A giant display screen, highly effective digicam system, and top-notch efficiency can eat proper into your battery life, however Xiaomi has managed to pack a 6,000-mAh battery into the 17 Extremely (up from 5,410 mAh final 12 months). The bounce provides it critical stamina, and this telephone can go a few days between expenses.
I want Xiaomi had discovered a strategy to embrace Qi2, as magnetic wi-fi charging is the one factor I missed in switching from the Pixel 10 Professional XL (although you’ll be able to type of add it with the images package case). The 17 Extremely does help wi-fi charging at an impressively quick 50-watt fee, however the digicam module makes it awkward to make use of with some wi-fi chargers. Wired charging goes as much as 90 watts with the correct adapter (not included).
Software program was the large caveat, however I didn’t discover a lot to complain about with the 17 Extremely. Xiaomi’s HyperOS apes iOS in locations, and I nonetheless don’t just like the unlabeled quick-settings icons, however it’s principally completely high-quality. The Leica interface, with minimalist app icons and images widgets, is way nicer than the marginally cartoonish HyperOS, however it’s very straightforward to customise. I don’t assume bloatware has anywhere on a flagship telephone, so I’m at all times irritated to see apps like Fb and TikTok preinstalled.
There’s loads of AI onboard, should you care, and you need to use Google’s Gemini or Xiaomi’s HyperAI for all kinds of photograph and video enhancing, transcription, translation, summarization, and extra. It’s not fairly as slick and chic as Google’s Pixel, however you’ll be able to broadly obtain all the identical outcomes.
The Xiaomi 17 Extremely shouldn’t be formally out there within the US, however you’ll be able to choose it up for £1,299 within the UK (1,499 euros in Europe). The Leitzphone prices £1,799 (1,999 euros). For people who can get their palms on the worldwide mannequin extra simply, it’s a near-flawless flagship contender that may fulfill anybody craving a giant, highly effective, photography-first telephone.
