Xiaomi 17 vs. Xiaomi 17 Ultra: Sibling rivalry

If you’re planning to purchase a new premium Android phone in 2026 and want something that isn’t a Samsung Galaxy or a Google Pixel, you might want to take a gander at Xiaomi’s offering(s). The Chinese behemoth recently launched its flagship 17 series in multiple key markets worldwide. The lineup includes two smartphones, the Xiaomi 17 and the Xiaomi 17 Ultra, both of which are packed with more features than you can shake a stick at. Gorgeous design? Check. Terrific cameras? Absolutely. The latest in terms of hardware and software? You got it.

But even with all their similarities, Xiaomi’s two newest smartphones are quite different, so choosing one over the other isn’t as easy as it may seem. So, let’s take a comparative look at Xiaomi 17 vs. Xiaomi 17 Ultra and see how these two members of the same family fare against each other.

Xiaomi 17 vs. Xiaomi 17 Ultra: Design and display

Compare these two Xiaomi flagships side by side, and the first visual distinction that becomes immediately apparent is their differing physical footprint. While the Xiaomi 17 is a fairly compact device, the Xiaomi 17 Ultra is a much more substantial piece of hardware. As you’d expect, the 17 Ultra is also a bit heavier (28g, to be exact) than the 17. Flip the flagships to their business side, and the size difference also translates to the amount of visual real estate you get.

The Xiaomi 17 comes with a 6.3-inch OLED panel (protected by Xiaomi Shield Glass) with a pixel density of around 460ppi, whereas the Xiaomi 17 Ultra packs a 6.9-inch OLED screen (protected by Xiaomi Shield Glass 3.0) with a pixel density of about 416ppi. Surrounded by extremely thin bezels, both displays are amazing to look at and fantastic to interact with, thanks to their 120Hz variable refresh rate, 12-bit color depth, up to 3,500nits of peak brightness, DCI-P3 color space compatibility, and multi-format HDR support.

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The rear design is where things get quite interesting. The Xiaomi 17 sports an all-glass back panel, with its triple-lens camera setup housed in a color-matched square housing in the top-left corner. On the other hand, the Xiaomi 17 Ultra features a gargantuan circular black camera island that’s home to its powerhouse triple-lens camera system, and the housing occupies most of the top half of the fiber-reinforced plastic back panel. It goes without saying that both of these smartphones have top-tier build quality, complete with an aluminum frame, tactile physical buttons, and IP68 certification for dust and water resistance.

Xiaomi 17 vs. Xiaomi 17 Ultra: Specs

Both flagships are loaded to the gills, with Qualcomm’s top-of-the-line Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 silicon headlining the spec sheets. Although the Xiaomi 17 Ultra (16GB RAM and 512GB/1TB storage) takes things a bit further compared to the Xiaomi 17 (12GB RAM and 256GB/512GB storage), both phones offer superfast LPDDR5X RAM and UFS 4.1 storage. Needless to say, these two devices can effortlessly handle just about anything you throw at them, and both are capable of holding their own against the best Android phones available out there.

You also get all essential connectivity and I/O options on both smartphones, including Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, multi-band 5G, NFC, and USB Type-C 3.2 with DisplayPort functionality. In true Xiaomi fashion, there’s even an IR blaster included in the mix.

Xiaomi 17 vs. Xiaomi 17 Ultra: Cameras

Both the Xiaomi 17 and the Xiaomi 17 Ultra pack impressive primary camera arrays co-engineered with Leica, continuing the long-standing collaboration between the two brands. The Xiaomi 17 has a triple-lens rear camera system with a 50MP (1/1.31-inch size) primary sensor, a 50MP floating telephoto unit with 2.6x optical zoom, and a 50MP ultrawide module. It’s a versatile setup that lets the Xiaomi 17 capture incredible photos and high-resolution videos in all kinds of lighting conditions.