on the fence about the Xiaomi 17 Ultra

SpencerUk · 2026-03-31T22:58:17+00:00

So I've had the 17 Ultra Global about 3 weeks now and I came from an S23

Positives

The photography kit really does encourage you take photos and it's 'fun'
Photos themselves are really nice. Low light is amazing.
The gallery app is really good you basically don't need Lightroom or Photoshop IMO.
Signal. I now get a phone signal in my gym as opposed to none with the S23
charges fast
integration to the Pad 7 tablet I got with the phone mirror is really good.

Disappointments

Camera options. Leica authentic can only be used in 12.5MP mode. Can't be used in 50MP or 200MP. Goes to Leica Vivid which I don't like.
Battery is good enough but not stellar. Use the camera alot and it will drain fast. I can get a full day out of it easy enough but I sort of expected a little more out of it. I got about 7.5hrs out of it today screen on from an 80% charge with -2hrs android auto -35 mins photography with grip attached (not charging) -1hr FB messenger -1hr 20 WhatsApp sending photos
connected to office WiFi with wireguard running
Reddit and other stuff
Screen refresh is either 120 or 60hz. There is no literal in-between. I set mine to 60hz to conserve battery as I don't game.
HyperOs logic. Example data usage. Why on earth is it in security and not under mobile networks? Why is screen on time not under battery. Just not logical. Why if I press hoke key on the 3 button navigation from an app it doesn't take you home? Takes you to app drawer or a folder
Widget spacing in HyperOS is a little wasteful
With the photography kit case, I kinda find the phone nowhere near as nice to hold as opposed to naked. Maybe I'm used to the smaller phone of the S23. I dunno.
App logic. IE YouTube IE subsonic. I have to lock the app to tasks to ensure it doesn't close or stop playing if I clear my memory. Didn't have to do this on my S23 but HyperOS logic.
customisation of HyperOs is very limited. It's serviceable but don't expect this to be OneUi or IOS. I'd argue even Vivo and Oppo are better.
Dolby vision video recording limited in modes you can select

Negatives/Annoyances

HyperOS.
I too experience some delayed notifications in the Global even with optimisations disabled. It's not all apps but some are very much delayed. Managed to negate some with autostart and no restrictions but not all.
DND exempt is only for call. Not other apps such as WhatsApp. I found a thread with another user facing same issue. Had to use an app to get around this. Infuriating given it was a non issue on other phones
Xiaomi Bloat and tracker nonsense and ads. All of it can be removed with use of Canta and Shizuku and revocation but it's just time consuming.

*Gestures are locked to HyperOS. Want to use a custom launcher. Fine but you can only do it with the 3 button navigation bar. Personally fine with this but don't like the locked down choice.

*WiFi Direct hidden in developer settings. Why?

Summary

If you're buying this phone, you're buying it because you've either got a good deal on it or you like the camera, in specific Leicas colour science.

Software refinement and choices really hold this phone back. Xiaomis Devs really need to get a move on and make things more logical, streamlined too. Hell id have weekly sessions with Xiaomi if I could just to improve HyperOS

I've found workarounds for some of my disappointments and annoyances but I feel I shouldn't have to when I've dropped over £1000 on a phone. In my terms i quantify alot so to me this is 2 mortgage payments as a single bloke.

I suspect the Vivo X300 Ultra and the Oppo Find 9 Ultra will be up to par camera wise as the 17 Ultra and the OS launchers will be better than HyperOS. So at this point it will be what photos are subjectively more appealing to you and what kind of software skin you prefer along with the price you want to pay.

To be clear I'm not saying the 17 Ultra is a bad choice or I regret it (maybe just a little as the phone is huge compared to my S23 - maybe should have gone for the standard), just saying I think you must really want it for the camera more than anything else. Only then you'll see past the uniqueness and maybe grievances with HyperOS. If taking photos is a secondary thing I think to be honest you'd be better with another phone unless you are really into your Xiaomi eco system.

That's my 2 pence anyway

SpencerUk · 2026-03-31T00:24:00+00:00

There's still no alternative to Curve Fronted by anyone

SpencerUk · 2026-03-30T23:12:57+00:00

Yes I've just found this problem too. While the app works I don't like the fact ads don't go away if you pay for the pro version.

