Xiaomi 17T: Design, build quality and scope of delivery
Visually, the Xiaomi 17T remains a rather understated smartphone. Our test device in violet appears subtly dark in some lighting conditions and much more striking in others. The smartphone is also available in black, opal white, and blue.
Compared to the Xiaomi 15T (here to testXiaomi has adjusted the dimensions. Instead of 163,2 x 78,0 millimeters, the Xiaomi 17T now measures only 157,6 x 75,2 millimeters. However, at 8,17 millimeters, it is slightly thicker and, at 200 grams, a few grams heavier than its predecessor. In practice, though, it feels more balanced than the 15T because the width has been reduced, making the device feel less bulky in the hand.
The compactness of the Xiaomi 17 (here is our testHowever, it still doesn't quite reach that level. The flagship, with its 6,3-inch form factor, remains noticeably more manageable and also feels more premium. With the Xiaomi 17T, it's more apparent that Xiaomi continues to distance itself from the true top-of-the-line market. The frame isn't made of aluminum, but rather plastic. This detracts somewhat from the premium feel, but doesn't necessarily make it look cheap. The build quality is clean, the buttons are firmly in place, and the casing feels sturdy.
The matte back is pleasantly resistant to fingerprints in everyday use. Fingerprints are barely noticeable, and even after several photo tours through Vienna, the device didn't immediately look smudged. The camera module is symmetrically positioned on the back and bears the Leica logo, which gives the otherwise understated design its most distinctive feature.
The IP68 certification is a definite plus. Rain, wet hands, or brief contact with water are no problem. The display is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 7i.
All the buttons are located on the right side, have a crisp click, and are easily accessible. The USB-C port, speaker, microphone, and SIM card slot are located at the bottom. A traditional headphone jack is long gone, but the IR blaster remains. It's not visibly located in the top frame, but rather hidden near the camera module.
The package includes the smartphone, a USB-C cable, a SIM eject tool, a protective case, and the usual paperwork. A power adapter is not included. While this is common practice these days, it's still a shame for a smartphone with 67W HyperCharge.
Xiaomi 17T: Display
The Xiaomi 17T's display represents one of the most significant improvements over its predecessor. While the diagonal has shrunk from 6,83 inches on the Xiaomi 15T to 6,59 inches, the panel hardly feels smaller in everyday use. Instead, the smartphone feels more manageable without any noticeable loss of space when reading, navigating, or taking photos.
The resolution is 2756 x 1268 pixels, which again results in approximately 460 ppi. Text appears very sharp, photos are rich in detail, and even small UI elements remain clearly legible. Colors are vibrant but not oversaturated, black is deep, as is typical for AMOLED displays, and HDR content benefits from Dolby Vision and HDR10+.
The Xiaomi 17T also performs exceptionally well in terms of brightness. Xiaomi specifies a brightness of up to 3500 cd/m², slightly higher than the Xiaomi 15T. During test shots in Vienna, amidst bright facades, reflective shop windows, and direct sunlight, I rarely needed to shield the display with my hand. Composition, focus point, and exposure could be reliably assessed even outdoors.
The refresh rate remains at up to 120 Hz. Scrolling through websites, social networks, or the gallery feels correspondingly smooth. However, unlike the Xiaomi 17, it lacks a true LTPO panel, which can regulate down to as low as 1 Hz. This is hardly noticeable in everyday use, but it's one of the points where the T model still technically differentiates itself from the flagship.
The Xiaomi 17T offers a very high 480 Hz touch sampling rate and responds pleasantly and directly to input. Wet Touch 2.0 is also included, so the display remains usable even after light rain or with damp fingers.
Xiaomi also offers several features for sensitive eyes. In addition to 3840 Hz PWM dimming, it includes DC dimming, multiple TÜV Rheinland certifications, and Xiaomi's Vision Care functions. At low brightness levels, the panel appears pleasantly calm, for example, when reading in the evening or quickly glancing at your smartphone on the train.
