Xiaomi 17 Ultra goes global: a real 75–100 mm zoom lens and a 1-inch sensor for €1,499

• 200 MP Leica telephoto with true mechanical optical zoom across 75–100 mm — moving lens groups, native 200 MP output over the whole range, up to 400 mm (17.2×) equivalent
• First Leica APO-certified Xiaomi flagship — 3 custom glass elements against color fringing
• First 1-inch sensor with LOFIC HDR (Light Fusion 1050L) — 6.3× the full-well capacity of the previous 1-inch generation
• Thinnest and lightest Xiaomi Ultra yet: 8.29 mm, 218.4 g, all-flat body
• IP68 tested to 6 m depth — four times deeper than the usual 1.5 m rating
• Xiaomi Surge Battery with 16 % silicon: 6,000 mAh, 90 W wired, 50 W wireless — plus 90 W over universal PD-PPS
• Xiaomi HyperRGB OLED debut: 2K-class clarity at lower power than typical 1.5K panels, 3,500 nits peak
• Dolby Vision and ACES Log at 4K 120 fps on both the main and telephoto cameras

Xiaomi unveiled the 17 Ultra in China on December 25, 2025 and brought it to the global stage in Barcelona on February 28, 2026, on the eve of MWC. The launch doubled as a statement about the Leica partnership: the two companies upgraded their joint R&D into a "Strategic Co-creation Model", and the 17 Ultra is its first product.

The same event produced a curiosity we rarely see: the Leica Leitzphone powered by Xiaomi (€1,999), a Leica-designed sibling with a knurled Camera Ring dial, built for the brand's 100th anniversary — the first Leitzphone ever sold outside Japan. For most buyers, though, the story is the 17 Ultra itself: the most aggressive camera hardware of any 2026 flagship, at a price Xiaomi pointedly refused to raise.

Ultras used to be the bulky members of Xiaomi's family. This one measures 162.9 × 77.6 × 8.29 mm and 218.4 g (219 g in Starlit Green) — the thinnest and lightest Xiaomi Ultra to date, with an all-flat body, a micro-curved aluminum alloy frame, a high-strength fiberglass back and a visibly smaller, higher-placed camera circle than last year.

Durability got real numbers too: Xiaomi Shield Glass 3.0 is rated for 30 % better drop resistance than the 15 Ultra's glass, and the IP68 rating was tested at 6 metres of fresh water for 30 minutes — most flagships certify 1.5 m. That is a spec worth celebrating: it turns a checkbox into genuine peace of mind around water. One regional difference: the Chinese version additionally carries IP66 and IP69 certification for high-pressure jets.

Global colors are White, Black and Starlit Green — a sparkling deep green that is clearly the launch hero. China keeps a fourth, Purple, for itself.

The 6.9-inch panel debuts Xiaomi HyperRGB — a redesigned OLED subpixel layout on the custom M10 panel. Xiaomi's claim is specific: clarity matching 2K displays at power consumption below a typical 1.5K panel. The nominal resolution is 2608 × 1200 with 12-bit color, a 1–120 Hz LTPO refresh rate and 3,500 nits multi-scenario peak brightness.

Eye comfort is handled by DC dimming rather than high-frequency PWM, with TÜV Rheinland Flicker Free, Low Blue Light (hardware) and Circadian Friendly certifications. HDR10+ and Dolby Vision are both on board, and the front is protected by the same Shield Glass 3.0 as the body.

Like every 2026 flagship worth the name, the 17 Ultra runs Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 (3 nm, 2 × 4.6 GHz prime cores, Adreno 840). Xiaomi pairs it exclusively with 16 GB of LPDDR5X and 512 GB or 1 TB of UFS 4.1 storage in global trims — China alone gets a cheaper 12 GB base model.

Cooling comes from the Xiaomi 3D Dual-Channel IceLoop system, whose new capillary structure improves thermal conductivity by 50 % over the previous generation — relevant precisely because long 4K 120 fps recording sessions are this phone's party trick.

