By Bettina V. Roc, Associate Editor
GLOBAL TECH BRAND Xiaomi just unveiled its Xiaomi 17T Series phones, the 17T and 17T Pro, updating its T Series line after less than a year. The series sits in that middle ground between midrange and high-end flagships, promising strong performance at a relatively accessible price point.
And the base model Xiaomi 17T, which we’ve been testing for a few weeks now, encapsulates that philosophy perfectly. Call it what you will: premium midrange, almost flagship, flagship killer. With the global memory chip crunch already driving up device prices (and expected to continue doing so within the next year or so), the Xiaomi 17T hits that sweet spot between price and performance.
CAMERA SYSTEM
First is the Xiaomi 17T Series’ key selling point: the triple camera system co-engineered with Leica Camera AG. The two brands’ long-running imaging partnership has entered its fifth year, and for this T Series refresh, they brought Leica’s 5x telephoto camera to all models in the lineup.
Aside from the 50-megapixel Leica 5x periscope telephoto lens with telemacro capabilities, rounding out the triple rear camera array are the 50MP main lens and a 12MP ultra-wide camera.
Even as someone who loves cameras, I prefer testing smartphones using basic shooting modes as this lets me assess ease of use. Smartphones positioned as imaging-first devices should not need extensive tinkering with settings to show what they’re made of.
The Xiaomi 17T does just that and more. The main camera is a 50MP lens with a Light Fusion 800 image sensor, and is great for all-around, point-and-shoot photography. It captures great and crisp detail, especially during daytime and in good lighting, and the phone renders colors well — just enough contrast for that pop without feeling artificial. The built-in Leica color modes, Leica Vibrant and Leica Authentic, also bring that distinct aesthetic to shots.
Leica Live Moment, a feature introduced in this series, is a great addition, bringing stills to motion without sacrificing image quality.
Where this phone really shines is the 50MP Leica 5x telephoto camera. Few phones at this price range offer 5x optical zoom, and with the rapid development of smartphone imaging technology, I personally feel that the ability to zoom in without having to sacrifice quality becoming more of a must-have and less of a nice-to-have.
Using the 5x periscope telephoto, the Xiaomi 17T shoots photos with stellar clarity and minimal vignetting. The telemacro lens delivers excellent subject-background separation for those who want that bokeh but can also capably handle deeper depth of field. Optical image stabilization also helps with the usual shake when shooting telephoto. These are true even up to 10x digital zoom, but beyond that, details understandably soften.
For all three rear lenses, there is a bit of drop-off when shooting in low light or less ideal conditions, especially when snapping moving subjects. The phone’s imaging technology compensates for these by smoothing out textures, but I saw noticed chromatic aberration at times when I channeled my inner pixel peeper (which one really shouldn’t do with phones, but I digress).
Those who want to maximize these Leica cameras can also shoot with Pro Mode, which offers extensive setting controls. The Camera app also has various Scene shooting modes like Stage and Silhouette with tuned settings.
BATTERY AND PERFORMANCE
The Xiaomi 17T sports 6,500mAh silicon-carbon battery that supports 67-watt HyperCharge wired charging. The adapter is included in-box and can get the phone to a full charge in less than an hour.
Battery life is excellent on this phone. Even while trying out the camera and using mobile data to watch videos, doomscroll, and for some light gaming, it has enough juice for a day and more. With usual use, I suspect that you’d be able to squeeze out more than 24 hours’ worth of power if you aren’t really trying to get these batteries to run out like I was during testing.
The phone’s MediaTek Dimensity 8500-Ultra chip coupled with the 12GB RAM make for a very smooth and speedy performance. It’s able to handle multitasking well, including light gaming. It also doesn’t heat up that much (yes, even in this weather).
It runs on HyperOS 3 based on Android 16 with Google Gemini and their Circle to Search feature, and also comes with other AI features.
Bloatware is also minimal — and that’s always a plus in my book.
DISPLAY AND BUILD
For the first time in the T Series, Xiaomi is offering two phone sizes. The base model Xiaomi 17T is the compact version and comes with a 6.59-inch AMOLED display with a refresh rate of up to 120Hz.
With 3,500 nits peak brightness, HDR10+ Dolby Vision, and DCI-P3 color gamut, the screen offers vibrant and sharp details with accurate color rendition, even under bright daylight. Navigating between apps and through menus is smooth and snappy, even if not all apps support 120Hz.
The Xiaomi 17T also features eye-care technology via the Xiaomi Eye Care Shield with various TÜV Rheinland certifications, making the user experience (literally) easy on the eyes.
The phone itself is very easy on the eyes. The test unit came in the Violet colorway, which to me leans more toward lilac. It features a smooth, matte finish and thin bezels.
It also weighs just 200 grams and is 8.17-millimeter thin without a case, making it easy to hold with just one hand, and slip into pockets or most reasonable bag sizes. The in-hand feel is great — just enough weight for stability, but light enough to minimize strain. With the smooth frame, it can get a bit slippery, but the slightly rounded edges help with the grip.
The Xiaomi 17T still comes with the square camera island in the top-left corner, which protrudes a little when used without a case.
The stereo speakers’ placement helps with the audio quality on this phone. It delivers punchy and clear sound, even with the volume turned up.
So, should you buy the Xiaomi 17T? Priced at P33,999 for the 12GB+256GB variant and at P37,999 for the 12GB+512GB model, this is a smartphone worth looking into if you’re looking for a device with stellar cameras, strong performance, and large battery life. It can hold its own even against higher-end, more expensive flagships, delivering great value for money.
The Xiaomi 17T is now available in the Philippines, with the brand offering various promos and deals.
