Xiaomi 17 Ultra tested: Leica cameras and the largest battery here, with one major US caveat
With Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, cameras developed together with Leica, a comparison-leading 6,000mAh battery and 90W charging, the Xiaomi 17 Ultra is the brand's most rounded flagship so far. There is an important US limitation, however: Xiaomi has no official American retail operation. As a result, Amazon offers are third-party imports rather than Xiaomi-backed units. Below, we spell out what that means before you purchase.
Our conclusion at a glance
If battery life beyond a full day and the quickest charging in this comparison are your priorities, the Xiaomi 17 Ultra is the strongest option provided you are comfortable ordering an imported unit through Amazon. If you require an official manufacturer warranty and assured compatibility with US carriers, look elsewhere: the officially sold Pixel 10 Pro and Galaxy S26 Ultra are the safer choices.
The key specifications in full
Its strongest areas — and its limitations
📷Camera
Leica's involvement extends beyond branding: the companies share camera tuning, including Leica color science across the imaging system. Hardware consists of a 50MP f/1.65 main camera, a 50MP ultrawide that also handles macro shots, a 200MP periscope telephoto delivering roughly 3.2x–4.3x true optical zoom, and a 50MP front camera. Among the four phones compared here, its zoom hardware is the most ambitious on paper, while Leica's tuning produces a more distinctive and less heavily processed appearance than many Android flagships.
🔋Battery & Charging
Battery and charging are the clearest differentiators. Its 6,000mAh battery is the biggest in this four-phone comparison, and 90W wired charging — accompanied by wireless and reverse wireless charging — is also the fastest here. With moderate use, two days are comfortably achievable, while the correct adapter can take the battery from empty to full in well under an hour. Phones operating at this charging power routinely use thermal management, so the 90W figure alone is not a long-term battery-health concern.
Strengths and drawbacks
Where it stands out
Where compromises remain
Prices for the Xiaomi 17 Ultra
Only the 16GB/512GB price ($1,226) is officially confirmed; the other tiers below are our reasonable estimates based on typical spacing between Xiaomi storage tiers, so treat them as approximate and check the live listing before buying. Also worth repeating here: Xiaomi doesn't officially sell phones in the US, so every listing you'll find is a third-party "Global ROM" import — not an Xiaomi-fulfilled or Xiaomi-warrantied unit.