I'm a creative professional, and the Xiaomi 17T Pro is one of the best camera phones ever made

The Xiaomi 17T Pro is a near-perfect smartphone. With Leica camera technology, photo and video output is next-level, and the range of camera options from telephoto to ultra-wide means it delivers the versatility creative crave. The only thing it's lacking is a 200MP telephoto, but for that you'll have to upgrade to the Xiaomi 17 Ultra.

The 17T Pro is one of the very best smartphones released by Xiaomi, beaten only by the 17 Ultra, which delivers an even more superior camera setup. Given the telephoto capabilities and overall impressive camera system on the 17T Pro, it's difficult to imagine Xiaomi has surpassed it.

The truth is, Xiaomi is no stranger to making some of the best camera phones. In fact, when we were considering the most powerful camera phone on the market, the Xiaomi 15 came out as the overall winner. That was before Xiaomi released its latest lineup of phones, and there would be no surprises if the 17T Pro found its way into our guide.

Speaking of the Xiaomi 15, we said, "With Leica-engineered cameras, Xiaomi is out-muscling Samsung and Apple," and that continues with the 17T Pro. If Xiaomi continues the partnership, there's no reason why Xiaomi won't begin to substantially displace the iPhone as the favoured choice for creative professionals.

Key specs

Design and Screen

• A sleek modern design with smooth edges everywhere
• A camera bump that follows the bezels of the phone

Everything about the Xiaomi 17T Pro is designed and engineered to perfection. This begins with the large 6.83-inch AMOLED display, which offers an almost full bleed right to the edges. This is only interrupted by the small front camera cut out at the top. It's an incredibly capable display that is vibrant, bright, and predictable.

Creatives will love the 12-bit colour depth and 100% DCI-P3 colour gamut, which guarantees a full and accurate representation of the images it displays. This makes it ideal for reviewing media content on the device without needing to transfer it to a dedicated monitor.

Continuing with the display, at a whopping 3500 nits of peak brightness, I found the phone more than capable of delivering the necessary brightness in all scenarios, including direct sunlight. Using it in the field or in all types of unpredictable settings is not a problem with the 17T Pro.

Turning our attention to the main frame, there's a gorgeous flat aluminium finish that ensures a premium look. The colourways on offer are Black, Deep Blue, and the one that I tested, Deep Violet. The finish is beautifully matt, and it effortlessly diffuses all reflections. All corners and edges are smooth and subtle, providing a comfortable grip at all times.

At the back is the Leica camera bump, which for perfectionists follows the same bezel design as the main frame. This provides a coordinated and well-thought-out design. With the quality and quantity of camera technology packed into the 17T Pro, it's no surprise that the bump is rather sizable. As a result, if you lay the phone down, the top end of the phone sits off the surface by about 5mm.

Design score: 5/5

Features

• A fast and efficient Mediatek Dimensity 9500 processor
• A high-capacity battery that will last you all day and excellent cooling

The 17T Pro obviously features some of the most advanced camera hardware of any phone on the market, but I'm glad to see that the rest of the smartphone hasn't suffered from a lack of attention. Don't worry, we'll get to those sumptuous camera specs and associated performance in a minute.

At the heart of the phone is a Mediatek Dimensity 9500 processor which keeps all the apps, processes, and camera smarts moving along smoothly. You won't find any lock-ups or slow-downs here. Even when pushing the creative limits, the 17T Pro kept up like a champ.

Now, because you'll be using the phone for all your creative projects, there's no use having a sub-standard battery. Thankfully Xiaomi has packed it with a huge 7000mAh silicon-carbon battery that the brand claims delivers more than 20 hours when in constant use and 9.5 hours of video recording. This battery life means you can take it on set, even when you're on location with no access to a power supply. The battery supports 100W wired and 50W wireless HyperCharge.

