Xiaomi 17 Review - The Most Powerful Compact Flagship?

The closest looking Android twin to the iPhone, but how does it compare to an iPhone in terms of software and functionality?

Likeable Features

Battery Size, Charging Support

Despite the phone’s small size (yes, 6.3-inches is small in 2026), Xiaomi does well to give it a large 6,330mAh battery. It trails the 7,000mAh battery powering the Chinese version Xiaomi 17 but 6,330mAh battery is mammoth for a compact smartphone, and most bigger phones don’t even possess one this big.

This sizable battery easily gives a day’s worth of power and if you’re running low, the 100W wired charging (using USB-PPS) and 50W wireless charging is more than adequate.

Upgraded Software Support

Taking a note out of the books of other phone brands, Xiaomi has started shipping devices with impressive software support, to be precise an upgrade of 3 to 4 years of upgrades.

The Xiaomi 17 series is supported by a decent 5 years of Android updates and 6 years of security patch updates. The brand has also learnt from past software mistakes (on the Xiaomi 15) and have confirmed the Xiaomi 17 ships out with the latest Android 16-inspired HyperOS 3 UI.

Xiaomi has done well to ensure Xiaomi users from previous models aren’t left to feel like strangers when using the latest Xiaomi 17 phone.

Another great enhancement has been the Super Island that looks oh so familiar because it perfectly mimics the iPhone’s dynamic island in iOS. This feature will provide details about ongoing tasks or events, and even access particular actions quickly.

Any upcoming calendar event or song you are listening to from a music streaming app will appear on the Super Island.

Ample Performance

The Xiaomi 17 has the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chip which is the successor of last year’s well-received Snapdragon 8 Elite chip. The chip is manufactured using the 3nm process and offers exceptional performance.

GeekBench 6 and AnTutu testing scores show the Xiaomi 17 ()12GB/512GB variant) capably beats rivals such as the Galaxy S25, Vivo X300, and Google Pixel 10 Pro, and last year's Xiaomi 15.

Disliked Features

Bloatware and Ads

The annoying and intrusive ads have become a major talking point for many Xiaomi mobile owners. I encountered it so many times, I was compelled to write up a how-to on How to Turn Off Ads on Xiaomi, Redmi, & POCO Mobiles to reduce the distractions.

Apart from the system and app-wide ads, Xiaomi devices like the Xiaomi 17 come with first-party and third-party apps, mostly social media apps. Given the state of social media and the plethora of countries moving to ban social media for teenagers, maybe the company should look to pre-install other apps besides Facebook, Snapchat, and Instagram.

Camera Downgrades

Following its predecessor, the Xiaomi 17 comes with a modified triple 50MP setup but the sensor and lens choices are where the issues lie. The primary camera is degraded from a f/1.6 to f/1.7 aperture while the ultra-wide camera drops to a f/2.4 from a f/2.2 aperture.

In adequate lighting, during the day, photos appear near flawless from the main camera and not overly unnatural. However, the 2.6x telephoto lens may be capable but at this price point, a 3x or 3.5x is the bare minimum!

Although it survives in daylight, detailing diminishes with the sunlight and photos are far from impressive at this point.

The front camera sees a sizable jump to a 50MP OmniVision (OV50M) camera from a 32MP shooter.

The absence of support for 4K/120fps video recording was personally disappointing.

Design

Some Xiaomi-Apple fans could find the Apple iPhone mimicking design appealing, but I feel it's too close for comfort.

The only differing detail is the extra camera ring on the back which houses the 3D ToF sensor and probably a Infrared Blaster as well.

Like the iPhone, it has Aluminum side frames but the back panel is frosted glass and not metal. This is more than I can say about the Xiaomi 17 Pro Max and the Xiaomi 17 Ultra which both have a plastic, albeit fiber-reinforced back panel.

This iPhone clone may not appeal to traditional Android users, especially those (if any) who are coming away from the Apple ecosystem.

Also read: Motorola to Showcase ‘Golden’ FIFA Motorola Phones as MWC 2026

Competitors

The flagship Xiaomi 17 is priced at €999 (~$1,181), meaning it’s going to face stiff competition from the base Samsung Galaxy S26, Vivo X300, and the lower priced Google Pixel 10 Pro.

The Samsung Galaxy S26 is the biggest threat to the Xiaomi 17 with its powerful SoC, 7 years of OS updates, and compact form factor. However, the trade offs are a much smaller battery, older camera setup, and a miserly 25W.

The Pixel 10 Pro possesses the 5x optical zoom that the Xiaomi 17 desperately lacks.

The Xiaomi 17 is unlikely to be one of the top gaming mobile phones of 2026 with its small screen but it’s a lethal all-rounder.

Reasons to Buy the Xiaomi 17

• Possesses a compact flagship form factor
• Exceptional battery performance and charging support
• 5 years of major software updates, 6 years for security updates
• Upgraded 50MP selfie camera

Reasons Not to Buy the Xiaomi 17

• Telephoto lens falls short and lacks 3x optical zoom
• Camera setup has downgraded FoV, no Autofocus

Verdict

The Xiaomi 17 is nothing short of a powerful phone for the compact flagship mobile category. There’s much to like such as the battery, display, and power-packed Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 processor.

The device makes for the ideal companion for Android enthusiasts who don’t want a humongous screen.

Also read: Latest iPhone 18 Rumors from the Web, 2026