Xiaomi 17 Review: Compact Flagship with Premium Upgrades

The Xiaomi 17 represents the company's latest compact flagship offering, positioned as a direct competitor to the Samsung Galaxy S26, iPhone 17 Pro, and Pixel 10 Pro. Building on the success of its predecessors, the 17 maintains the familiar 6.3-inch form factor while packing in significant hardware upgrades that make it one of the most compelling options in the premium compact smartphone segment.

Design and Build Quality

The Xiaomi 17 follows the design language established by previous generations, featuring a glass front and back with an aluminum frame. The device measures 151.1 x 71.8 x 8.1mm and weighs 191g, making it comfortable to hold and use with one hand. The glass panels are protected by Dragon Crystal Glass, which Xiaomi claims offers enhanced durability compared to standard Gorilla Glass.

The phone carries an IP68 rating for dust and water resistance, meaning it can withstand immersion in up to 1.5 meters of water for 30 minutes. This level of protection is essential for a premium device and matches what competitors offer in this price range.

Display Excellence

One of the standout features of the Xiaomi 17 is its 6.30-inch LTPO AMOLED display. The panel supports 68 billion colors and offers a variable refresh rate up to 120Hz, allowing for smooth scrolling and gaming while conserving battery when high refresh rates aren't needed.

The display's peak brightness of 3500 nits is particularly impressive, making the phone easily usable even in direct sunlight. Xiaomi has also included comprehensive HDR support with Dolby Vision, HDR Vivid, and HDR10+ certifications, ensuring excellent performance when streaming high-quality content.

With a resolution of 1220 x 2656 pixels and a pixel density of 464ppi, text and images appear crisp and detailed. The 19.59:9 aspect ratio provides ample screen real estate while maintaining comfortable one-handed usability.

Performance Powerhouse

At the heart of the Xiaomi 17 lies the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset, built on a 3nm process. This cutting-edge processor features an octa-core configuration with 2x 4.6 GHz Oryon V3 Phoenix L cores and 6x 3.62 GHz Oryon V3 Phoenix M cores, paired with the Adreno 840 GPU.

The performance capabilities are further enhanced by generous memory configurations: 256GB/12GB RAM, 512GB/12GB RAM, 512GB/16GB RAM, and 1TB/16GB RAM options. All variants use UFS 4.1 storage, ensuring fast app loading and file transfers.

Camera System

The camera setup on the Xiaomi 17 follows a triple 50MP configuration, maintaining consistency with the previous generation while optimizing the hardware for better results.

Main Camera

The primary sensor is a 50MP unit with f/1.7 aperture, 23mm focal length, and a 1/1.31" sensor size with 1.2µm pixels. It features dual pixel PDAF and OIS for sharp, stable shots in various lighting conditions.

Telephoto Camera

A dedicated 50MP telephoto camera with f/2.0 aperture and 60mm focal length offers 2.6x optical zoom. The 1/2.76" sensor with 0.64µm pixels includes PDAF and OIS, with a unique close focusing distance that enables excellent macro photography.

Ultra-wide Camera

The ultra-wide camera also uses a 50MP sensor with f/2.4 aperture and 17mm focal length, providing a 102° field of view. Like the telephoto, it uses a 1/2.76" sensor with 0.64µm pixels.

Front Camera

Xiaomi has significantly upgraded the front-facing camera, replacing the 32MP unit from the previous generation with a 50MP sensor with f/2.2 aperture and 21mm focal length. The addition of PDAF improves selfie quality and enables better portrait shots.

Video Capabilities

The Xiaomi 17 offers impressive video recording options:

• Rear: 8K@30fps (HDR), 4K@30/60fps (HDR10+, 10-bit Dolby Vision HDR, 10-bit LOG), 1080p@30/60/120/240/960fps, 720p@1920fps with gyro-EIS
• Front: 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps with HDR10+ and gyro-EIS

Battery and Charging

One of the most significant upgrades in the Xiaomi 17 is the battery capacity. The global version now features a massive 6330mAh battery, a substantial increase from the 5240mAh found in the previous generation. This is particularly impressive given that the physical dimensions remain largely unchanged.

Charging capabilities have also been enhanced:

• 100W wired charging (PD3.0, QC3+, 100W PPS)
• 50W wireless charging
• 22.5W reverse wireless charging
• 22.5W reverse wired charging

The inclusion of such high-speed charging options ensures that even with the larger battery, downtime is minimized.

Software Experience

The Xiaomi 17 runs Android 16 with HyperOS 3, Xiaomi's latest custom interface. HyperOS 3 brings refinements to the user experience, offering a balance between customization options and a clean, intuitive interface.

Audio and Connectivity

Audio enthusiasts will appreciate the stereo speakers with Dolby Atmos support, providing an immersive sound experience for media consumption and gaming. The device also includes an infrared port for controlling home appliances, a feature that's becoming increasingly rare in flagship phones.

Connectivity options are comprehensive:

• 5G support
• Wi-Fi 7
• Bluetooth 5.4 with aptX HD, aptX Adaptive, and LHDC 5 support
• NFC
• Under-display ultrasonic fingerprint reader

Unboxing Experience

The European retail package for the Xiaomi 17 takes a minimalist approach. Notably, it doesn't include the 100W charger required to achieve maximum charging speeds, though Xiaomi sells this separately. The box does include a USB-C to USB-A cable and a transparent hard case as a bonus.

Competition and Positioning

In the competitive landscape of compact flagship smartphones, the Xiaomi 17 positions itself as a strong alternative to offerings from Samsung, Apple, and Google. Its combination of cutting-edge performance, versatile camera system, and exceptional battery life makes it particularly appealing to users who want flagship capabilities in a more manageable form factor.

The Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset ensures that the device remains future-proof for several years, while the comprehensive camera system covers most photography needs without requiring multiple devices.

Conclusion

The Xiaomi 17 successfully builds upon the foundation laid by its predecessors, offering meaningful upgrades in key areas like battery capacity and charging speed while maintaining the compact form factor that distinguishes it from larger flagship models. With its powerful internals, versatile camera system, and premium build quality, it stands as one of the most compelling options for users seeking a high-performance compact smartphone.

For those who find modern flagships too large but don't want to compromise on performance or features, the Xiaomi 17 represents an excellent choice that balances size, power, and functionality effectively.