Xiaomi has officially launched the Xiaomi 17 Ultra in China, along with a special Xiaomi 17 Ultra Leica Edition. The focus is on premium design, serious mobile photography, and top-end performance.
The launch is also important because Xiaomi and Leica have taken their partnership to the next level. Instead of limited camera tuning, both companies are now working together from the early design stage. Xiaomi 17 Ultra is the first phone built under this new strategic co-creation model, and it shows in the camera system.
The Xiaomi 17 Ultra comes with a big design change. For the first time, an Ultra model uses a flat display instead of a curved one. The phone looks clean and modern, with very thin bezels all around. At just 8.29mm thick, it is the slimmest Ultra phone Xiaomi has ever made. It feels more balanced in the hand thanks to a refined camera module and a micro-curved metal frame.
The phone features a large 6.9-inch LTPO AMOLED display with a 1Hz to 120Hz refresh rate. Brightness goes up to 3500 nits, which is excellent for outdoor use. It supports HDR10+ and Dolby Vision, so streaming and gaming look great. Xiaomi says its new display tech delivers sharp 2K visuals while using less power, which is good news for battery life.
The phone is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chip. It is paired with up to 16GB of RAM and up to 1TB of fast storage. Performance should be top-class for gaming, multitasking, and heavy apps. Xiaomi has also improved cooling with a new IceLoop system, which should help keep temperatures under control during long sessions.
Xiaomi has also added some interesting ecosystem features. The phone can mirror and control Apple devices like iPhones, iPads, and Macs, and vice versa. This is a rare move and could be useful for users who use both Android and Apple products.
The phone uses a triple Leica camera setup that covers ultra-wide, wide, and telephoto shooting. The main camera uses a 1-inch 50MP Light Fusion sensor with excellent dynamic range. It handles bright highlights and dark shadows very well, especially in tough lighting. The 200MP telephoto camera is even more impressive. It offers true optical zoom from 75mm to 100mm without relying on digital cropping. This means better detail and cleaner images when zooming in. The lens also carries Leica APO certification, which helps reduce color fringing and improve sharpness. This is the first Xiaomi phone to get this certification.
There is also a 50MP ultra-wide camera for landscapes and macro shots, and a 50MP front camera for selfies and video calls. Video recording goes up to 8K, making this phone a strong option for content creators.
The phone comes with an in-display 3D ultrasonic fingerprint sensor and an infrared sensor. It also has USB Type-C audio, Hi-Res audio, Stereo speakers, Dolby Atmos, and 4-microphone array. It also features AI noise reduction for clearer calls.
It has a high-performance antenna array with five signal enhancement chips, supporting 51 4G and 5G frequency bands as well as UWB (Ultra-Wideband) technology. Other connectivity options include Dual 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi 7 802.11 be, Bluetooth 6.0, Beidou, GPS, Galileo, GLONASS, QZSS, NavIC, USB Type-C 3.2 Gen 2, NFC, and Satellite communication.
Battery capacity is another strong point. The phone packs a 6800mAh battery, which is larger than most flagships. It supports 90W wired charging and 50W wireless charging, so topping up should be quick and convenient.
The phone features IP66, IP68, and IP69 ratings for dust and water resistance. It comes in several color options include Black, White, Purple, and Green, with the green model offering a unique textured finish.
Alongside the standard model, Xiaomi launched the Xiaomi 17 Ultra Leica Edition. This version is clearly aimed at photography lovers. It features a premium dual-tone design with leather and metal, a Leica red dot badge, and engraved branding. There is also a physical zoom ring that allows precise control, similar to a real camera lens.
The Leica Edition includes special camera modes inspired by classic Leica cameras and film styles. It also adds photo authenticity protection and satellite communication support for remote areas. Xiaomi even includes a premium gift box with photography accessories.
Price and availability
Xiaomi 17 Ultra starts at 6999 yuan for the 12GB and 512GB version. The top-end 1TB Leica Edition goes up to 8999 yuan. Sales in China begin on December 27.
- Xiaomi 17 Ultra 12GB + 512GB: 6999 yuan
- Xiaomi 17 Ultra 16GB + 512GB: 7499 yuan
- Xiaomi 17 Ultra 16GB + 1TB: 8499 yuan
- Xiaomi 17 Ultra Leica Edition 16GB + 512GB: 7999 yuan
- Xiaomi 17 Ultra Leica Edition 16GB + 1TB: 8999 yuan
