Xiaomi 17 Ultra (Global) review
Design and build
As we mentioned earlier, the regular Xiaomi 17 Ultra features a simpler design - flat back panel, flat side frame and a camera island without the rotating ring.
Now that last bit can be either a good thing or a bad thing, depending on the user's preference. In our opinion, the omission of the rotating bezel isn't a big loss. It was prone to accidental actuation when you were normally holding the phone, so we had it disabled on our Chinese Leica Edition device altogether.
Additionally, the back panel here is not dual-tone. The vegan leather strip is gone, and only the fiber-reinforced plastic panel remains. It's very smooth to the touch and imitates glass quite well. It's also fairly cold to the touch. Unfortunately, it's prone to collecting fingerprints, and even the Black color we got has visible smudges on the back.
Speaking of colors, the device comes in Starlit Green, Black and White. The Purple variant remains only for the Chinese market.
The aluminum side frame doesn't have the knurling of the Leica edition, which we loved. The front panel is protected by Xiaomi's second-generation Shield Glass.
And if the previous generation found on the 15 Ultra is of any indication, the Xiaomi Glass Shield is impressively resistant to scratches. After a year of daily use, the 15 Ultra's display remains in pristine condition, so we hope the 17 Ultra's display is just as tough.
Xiaomi 17 Ultra
The bottom side houses the SIM card tray, which can hold up to two physical SIM cards, but if you activate the eSIM, one of the slots is disabled.
Interestingly, the IR blaster isn't in its usual place, and it's moved somewhere behind the glass of the camera island.
Xiaomi 17 Ultra
Ingress protection is also on the list of specs - IP68/IP69, meaning it can withstand high-pressure water jets and can be immersed at up to 6m for 30 minutes. At least in theory.
The ultrasonic fingerprint reader is adequately placed and works flawlessly. No complaints there.
All in all, the design is clean, the chassis feels sturdy, and it may not be as nice as the Leica version, but it holds up pretty well against the competition. Still, some users will point out that Xiaomi is skimping on the materials, as not everyone is a fan of the fiber-reinforced plastic on the back.