To complement all the power and battery capabilities is the Xiaomi 3D IceLoop system, which ensures the phone stays cool and efficient. The cooling system combines 6W/mK high thermal conductivity gel for rapid heat dissipation. Having used the phone for several months, there hasn't been a single time where it has even felt remotely hot to touch.

In terms of software, the main feature of Note is the Xiaomi HyperIsland, which serves up a superior status and notification experience. I love the fact that it occupies minimal space but at the same time enables a high level of multitasking. It's ideal for the creative professional who is always on the go.

Features score: 5/5

Camera Performance

• Superb photo and video capabilities
• An overall quick and efficient performance

The primary reason that anyone would consider buying the 17T Pro is because of its incredible Leica-engineered camera technology. The phone is packed full of the very latest hardware and software that delivers one of the most impressive camera arrays out of any smartphone anywhere.

The main camera is 23mm 50MP with a 1/1.31-inch sensor size. Images are clear and sharp, although the default 'Leica Vibrant' crunches the colours too much. I found myself using the 'Leica Traditional' most of the time as it delivered a more realistic set of colours and contrast.

But what is most impressive about the main camera is the f/1.67 aperture, which lets in an unreal amount of light. I tested it in some of the darkest places I could find and it was still able to provide a pretty clean, noise-free image. The cherry on the cake is the optical image stabilisation, which helps guarantee sharp results are achieved every single time.

The main camera is backed up by an equally impressive 115mm periscope telephoto camera with 50MP and f/3 specs for solid performance in most scenarios. With an equivalent focal length of 115mm, I was able to zoom in and capture more detail than my eyes were capable of.

And if that level of zoom wasn't enough, Leica offers an ultra zoom feature achieved with AI, of course, that allows for 120x magnification. The zoom amount is so high that the results verge on microscopic, enabling you to capture very small details of items close to you or objects a long distance away.

But it's not just the phone's telephoto camera that has stolen the headlines; in fact, the 15mm ultra-wide camera with an aperture of f/2.2 is equally useful for creatives. The 15mm equivalent focal length means you can capture more of the world around you without moving backwards. The resolution tops out at 12MP which is similar to most of the competition but still a big reduction from the 50MP of the main and telephoto alternatives.

The 17T Pro also delivers industry-leading video recording capabilities with 8K resolution at 30fps and 4K at 120fps. There is even 4K HDR10+ at 60fps for enhanced video quality. With these specs, the 17T Pro is designed not just to meet the needs of photographers but also video content creators.

Across all cameras, the 17T Pro delivers a high-level of colour consistency so that you can switch between lenses without the resulting photos looking like they're taken with a different camera. All in, the 17T Pro is a creative dream that delivers excellent results.

Performance score: 5/5

Price

• Prices begin from £799, although discounts are often available

All 17T Pro models top out at 12GB of RAM, which means the only choice you have to make is between three colours and three storage capacities. The handset is available in Black, Deep Violet, and Deep Blue colourways, although these are identically priced within each storage bracket.

Prices range from £799 for the 256GB model up to £949 for 1TB. Sitting in the middle is the one I tested, which offers 512GB of storage and retails at £849. At the time of writing, the prices I've quoted were discounted by £100, which shows it's worth waiting for a price drop.

Value score: 4/5

Buy it if:

• You plan on using your phone for serious photography
• You love telephoto photography
• You want a slick, well-designed phone from a top brand

Don't buy it if:

• You only need a reliable smartphone for messages, calls, and social media
• You're a serious mobile gamer
• You want a smartphone with repairable parts

Paul is a digital expert. In the 20 years since he graduated with a first-class honours degree in Computer Science, Paul has been actively involved in a variety of different tech and creative industries that make him the go-to guy for reviews, opinion pieces, and featured articles. With a particular love of all things visual, including photography, videography, and 3D visualisation Paul is never far from a camera or other piece of tech that gets his creative juices going. You'll also find his writing in other places, including Creative Bloq, Digital Camera World, and 3D World Magazine.