Xiaomi launched the new Xiaomi 17 Series today. Xiaomi also shared more about its closer partnership with Leica, which clearly plays a big role in this lineup.
The series includes the Xiaomi 17, Xiaomi 17 Ultra, and a special Leica Leitzphone powered by Xiaomi. All of them run on the latest Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 processor, so performance is fast and smooth in daily use.
Charging is one of the highlights this year. The Xiaomi 17 Series supports up to 100W HyperCharge, and it also works with 100W PD-PPS chargers. That means you’re not locked into just one specific charger, which is practical if you already have compatible fast chargers at home.
The displays are custom OLED panels with up to 3,500 nits peak brightness. Indoors and outdoors, the screen looks bright and sharp. Under the hood, Xiaomi is using its new Surge Battery design with higher silicon content, which helps improve battery capacity without making the phone too thick.
On the Xiaomi 17 Ultra, you get a 6000mAh battery with 90W wired and 50W wireless charging. The Xiaomi 17 actually has a slightly larger 6330mAh battery, with 100W wired and 50W wireless charging. Even with these large batteries, both phones still feel reasonably slim and manageable in hand.
Xiaomi 17
The Xiaomi 17 has a 6.3-inch display, and it feels compact compared to many flagship phones today. It’s comfortable to hold, with slim bezels and a clean design. It measures 8.06mm thick and weighs 191g, which makes it easy to use one-handed.
Build quality feels solid. It uses an aluminium frame, Xiaomi Shield Glass, and comes with an IP68 rating for water and dust resistance.
For photography, the Xiaomi 17 uses the Light Fusion 950 sensor. In real-world use, photos look detailed with good dynamic range, especially in mixed lighting. The 60mm Leica telephoto lens is great for portraits, and the close-up capability down to 10cm is surprisingly useful. There’s also up to 20x AI zoom if you need extra reach.
The front camera is 50MP and focuses quickly, whether you’re holding the phone close or further away. For video, it supports 4K 60fps Dolby Vision and Log recording, which gives more flexibility if you like to edit your footage later.
Xiaomi 17 Ultra
The Xiaomi 17 Ultra is the larger model with a 6.9-inch display. It’s slightly thicker at 8.29mm and weighs 218.4g, but it still feels well balanced. The back uses high-strength fibre glass with an aluminium alloy frame, and it also carries an IP68 rating.
The biggest difference is the camera system. The Ultra uses a 1-inch main sensor (Light Fusion 1050L), and you can see the difference in low light and high-contrast scenes. Highlights and shadows are handled more naturally.
There’s also a 200MP Leica telephoto camera with a mechanical 75–100mm optical zoom. It maintains good detail across the zoom range, and you can extend further digitally for long-distance shots. For video, it supports up to 4K 120fps recording in Dolby Vision or Log, on both the main and telephoto cameras. Stabilisation is steady, and colours look consistent.
For those who are serious about photography, there’s the Xiaomi 17 Ultra Photography Kit Pro. It adds a grip that feels more like a traditional camera, an extra 2000mAh battery, and a detachable shutter button. After trying it, it definitely makes the phone feel closer to a compact camera experience.
Leica Leitzphone
To mark Leica’s 100th anniversary, Xiaomi and Leica also introduced the Leica Leitzphone powered by Xiaomi. The design is very Leica-inspired, with an aluminium alloy body and a distinctive camera ring that feels like a real camera dial.
There’s also a Leica Essential mode, which recreates the look and colour style of classic Leica cameras such as the M9 and M3 (with MONOPAN 50 film style). It’s clearly aimed at users who appreciate Leica’s heritage and shooting style.
The Xiaomi 17 Series will be available on mi.com, as well as official Xiaomi stores on Shopee and Lazada.
From 28 February to 6 March 2026, there will be pre-order promotions. From 7 March to 22 March, customers who buy the Xiaomi 17 Ultra or the Leica Leitzphone powered by Xiaomi will receive a free Xiaomi 17 Ultra Photography Kit Pro (worth $199), while stocks last.
The Photography Kit Pro will also be sold separately at SGD 199 from 28 February onwards.
Buyers of the Xiaomi 17 and Xiaomi 17 Ultra will also get several bundled perks at no extra cost, including 3 months of Google AI Pro with 2TB cloud storage, 3 months of YouTube Premium, and 4 months of Spotify Premium.
The Xiaomi 17 feels like a compact flagship with strong cameras and excellent battery life, while the Xiaomi 17 Ultra is clearly built for users who prioritise photography and video performance. The question I am wondering is why didn’t Xiaomi 17 Ultra introduce an extender kit like what Vivo did ?
