Xiaomi 17 Ultra
Xiaomi 17 Ultra Review: The New Camera King?
Pros
- Outstanding camera system with advanced features.
- Exceptional battery life, lasting well over two days.
- Top-tier flagship performance with the latest Snapdragon chip.
- High-quality 6.9-inch OLED flat display.
- Premium and durable build quality.
Cons
- High flagship price point.
- Prominent camera bump makes the phone feel slightly top-heavy.
The Xiaomi 17 Ultra stands out primarily for its exceptional camera system, which is considered one of the best ever used on a smartphone, featuring a 200MP mechanical optical zoom lens.
Beyond its photographic prowess, the phone excels across all other categories, delivering top-tier performance from its Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chip and boasting a remarkably long-lasting 6,000 mAh battery.
Its 6.9-inch flat OLED display is high-quality, and the overall build offers a premium feel despite its high flagship price point. The reviewer highly recommends it for those prioritizing the best possible smartphone camera experience.
“What I love about this phone is that it, as I kind of alluded to at the start of this video, it just has one remit really. It gets everything else right. All the specs, all the, you know, the, you know, the the display stuff, it just nails all of that. You can't complain about any of it.”
“But what it does is it says this is the most important thing. If you want the best camera possible on a smartphone, get this.”
Xiaomi 17 Ultra (Global model) review: Peak cameraphone
Pros
- Class-leading battery life.
- Superb daylight and low-light still photos.
- Excellent continuous zoom telephoto camera.
- Top-tier Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 performance.
- Impressively bright and fluid LTPO AMOLED display.
Cons
- Video quality is not class-leading.
- Main camera video footage is shakier than expected.
- Significant thermal throttling during prolonged stress tests.
The Xiaomi 17 Ultra, in its global release, stands out as a highly recommended flagship device, excelling with class-leading battery life and a top-tier Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset for robust performance. Its camera system delivers superb still photos across all lenses, including an excellent continuous zoom telephoto, and it features an impressively bright and fluid LTPO AMOLED display.
However, the primary drawback is its video quality, which is not considered class-leading due to a lack of sharpness and some shakiness observed in the main camera's footage. Despite this, the phone is generally praised for acing most tests and is considered among the best camera flagships on the market.
“So, that's the globally released Xiaomi 17 Ultra. It's firing on all cylinders, not only packing class leading battery life and awesome cameras, but acing our tests across the board.”
“But with that said, the Xiaomi 17 Ultra is among the best camera flagships on the market and it's well worth recommending.”
Xiaomi 17 Ultra - More Camera than Phone!
Pros
- Camera offers a highly enjoyable shooting experience with deep Leica integration.
- Large 6,800 mAh battery capacity supports 90W wired and 50W wireless fast charging.
- Powerful Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 processor ensures great overall performance.
- The huge 6.9-inch 120Hz display boasts an exceptional peak brightness of 3,500 nits.
Cons
- Camera quality, while very good, is not considered the absolute best among smartphones.
- The physical camera ring can be awkward to use, leading to fingers in shots or accidental triggers.
- The variable telephoto zoom offers a limited range (3.2x-4.3x).
- The camera app does not retain user settings, reverting to defaults upon closing.
The Xiaomi 17 Ultra is praised for delivering an exceptional and fun camera experience, driven by thoughtful Leica integration in both hardware and software, including a customizable physical camera ring and unique capture modes. Underneath its camera prowess, it stands as a capable flagship, featuring a powerful Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, a vibrant 6.9-inch 120Hz 3500-nit display, and a substantial 6,800 mAh battery with fast charging capabilities.
Despite some minor flaws, such as the camera app not retaining settings and a limited variable zoom range, the reviewer highly commends Xiaomi for creating a full-fledged Leica experience that fits conveniently in a pocket. This makes the Xiaomi 17 Ultra a compelling choice for photography enthusiasts seeking a unique and powerful camera phone.
“it's pretty sick that in the year 2026, you can have that be a full-fledged Leica experience that fits in your pocket. So well played, Xiaomi. Well played.”
“And the best part is it's a Xiaomi phone, so the rest of the phone underneath is still really good. It's actually a flagship.”
Xiaomi 17 Ultra Leica Edition / Photography Kit - Unboxing and First Impression
Pros
- Advanced triple camera system with high-resolution sensors and unique features.
- High-quality flat panel AMOLED display with excellent brightness and refresh rate.
- Flagship-level performance with the latest Snapdragon processor and ample RAM/storage.
- Large 6,800 mAh battery with comprehensive fast and reverse charging.
- Premium design and build quality, especially the preferred flat panel display.
Cons
- No microSD card slot for expandable memory.
- The larger battery contributes to increased phone thickness and weight.
- High starting price, especially for the Leica Edition and optional camera kit.
The Xiaomi 17 Ultra is presented as a premium "big boy" phone, with its design, build quality, and especially its camera system standing out as major highlights. The reviewer particularly praises the shift to a flat panel display, finding it superior for usability. The phone feels premium with a nice weight and enhanced grip from its textured frame.
It features flagship-level performance from the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, a vibrant 6.9-inch LTPO Quad HD AMOLED display with 3500 nits brightness, and a substantial 6,800 mAh battery with rapid charging.
While the phone has a higher price point, the impressive camera setup, robust performance, and thoughtful design elements like the rotatable camera ring and optional kit contribute to a highly positive overall impression, especially in the camera department.
“The 17 Ultra, the big boy. We've been waiting for this one.”
“the design quality, I love it. Okay, the build quality, I love the flat panels. I'm so glad companies are starting to steer away from the curved displays.”
“Now, the best thing about this phone is the camera.”
Xiaomi Removed a Camera… and It Made This Better
Pros
- Excellent camera with continuous optical zoom and natural colors
- Best-in-class camera dynamic range and low-light performance
- Large 6,800 mAh battery with fast wired and wireless charging
- Powerful Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 processor for top performance
- Improved display with high brightness and flicker control options
- Better value due to increased base storage (512GB) at a comparable price
Cons
- Video recording exhibits some EIS jitter
- The phone remains large and expensive
- Leica edition's premium is not justified for most users
“This isn't Xiaomi playing safe. It's them making deliberate choices, especially with the cameras, prioritizing realworld results over just plain specing.”
“The continuous zoom, it's cool. The new primary sensor is genuinely excellent, and the overall camera experience feels a lot more refined this time.”
“Is it perfect? No. It's still big, still expensive, and some video quirks remain. But if cameras are high on your priority list in 2025 or 26, this is not the phone everyone else has to respond to.”