There’s a lot I like about Xiaomi’s sleek and affordable 17T Pro

I absolutely loved Xiaomi and Leica’s Leitzphone – and the many stunning photos I took with it – but at £1,700 ($2,279) it’s out of reach for those of us who don’t have “CEO” or “Oil Baron” in our job title. But fortunately, Xiaomi offers a variety of phones at much more reasonable prices. Its latest mid-range phone – the 17T Pro – has a lot to offer for its reasonable price.

From its metal design to its Leica-branded rear camera setup to its solid performance, it has just about everything you need from an everyday phone. Better yet, its 899 euro price (around £779 or $1,045 although it’s not officially sold in the US) means it won’t break the bank either.

I’ve had the phone in my hand for a few hours, so I can’t yet say whether this phone is a competitor to budget phones like the Pixel 10A, similarly priced phones like the iPhone 17, or more expensive models like Xiaomi’s 17 Ultra. But I had some initial thoughts that I wanted to share. So here we go.

Xiaomi 17T Pro: A blue and elegant design

The body of the phone is metal and I think it feels good to hold. It has a solidity to it that makes it more premium than one might expect at this price. I also love the deep blue color – it manages to be both elegant and smart. I like tech with a bit of personality (like Nothing’s pink Phone 4A Pro or my recently revamped pink Leica Q3 43), so anything beyond the usual black, silver, or white is good for me.

It’s IP68 rated for protection against water or dust and its 6.83-inch screen is big, bright and bold enough to do justice to mobile games and YouTube videos.

Xiaomi 17T Pro: Leica cameras

The phone packs the usual trio of rear cameras, including a 50-megapixel main camera, a 50-megapixel telephoto lens (offering 5x optical zoom), and a 12-megapixel ultra-wide camera. The main camera apparently uses a Leica Summilux lens element for clearer images, which I can’t wait to try. I don’t expect it to rival the photographic prowess of the Leitzphone – that phone packs some very advanced imaging technology, hence the price – but I do expect it to be able to deliver nice shots in most conditions.

There’s plenty of competition though, as even budget-focused phones like the Pixel 10A and Nothing Phone 4A Pro are capable of delivering vibrant, impactful images at affordable prices, so I’m looking forward to seeing how well the 17T Pro stacks up against the competition.

Xiaomi 17T Pro: Processor and battery

The phone is powered by a MediaTek Dimensity 9500 processor which scored solidly in our benchmark test. It was in line with last year’s elite like the Galaxy S25 Ultra and iPhone 17, but didn’t really challenge today’s flagships like the S26 Ultra or Honor Magic 8 Pro. For the price though, it’s an excellent effort and I found it more than capable of playing games like PUBG at maximum settings while still providing smooth gameplay.

It runs on a large 7,000mAh silicon-carbon battery, which I hope will provide all-day use. And if you start running low in the evening, it supports 100W wired charging to get juice back in no time, provided you have a compatible charger.

Xiaomi 17T Pro: should you buy it?

While it’s far too early for me to give a final verdict on the 17T Pro, it ticks a lot of the boxes I’d look for in a phone of this price. The camera specs are solid, the battery size seems very generous, and I’ve already been impressed with its processor performance. The sleek blue finish is a cherry on the cake.

While it won’t challenge the Leitzphone for the 2026 photography crown, its overall specs make it a solid everyday option for those of you who don’t want to spend every penny in your bank account on a new phone. Stay tuned to learn more and see what this phone can do.

editor-in-chief; Senior Photographer, Europe

When he’s not testing the latest phones or phone cameras, Andrew can normally be found with his own camera in hand or behind his battery pack or eating his stash of home-cooked meals – sometimes at the same time. See full bio