Xiaomi 17T review

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Introduction

Traditionally, Xiaomi tends to "expand" on its main number series of smartphones a few months after the primary release with a "T" family of devices with the same name. This year is no exception, with the Xiaomi 17T and 17T Pro now hitting markets. As per usual, these "T" phones sit a notch below their mainline siblings in terms of specs and features. There are what one might call "flagship killers", though that is a bit of a dated classification at this point.

These "T" phones generally strive to offer an upper-midrange and even flagship-like experience in most aspects while keeping costs down as much as possible. Today, we have the vanilla Xiaomi 17T in for review. It is a very reasonably-specced device, with a gorgeous 12-bit, Dolby Vision, 120Hz 6.59-inch AMOLED at the helm, a great and versatile camera setup with a 5x dedicated periscope telephoto, a pretty large 6,500 mAh battery and a powerful, though not necessarily flagship-grade MediaTek Dimensity 8500 Ultra chipset.

Xiaomi 17T specs at a glance:

• Body: 157.6x75.2x8.2mm, 200g; Glass front (Gorilla Glass 7i), plastic frame; IP68 dust tight and water resistant.
• Display: 6.59" AMOLED, 68B colors, 120Hz, 3840Hz PWM, Dolby Vision, HDR10+, 3500 nits (peak), 1268x2756px resolution, 19.56:9 aspect ratio, 460ppi.
• Chipset: Mediatek Dimensity 8500 Ultra (4 nm).
• Memory: 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM; UFS 4.1.
• OS/Software: Android 16, HyperOS 3.
• Rear camera: Wide (main): 50 MP, f/1.7, 23mm, 1/1.55", 1.0µm-2.0µm, PDAF, OIS; Telephoto: 50 MP, f/3.0, 115mm, 1/2.76", 0.64µm-1.28µm, PDAF (30cm - ∞), OIS, 5x optical zoom; Ultra wide angle: 13MP (12MP effective), f/2.2, 15mm, 120-degree, 1/3.06", 1.12µm.
• Front camera: 32 MP, f/2.2, 21mm (wide), 1/3.42", 0.64µm-1.28µm.
• Video capture: Rear camera: 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240/960fps, gyro-EIS, 10-bit Rec. 2020, HDR10+, Log; Front camera: 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60fps, HDR10+.
• Battery: 6500mAh; 67W wired, 50W PPS, PD3.0, 22.5W reverse wired.
• Connectivity: 5G; eSIM; Wi-Fi 6e; BT 6.0; NFC; Infrared port.
• Misc: Fingerprint reader (under display, optical); stereo speakers (with Dolby Atmos).

Of course, a few compromises were made here and there to keep costs down. Like, the plastic middle frame, which is not exactly too common on an upper-midrange device these days. Still, it doesn't take away that much from the phone's perceived build quality. Nor does it necessitate a compromise to endurance. The Xiaomi 17T still has Gorilla Glass on the front, a reinforced plastic back and an IP68 ingress protection rating. For most users, this will be more than enough.

The same is generally true about the specs sheet up on offer here. All the basics seem well-covered, and there is nothing obviously missing or wrong to instantly latch on to. The simple truth is that very few users actually need full-fledged flagships, and devices like the Xiaomi 17T tend to make more sense in the premium market segment.

Of course, the devil is in the details, as they say, so follow along as we delve deeper into what the Xiaomi 17T has to offer.

Unboxing

Let's start simple, though, with an unboxing. The Xiaomi 17T ships in a pretty typical Xiaomi two-piece white cardboard box. It is very thick and tough. There is a nice cradle on the inside to keep the actual phone safe during transit, and we believe that said cradle is also made of cardboard, which deserves extra eco-friendly points.

Our review unit came bundled with a 67W Xiaomi charger, which matches its maximum charging rating perfectly. The Xiaomi 17T claims to support standard PD 3.0 charging, but its own charger is still pretty proprietary. Not only does it use a USB Type-A to Type-C cable, but there is an extra pin inside as well. So, you need to keep track of both the charger and the cable if you want the fastest charging speed possible.

Beyond the charger and the cable, we mentioned, our box also includes a nice, thick, semi-transparent, semi-soft TPU case. We believe it is included in every box, even in the EU, where you likely won't get a charger. A case is certainly a small bonus, but we appreciate the gesture as it means that you can start using your shiny new phone right away without worrying about scratches.