Xiaomi 17T: Performance
The Xiaomi 17T uses the MediaTek Dimensity 8500-Ultra, a direct successor to the Dimensity 8400-Ultra found in the Xiaomi 15T. The upgrade sounds bigger on paper than it actually feels in everyday use. Both chips are upper mid-range and deliver more than enough performance for all typical smartphone tasks. Apps open quickly, multitasking runs smoothly, and even large photo galleries or image editing don't faze the device.
The processor is supported by 12 GB of LPDDR5X RAM and either 256 or 512 GB of UFS 4.1 storage. Storage expansion via microSD card is not supported. Therefore, anyone who stores a lot of photos, videos, or offline downloads should opt for the larger storage option.
Compared to the Xiaomi 15T, the 17T is a bit smoother. HyperOS 3 feels more polished, and the faster RAM helps with demanding apps, although its predecessor was already quite fast. The bigger difference lies in the efficiency and its interaction with the larger battery.
There's a clear gap between the Xiaomi 17 and the Xiaomi 17. The Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 in the flagship is noticeably more powerful, especially under sustained high load, demanding games, and computationally intensive tasks like video exporting. Those seeking maximum performance will find it in the Xiaomi 17. However, those simply looking for a fast smartphone for everyday use, camera work, navigation, social media, and occasional gaming will find the Xiaomi 17T to be perfectly adequate.
Games also run smoothly on the Xiaomi 17T. Demanding titles are playable with high settings; only at maximum graphics profiles does it become apparent that this isn't a true flagship chip. The device remains pleasantly controlled. The Xiaomi 3D IceLoop cooling system distributes heat effectively across the casing, so while the back does get warm, it doesn't become uncomfortably hot.
Xiaomi 17T: Connectivity
In terms of connectivity, the Xiaomi 17T largely stays at the level one would expect in this price range. 5G is included, as are eSIM, dual SIM, NFC for payments, Bluetooth 6.0, and, as mentioned, an IR blaster. The latter is typical of Xiaomi and still practical in everyday life when the remote control is nowhere to be found in a hotel, at a friend's house, or at home. Essentially, there's no significant difference here compared to its predecessor.
When navigating, the smartphone quickly finds its position and maintains it stably, even between tall buildings. Supported technologies include GPS L1 + L5, Galileo E1 + E5a, GLONASS, BeiDou, QZSS, and NavIC.
The USB-C port remains on the older USB 2.0 standard. Anyone who regularly copies large video files to their computer will notice this. For occasional photos, backups, or normal file transfers, it's not a big deal, but a faster USB standard would have been much more suitable, especially for a smartphone with a powerful camera.
The stereo speakers deliver decent sound. Voices are clear and understandable, videos sound sufficiently spacious, and the maximum volume is easily sufficient for YouTube, podcasts, or navigation in a hotel room. However, because the sound is only output via the bottom speaker and the earpiece, the balance is somewhat lacking. When holding the smartphone horizontally, one side sounds slightly more powerful than the other. With the Xiaomi 15T, the sound also came from a small opening in the frame at the top, which made the sound distribution a bit more even.
For unlocking, Xiaomi relies on an in-display fingerprint sensor and AI facial recognition. The fingerprint sensor works quickly and reliably, but isn't quite as high-quality as the ultrasonic sensor in the Xiaomi 17. With dry fingers, there were hardly any failed attempts in the test. The flagship has the advantage with wet fingers, but in normal everyday use, the optical sensor of the Xiaomi 17T does a solid job.
Xiaomi 17T: Operating system
The Xiaomi 17T runs HyperOS 3 based on Android 16. Anyone who has used a recent Xiaomi smartphone will feel right at home. The interface is fast, colorful, and in many places more customized than stock Android, but no longer as cluttered as previous MIUI versions.
The Dimensity 8500-Ultra handles the interface with apparent ease. Animations appear smooth, apps launch quickly, and even when switching between the camera, gallery, maps, and messenger, there were no noticeable stutters or crashes during testing.
Xiaomi's HyperAI has grown further, bundling AI functions such as AI writing, speech recognition, interpreter, search, and dynamic wallpapers. It also includes Circle to Search with Google and Gemini. Much of this is now standard in this price range, but Xiaomi integrates the features quite well into the system.
