending price increase across the board is practically guaranteed. The ongoing RAM and UFS storage supply chain crisis is significantly driving up component costs. Consequently, expect the premium hardware in the REDMI K90 Ultra to command a higher starting price compared to previous generations.
