Xiaomi 17T review: the telephoto advantage

• By Ashish Kumar
Published On: 4 June 2026 | 13:30 IST

The Xiaomi 17T arrives amid a broader shift driven by rising smartphone prices, much like the OPPO Find X9s. It’s a sub-flagship offering from the brand, first since the Xiaomi 14 Civi launch a couple of years ago. The Xiaomi 17T aims to retain a flagship-like experience, at least with the cameras, thanks to its Leica-tuned camera system and a dedicated 5x periscope telephoto lens, which is said to be better than the Xiaomi 17 Ultra (review).

Does it stand out as the best Android sub-flagship in its class? Let’s find out in this review.

Verdict

The Xiaomi 17T impresses with its competitive pricing, versatile camera system, and reliable battery life. While its performance falls short of true flagship standards and charging speeds aren’t the quickest in the segment, it remains well-suited to its target audience. Overall, the smartphone delivers a well-rounded experience with few major compromises.

Cameras: a zoom-focused experience

The Xiaomi 17T focuses heavily on its camera system, featuring a triple rear setup comprising a 50MP OIS Light Fusion 800 primary sensor, a 12MP ultrawide lens, and a 50MP OIS periscope telephoto lens. The periscope unit, in particular, stands out with its 5x optical zoom, making the setup far more versatile than that of some more expensive smartphones.

The Xiaomi 17T offers an effective focal range of 15mm to 115mm, enabling flexible framing without additional accessories. This makes the setup much more dynamic, and you can feel it in everyday usage. Capturing images from the 5x telephoto camera definitely enhances the results, whether it is a regular shot or a portrait. Moreover, the built-in setup is far more convenient to use than the extender kit included with the Vivo X300 FE.

However, as our comparison image shows above, the Vivo X300 FE’s telephoto extender kit produces slightly more detailed results. This is likely due to its longer 200mm focal length compared to the Xiaomi 17T’s 115mm reach. In comparison, the Xiaomi device’s telephoto shots appear a bit soft and slightly over-processed, with less natural colour rendering, particularly under artificial lighting.

The Xiaomi 17T’s primary and ultrawide cameras are a step down from those on the Xiaomi 17. Unfortunately, we did not have both devices available for a direct comparison of their camera performance. Nevertheless, the 17T still retains several features from its higher-end sibling, including Leica Ultra Pure optics with a glass-and-coating system, Live Moments for capturing quick video snippets alongside stills, and a range of creative shooting modes such as Silhouette, Frame, and Fireworks. There is a new Leica watermark available for Live Moments as well.

As for the results, the Xiaomi 17T’s primary camera performs well in daylight, capturing vibrant and eye-catching images that lean towards punchier tones rather than outright accuracy. The smartphone also offers Leica Authentic mode, accessible from the top-right corner within the camera app. Unlike the default Leica Vibrant profile, this mode tones down HDR processing and delivers more contrast-heavy, true-to-life images. However, the output appears less visually pleasing overall, with less exposed details, particularly around the shadowy areas. The difference is only apparent in daylight and well-lit conditions.

The main camera is also capable of adjusting ISO levels with different shooting modes to output more pleasing results. Moving on, the Xiaomi 17T’s ultrawide lens may not deliver the best detail retention or colour consistency, but the resulting images still appear fairly clean overall. For selfies and video calls, the handset uses a 32MP front camera that captures soft-looking images with slightly oversaturated tones.

The phone is capable of recording 4K 60 fps video, except for the ultrawide and selfie cameras, which are capped at 4K 30 fps. That’s a slight inconsistency, but most short video content creators should be fine with 1080p recordings on this phone for an even output across cameras.

To give you a better perspective on the Xiaomi 17T photography, we compared the results with another sub-flagship OPPO Find X9s in different lighting scenarios.

Daylight

In daylight, the Xiaomi 17T captures more vibrant, eye-catching shots. However, it lacks the accuracy in colours, sharpness, and dynamic range that the OPPO Find X9s brings to the table.

Ultrawide

The Xiaomi 17T’s ultrawide shot appears more contrasty than the one captured from the primary lens. The image also appears relatively clean, but lacks the details and colour accuracy where the OPPO Find X9s excels.

Portrait

The Xiaomi 17T’s telephoto lens does a better job of capturing images with cleaner edge detection and a more consistent bokeh effect. The portraits also appear punchy, but with slightly oversaturated tones and soft details compared to the OPPO Find X9s.

