Xiaomi unleashed the new 17-series of flagships this week (and the 15T duo, but we’ll save that for another week). This year there are three models – a vanilla Xiaomi 17 that takes over from the Xiaomi 15, a Xiaomi 17 Pro that has the same 6.3” size but offers more premium features (better tele camera, secondary screen) and the large model that is now called the Xiaomi 17 Pro Max.
The Xiaomi 17 starts at the same price that the Xiaomi 15 cost last year. This is no longer the best 6.3” Xiaomi flagship, though – that would be the Pro, which is around 10% more expensive. Finally, the Xiaomi 17 Pro Max drops the base 256GB model and makes the 512GB model a bit pricier than a 512GB Xiaomi 15 (6.73”) cost last year. Here are the starting prices for the three new models:
| Xiaomi 17 | 12/256GB | CNY 4,500 |
|---|---|---|
| Xiaomi 17 Pro | 12/256GB | CNY 5,000 |
| Xiaomi 17 Pro Max | 16/512GB | CNY 6,000 |
The Xiaomi 17 Pro brings to bear the new Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 in a fairly compact package. It has a 6,300mAh battery with 100W wired and 50W wireless charging. For comparison, the Xiaomi 15 had a 5,400mAh battery in China – this is an important note as international models might change the available capacity.
The triple camera system consists of a 50MP Light Fusion 950L sensor (1/1.28”) with an OIS-enabled Leica Summilux lens, a new 5x telephoto module (also with OIS) and a 50MP 17mm 102° ultra-wide camera. The tele camera offers 5x zoom, but it can shoot up close too with a macro mode that works at 20cm. The ultra-wide camera has a 50MP sensor and a fairly narrow 102° field of view.
The 6.3” 1-120Hz LTPO display on the front is similar enough to the previous model – it is brighter at 3,500 nits peak and has slimmer 1.18mm bezels, but the major upgrade this generation is the improved power efficiency. And then there is 2.7” display on the back (904 x 572px) with the same 3,500 nits peak brightness (it even has DC dimming and up to 120Hz refresh rate). This enables customization, offers at-a-glance info, has some fun uses (e.g. gaming with a retro case) and, most importantly, it enables main camera selfies.
Is the Xiaomi 17 Pro the mini flagship of your dreams or do you have your eyes set on a different phone?
The Xiaomi 17 Pro Max grows bigger and now features a 6.9” display (up from 6.73” on the Xiaomi 15 Pro). It also has the largest battery of the trio at a whopping 7,500mAh. As for the display, it’s a 1-120Hz LTPO panel with 3,500 nits peak brightness. The rear display is only slightly larger than the one on the Pro with a 2.9” diagonal and 976 x 596px resolution.
Xiaomi 17 Pro Max
The main camera uses the same 50MP Light Fusion 950L sensor as the Pro. The 50MP 102° ultra-wide camera is the same too. The 5x telephoto module is better – it has a larger 1/2.0” sensor and a brighter f/2.6 aperture (vs. f/3.0 on the small Pro). It still has tele-macro capabilities, though at a 30cm distance.
Do you see yourself buying a Xiaomi 17 Pro Max when it becomes available in your region?
The Xiaomi 17 is more of a Xiaomi 15 refresh than the 17 Pro is. It doesn’t have a screen on the back, though. Even if you think that’s a gimmick, this model features very similar cameras to its predecessor – 50MP Light Fusion 950 (1/1.31”), 50MP 102° ultra-wide and a 50MP telephoto with the shorter 2.6x/60mm focal length. In case you were wondering, the primary difference between the Light Fusion 950 and 950L is the dynamic range – 13.5 stops on the vanilla model and 16.5 stops on the L-sensor inside the two Pros.
Xiaomi 17
The Xiaomi 17 is on the small side of Android flagships – it’s essentially the same size as the 15. It has a 6.3” display, a 12-bit OLED panel with 1-120Hz refresh rate (LTPO) and a higher 3,500 nits peak brightness. It’s a great display, but it’s only a mild upgrade over the previous model.
The one unequivocal upgrade is the battery – despite measuring the same 8.1mm and weighing the same 191g, this phone has a massive 7,000mAh battery. That’s 700mAh more than the 17 Pro and 1,600mAh more than the Xiaomi 15. And it supports 100W wired and 50W wireless charging to boot. The worst part about this phone seems to be that the 17 Pro is only 10% or so more expensive.
What do you think, is the vanilla Xiaomi 17 worth it?
