Xiaomi Redmi Note 17 Pro Max review
Design, build quality, handling
The Redmi Note 17 Pro Max relies on a traditional flat design - panels and frame. No matter the colorway you choose, you'd be getting a silky-smooth phone with an all-matte finish for smudge resistance.
Xiaomi advertises the Note 17 Pro Max for its "Titan Quality" durability. They've indeed put a lot of effort into the durability features of the phone. It all starts with IP66, IP68, IP69 and IP69K certifications for dust, splash, water, and pressurized water jet resistance. Furthermore, Xiaomi had this Note certified by TÜV for 72-hour water endurance in 2m deep water. It's the first time we come across this certification.
The maker brags of 17 independent waterproofing components across the phone, which secure the whole thing against the elements. And Xiaomi clearly trusts them enough to even add an Underwater mode in the Camera app.
Then comes the 3-meter drop resistance certification. The maker is confident that the Redmi Note 17 Pro Max would survive 40+ 2-meter drops on marble with the screen facing down. And even a single 3-meter drop on granite.
The materials used here haven't changed much since the Note 15 model - there is a Gorilla Glass Victus 2 front, plastic frame, and what appears to be a plastic back.
The Note 17 Pro Max is available in the signature Cloud Blush color (ours), and also Black, Green, and Purple.
Cloud Blush is a special edition featuring a color-switching back panel when exposed to sunlight (or UV light). In its regular indoor state, the back appears off-white with a subtle wavy transition to soft pink and orange, giving the impression of a cloudy skyline.
When exposed to sunlight, the photochromic surface increases the saturation of the back towards pink and then orange. Cloud patterns become more visible, and the scenery looks like a sunset. It's pretty cool.
The Cloud Blush is the only photochromic model in the roster; the other colorways are all conventional and uniform-looking.
Now, let's explore the Redmi Note 17 Pro Max up close.
The 6.83-inch AMOLED screen is at the front, protected by a flat Gorilla Glass Victus 2. It has thin bezels and a small perforation to make way for the 32MP selfie imager.
There is an incredibly thin, almost invisible earpiece above the screen, which, together with a top-facing outlet, doubles as a stereo speaker.
The Note 17 Pro Max also features an optical fingerprint scanner under the display. It is fast and reliable, and we had no issues throughout our review process.
The back of the Note 17 Pro Max is also flat, and you can see the newly redesigned camera housing. It's now subtler and thinner, too.
The two-step camera island features the 50MP OIS primary and the 8MP ultrawide imagers surrounded by silver rings. The LED flash is also around, with an accent silver ring around it, too.
There is one thing you can easily miss the first few times - the IR blaster hides next to the ultrawide camera.
The silver frame is completely bare on the left.
The volume and power keys are on the right, naturally.
The top has one of the microphones and one of the outlets for the top speaker.
The other speaker is at the bottom, together with the USB-C port, the primary microphone, and the dual-SIM tray. The phone also supports eSIM.
Since the Redmi Note 17 Pro Max features an absurdly large 9210mAh battery, the most important question is about its size and weight. The device measures 163.4 x 78.3 x 8.6 mm and weighs 225 grams - that's about the same size as the Note 15 Pro+, but 18g heavier.
We used the Note 17 Pro Max for about a week, and our impressions are positive. It does not feel bulky, but it's definitely a large phone; the extra weight from the previous model can be felt, and it takes a day or two to get used to it. Most people will appreciate the battery life boost and will consider it a fair tradeoff.
The Note 17 Pro Max's weight is also quite balanced and it sits well in your hand. It's also quite smudge-resistant, but its grip is far from optimal - the matte surface has fewer contact points and makes the phone quite slippery.