Xiaomi is also further expanding its interconnectivity. Users of a Xiaomi tablet, notebook, or other devices from the ecosystem will benefit from greater convenience when sharing files, notifications, or clipboard content. However, HyperOS 3 remains perfectly usable for users without other Xiaomi devices, without necessarily feeling confined to a closed ecosystem.
Pre-installed apps and advertising, which aren't really necessary on a smartphone in this price range, are unfortunately present here as well. Many can be removed or disabled, but the setup still feels less polished than with Google or Samsung devices. Especially since the rest of the system now seems so mature, this point remains unnecessarily noticeable.
In terms of updates, the Xiaomi 17T, at least as a more affordable T-model, performs reasonably well. Xiaomi promises four major Android versions and six years of security updates. This makes the device significantly more secure than older T-models, but it doesn't quite reach the level of updates offered by Google and Samsung. Nevertheless, for most users, the support period should be long enough to use the smartphone effectively for several years.
Xiaomi 17T: Camera
On the back is another Leica triple camera. The main camera has a 50 MP resolution, uses the Light Fusion 800 sensor in a 1/1,55-inch format, has an f/1.7 aperture and optical image stabilization. This is complemented by a 50 MP periscope telephoto camera with a 115 mm focal length, OIS and 5x optical zoom, as well as a 12 MP ultra-wide-angle camera with a 120-degree field of view.
Xiaomi has equipped the standard T model with a 5x periscope telephoto lens this time around, a feature previously reserved for the Pro model. While its predecessor also had a 50 MP telephoto camera, it only offered 2x optical zoom with a 46mm focal length. This was practical for portraits, but often too short for architecture, details, or distant subjects.
There's still a gap between the Xiaomi 17 and the Xiaomi 17. The compact flagship boasts a superior camera system overall, with a more powerful main camera, a better front camera, and a different telephoto lens setup. So, the Xiaomi 17T isn't suddenly the better camera smartphone. However, it is the significantly more compelling T-model because it offers more perspectives for everyday use than its predecessor.
main camera
In daylight, the main camera delivers sharp, high-contrast, and pleasantly vibrant photos. Xiaomi remains true to the Leica look. In "Leica Vibrant" mode, colors appear more intense and somewhat more modern, while "Leica Authentic" offers higher contrast and a more natural tone. Switching between modes is worthwhile depending on the subject. Authentic often looks more harmonious with rust, concrete, forest paths, or muted colors, while Vibrant brings more life to food, plants, or colorful street scenes.
The dynamic range is good. Bright areas don't immediately become overexposed, and darker parts of the image usually retain enough detail. The Xiaomi 17T performs reliably, especially with high-contrast subjects such as bright skies above dark industrial buildings or forest scenes with patches of light between the trees.
The main camera isn't quite on par with the Xiaomi 17. That compact flagship uses the larger Light Fusion 950 sensor, giving it more headroom, especially in challenging lighting conditions. Nevertheless, the Xiaomi 17T's main camera is very reliable and more than adequate for most everyday situations.
The Xiaomi 17T also performs well at night. Streetlights, shop windows, illuminated buildings, and darker interiors are all captured effectively without the camera artificially brightening every scene. Image noise remains moderate, and colors don't visibly shift into unnatural hues. While the main camera does lose some detail in very dark areas, overall the shots appear coherent and usable.
Telephoto lens
The real improvement, however, lies in the telephoto lens. Subjects that appeared digitally magnified and therefore soft with the predecessor can now be brought up sharply. This is particularly enjoyable when photographing details, allowing you to capture pipes, steel beams, facades, signs, distant animals, or individual plants in the forest without loss of quality, all without having to stand right in front of them.
The telephoto camera is also great for portraits, though not in every situation. The 115mm focal length produces a beautiful bokeh and nicely separates subjects from the background. However, you need more distance than with the classic 2x telephoto lens of the Xiaomi 15T. For tight indoor spaces or quick snapshots, the focal length is sometimes too long. Outdoors, however, it performs all the better.
