Xiaomi 17 Ultra Flagship With Leica Cameras Arrives in India, Takes on Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra

Xiaomi has launched the Xiaomi 17 series in India, introducing the Xiaomi 17 and Xiaomi 17 Ultra as its latest flagship smartphones. The new lineup focuses on performance, battery life, and camera capabilities developed in partnership with Leica, with the Ultra model positioned to compete directly with devices such as Samsung’s Galaxy S26 Ultra.

Xiaomi doubles down on Leica cameras

The highlight of the launch is the Xiaomi 17 Ultra, which introduces a new 1-inch LOFIC main camera sensor designed to improve dynamic range in challenging lighting conditions. The technology allows the sensor to capture highlight and shadow detail simultaneously, helping the phone handle scenes such as sunsets, night cityscapes, or indoor environments with strong contrast.

The device also features a Leica 200MP telephoto camera with 75–100mm continuous optical zoom, allowing users to adjust focal length smoothly instead of switching between fixed zoom levels. Xiaomi says the system is built to Leica APO optical standards to reduce colour distortion across the zoom range.

For video creators, the Xiaomi 17 Ultra supports Dolby Vision and ACES Log recording at up to 4K 120fps, allowing cinematic video capture directly on the smartphone.

Performance and display

Both the Xiaomi 17 and Xiaomi 17 Ultra run on the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 processor, Qualcomm’s latest flagship mobile platform.

The phones feature OLED displays with up to 3,500 nits peak brightness and 1–120Hz LTPO adaptive refresh rate, designed to maintain smooth performance while optimising battery consumption. The Ultra features a 6.9-inch screen, while the Xiaomi 17 uses a 6.3-inch display.

The Xiaomi 17 Ultra packs a 6,000mAh battery with 90W wired charging and 50W wireless charging, while the standard Xiaomi 17 includes a 6,330mAh battery with 100W HyperCharge.

Xiaomi 17: Compact flagship option

The Xiaomi 17 is positioned as a more compact flagship with a  display, an aluminium frame, and IP68+69 durability. The device weighs 191g and measures 8.06mm in thickness.

It includes a triple 50MP Leica camera system, including a 60mm floating telephoto lens capable of macro photography and up to 20x AI zoom. The phone also features a 50MP front camera with autofocus.

Price and availability in India

The Xiaomi 17 Ultra starts at a price of ₹1,39,999, with the bank discount bringing the cost down by ₹10,000. Early buyers will also receive the Xiaomi 17 Ultra Photography Kit Pro complimentary, valued at ₹19,999.

The Xiaomi 17 starts at ₹89,999, with launch offers that make the 512GB model available at the price of the 256GB variant.

Both smartphones will go on sale from March 18, 2026 via Amazon, Xiaomi’s website, and offline retail stores.

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