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Xiaomi 17T Pro: Two-minute review
It has only been about eight months since the Xiaomi 15T Pro launched, and already, its successor has landed. The 15T Pro was my favorite better-than-mid-range-but-not-quite-flagship phone of 2025, so I had high hopes for this newer model.
On the surface, though, it would seem that not much has changed. The Xiaomi 17T Pro has a very familiar look, and it shares a lot of specifications with last year’s model, too.
So, what’s new? The 17T Pro boasts a significantly larger battery (it’s now 7,000mAh, up from 5,500mAh on the 15T Pro), and it charges more quickly (it can be juiced up at 100W with a wire and 50W wirelessly). It also has a newer and faster processor inside, and comes in some lovely new colors.
Otherwise, it’s a very familiar phone, with the same screen specs, the same camera hardware, and similar software features to its predecessor. That’s not a bad thing; it just means the Xiaomi 17T Pro is not particularly exciting, especially if you already invested in the 15T Pro.
Despite the lack of hardware changes, the camera system still stands out as one of the most accomplished in this price bracket. The Leica-backed color science is as impressive as ever, and there are more pro-level features than you’ll find in similarly-priced phones, like the ability to shoot in 4K 60fps with Log.
Just like last year, though, the ultra-wide camera fails to impress. It has a much lower resolution than the other cameras, and it lacks autofocus, which limits its usefulness.
As for the performance, I have no complaints. This 17T Pro has a proper flagship-grade chip inside, and it’s excellent for productivity and gaming alike. The experience is enhanced by some strong haptic motors, a lovely screen, and very decent speakers.
The battery tends to last me just under a day and a half on a charge. It’s very easy to live with, but with such a high-capacity cell inside, I was expecting more. Perhaps we’ll see improvements as updates roll out. On the plus side, it charges very quickly, either wired or wirelessly.
The Xiaomi 17T Pro is very easy to recommend overall. It might not be a revolutionary update, and 15T Pro owners shouldn’t rush out to buy one, but this phone still stands out as one of the best in its price range. The cameras are among the best, the performance is hard to fault, and it looks and feels premium throughout.
Xiaomi 17T Pro: Price and availability
- 256GB model starts at €899 (UK and Australia price TBC)
- Not available in the US
The Xiaomi 17T Pro starts at €899 in Europe, and at the time of writing, we’re waiting for confirmation on the UK Price. As ever, this phone won’t be coming to the US, but most other regions will be able to get their hands on it.
That €899 price is for the model with 256GB of storage and 12GB of RAM, though 512GB and 1TB variants are also available.
Xiaomi’s T-series phones often come with enticing bundle deals or early discounts, so we’re expecting to see the same here, but details haven’t surfaced yet.
The pricing puts it in direct competition with other recent releases like the Honor 600 Pro and Vivo X300 FE. While each has its benefits, the 17T Pro stands out with its super-sized battery and 5X telephoto, which neither can match.
Xiaomi 17T Pro: Specs
Here’s a look at the Xiaomi 17T Pro’s key specs:
| Header Cell – Column 0 |
Xiaomi 17T Pro |
|---|---|
|
Dimensions: |
162.2 x 77.5 x 8.25mm |
|
Weight: |
219g |
|
OS: |
Hyper OS 3, based on Android 16 |
|
Display: |
6.9-inch OLED, 144Hz |
|
Resolution: |
1280 x 2772 pixels |
|
Chipset: |
MediaTek Dimensity 9500 |
|
RAM: |
12GB |
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Storage: |
256GB / 512GB / 1TB |
|
Battery: |
7,000mAh |
|
Rear cameras: |
50MP (f/1.7) main, 12MP (f/2.2) ultra-wide, 50MP 5x telephoto (f/3) |
|
Front camera: |
32MP (f/2.2) |
Xiaomi 17T Pro review: Design
- Aluminum frame and glass-fibre rear
- Black, Violet, Deep Blue options
- IP68 dust and water-resistant
The Xiaomi 17T Pro looks almost identical to last year’s 15T Pro. The only notable change with the design is that the bevelled edge around the camera module has been removed. The camera bump appears smaller on the newer model, but in reality, the thickness is about the same.
