Xiaomi 17 Ultra Launched with Leica Telephoto Lens and Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5

After multiple teasers and updates, the Xiaomi 17 Ultra is finally official in China. This is the brand's latest Ultra series smartphone and it is once again looking to challenge the norm by bringing the best camera hardware that fits inside a smartphone chassis. Here is a detailed breakdown of its specifications, pricing and availability details.

Xiaomi 17 Ultra Specifications and Features

Right off the bat, the most striking feature of the Xiaomi 17 Ultra is its cameras. This is the first co-created smartphone between Leica and Xiaomi, which brings a triple rear camera setup. The setup is led by a 50 MP 1-inch Omnivision OV50X main sensor that is designed to deliver improved light capture, dynamic range and overall image fidelity.

This is also the industry's first phone to gain Leica's APO-certified telephoto lens. It is paired with a 200 MP 5x Samsung periscope telephoto sensor, which offers 5x optical zoom, promising enhanced long-range photography with improved colour accuracy and reduced chromatic aberration. Rounding out the setup is an ultra-wide camera, completing Xiaomi's most ambitious imaging system yet. 

In terms of performance, under the hood, the Xiaomi 17 Ultra gets the latest and greatest Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 processor from Qualcomm. It can be paired with up to 16 GB of LPDDR5x RAM and 1 TB of UFS 4.0 storage.

Software-wise, the smartphone ships with the HyperOS 3.0 update based on Android 16. Xiaomi is promising 5 years of software and 6 years of security updates for the phone. The new HyperOS 3 features include Xiaomi Super Island, AI Dynamic Wallpapers, refreshed icons and more.

Now, coming to the battery and charging, the 17 Ultra features a 6,800mAh cell with support for 100W fast USB-C charging and 50W wireless charging.

Apart from that, it brings an upgraded IP protection with an IP69 rating. It also features an ultrasonic fingerprint scanner and a stereo speaker setup. Connectivity-wise, the Xiaomi 17 Ultra gets Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6.0, GPS, NFC, dual 5G SIM support, satellite connectivity and a USB-C 3.2 Gen 1 port.

The Xiaomi 17 Ultra starts at 6,999 Chinese Yuan (approximately Rs 90,000) for the base variant with 12 GB RAM and 512 GB storage. Colour options include Black, White, Starry Sky Green and Cold Smoke Purple.