Pepelats News compares Xiaomi 17 and Samsung Galaxy S25: AI cameras, Snapdragon 8 Elite, battery life and charging, performance, pros and cons to help choose.
© Samsung / Xiaomi
The smartphone market has entered a fresh round of rivalry: the flagship Xiaomi 17 series was unveiled the previous day. The company is banking on AI-infused cameras, a top-tier processor, and power-saving tech. True to form, Xiaomi pairs big batteries with brisk charging, while competitors take a different route. In this piece, Pepelats News compares the Xiaomi 17 line with Samsung’s Galaxy S25 family introduced earlier this year.
The Xiaomi 17 lineup (17, 17 Pro, 17 Ultra) sticks to a versatile formula: three 50 MP rear modules and a 50 MP front camera. The Pro and Ultra versions use the new Light Hunter 950L sensor with a dynamic range of 16.5 EV, which brings striking HDR and confident performance in tricky lighting.
Galaxy S25 offers divergent scenarios: the smaller models top out with a 50 MP main camera, while the S25 Ultra leans on a 200 MP primary sensor and two telephoto lenses, enabling a headline 100x zoom.
On balance, Xiaomi 17 pulls ahead in dynamic range and scene brightness, whereas Samsung leads on zoom reach and more natural color rendition.
Both series run on Snapdragon 8 Elite. Samsung uses a slightly overclocked “for Galaxy” version, while Xiaomi opts for the brand-new Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 unveiled the day before. With at least 12 GB of RAM, multitasking is a non-issue across the board.
Advanced cooling systems are in play on both sides, keeping throttling to a minimum. In games and heavy apps, the difference is likely to be negligible.
Here, Xiaomi takes a clear lead. The base Xiaomi 17 carries a 7,000 mAh battery, while the Galaxy S25 settles for 4,000 mAh. In real use, Xiaomi can stretch to two days of active work, whereas Samsung more often needs a top-up by evening.
Charging speed also favors the Chinese line: 100 W wired and 50 W wireless, versus 45 W and 15 W on the Galaxy S25. The trade-off is weight and size. For example, the Xiaomi 17 weighs about 191 grams against 162 g for the base Galaxy S25.
Outstanding endurance and ultra-fast charging;
Wide dynamic range in photos;
Equally powerful hardware across all versions.
Higher weight and larger dimensions;
More aggressive color tuning in photos;
Less impressive zoom compared with the Galaxy S25 Ultra.
The Xiaomi 17 family is a real find for anyone tired of daily charging and who values advanced cameras. Yes, the Samsung Galaxy S25 holds the high ground in long-range mobile photography and feels a touch more convenient day to day thanks to its compact footprint. Still, thanks to its stamina and charging speed, Xiaomi 17 comes across as the more “people’s” flagship.
According to the Pepelats News editorial team, the Xiaomi 17 will suit active users, gamers, and those who shoot a lot, while the Galaxy S25 will appeal to fans of a balanced experience and classic imaging.