That said, we do get some new colors to choose from. The 17T Pro is available in Black, Violet, or Deep Blue, and I have the latter in for testing. The colors are a bit livelier this time around, and I’m all for it. The blue model reminds me of the Galaxy Z Fold 7; it’s a very similar shade. I loved it on that phone, and I love it here, too.
It’s a pretty large phone, around the same size as an iPhone 17 Pro Max, and it feels very premium. The sides are made from aluminum, and the rear looks and feels like glass, but it’s actually a reinforced plastic and glass-fibre panel.
The rear doesn’t smudge easily, so it’s easy to keep it looking nice, and you also get a matte black TPU case included in the box.
It has an IP68 rating for dust and water resistance, matching last year’s model, so you needn’t worry about using it in the rain or at the beach. The screen is covered with Corning Gorilla Glass, which should do a decent job of warding off scratches, and there’s a basic plastic screen protector installed as standard.
Xiaomi 17T Pro review: Display
- 6.9-inch 144Hz OLED display
- 3,840Hz PWM dimming
- 3,500 nits peak brightness
The Xiaomi 17T Pro has a large, fully flat screen with slim symmetrical bezels on all sides. The specs match the previous model, but the 15T Pro already had a great screen, so that’s not a bad thing.
It has a blisteringly fast 144Hz refresh rate, but applications that will actually utilize such speeds are few and far between. Still, it’s super smooth, and it’ll dynamically switch down to 60 or 30Hz to conserve battery life.
The phone also supports DC dimming. This means you shouldn’t see any flicker, even while using low brightness levels. I’m not sensitive to flicker, so I’d be lying if I said I could tell the difference, but it’s supposed to be easier on your eyes.
It’s also a very bright panel, and I never had trouble seeing it outdoors, even in direct sunlight. Xiaomi says it can output 3,500 nits at peak, but these measurements should always be taken with a grain of salt.
Regardless, the 17T Pro’s display is more than bright enough for most people’s needs. And perhaps more importantly, it can dim as low as 1 nit, perfect for late-night scrolling sessions
Otherwise, the screen delivers exactly what you’d expect from a high-end OLED panel. The black levels are impeccable, the colors are vivid, and HDR content looks superb on this screen.
Xiaomi 17T Pro review: Cameras
- 50MP main (f/1.7)
- 12MP ultra-wide (f/2.2)
- 50MP 5x telephoto (f/3)
- 32MP selfie camera (f/2.45)
Last year, I felt that the Xiaomi 15T Pro had the most impressive cameras in the upper mid-range/sub-flagship category. The new model comes with the exact same set of snappers, so while I would have loved to see some hardware innovation, these lenses were already ahead of the pack.
The main camera has a sizable 1/1.3-inch sensor, roughly matching the main sensor of the iPhone 17 Pro. You also get an impressive 5x telephoto with OIS and the ability to focus from just 30cm away.
What’s less impressive is the ultra-wide camera. It only has a 12MP resolution, a relatively tiny 1/3.06-inch sensor, and it’s fixed focus, so you can’t use it for close-ups.
The ultra-wide gave me some uninspiring results, and it’s pretty useless in low-light conditions, but if you stick to the main and telephoto cameras, you can expect some great shots.
The 17T Pro benefits from Xiaomi’s partnership with Leica, just like its flagship phones. This means you get the same excellent picture profiles and lens simulations as the much more costly Xiaomi 17 Ultra.
There’s also a new addition to the roster called Leica Live Moment, which is similar to Apple’s Live Photos feature, but comes complete with the Leica color science you know and love.
The feature works across all of the rear lenses, and it works in Portrait mode, too. Just like Apple’s version, it captures a second or so of video before you press the shutter, and you can extract different frames to use as your photo, or share it as a short looping video. The main difference is that you can use all of the excellent Leica-backed picture styles and some unique watermarks to make your live photos stand out from the crowd.
