Xiaomi 17 unveiled: compact flagship with 7,000 mAh battery and Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 Elite

Xiaomi has unveiled its new compact flagship, the Xiaomi 17, which the company describes as the most powerful compact all‑round smartphone in the brand’s history. Weighing 191 grams, it aims to be truly pocketable rather than a downsized compromise. The design pairs gently curved edges with a color‑matched glass camera island for a cohesive look. Up front is a flat 6.3‑inch display with 1.18 mm bezels, a 19.6:9 aspect ratio, and Xiaomi Dragon Crystal protective glass. The phone is rated IP66, IP68, and IP69 for resistance to dust and water.

The headline upgrade sits under the hood: the Xiaomi 17 is the first phone globally to ship with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 Elite. Cooling is handled by a liquid‑pump system that, according to the company, is three times more effective than traditional vapor chambers and surpasses the iPhone 17 in heat dissipation. The display reaches a peak brightness of 3,500 nits and uses the new M10 emission technology. Xiaomi also emphasizes that domestically developed OLED materials have, for the first time, reached a world‑class level. On paper, those are ambitious numbers for a device this size.

Another major step forward is the 7,000 mAh battery. Xiaomi says the phone can continuously play short videos for more than 12 hours—longer even than the iPhone 17 paired with an additional 5,000 mAh external battery. For a compact flagship, that capacity stands out and sets high expectations for endurance. The camera system is a triple array: a Light Hunter 950 primary sensor sized 1/1.31 inch, joined by a 50 MP ultrawide and a 50 MP telephoto. The front camera also uses a 50 MP sensor, suggesting a balanced approach aimed at versatility rather than gimmicks.

The Xiaomi 17 starts at 4,499 yuan for the 12/256 GB version. The 12/512 GB configuration is priced at 4,799 yuan, while the top 16/512 GB model costs 4,999 yuan. For the spec sheet on offer, the opening price looks assertive.