Xiaomi 17 Ultra hands-on: The cameraphone with a monstrous zoom
Source: Mashable Tech
Overview
Yup, the humongous, circular camera bump is still here.
Credit: Stan Schroeder / Mashable
Xiaomi’s Ultra line of phones has always been about one thing: peak camera performance. The new Xiaomi 17 Ultra, launched ahead of MWC 2026 in Barcelona, pushes the boundaries once more, though it suffers from similar setbacks as its predecessors.
Note: There was no Xiaomi 16 Ultra; the company skipped that number and went straight from the Xiaomi 15/15 Ultra to the Xiaomi 17/17 Ultra, likely to “catch up” with Apple, whose latest models also bear the number seventeen. Despite the change, the new Xiaomi phones are very much an evolution of last year’s flagship models.
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Phone specs
- Display: 6.9‑inch, 120 Hz OLED
- Chipset: Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5
- Memory: 16 GB RAM
- Storage: 512 GB / 1 TB
- Battery: 6 000 mAh, 90 W fast charging, 50 W wireless charging
- Colors: Black, White, Starlid Green (the unit I received was black, but Starlid Green looks way cooler)
What sets the Ultra apart?
The Xiaomi 17 Ultra differs from the regular Xiaomi 17 (also debuted in Barcelona) mainly in screen size (6.9 in vs. 6.3 in) and camera hardware.
- Rear camera array (Leica‑branded):
- 50 MP main sensor
- 200 MP telephoto sensor (75–100 mm focal length)
- 50 MP ultra‑wide sensor
- Front camera: 50 MP selfie sensor
At 8.29 mm thickness and 218 g weight, it’s the thinnest and lightest Xiaomi Ultra phone ever.
Credit: Stan Schroeder / Mashable
The 200‑megapixel telephoto lens offers up to 17.2× “optical‑level” zoom (practically 100× usable zoom). In my tests, I could capture recognizable details at 100× zoom—far beyond what the naked eye could see.
Mashable Light Speed
- Left: What the Xiaomi 17 Ultra’s telephoto camera can do.
- Right: Another example of the phone’s impressive zoom.
When you push the zoom that far, AI processing takes the reins quite heavily—notice how the system recreates the letters on a distant sign. If you love the idea of snapping sharp photos of a flower a hundred yards away, this phone delivers.
- Left: AI‑enhanced zoom sample.
- Right: The zoom is so good it feels like using a pair of binoculars.
Photography kits
Xiaomi also offers two optional photography kits that turn the phone into something that really looks like a compact camera, adding extra buttons, visual details, and battery life.
- Xiaomi 17 Ultra Photography Kit – smaller, keeps the phone’s dimensions relatively normal.
- Xiaomi 17 Ultra Photography Kit Pro – two‑part, makes the device noticeably bulkier.
The photography kits look cool, but they make the phone a lot bulkier.
Credit: Stan Schroeder / Mashable
The kits illustrate the most obvious drawback of this phone: it’s too much of a camera. It’s top‑heavy, has a smaller battery than the regular Xiaomi 17, and – due to its massive camera bump on the back – doesn’t support Xiaomi’s wireless, magnetic battery.
Leica Leitzphone
A special version announced during Xiaomi’s Barcelona unveiling, the Leica Leitzphone, shares most specs with the Xiaomi 17 Ultra but sports a retro design reminiscent of classic Leica cameras, plus a couple of Leica‑specific photography modes.
This one is for the Leica fans.
Credit: Stan Schroeder / Mashable
An extra feature: the ring surrounding its camera bump can be rotated to increase or decrease zoom. It’s precise, but you must avoid covering the lens with your fingers while shooting.
Pricing
- Xiaomi 17 Ultra starts at €1,499 in Europe; no info on U.S. availability yet.
- Leica Leitzphone starts at €1,999, available in select markets and locations.
End of article.
Author
Stan Schroeder – Senior Editor, Mashable
Stan has worked at Mashable since 2007. He’s got more battery‑powered gadgets and band T‑shirts than you. He writes about the next groundbreaking thing—typically a phone, a coin, or a car. His ultimate goal is to know something about everything.
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