Xiaomi 17 Ultra review: A camera lovers' dream

Xiaomi is one of only a handful of brands to offer a tie-in with a reputable camera manufacturer. Its Leica partnership holds weight, gifting its premium flagship with more photography kudos than most.

That's precisely what the Xiaomi 17 Ultra represents: it's the pinnacle of photography in a smartphone, replete with a mechanical zoom like nothing else out there, and a huge (termed '1-inch') sensor for its main camera.

But while it's got the camera goods to sit above the best Android phones in that regard, there's the unavoidable compromise of the considerable camera unit in which this is housed, plus the physical scale of the device itself.

That said, despite upping the screen size and battery capacity compared to its 15 Ultra predecessor, the new handset is actually the slimmest Ultra that Xiaomi has ever produced. So is it big wins all round or slim margins?

How much does the Xiaomi 17 Ultra cost?

While the Xiaomi 17 Ultra has already launched in China, this international version – which is a different specification – is later to make it onto the shelves.

At launch, you can expect to pay £1,299 for the 512GB storage model with 16GB RAM. That's an increase of zero year-on-year, which in the current market is an increasing rarity.

Note: as per all Xiaomi phones, the 17 Ultra won't launch in the USA. At the time of writing I don't posses European or wider regional pricing.

Xiaomi 17 Ultra vs 15 Ultra: What's new?

• Larger screen (6.9-inch, up from 6.73in) and increased peak brightness
• New optical zoom lens, offering 75-100mm equivalent
• Larger battery (6000mAh, up from 5410mAh)
• Thinnest Ultra design to date, at 8.29mm
• New 'Starlit Green' finish

I reviewed the Xiaomi 15 Ultra during Mobile World Congress in 2025 and was hugely impressed with its camera capabilities. Less so with its sheer physical scale, but understood that was part and parcel of such a significant camera setup.

The Xiaomi 17 Ultra, however, has opted to be larger still. Granted, it's slimmer than any Ultra before it – but only to the tune of around a millimetre, which is barely noticeable. The increase in size owed to the display rising from 6.78- to 6.9-inches, however, has more of an impact.

It does mean there's more volume in which to spread around the increased battery capacity, noting that the silicon-carbon battery of the Chinese version is dropped for a lower-capacity lithium-ion version for the international launch. It's still hugely capacious, though.

The camera unit, while visually similar to before, is now packed with a different setup. It houses three main optics rather than the four of its predecessor, largely down to its adoption of a mechanical zoom – the first of its kind in any phone – to cater for the 75-100mm focal range. That's a classic "portrait" range, as you might call it.

There are other inevitable changes, too, such as the updated Qualcomm hardware and new colour variants breaking out of the black and white monochrome mould.

Design & Display

• Black / White / 'Starlit Green' / Purple (in some regions)
• 6.9-inch OLED display
  • 1200 x 2608 resolution – 416ppi pixel density
  • 3500 nits maximum peak brightness
  • 1-120Hz refresh rate (variable)
• 162.9 x 77.6 x 8.3mm / 219g
• IP68 rating

Before moving into the Xiaomi 17 Ultra, I had been using the Oppo Find X9 Pro – another stellar camera and battery combination – as that remains one of my favourite phones of the last year.

Shifting over to the Xiaomi and the display instantly appeared less vibrant and more muted in its colour saturation – even with Vivid selected from within the settings panel. No deal-breaker, but a point of note.

This 6.9-inch display is also really large. My typical one-handed use feels stretched when it comes to typing, and while I appreciate the extra-small scale available for text and icons – part of what's on offer from the HyperOS operating system – the overall experience feels less 'connected' than I'd found on the Oppo. Touch-responsiveness, at times, feels 'distant' too – especially when gaming.

Now, that camera enclosure ot the rear is going to divide opinion. It's undeniably large and juts out prominently – but it doesn't actually get in the way during use. You can also lay the handset flat on a desk without any 'wobble', unlike some other flagships (all eyes on you, Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra).

This large display is also eye-slappingly bright, able to cater for Dolby Vision and HDR10+ content where available – ideal if you like tuning into your favourite streaming services. And that's where the larger 6.9-inch scale really does show its worth.

How does the Xiaomi 17 Ultra perform?

• Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5
• 512GB/1TB storage, 16GB RAM
• 6000mAh battery capacity
  • note: not the 6800mAh silicon-carbon cell from China version
  • 90W HyperCharge
  • 50W wireless
• Xiaomi HyperOS

The Xiaomi 17 Ultra houses the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chip, with 16GB RAM as a miniumum for the international version – so it's a powerful piece of kit.

That RAM has a storage-based expansion feature, too, so you can push it to 22GB – although, as that's using UFS 4.1 for the extra 6GB, it's not quite as speedy as the RAM itself.

Xiaomi's HyperOS software over Google Android introduces some additional features, such as floating app windows that can overlay others. This can introduce some fussiness when interacting, but adds a point of operating system distinction.

There's plenty of extra tweaking you can do, should you wish to adjust what's permitted on an app-by-app basis. You'll need to, ultimately, as default battery life savings will, as one example, cause Strava's GPS to time-out.