Selfie

The oversaturated tones can be seen in Xiaomi 17T selfies as well, which again, appealingly, deviate from the overall reality ever so slightly. The OPPO Find X9s, on the contrary, leans towards a warm tone, bringing out those facial details and dynamic range.

Low light (night mode)

In low light, the Xiaomi 17T leans towards smoothening the details to keep the noise level down. While it does a tremendous job controlling the light flare with the night mode, the colours don’t look as accurate as the OPPO Find X9s.

Design: solidly built despite a plastic frame

While not as compact as the Xiaomi 17, the Xiaomi 17T still retains the same core design language. The handset uses a squircle-shaped camera module with Leica branding that protrudes slightly from the rear panel. Despite the raised module, the phone remains stable on a flat surface, aided by its flat back and even edges. The flat frame also improves grip, though the wider footprint makes it feel a touch less comfortable for one-handed use compared to the more compact model.

Thankfully, Xiaomi has kept the Xiaomi 17T’s weight close to the 200-gram mark, which helps it remain comfortable to handle during extended use. The smartphone’s plastic frame could have helped with it. While it feels less premium than an aluminium frame, the handset feels as solid as it can get. There’s no noticeable bend when force is applied. The Xiaomi 17T may lack resistance to high-pressure water jets, like some other sub-flagships, but it is IP68-certified for water and dust resistance.

The phone is available in three colour options: Violet, Black, and Blue. We received the Violet variant for review, which also appears to be the finish Xiaomi is prominently showcasing in its marketing material. Compared to other sub-flagships, such as the OPPO Find X9s in its Sunset Orange finish, the Xiaomi 17T looks slightly understated but subtle.

That said, the Violet finish on the fibreglass back is prone to smudges, which can spoil its clean look over time. A TPU case is included in the box, offering basic protection against accidental drops, though its black colour somewhat masks the phone’s colour. Xiaomi should take note of Vivo, OPPO, and other manufacturers, which have started providing a matching colour case with their smartphones.

As for I/O, the Xiaomi 17T features a USB Type-C port sandwiched between the speaker grille and a SIM ejector tray at the bottom edge. The phone comes with an optical in-display fingerprint scanner, which feels accurate and responsive but is less accessible than an ultrasonic sensor placed higher up, where the thumb would naturally land.

Display: sharp and vibrant

The Xiaomi 17T features a 6.59-inch 12-bit AMOLED display with a centred punch-hole, razor-thin bezels, 1.5K resolution, up to 120Hz refresh rate, HDR10+ support, and a maximum claimed brightness of 3,500 nits. The handset supports HDR content via YouTube and other streaming platforms out of the box. The display appears sharp with colours closer to reality in its default Original Colour PRO settings. If you prefer a bit more punchy, vibrant tones, the colour profile can be tweaked to ‘Vivid’ in settings.

The display offers decent brightness for outdoor visibility under direct sunlight. It also maintains a consistent 120Hz refresh rate across the UI. But for apps, I found the refresh rate inconsistent. Despite manually setting it to 120Hz, the phone would drop the refresh rate down to 60Hz even on system apps. In games such as BGMI, the Xiaomi 17T consistently delivered 90 fps, which is respectable but falls short of its full potential.

Moving on, the Xiaomi 17T comes equipped with stereo speakers that may lack balance but get considerably loud. Overall, the display delivers a solid multimedia experience, though it may feel less appealing to gamers who prioritise high-FPS performance. The display is also quad TUV Rheinland-certified for flicker-free viewing, low blue-light emission, enhanced eye care, and improved sleep-friendly use, making it more comfortable for extended viewing sessions.

Performance and software: can’t be underestimated

At the core of the Xiaomi 17T is the mid-range MediaTek Dimensity 8500 Ultra SoC, paired with 12GB RAM and up to 512GB of storage. This puts it at a slight disadvantage against some rival sub-flagships that offer more powerful chipsets. Interestingly, the Dimensity 8500 Ultra is the same processor found in the POCO X8 Pro, a device positioned in the sub-Rs 40,000 segment.

Xiaomi has backed up the performance with a 3D Ice Loop cooling system to dissipate heat during demanding workloads. My usage has mostly kept the phone’s thermal in check. I didn’t find the device warming while navigating my way home through Google Maps, while streaming a YouTube video in between, and extensively using the cameras to capture moments. In our internal gaming test, the handset’s thermals increased by just 11 percent, which is normal, while playing BGMI and Call of Duty: Mobile for 30 minutes each.

