Xiaomi’s flagship series made its global debut last week with two phones: Xiaomi 17 and Xiaomi 17 Ultra. These phones will succeed last year’s Xiaomi 15 and Xiaomi 15 Ultra. Like the previous models, the Xiaomi 17 series also focuses heavily on camera performance, with Leica optics, and the 17 Ultra features a dedicated photography kit as well. The Xiaomi 17 series has also been launched at a much higher price than its predecessors, starting at Rs 89,999 for the standard model.
Xiaomi 17 Ultra has now touched the luxury premium segment with a price tag of Rs 1,39,999 for the single 16GB + 512GB variant. In comparison, its predecessor, the Xiaomi 15 Ultra, was launched at Rs 1,09,999. The price hike can be seen as an effect of surging memory prices. All new flagships have launched at higher prices, and existing phones are also seeing price hikes.
The 17 Ultra can be purchased at an effective price of Rs 1,29,999 with an instant discount of Rs 10,000 on SBI credit cards and credit card EMI. The smartphone also comes with a dedicated Xiaomi Professional Photography Kit Pro priced at Rs 19,999, separately. The Xiaomi 17 Ultra has been launched in black and white colours in India. It will be available through an early bird sale between March 13th and 17th, where the camera kit will be available for free along with the smartphone.
As for the Xiaomi 17, it comes in black, blue, and green variants. The 256GB variant of the Xiaomi 17 is priced at Rs 89,999, and the 512GB at Rs 99,999. There’s an early bird offer between March 13th and 17th, where the 512GB variant will be available at the cost of the 256GB model.
Both phones will be available to purchase from mi.com, Amazon India, and Xiaomi retail stores starting March 18th.
Xiaomi 17, 17 Ultra specifications, features
Xiaomi’s flagship lineup is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 SoC, Qualcomm’s fastest mobile chipset yet. It’s proven to deliver top-tier performance across gaming, multitasking, and AI-driven tasks. The Xiaomi 17 is the compact model with a 6.3-inch AMOLED display and a peak brightness of 3,500 nits. The Xiaomi 17 Ultra has a bigger 6.9-inch LTPO AMOLED display with a 120Hz adaptive refresh rate. Both flagships feature an IP68 rating for dust and water resistance.
Xiaomi 17 Ultra offers more advanced cameras than the Xiaomi 17 with a triple-camera setup featuring a 50MP main sensor, a 50MP ultra-wide lens, and a 200MP telephoto camera. It also features a new sensor technology called LOFIC (Lateral Overflow Integration Capacitor), which is said to prevent highlights from blowing out and shadows from crushing by capturing times more light. It’s said to enable DSLR-like, high-dynamic-range photos and, especially, video in challenging lighting conditions.
The Xiaomi 17 also features a Leica-backed camera system, including a 50MP primary sensor, a 50MP ultra-wide camera, and a 50MP telephoto lens. While it may not be as powerful as the Ultra, the Xiaomi 17 is still capable of delivering impressive photos.
Interestingly, the Xiaomi 17 has a slightly larger battery than the Ultra. It packs a 6,330mAh battery with 100W fast charging support. The Xiaomi 17 Ultra packs a 6,000mAh battery with support for 90W wired and 50W wireless charging. Both phones should be able to deliver a full day’s power on a single charge.
For now, the Xiaomi 17 Ultra appears to be a better choice for photography enthusiasts who want DSLR-like technology on a smartphone. It’s also for those who are willing to pay a premium for smartphone photography. The compact Xiaomi 17 is recommended for those who want a flagship in a smaller form factor with a large battery and Leica-tuned photography.
