Xiaomi is expanding its 17 series with two new midrange contenders: the 17T and 17T Pro. Both models focus on telephoto camera prowess and battery endurance, aiming to challenge pricier flagships.

The 17T Pro sports a 6.83-inch AMOLED display with 1.5K resolution and a blistering 144Hz refresh rate. The screen hits a peak brightness of 3,500 nits, which should keep it readable even under direct sunlight. Under the hood is the MediaTek Dimensity 9500 chipset, built on a 3nm process. That’s flagship-level silicon powering a midrange price point.

Its battery is no afterthought. Xiaomi equipped the 17T Pro with a 7,000mAh silicon-carbon cell, promising nearly nine and a half hours of continuous video recording. The standard 17T gets a slightly smaller 6,500mAh battery but still supports fast charging up to 100W. Both phones should last beyond a day of heavy use.

Camera tech steals the show here. The 17T Pro carries a 50MP main sensor with Leica optics and OIS. The headline feature is a 5x optical zoom periscope telephoto lens with OIS, capable of 120x AI-enhanced digital zoom. That’s a leap over previous T-series models, which maxed out at 2x or 2.6x optical zoom. Leica’s involvement extends beyond lenses—they provide the imaging tuning and introduce a new “Leica Live Moment” feature. It captures short video clips alongside photos, adding a cinematic touch to snapshots.

The vanilla 17T sticks to a 6.59-inch AMOLED panel at 120Hz and a MediaTek Dimensity 8500 Ultra chipset. It matches the Pro’s camera sensor lineup—50MP main, 50MP telephoto with 5x zoom, and 12MP ultrawide—but without Leica’s premium lens. Still, the 17T offers solid optics for a midrange phone.

Design-wise, both models share a flat-screen style with Leica branding on their camera modules. Color options include black, blue, and purple. Xiaomi aims these phones at markets in Europe and India, with the 17T launching in India on June 4. Pricing starts around £650 ($870) for the 17T and £799 ($1,070) for the 17T Pro in Europe. No official US release is confirmed.

This series shifts Xiaomi’s midrange strategy toward premium features—big batteries, high refresh rates, and flagship-caliber zoom. It’s a smart move in a crowded market where camera capabilities often decide buyer loyalty. Xiaomi’s 5x telephoto zoom surpasses many rivals, including Apple’s iPhone 17 Pro, which tops out at 4x optical zoom.

By pairing MediaTek’s newest chips with Leica-enhanced imaging and huge batteries, Xiaomi blurs the line between midrange and flagship. For users who want serious zoom and endurance without flagship prices, the 17T series is a compelling option.