As I said previously, the scaling available here means you can have far smaller icons and text than most Android phones can deliver. I enjoy this option, but at its smallest it can introduce some oddities when interacting with certain apps.

Xiaomi still isn't shouting from the rooftops about artificial intelligence (AI) like many other brands – which I like – but such features are very much present. You can setup Google Gemini from within Xiaomi's HyperAI app to take care of your requests.

With all that power on board, gaming and photo-taking are never a bother – but the phone can get rather warm when under intense periods of use. I feel this also affects the battery life, which, while perfectly good, just doesn't feel like a true reflection of the capacity on offer.

That's another point of contention: the Chinese device has a 6800mAh silicon-carbon battery, which is unheard of in this market. The international version doesn't benefit from that, though, with a 6000mAh li-ion battery instead.

Don't get me wrong: that's a huge capacity, it'll easily last you through a day, but it's not knocking on the two-day use-case scenario based on my experience. Many a day I'd be getting into the red with this battery, which was unexpected – it's fine, but I'd expect longer innings per charge.

Does the 17 Ultra have the best phone camera?

• Leica triple camera system:
  • Main (23mm): 50-megapixel, 1-inch sensor, f/1.7 aperture, optical stabilisation (OIS)
  • Zoom (3.2-4.3x optical zoom / 75-100mm): 200MP, f/2.4-3.0, OIS
  • Wide (14mm): 50MP, f/2.2
• Front camera (21mm): 50MP, f/2.0
• Video: 8K30p, 4K120p max, Dolby Vision, HDR10+

The main reason you're likely considering the Xiaomi 17 Ultra, however, is because of its considerable camera offering.

Just like its predecessor, this is the one area where it runs away from its key competition – although the year-on-year updates are certainly different.

Xiaomi has opted for a trio of main cameras, rather than a quad setup per its predecessor, with one of those being a mechanical zoom. It spans 75-100mm, making it an ideal "portrait" lens.

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In addition, there's Leica's know-how of optics on display here, plus collaboration in software for the final aesthetic of shots, which gives this Xiaomi a point of distiction – and you can certainly see it in the results.

However, for this generation there are some caveats to consider. The lens audibly rattles, like coins jangling in your pocket when you're out and about, until it's set to task and the optical stabilisation kicks in.

The mechanical zoom is also a massively impressive achievement, given it's a first, but the reality is that it just doesn't offer much to users. The jump between 75mm to 100mm is marginal, to the point I wonder if it's even worth having it.

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Nonetheless, I've still been very impressed with how the 17 Ultra handles. The Camera app itself is very easy to use, with its 0.6x, 1x, 2x, 3.2-4.3x, and 8.6x zoom marking making it very clear in use.

The motion between each is smooth, too, while the on-screen and final results look as if they're taken from one camera – a cohesion that's a rarity. I've said it before, but I'll say it again – as the Xiaomi 17 Ultra nails this.

The real quality comes from the main sensor in my view. That's because of the '1-inch' size, which is what many of the best high-end compact cameras of yesteryear could offer.

It's not just a resolution win, either, it's the enhanced shallow depth of field that you can achieve, with those melty backgrounds, and the heightened detail. Sure, there's a lot of processing after pressing the shutter, but Xiaomi's Leica collab just delivers undeniably pleasing results.

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It's mighty in low-light situations, too, with handheld shots possible even in really dim conditions. Again, the large sensor is a benefit in keeping image noise suppressed, adding another string to the 17 Ultra's bow.

Oh, and while I've not tested it, the optional "Photography Kit", sold separately, ultimately turns this phone into a dedicated camera. It's niche, but some people will love the addition of this grip add-on with its physical control buttons and dials.

Overall, the Xiaomi 17 Ultra's camera system is undeniable. Sure, the "rattle" sound is off-putting and the mechanical zoom's worth is questionable. But the results? They're phenomenal in the context of a phone camera.

Xiaomi 17 Ultra review: Verdict

The Xiaomi 17 Ultra does, at times, feel like using a camera that happens to be an Android phone. That's how impressive its photographic credentials are.

Keep in mind, of course, that might be overkill for some users. But for those who value what large sensors and Leica-approved optics can do will be in photography heaven here.

On the flip side, however, there's the consideration of the noisy "rattle" from that new camera system when it's not active, the large camera enclosure, and the simple fact that a 75-100mm mechanical zoom is marginal in its benefit.

I'd also expect more from this battery capacity in terms of longevity, the large display is really quite massive – and less vibrant than some competitors – and the software can sometimes feel at odds with expectations.

Overall, however, photo aficionados are going to love the Xiaomi 17 Ultra. Its features are one of a kind at the moment, with image quality results that truly speak for themselves. It's niche, but it's nifty.

Also consider

For this kind of money you could buy a Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra and still have enough left for a slap up meal. You won't have as capable a photography machine, mind, but you will have a better-looking and more all-round desirable Android phone.

Otherwise, the true competitors to Xiaomi's 17 Ultra don't really exist in this part of the world. The Vivo X300 Pro, for example, might take the crown – but there's no way to get hold of one.

Which, realistically, leaves the Google Pixel 10 Pro XL as your most-likely true Android alternative – minus any of the Xiaomi's large-sensor benefit, with a lean into computational photography instead.