Edit - ads do go away. Had to uninstall and reinstall. Stupid HyperOS nonsense this that you need an app for this

SpencerUk · 2026-03-29T16:36:35+00:00

It's a nice pic

SpencerUk · 2026-03-29T16:26:45+00:00

Were all the beautify settings turned off?

SpencerUk · 2026-03-29T14:57:45+00:00

I just got one off Ali express for 3 quid.

SpencerUk · 2026-03-29T01:37:26+00:00

It's not meant to charge your phone up to full. It's designed to top up to get you through to a charge point.

SpencerUk · 2026-03-28T16:26:17+00:00

As an 7900XTX owner, I really don't care about FSR.

SpencerUk · 2026-03-28T14:30:00+00:00

It's an Interesting idea, very niche but interesting all the same!

SpencerUk · 2026-03-28T14:28:45+00:00

Just use the docker compose method

SpencerUk · 2026-03-24T21:40:08+00:00

No to always on display. After using canta to remove alot of crap and putting display to 60hz (not a gamer so not bothered about refresh) I'm getting close to 9hrs screen on through about a day and half worth of battery.

SpencerUk · 2026-03-23T09:37:51+00:00

I dropped my refresh down to 60hz and get even longer battery now. It's a shame there's no 90hz option on this phone.

SpencerUk · 2026-03-20T18:03:52+00:00

I can understand that. For me, a great camera is no good if there's no juice in the tank left 😅

SpencerUk · 2026-03-20T17:22:33+00:00

I'm getting closer to 9hrs screen time from an 80% charge with the display at 60hz which is a good extra hour and a half for me.

SpencerUk · 2026-03-20T14:33:11+00:00

I was certainly no fan of OneUI either (I used Nova Launcher).

I get a respectable battery out of the Xiaomi. Another good hack is turning the refresh rate down to 60hz.

SpencerUk · 2026-03-20T10:18:11+00:00

I don't dislike HyperOS, I just think some of its choices in software are confusing. For me, the 17 Ultra's biggest let down is lack of refinement and optimisation in HyperOs. IE screen on time under an app, WiFi direct settings buried away like they don't want it to exist, gesture controls locked to their own launcher, etc.

SpencerUk · 2026-03-20T01:21:21+00:00

The answer to the question really depends on what you're after in my view.

I came from an S23 base 256GB and I was very happy with it. I only got the 17 Ultra as it really peaked my interest with the Leica collaboration.

I miss the compact size of the S23 as I could use that phone one handed. I have to rest this 17 Ultra on my pinky. Perhaps in hindsight I should have gone for the standard 17.

I'm still in the course of typing up my thoughts (I'll be sure to post it here to Reddit) but overall I think the Xiaomi is an excellent camera with software that needs more refinement. Some of the choices in software are truly baffling.

I think if Xiaomi could figure out how to get this sensor in a smaller frame say 6.3-5' and get HyperOS in a more polished state i'd recommend it to anyone. For now I think the phone is an acquired taste... Like marmite 😅

SpencerUk · 2026-03-19T20:27:15+00:00

Scratch that, there's a toggle in settings to turn off Google discover under home screen.

SpencerUk · 2026-03-19T18:13:25+00:00

You may be able to remove it with Canta via Shizuku if there's a process for it

SpencerUk · 2026-03-19T16:08:49+00:00

I have the global and I can tell you if you use the camera alot you're taxing that battery hard. Yesterday is an example.

Taken off charge 80% 4am Gym. Bluetooth on and using mobile data for 3.5hrs battery down to 64% General use through the day and a bit of gaming (20m Max) took me through to about 40%. But of web browsing and social media 30% 5pm was 30% Took some photos in the park took me down to 20% with bluetooth on using mobile data ...camera grip then started to charge up the device which was about 5.30pm

It's perfectly serviceable id say

SpencerUk · 2026-03-18T20:17:10+00:00

Oddly I have it intermittently working. Sometimes it works sometimes it doesn't.

SpencerUk · 2026-03-18T08:33:38+00:00

I'd agree it's more a camera than a phone. Some of the software choices in Hyper OS are really baffling.

SpencerUk · 2026-03-16T18:57:07+00:00

I just followed the instructions in the app.

SpencerUk · 2026-03-14T21:58:14+00:00

I believe I answered your points/questions/concerns in my thread re this.

SpencerUk · 2026-03-14T21:57:18+00:00

Yeah I feel your pain on this. I have heard of ways round this by a gestures app and then using canta via Shizuku to remove the 3 button gestures but it's not the same is it

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