Dennis Gaviola

Article (news)

Arthur Fuentes

ABS-CBN News

<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1775735970901xiaomi 17 front.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/>Xiaomi 17 compact flagship smartphone. Arthur Fuentes, ABS-CBN News</div>MANILA — The Xiaomi 17 is one of the best “compact” flagships right now, with a generous camera setup, the highest-end chip, and a battery that bests bigger flagships from just a year ago. And it looks pretty good too.I had tested its predecessors, the Xiaomi 14 and Xiaomi 15 before. There’s no Xiaomi 16 as the brand began adopting Apple’s iPhone generational naming convention last year. Both of those smartphones were quite impressive for what they were able to pack into a relatively small form factor. Thankfully, the Xiaomi 17 continues that tradition. If you’re in the market for something that will easily fit in your pocket, but still perform as good as a bigger flagship phone, this is a good option for you. <div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1775736031139xiaomi 17 back.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/>Xiaomi 17 compact flagship smartphone. Arthur Fuentes, ABS-CBN News</div>But first the specs: This phone features a 6.3-inch 1.5K 120Hz OLED display with 3500 nits peak brightness and 1-120Hz refresh rate. It is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite (Gen 5) chipset, 12GB of memory, a 6330mAh silicon-carbon battery with 100W wired charging, and runs HyperOS 3 based on Android 16. Our test unit also came with 512 GB of storage, although there is an option for 256 GB. It also comes in four colorways: Alpine Pink, Ice Blue, Black and Venture Green. While I normally prefer my phones to be black or dark gray, I really came to like the green review unit which Xiaomi sent us.  While the Xiaomi 14 and 15 were similar in design, the 17 got updated looks. It’s not a radical new design—it actually looks conservative when compared to its larger 17 Pro Max and 17 Ultra siblings—but to me, it looks a lot more elegant.  <div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1775736335060xiaomi 17 lens leica.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/>Xiaomi 17 compact flagship smartphone. Arthur Fuentes, ABS-CBN News</div>When the Xiaomi 17 series was launched last year, the base model 17 was understandably overshadowed by its larger siblings. The 17 Promax raised eyebrows by looking like Apple’s flagship phone, but with a fully functioning touchscreen on its camera island. The 17 Ultra meanwhile boasted of a killer camera setup. In contrast, the base model 17 seemed decidedly traditional in design. And that’s just how it should be—not everyone needs a flashy second screen at the back, or the most cutting-edge photography kit possible in a smartphone. Most people just want a phone with good cameras, a big battery, and handy enough to stuff in their jeans or jackets. And the Xiaomi 17 delivers on this. Like its predecessors, the Xiaomi 17 also boasts a triple camera setup at the back, all of which have 50MP sensors. All three cameras as Leica-branded.Xiaomi seems to have perfected the art of packing the best cameras possible in a compact phone. I can why Leica’s brand is on this phone as I really enjoyed shooting with it in all light conditions. <div>SAMPLE PHOTOS</div><div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1775736373340sunset.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/>Taken with the Xiaomi 17 compact flagship smartphone. Arthur Fuentes, ABS-CBN News</div><div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1775736417201city night.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/>Taken with the Xiaomi 17 compact flagship smartphone. Arthur Fuentes, ABS-CBN News</div><div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1775736461078concert zoom 2.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/>Taken with the Xiaomi 17 compact flagship smartphone. Arthur Fuentes, ABS-CBN News</div><div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1775736481641royal enfield.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/>Taken with the Xiaomi 17 compact flagship smartphone. Arthur Fuentes, ABS-CBN News</div><div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1775736500561church.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/>Taken with the Xiaomi 17 compact flagship smartphone. Arthur Fuentes, ABS-CBN News</div><div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1775736521417selfie moto night.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/>Taken with the Xiaomi 17 compact flagship smartphone. Arthur Fuentes, ABS-CBN News</div>Even the ultrawide camera, which is usually the weakest link in a triple camera setup, was putting out very good shots. The 60mm-equivalent telephoto could be pushed to 5x zoom and still produce decent pics, but its sweet spot seems to be 2.5x, which makes for good portrait shots. The main cameras can record 8K video at 30 frames per second and 4K at up to 60 fps. Xiaomi’s also keeps footage decently level with optical image stabilization and its “ShootSteady” feature. The front camera is no slouch either, with its 50 MP sensor, and ability to take 4K videos at 30 fps. Content creators who often use the selfie camera will not be disappointed with the capabilities of the Xiaomi 17. Its speakers are also pretty good.I really enjoyed testing this phone. Compact phones are ideal for someone like me who likes to do a lot of running, cycling and motorcycling – they are very easy to stuff in running belt bags, cycling jerseys and shorts with pockets, jeans and jackets. I also like how it could last more than a whole day’s use, thanks to its huge battery. Shoot pics, watch videos, play games and use it as a wifi hotspot for several hours, and it will still have enough juice to get you through. All in all, this is a very good phone that does everything that you could expect from a flagship phone. It’s only “weakness” is probably gaming– not that it’s incapable of handling the latest games, but the relatively smaller screen does feel kinda cramped when playing. The Xiaomi 17 starts at P53,999 and is available on the major online shopping platforms.

The Xiaomi 17 is one of the best “compact” flagships right now, with a generous camera setup, the highest-end chip, and a battery that bests bigger flagships from just a year ago.

The Xiaomi 17 is one of the best “compact” flagships right now, with a generous camera setup, the highest-end chip, and a battery that bests bigger flagships from just a year ago.

REVIEW: Xiaomi 17 is a very good compact flagship with great cameras, battery

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REVIEW: Xiaomi 17 is a very good compact flagship with great cameras, battery

Arthur Fuentes,

ABS-CBN News

Published April 10, 2026 08:00 AM PHT

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Xiaomi 17

compact flagship phone

camera phone

big battery

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