The Xiaomi 17 smartphone has left me disappointed, marking my first letdown after years of favoring Xiaomi products. While I have praised their smartwatches and tablets in the past, this device did not deliver the flawless experience I expected.
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There are some commendable features of the Xiaomi 17, notably its small form factor, which suits my petite hands. At 6.3 inches with dimensions of 151.1 x 71.8 x 8.1 mm, it is more manageable compared to larger models like the Xiaomi 17 Ultra, which measures 6.9 inches. Xiaomi’s entire lineup this year uses the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chip, ensuring solid performance across models. The device is fast and responsive, switching between apps with ease.
The Xiaomi 17 offers two configurations: 256GB with 12GB of RAM or 512GB with 12GB of RAM, the latter being the model I tested. It sports a LIPO display with a 120Hz refresh rate and can reach 3500 nits peak brightness, making the display vibrant and effective even in direct sunlight.
Despite the smaller screen size, I found gaming to be surprisingly enjoyable. I tested Fortnite and noticed it maintained 60FPS even at higher settings, outperforming my expectations for a base model. However, the device often overheated during use, becoming uncomfortably warm, even during routine tasks like using Android Auto or taking videos.
The camera system includes 50MP lenses for wide, telephoto, ultrawide, and a front-facing selfie camera, which is a significant upgrade from the Xiaomi 15’s 32MP. The imaging system delivered vivid photographs during my trip to Paris, capturing clear and striking colors of the Eiffel Tower. While most photos were impressive, the AI features for photo editing fell short; the AI Eraser struggled with accuracy in removing people from images.
One major drawback is the battery performance. Despite being equipped with a 6330 mAh battery, I experienced inconsistent battery life, draining more rapidly than expected during routine use. For example, it dropped from 97% while still plugged in due to scrolling through social media. Even light activity led to significant battery drain.
Charging is efficient, supporting 100W wired and wireless options, allowing for swift top-ups. Official pricing for the Xiaomi 17 is not yet available, but the previous model was priced under $900 USD, suggesting it may compete closely with devices like the Galaxy S26.
Overall, the Xiaomi 17 presents a mixed experience. Its size, display, and responsiveness are impressive, but the overheating and battery inconsistency are concerning. These flaws could hinder users who intend to engage in intensive tasks like gaming or content creation.