In good lighting conditions, the telephoto lens delivers impressive image quality with high sharpness, strong contrast, and color reproduction that complements the main camera. Even 10x zoom remains surprisingly usable in daylight. While this is digitally enhanced, the results are significantly better than those of the Xiaomi 15T.
The telephoto camera also performs well in low light, as long as there is still enough ambient light. In very dark scenes, the main camera becomes noticeably stronger, but the telephoto lens remains significantly more useful than is typical for many devices in this class.
Ultra wide angle camera
The ultra-wide-angle camera, on the other hand, is the least spectacular part of the camera system. It offers 12 MP, an f/2.2 aperture, a 120-degree field of view, and a 15 mm focal length. In daylight, it produces decent shots with good color accuracy and usable dynamic range. It's practical for wide open spaces, narrow streets, interiors, or expansive landscapes. However, in direct comparison to the main and telephoto cameras, it shows less detail and softer edges.
The lack of autofocus remains a drawback. This makes the ultra-wide-angle camera unsuitable for macro photography, a point of criticism already present with the Xiaomi 15T, but less of an issue with the Xiaomi 17T. Those wanting to photograph close subjects can simply use the telephoto lens.
Front camera
The front camera has a 32 MP resolution and is housed in a punch-hole cutout in the display. Selfies look decent in good lighting, with pleasing skin tones and sufficient sharpness. However, don't expect miracles. The fixed focus still limits the camera if the distance isn't ideal. It's perfectly adequate for video calls, social media, and quick selfies, but it doesn't come close to the more powerful 50 MP autofocus front camera of the Xiaomi 17.
Video
The main camera and the new 5x telephoto lens record in 4K at up to 60 frames per second, while the ultrawide and front cameras remain at 4K at 30 frames per second. 8K or 4K120, as found in more expensive models, is not available.
The main camera delivers sharp, high-contrast, and well-stabilized videos in daylight. The combination of optical and electronic stabilization keeps walking movements remarkably steady without overly smoothing the image. While the clips don't look perfectly gimbal-like, smaller steps and pans are reliably compensated for.
The telephoto lens is also impressive, making the 17T significantly more versatile for filming than the Xiaomi 15T. Distant subjects, in particular, can be captured with much greater sharpness.
In low light, the main camera remains the best choice. The telephoto lens is still usable as long as there is enough ambient light, while the ultrawide camera noticeably degrades in quality sooner. HDR10+, LOG Video, ShootSteady, and Pro Video features complement the Xiaomi 17T's video capabilities.
Xiaomi 17T: Battery
Instead of the 5500 mAh battery used in the Xiaomi 15T, Xiaomi has now installed a 6500 mAh silicon-carbon battery. With active use including the camera, messaging, social media, music streaming, and navigation, you can easily get through the day. On less busy days, a runtime of one and a half to two days is realistic. Those who take a lot of photos on the go or regularly use their smartphone as a navigation device will find this offers more power than the Xiaomi 15T.
Even compared to the Xiaomi 17, the 17T holds its own. While the compact flagship also boasts a very large battery for its size, the Xiaomi 17T offers slightly more capacity at 6500 mAh and uses the less power-hungry Dimensity 8500-Ultra chip.
Within the new T-series, the Xiaomi 17T doesn't remain the battery leader. The Xiaomi 17T Pro adds another 500 mAh to its 7000 mAh battery. However, the Pro model is also larger and, at 219 grams, significantly heavier.
Charging via cable is still up to 67 watts, so no improvement over the Xiaomi 15T. Only the Xiaomi 17T Pro charges faster with 100W HyperCharge. Nevertheless, even with the Xiaomi 17T, a short charging break is enough to replenish many hours of battery life.
Wireless charging is also missing and reserved for the Pro model. However, the Xiaomi 17T does support wired reverse charging up to 22,5 watts, should headphones or another device need power on the go.
As mentioned earlier, a power adapter is not included in the box. Therefore, anyone wanting to use the full charging power will need a suitable Xiaomi power adapter or a compatible power adapter with PPS fast charging.
