Xiaomi 17 (Ultra) preview
Xiaomi has kicked off the 2026 edition of Mobile World Congress. The manufacturer showed off its new smartphones for this year in a packed convention hall. This along with the Leitzphone, which has been co-developed with Leica. All about these three models, we have listed in this announcement post.
But what is our first impression of the new smartphones? First of all, the Xiaomi 17. This smartphone has been put back in a fairly compact package. And this doesn't mean you have to make concessions on things. In fact, you still just get a 6.3-inch OLED screen with a sharp resolution, a stylish device in, for example, the beautiful green colour and also the lightning-fast Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset. There is also the massive 6330 mAh battery with 100W charging.
The camera has been given due attention again. The smartphone offers a triple-camera with 50-megapixel main camera, a 50-megapixel telephoto lens and a 50-megapixel wide-angle lens. Selfies are also taken with a 50-megapixel lens. 5x optical zoom is standard, and AI allows you to zoom up to 20 times more. Below are two photos we took with the smartphone in advance, should you want a first impression of it.
Our first impression: a wonderfully compact smartphone with all the features you want in a high-end smartphone. This along with a hefty battery and fast charging. A true competitor to, say, the Samsung Galaxy S26 or Pixel 10, and also to some extent the OnePlus 15.
Xiaomi 17 Ultra
The top model in the new 17 range is, of course, the Xiaomi 17 Ultra. We secretly have high expectations from this device. In terms of specifications, you lack little to nothing. There is a 6.9-inch OLED screen and a hefty 6000 mAh battery that you can fast charge at 90W. Of course, the device comes with the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset.
Most important is photography. This is because the device comes with an improved camera, where you can not only use the telephoto lens with fixed focus distances, but between 3.2 and 4.3x zoom, you can choose how much zoom you want to use, without any digital zoom involved. In addition, the camera contains the necessary techniques to shoot the best picture in all conditions. Think fireworks, for instance, or fire from a fireplace.
We tested the camera briefly. Among other things, we took the photos below, and a comparison with the Pixel 10 Pro XL. Of course, we will soon get to work with this comprehensive smartphone in detail, and will pay extensive attention to the camera. Expectations are high, as the Xiaomi 15 Ultra previously managed to score high with its camera, which is how we took the device to Berlin for an extensive photo series. The first impression of it is good; with detail-rich photos with good exposure in different contrasts. Zoom performance is also very impressive, as the photos below attest.
Xiaomi 17 Ultra 8.6x zoom
Xiaomi 17 Ultra - 200mm
Xiaomi 17 Ultra left - Pixel 10 Pro XL right (max zoom)
Personally, I am very excited about the fresh Starlit Green colour. You can see the starry sky reflected in the body, although you shouldn't use a case then, the effect falls away. What is also nicely done are the buttons on the side. This is no longer a single bar, but round buttons that allow you to control the volume, or switch on the device. It looks just a bit more premium. Furthermore, despite its size, the phone is comfortable to hold, as your index finger can rest under the module.
The phone will compete with the likes of the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra and Apple's iPhone 17 Pro Max. The latter was cited a lot during the announcement when comparing its camera. The Apple (logically) always had to take the brunt of this.
As mentioned, we will soon get to work on the Xiaomi 17 Ultra in detail. What is certain is this: Xiaomi is aiming high.