The Xiaomi Surge Battery uses an industry-leading 16 % silicon content for its density, fitting 6,000 mAh into that 8.29 mm body. Charging is 90 W wired and 50 W wireless HyperCharge — and, unusually and very commendably, the full 90 W also works over standard PD-PPS, so almost any modern USB-C charger gets you top speed instead of the usual proprietary-brick hostage situation.

There is one regional difference to know about: Chinese units pack 6,800 mAh, 800 mAh more than global ones. The industry's usual explanation is air-freight law — lithium cells above certain energy limits count as dangerous goods and need extra per-market certification, so brands ship a more conservative cell outside China — though no manufacturer, Xiaomi included, has confirmed that on the record.

The rear system is one Leica-branded lens assembly: VARIO-APO-SUMMILUX 1:1.67–2.9 / 14–100 ASPH. Three cameras cover 14 mm to 100 mm — and what sits at the long end has no equal in 2026.

The 200 MP Leica telephoto zooms optically and mechanically from 75 to 100 mm: its second and third lens groups physically move to change focal length, like a real zoom lens, and the full 200 MP of the 1/1.4-inch sensor stays native across the entire range — no crop tricks. Sensor technology extends reach to a 400 mm (17.2×) equivalent, and the optics earned Xiaomi's first Leica APO certification, with three custom glass elements that converge all colors at the same focal point to kill purple and green fringing. For distant subjects this is the most capable telephoto ever fitted to a phone, full stop.

The main camera is Xiaomi's first 1-inch LOFIC sensor — the Light Fusion 1050L at 23 mm, f/1.67 with OIS. LOFIC's capacitor technology gives it 6.3× the full-well capacity of the previous 1-inch generation, which translates to highlights that don't clip and shadows that hold detail in brutal backlight and night scenes. A 50 MP ultra-wide (14 mm, 115°) and a sharp 50 MP autofocus selfie camera round out the set.

Video may be the biggest flex: Dolby Vision or ACES Log recording at up to 4K 120 fps on both the main and the telephoto camera, 8K at 30 fps, and slow motion up to 1,920 fps. For enthusiasts, the Photography Kit (€99.99) adds a grip, wrist strap and two-stage shutter, while the Kit Pro (€199.99) brings a Leica-style PU leather grip with a built-in 2,000 mAh battery.

The 17 Ultra ships with Xiaomi HyperOS 3 and the HyperAI suite — AI Writing, AI Interpreter, AI Search, an AI Creativity Assistant — plus Google's Gemini and Circle to Search baked in. Buyers in eligible markets get a generous starter pack: 3 months of Google AI Pro with 2 TB of cloud storage, 3 months of YouTube Premium and 4 months of Spotify Premium at no cost.

The quietly impressive part is Xiaomi HyperConnect: file sharing and a Multicam setup across devices, and cross-ecosystem features that explicitly include Apple hardware — up to mirroring support aimed at iPhone and Mac users. Xiaomi clearly wants switchers, not just upgraders. One omission worth noting: the official spec sheet lists no OS-update commitment, an area where Samsung's seven-year pledge sets the standard.

The Xiaomi 17 Ultra sells globally in 16 GB + 512 GB and 16 GB + 1 TB configurations, starting at €1,499 (≈ $1,750 before local taxes) — exactly where the 15 Ultra launched a year earlier, which in a year of rising memory prices counts as a statement.

China, as usual, keeps a little extra for itself: a cheaper 12 GB + 512 GB base trim at RMB 6,999 (≈ €850 / $980 before taxes), the Purple colorway, and the 6,800 mAh battery. The Leica Leitzphone powered by Xiaomi costs €1,999 in black with 1 TB. There is no official US availability — Xiaomi still does not sell phones in the United States.

We will update this article if official prices shift or new markets come online.