Xiaomi 17 vs 17 Ultra: Do you really need Ultra?

Hot off the heels of Samsung’s S26 launch, Xiaomi has just unveiled its own flagship smartphone series outside of China.

The series includes the Xiaomi 17 and Xiaomi 17 Ultra, but what really separates the handsets? Is it a given that the premium Ultra model will offer more features than its cheaper alternative?

Ahead of our review, we’ve assessed the specs of the Xiaomi 17 and Xiaomi 17 Ultra and noted the key differences between the Android smartphones below. Keep reading to see whether you think either the Xiaomi 17 or Xiaomi 17 Ultra looks set to make it into our best smartphones or best Android phones guide.

Keen to see how the Xiaomi 17 series compares to other flagships? We’ve compared the Xiaomi 17 and Google Pixel 10a, Xiaomi 17 Ultra and Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra and the Xiaomi 17 Ultra to the iPhone 17 Pro Max.

Specs comparison table

Xiaomi 17 Ultra has a larger screen

At 6.9-inches, the Xiaomi 17 Ultra’s display is the same size as the Galaxy S26 Ultra and considerably larger than the 6.3-inch Xiaomi 17. As we always say, whether you prefer a larger screen or not comes down to personal preference and how you plan on using your phone. For example, if you’ll spend time streaming or gaming, then you might prefer a larger display. 

The Xiaomi 17 Ultra’s display also benefits from the new Xiaomi Shield Glass 3.0, which supposedly offers 30% more drop resistance than the Xiaomi 15 Ultra’s Shield Glass 2.0. In comparison, the Xiaomi 17 sports the same Xiaomi Shield glass as the Xiaomi 15. 

Otherwise, both phones are fitted with a 1-120Hz LTPO refresh rate and offer up to 3500 nits peak brightness too. 

Xiaomi 17
Xiaomi 17 Ultra

Xiaomi 17 has a bigger battery

Somewhat surprisingly, the Xiaomi 17 not only boasts a larger-sized battery compared to the Ultra, but it also supports faster charging too. While the Xiaomi 17 Ultra is fitted with a 6000mAh cell and supports 90W HyperCharge wired speeds, the Xiaomi 17 benefits from a 6330mAh battery with a whopping 100W HyperCharge. Both phones support 50W wireless HyperCharge too.

As we’re yet to review either handset, we can’t comment on their battery life or charging ability. Having said that, considering that the Xiaomi 15 and Xiaomi 15 Ultra sport smaller batteries, both handsets still provide a comfortable all-day battery life. With that in mind, we can expect both the Xiaomi 17 and 17 Ultra to offer a similar performance.

Both run on Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, but the Ultra is fitted with more RAM

As to be expected from many of the best Android phones, both the Xiaomi 17 and Xiaomi 17 Ultra run on Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5. We’ve reviewed a few phones sporting the chip, including the OnePlus 15 and Redmagic 11 Pro, and have been blown away by its speed and ability to run intensive tasks with ease. 

With this in mind, we expect the same performance with both the Xiaomi 17 and Xiaomi 17 Ultra. 

Although both handsets sport the same chip, it’s worth noting that the Xiaomi 17 Ultra comes equipped with 16GB RAM as standard whereas the Xiaomi 17 includes 12GB. The difference here is significant, not only because the limited supply and rising RAM prices are still dominating headlines, but it also means the 17 Ultra should run that bit faster compared to the Xiaomi 17. 

Xiaomi 17 Ultra has a 200MP telephoto lens

Judging by its specs, it seems that the reason to choose the Xiaomi 17 Ultra is for its photography skill. Although both the Xiaomi 17 and 17 Ultra were co-engineered with Leica and are each fitted with three rear lenses and a 50MP selfie camera, the 17 Ultra has a few tricks up its sleeve.

Firstly, the 17 Ultra benefits from a 200MP telephoto lens which features a 75-100mm mechanical optical zoom and is the first Leica APO optical lens in its flagship line-up too. According to Xiaomi, this lens should achieve up to 17.2x of optical-level zoom without in-sensor cropping. 

The Ultra’s mighty telephoto supports the camera’s 50MP main and 50MP ultrawide lenses , all of which are built around Leica’s UltraPure optical design for better focus and less interference. Finally, the Xiaomi 17 Ultra allows you to film 4K@120fps, which was first introduced to Androids with the OnePlus 15. 

In comparison, all three of Xiaomi 17’s rear lenses are 50MP. While its telephoto lens doesn’t quite offer the same prowess as the Ultra, and instead offers 5x optical-level and 20x AI Ultra zoom, its main and ultrawide lenses promise to capture bright and detailed images across most light conditions. 

Otherwise, unlike the Ultra, the Xiaomi 17 supports 4K@60fps video recording. 

Xiaomi 17 Ultra supports two photography add-ons

Following on from the above, the Xiaomi 17 Ultra also supports two Leica photography add-ons which should see the handset reach our best camera phones guide. Firstly, there’s the Photography Kit which weighs just 48g and includes a wrist strap, a customisable two-stage shutter button and a video recording button for precise control.

Or you can opt for the Photography Kit Pro, which is designed for more dedicated photographers. According to Xiaomi, the kit combines a slip-resistant texture with a PU leather surface for a more secure grip, and boasts an integrated 2000mAh battery which doubles as a power bank too. 

Early Verdict

At this early stage, it’s fair to say that if photography is the most important aspect of a phone, then the Xiaomi 17 Ultra is an easy recommendation, thanks to its mighty 200MP telephoto and the additional photography kits too.

On the other hand, if you’re looking for more of an all-rounder then the Xiaomi 17 is still a brilliant alternative, thanks to its Leica lenses, flagship chip and even bigger battery than the Ultra. 

We’ll update this versus once we’ve reviewed the Xiaomi 17 and Xiaomi 17 Ultra.

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