Xiaomi 17 Ultra

The Xiaomi 17 Ultra enters the market as a heavy-hitting flagship tailored heavily toward mobile photography enthusiasts. Co-engineered with Leica, the device leans heavily into its imaging capabilities, offering unique filmic color profiles and distinct hardware flairs such as the specialty rotating ring on the China-exclusive Leica edition. Built around a powerful new Snapdragon processor and a massive 6800mAh battery, it aims to deliver all-day endurance alongside top-tier performance for power users.

Under scrutiny, the camera system proves to be both innovative and slightly frustrating. The new continuous optical zoom periscope telephoto is a bold hardware shift, but its modest mechanical zoom range and occasional color inconsistencies between the main and telephoto lenses reveal room for refinement. Furthermore, macro photography enthusiasts will note a frustrating regression in close-focusing capabilities compared to previous generations. Even so, stellar night performance, a sharp upgrade to the selfie camera, and rapid charging keep this flagship near the top of its class.