Xiaomi has officially unveiled the Xiaomi 17 Ultra for global markets at MWC 2026 in Barcelona, following its China debut in December last year. The launch marks a major milestone in Xiaomi’s long-standing partnership with Leica, as the two companies move from a “Joint R&D” framework to a new Strategic Co-creation Model, involving deeper collaboration from concept and optical design to final imaging tuning. The Xiaomi 17 Ultra is the first smartphone developed under this upgraded partnership. The smartphone was launched alongside the Xiaomi 17 and Leica Leitzphone by Xiaomi.
For the first time in the Ultra lineup, the Xiaomi 17 Ultra adopts a flat display design, moving away from curved panels. The phone features a 6.9-inch M10 LTPO OLED display with a 2K resolution, variable 1 – 120 Hz refresh rate, and peak brightness of up to 3,500 nits. It supports HDR10+ and Dolby Vision, while Xiaomi’s new HyperRGB technology enables 2K-level clarity with lower power consumption than conventional 1.5K panels.
The device measures just 8.29mm in thickness, making it the thinnest Xiaomi Ultra phone to date, and is available in Black, White, and Starlit Green color options. Ergonomic improvements include a micro-curved aluminum alloy frame, reduced camera module diameter, and higher camera placement for improved balance. The phone also features upgraded dual stereo speakers with AI noise reduction and carries an IP68 rating for dust and water resistance.
Photography is the defining feature of the Xiaomi 17 Ultra. The phone uses a triple-camera system designed to cover ultra-wide, wide, and mid-to-long-range zoom scenarios, all under Leica’s UltraPure optical standards.
The primary camera is a 1-inch Leica ultra dynamic camera built on the Light Fusion 1050L sensor with LOFIC HDR technology, offering a native dynamic range of up to 14EV. Xiaomi says this sensor delivers 6.3x higher full well capacity than the previous generation, significantly improving highlight control and shadow detail.
The highlight of the system is the 200 MP Leica optical zoom telephoto camera, covering a true optical focal range from 75mm to 100mm. It uses a complex prism-based design with independently moving lens groups, allowing native 200 MP capture across the zoom range without digital cropping. The telephoto lens features Leica APO certification, achieved through a custom optical design that minimizes chromatic aberration at the hardware level, making this the first Xiaomi flagship to carry Leica APO optics.
A Leica ultra-wide camera completes the setup, while the entire system uses a G+P lens group to reduce ghosting and improve stability in challenging lighting. On the front, the phone features a 50 MP camera capable of 4K 60 fps video recording.
The Xiaomi 17 Ultra is powered by the 3nm Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 mobile platform, paired with 16 GB LPDDR5X RAM and up to 1 TB UFS 4.1 storage. Thermal performance is handled by Xiaomi’s new 3D Dual-Channel IceLoop cooling system with an improved capillary structure, delivering up to 50% higher thermal conductivity compared to the previous generation.
The phone packs a 6,000 mAh battery with support for 90W wired fast charging, 50W wireless charging, PPS charging, and reverse wireless charging. Connectivity options include 5G SA/NSA, Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6.0, NFC, satellite communication support, and USB Type-C 3.2 Gen 2. Security features include an in-display 3D ultrasonic fingerprint sensor and an infrared blaster.
Photography Kit and Photography Kit Pro
Xiaomi is also offering two dedicated camera grip accessories for the 17 Ultra. The standard Photography Kit includes a 270 mAh battery with magnetic charging, a two-stage shutter button, a video button, and a photographic grip with a hand strap.
The Photography Kit Pro adds a larger 2,000 mAh battery, customizable dial, zoom lever, thumb support, filter adapter ring, and USB Type-C connectivity, allowing it to function as a power bank with 90W HyperCharge support. Both kits are rated IP54 for dust and splash resistance.
The Xiaomi 17 Ultra is priced at €1,499 for the 16 GB RAM + 512 GB Storage variant, while the 16 GB RAM + 1 TB Storage model is priced at €1,699 in Europe. The standard Photography Kit is priced at €99.99, and the Photography Kit Pro costs €199.99. The smartphone is already rolling out in several European markets, and the company has confirmed that the Xiaomi 17 Ultra will also launch in India on March 11, 2026.
Xiaomi 17 Ultra Price & Availability
- Price: €1,499 (16 GB RAM + 512 GB Storage) €1,699 (16 GB RAM + 1 TB Storage)
- Availability: Europe (varies by region)