Around the front, you’ll find a 32MP punch-hole selfie camera. Again, this shares the same specs as the previous generation. It provides decent results, but unlike Xiaomi’s mainline flagships, this selfie camera doesn’t have autofocus — so group shots won’t always look as sharp as they could.
Overall, it’s a pretty versatile setup, and the standout is the telephoto. The reach of the 5x lens sets it apart from the competition and provides some lovely compression when used for close-ups. I’d recommend turning off automatic lens switching in the settings if you want to do so, as it has a tendency to jump to the main camera sooner than it needs to.
Xiaomi’s default image tuning has very appealing color reproduction, and the slightly higher level of contrast makes images pop. If you’re not feeling the default flavor, though, that’s no issue, as there are loads of styles to choose from, and they can all be customized in Pro mode.
The Xiaomi 17T Pro is equally impressive for video shooting. It supports Xiaomi’s excellent Log profile at up to 4K 60fps, and you can even shoot 4K 120fps on the main lens, albeit without much stabilization.
Xiaomi 17 review: Camera samples
Xiaomi 17T Pro review: Performance
Image 1 of 2
- MediaTek Dimensity 9500 chipset
- 12GB RAM
- 512GB / 1TB storage
The Xiaomi 17T Pro is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 9500 SoC, the same flagship chipset that we’ve seen in phones like the Oppo Find X9 Pro and Vivo X300 Pro. It comes with 12GB of RAM and either 512GB or 1TB of storage. I have the 512GB version.
Having used the Oppo Find X9 Pro as my main phone for several months, I’m already very familiar with the capabilities of this chip. It’s super powerful, and while Qualcomm’s latest might have the edge in certain games, the Dimensity 9500 is never going to hold you back.
The phone feels speedy, no matter what you ask of it. I’ve been sinking some hours into Neverness to Everness, the latest graphically demanding gatcha game that makes even the most expensive phones on the market sweat. While it struggled at the highest settings, the Xiaomi 17T Pro had no trouble running it at 60fps on the ‘balanced’ preset, which still looks stunning.
The frame of the phone gets pretty toasty after a while, but that’s just the cooling system doing its job, and I didn’t notice much of a performance hit. If you use the included case, it’ll keep your fingers comfortable, and of course, it’s even better with a clamp-on controller like the GameSir X5 Lite.
It’s also worth mentioning the haptics, as they also enhance the gaming experience. The vibration motors in this phone are stronger than most and are able to provide very precise feedback, which is great for typing.
The speakers are also very impressive. They can get pretty loud, produce detailed highs, and have better bass response than most phone speakers in this price range.
Xiaomi 17T Pro review: Software
- Hyper OS 3, based on Android 16
- iOS-inspired design
- 5 years of updates, 6 years of security patches
The Xiaomi 17T Pro runs Hyper OS 3, Xiaomi’s custom software built on top of Android 16. I haven’t noticed any major changes with this release; it’s essentially the same experience that I had with Xiaomi’s recent flagships and the latest Poco devices.
The difference here, compared to Xiaomi’s pricier phones, is that there’s a bit of bloatware to clean up when you first set it up. It’s nothing major — just a handful of random preinstalled apps — but having to remove them detracts from an otherwise premium experience.
Aside from that, I have no real complaints about the software experience. Hyper OS 3 has been consistently smooth and responsive, and it’s easy to customize the look if you don’t like the default vibes.
As we’ve seen with most Chinese Android skins lately, there’s some Apple influence to the styling. Xiaomi has its own version of Dynamic Island, and some of the lock screen options look quite iPhone-like, with oversized clocks and depth effects. Most importantly, though, they look good and work well.
Xiaomi is promising five generations of updates and six years of security patches for European customers. It’s a decent showing, if slightly behind the commitments offered by Samsung and Google. This means the 17T Pro should get the latest version of Android until at least 2031.