The smartphone also features Xiaomi’s Surge T1 Plus and T1S chips, which are designed to enhance connectivity. I stay in a metro city, and the network on the Xiaomi 17T acted normally. The Xiaomi 17T also supports Astro Communication, a feature claimed to enable offline communication over distances of up to 1.3 kilometres in select situations. However, I wasn’t in a suitable environment to test the feature during my review period.

I can vouch for the Xiaomi 17T’s performance. The handset handled everything I threw at it smoothly, not slowing down even under demanding workloads. This could partly be attributed to its software, which remained fluent for the most part. There were a few minor bugs which I encountered during testing, such as occasional camera lag and frame stutters while gaming. However, these were infrequent and usually resolved with a quick app refresh. Given their minor nature, a future software update should be able to address them.

The Xiaomi 17T runs on Android 16-based HyperOS 3 out of the box. This is the same software that comes preloaded on the Xiaomi 17 and 17 Pro smartphones. Things remain pretty much the same here, with a bunch of pre-installed apps and a highly customisable experience. The animations feel just as smooth, and there is Super Island, similar to Apple’s Dynamic Island, for contextual information and quick access to active background apps.

The device also includes a range of AI-powered features, allowing users to generate wallpapers, assist with writing, translate text, recognise speech, and transcribe calls. In addition, it offers handy image-editing tools such as object erasing, image expansion, and the ability to create short video clips from a set of photos. The AI tools are pretty reliable and enhance the overall experience. The HyperOS 3 also enhances connectivity, iPhone integration, AirPods support, and more.

However, it doesn’t feel as refined as OPPO’s ColorOS skin, which has recently received improvements to the notification panel and app drawer for better accessibility and usability. Xiaomi could benefit from taking similar cues and addressing these gaps in future updates. The Xiaomi 17T is promised five years of major OS upgrades and six years of security updates.

Battery: reliable for everyday use

The Xiaomi 17T packs a 6,500mAh battery with support for 67W fast charging, and Xiaomi includes a compatible charger in the box. The charging speeds feel relatively slow in day-to-day use. The handset takes around 1 hour and 15 minutes to charge from 20 to 100 percent, whereas rivals with similarly sized batteries, such as the Vivo X300 FE, can achieve the same in under an hour.

As for its optimisation, the Xiaomi 17T nicely handles everyday use all day long. We got roughly 5-5.5 hours of screen time after using the phone to capture images, stream videos, browse the internet, and navigate the streets. However, it isn’t the most power-efficient device out there. During our internal testing, the handset consumed almost 15 percent of its battery after streaming a YouTube video and playing games for two hours. This is marginally higher than some of the similarly priced smartphones.

Heavy users may find themselves reaching for the charger by the end of the day. That was the case for us as well after subjecting the phone to intensive usage or multitasking. The handset could also do with better standby efficiency, as battery drain during idle periods appears to be higher than expected. The Vivo X300 FE, which offers a similar battery pack, has the best battery backup on a sub-flagship as of writing this review.

Having said that, regular users won’t have trouble with the backup currently being offered by the Xiaomi 17T.

Final verdict

The Xiaomi 17T may not be the best sub-flagship on the market, but its starting price of Rs 59,999 makes it one of the most compelling options in its segment. The standout 5x telephoto camera brings a level of versatility rarely seen at this price point, complemented by a sharp AMOLED display, dependable battery life, and a reliable chipset that remains stable even under sustained workloads.

Having said that, the phone isn’t without shortcomings. The bundled 67W charging feels relatively slow for a device with a 6,500mAh battery, while the MediaTek Dimensity 8500 Ultra falls short of the performance offered by some competing sub-flagships. If raw performance and faster charging are your priorities, the Motorola Signature (review) and Vivo X200T (review) are worth considering within the segment. Buyers willing to stretch their budget can also look at the OPPO Find X9s (review) and Vivo X300 FE (review), both of which deliver a more premium, near-flagship experience with stronger performance and quicker charging.

However, those devices cost significantly more, with prices starting above Rs 75,999. The Xiaomi 17T, by comparison, offers excellent value while retaining a feature set that stands out in everyday use. More importantly, its versatile 5x telephoto camera gives users the freedom to get closer to the action without spending flagship money, making it an easy recommendation for photography enthusiasts shopping in this price range.

Editor’s rating: 8.5/10

Reasons to buy

• Excellent telephoto camera
• Reliable all-day battery life
• Sharp, vibrant display
• Smooth everyday performance

Reasons not to buy

• Slow charging speeds
• Inconsistent screen refresh rate