Xiaomi 17 Ultra launched: 9 things you need to know about Xiaomi's new flagship
Gadgets Now March 01, 2026 04:39 AM
Xiaomi has taken the wraps off its flagship Xiaomi 17 Ultra at a global launch event, and the phone comes swinging with a revamped Leica camera system, a new chipset, and a design that's noticeably slimmer than its predecessor. Priced starting at €1,499 (roughly Rs 1,38,000), the phone is available in Black, White, and Starlit Green colour options with 512GB and 1TB storage variants. Here's everything worth knowing about Xiaomi's latest top-shelf offering. Slimmer build, smaller camera bumpThe Xiaomi 17 Ultra measures 8.29mm in thickness and weighs as little as 218.4 grams—making it the slimmest and lightest Ultra model the company has ever made. The phone sports an all-flat body design with ultra-thin bezels and a repositioned, smaller camera deco housing that doesn't dominate the back panel like previous generations did. Build quality checks out too: there's a high-strength fiberglass back, an aluminum alloy frame, Xiaomi Shield Glass 3.0 (which Xiaomi claims offers 30% better drop resistance than the Xiaomi 15 Ultra), and an IP68 dust and water resistance rating. Leica's role goes beyond branding this timeXiaomi and Leica have upgraded their collaboration from a "Joint R&D" arrangement to what they're calling a "Strategic Co-creation Model." In practical terms, this means Leica has had a more hands-on role in the imaging pipeline this time around. The result is a triple rear camera setup branded with a VARIO-APO-SUMMILUX lens designation—the kind of naming you'd usually see on Leica's own standalone lenses. New 1-inch sensor built for better HDRThe main camera uses Xiaomi's first 1-inch LOFIC sensor—the Light Fusion 1050L. LOFIC (Lateral Overflow Integrated Capacitor) technology essentially boosts the sensor's full-well capacity, which translates to significantly better HDR performance. Put simply, the phone should handle tricky high-contrast scenes—think sunlit windows in dim rooms—with more detail and less blown-out highlights than before. 200MP telephoto with real optical zoomPerhaps the most eye-catching spec is the 200MP telephoto camera with a 75-100mm mechanical optical zoom range. Built to Leica's APO optical standards, it promises minimal ghosting and colour fringing across the zoom range. And if you need to reach further, the phone pushes to a 400mm equivalent (17.2x) focal length using its high-resolution sensor crop. There's also a 50MP ultra-wide camera with 115-degree field of view and a 50MP selfie camera rounding things out. 4K 120fps video on both main and telephoto camerasOn the video front, the Xiaomi 17 Ultra supports Dolby Vision and ACES Log capture at up to 4K 120fps on both the main and telephoto cameras. That's a meaningful upgrade for creators who want colour-grading flexibility without carrying a dedicated camera. Latest Snapdragon chip under the hoodUnder the hood, the Xiaomi 17 Ultra runs on the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, Qualcomm's latest flagship mobile chipset built on a 3nm process. It's paired with 16GB of LPDDR5X RAM and UFS 4.1 storage. 6.9-inch OLED that’s more clear and efficientThe display is a 6.9-inch OLED panel with a 1-120Hz LTPO refresh rate, 3,500 nits peak brightness, and support for HDR10+ and Dolby Vision. What's new here is Xiaomi's HyperRGB technology—a redesigned subpixel layout that the company says improves text clarity and power efficiency compared to standard OLED arrangements. DC dimming is also on board for flicker-free viewing at lower brightness levels. 6,000mAh battery with 90W wired chargingThe Xiaomi 17 Ultra packs a 6,000mAh Xiaomi Surge Battery with 16% silicon content for better energy density. Charging tops out at 90W wired and 50W wireless—interestingly, not the fastest in the series, since the standard Xiaomi 17 gets 100W wired charging. The phone also supports 100W PD-PPS charging, which means you're not locked into Xiaomi's own chargers. Two photography kits: One for the Pros, one for allXiaomi is also selling two optional Photography Kits. The standard kit (€99.99) adds a wrist strap, customisable two-stage shutter button, and a dedicated video button. The Pro version (€199.99) goes further with a PU leather grip inspired by classic Leica camera bodies, a built-in 2,000mAh battery, a detachable shutter button, and a Fastshot mode UI for quick-draw shooting.
