Review: Xiaomi 17 Ultra and Leitzphone Pack Leica Magic Into a Flagship Phone Leave a comment

An enormous display screen, highly effective digital camera system, and top-notch efficiency can eat proper into your battery life, however Xiaomi has managed to pack a 6,000-mAh battery into the 17 Extremely (up from 5,410 mAh final yr). The leap offers it severe stamina, and this telephone can go a few days between expenses.

I want Xiaomi had discovered a strategy to embrace Qi2, as magnetic wi-fi charging is the one factor I missed in switching from the Pixel 10 Professional XL (although you possibly can type of add it with the images package case). The 17 Extremely does help wi-fi charging at an impressively quick 50-watt price, however the digital camera module makes it awkward to make use of with some wi-fi chargers. Wired charging goes as much as 90 watts with the proper adapter (not included).

Software program was once the massive caveat, however I didn’t discover a lot to complain about with the 17 Extremely. Xiaomi’s HyperOS apes iOS in locations, and I nonetheless don’t just like the unlabeled quick-settings icons, nevertheless it’s principally completely effective. The Leica interface, with minimalist app icons and images widgets, is far nicer than the marginally cartoonish HyperOS, nevertheless it’s very straightforward to customise. I don’t assume bloatware has anywhere on a flagship telephone, so I’m all the time irritated to see apps like Fb and TikTok preinstalled.

There’s loads of AI onboard, should you care, and you should use Google’s Gemini or Xiaomi’s HyperAI for all types of photograph and video modifying, transcription, translation, summarization, and extra. It’s not fairly as slick and stylish as Google’s Pixel, however you possibly can broadly obtain all the identical outcomes.

The Xiaomi 17 Extremely just isn’t formally obtainable within the US, however you possibly can choose it up for £1,299 within the UK (1,499 euros in Europe). The Leitzphone prices £1,799 (1,999 euros). For people who can get their fingers on the worldwide mannequin extra simply, it’s a near-flawless flagship contender that may fulfill anybody craving a giant, highly effective, photography-first telephone.