Xiaomi 17T Pro review: Battery
- 6,330mAh silicon-carbon battery
- 100W wired charging
- 50W wireless charging
The Xiaomi 17T Pro has the largest battery of any Xiaomi phone to date, besting the brand’s mainline flagships with a whopping 7,000 mAh capacity.
With such a large cell on board, I had high hopes for the battery life, but the reality was a little underwhelming. Don’t get me wrong, the battery life is very good — it always gets me through the day, and usually through a second morning. But I was expecting a little more.
To be fair, though, I received the phone well before the launch, and it was running pre-release software. There’s every chance the battery life will improve further as the software becomes more optimized.
In any case, charging the 17T Pro is barely a hassle. It supports up to 100W speeds with a wire, and the powerful wall adapter comes included in the box. I found it was enough to take the phone from fully dead to well over 50% charged in half an hour, which is impressive considering the capacious battery pack.
The wireless charging speeds are impressive, too. The Xiaomi 17T Pro can be juiced up at up to 50W with Xiaomi’s official wireless charger, but don’t expect those speeds with any old charging pad; everything I had to hand topped out at a measly 15W.
Should you buy the Xiaomi 17T Pro?
|
Attributes |
Notes |
Rating |
|
Value |
The 17T Pro is not an outright bargain, but it’s in line with the competition, and often boasts more impressive specifications. |
4 / 5 |
|
Design |
The Xiaomi 17T Pro looks and feels premium, and it comes in some very fetching colours — but it’s basically the same as the old one. |
4 / 5 |
|
Display |
The display is large, crisp, and bright with plenty of eye-care features. |
5 / 5 |
|
Cameras |
The main and telephoto cameras are excellent, but the ultra-wide could be improved. |
4 / 5 |
|
Performance |
The Xiaomi 17T Pro will handle just about anything you can throw at it. The haptics and speakers are very good, too. |
5 / 5 |
|
Software |
Xiaomi’s Hyper OS is feature-packed and smooth, but a bit of bloatware sours an otherwise premium experience. |
4 / 5 |
|
Battery |
The 17T Pro packs a massive 7,000mAh battery that charges very quickly. I expected it to last longer, though, so perhaps more software optimization is required. |
4 / 5 |
Buy it if…
Don’t buy it if…
Xiaomi 17T Pro review: Also consider
The Xiaomi 17T Pro is a great sub-flagship option, but it’s important to look at the competition, too. Here are a couple of competitors that are worth checking out.
| Header Cell – Column 0 |
Xiaomi 17T Pro |
Honor 600 Pro |
Vivo X300 FE |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Price: |
TBA |
£899 |
€999 |
|
Display: |
6.83-inch OLED |
6.57-inch OLED |
6.3-inch OLED |
|
Cameras: |
50MP main; 12MP ultra-wide; 50MP telephoto |
200MP main; 12MP ultra-wide; 50MP telephoto |
50MP main; 8MP ultra-wide; 50MP telephoto |
|
Processor: |
MediaTek Dimensity 9500 |
Snapdragon 8 Elite |
Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 |
|
Battery: |
7,000mAh |
6,400mAh |
6,500mAh |
How I tested the Xiaomi 17
- Review test period: One week
- Testing included: Everyday use, including web browsing, social media, photography, video calling, gaming, streaming video, music playback
- Tools used: Geekbench 6, 3DMark, native Android stats
I popped my SIM into the Xiaomi 17T Pro and used it as my main phone for just over a week. I used it as I would use any other phone, taking lots of photos and videos, gaming, messaging, working, streaming video, and navigating with Google Maps.
I also compared the experience of playing graphically demanding games like Neverness to Everness to my experience on other Android flagships like the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra and Oppo Find X9 Ultra. I ran plenty of benchmarks on the phone, including 3DMark and Geekbench, to confirm my performance findings.
I assessed the battery performance based on my real-world usage, and charging times were measured using the included wall adapter and USB-C cable.
First tested May 2026
Read the full article here
