Weekly poll: will you buy the Xiaomi 17T or the Xiaomi 17T Pro?

Xiaomi 17T vs. 17T Pro: Is the Major Price Jump Justified?

Last year, the choice was simple for most users. In our community polls, the Xiaomi 15T Pro didn’t just win; it completely overshadowed the standard model. But as the 17T generation makes its grand entrance, the narrative isn’t quite as cut and dry. Xiaomi has tweaked the formula in ways that might actually give the ‘vanilla’ model a fighting chance—if you can stomach the new price tag.

The Elephant in the Room: Pricing

Let’s address the heavy hitter first: the cost. The Xiaomi 17T kicks off at €750, while the 17T Pro demands a steeper €900 (both for the 12/256GB base models). This represents a €100 price hike across the board compared to last year. While we all know that high-speed RAM and storage costs are climbing, the T-series has traditionally been the ‘value’ sub-flagship line. At nearly €1,000, the Pro model is now rubbing shoulders with the premium elite.

The Xiaomi 17T Pro: A Battery Behemoth

For those willing to pay the premium, the Xiaomi 17T Pro offers some serious muscle. It’s powered by the Dimensity 9500 chipset and features a massive 7,000mAh battery—a spec that should end range anxiety once and for all. It also supports 100W wired and 50W wireless charging.

The camera setup is equally ambitious, featuring a 1/1.31” main sensor and a 50MP 5x periscope lens. Since the Ultra models are often hard to find outside of China, the 17T Pro effectively stands as the global flagship for those who want a big screen and top-tier power without going into the ‘Ultra’ price bracket.

The Vanilla 17T: Smaller, But Smarter?

The standard Xiaomi 17T has taken a bit of a detour this year. It runs on the Dimensity 8500 and features a slightly smaller 1/1.55” main sensor and a 6,500mAh battery (67W wired-only). Interestingly, Xiaomi has shrunk the display to 6.59 inches, down from the 6.83 inches we saw on the 15T.

While some might miss the extra screen real estate, many users have been vocal about phones becoming too bulky. This ‘downsizing’ might actually be a feature for those tired of pocket-stretching devices. Plus, there’s a huge win: the 17T now shares the exact same 50MP 5x periscope lens as the Pro model, replacing the old 2x telephoto lens. That’s a massive upgrade for zoom photography enthusiasts.

The Evolution of the T-Series

To put things in perspective, both predecessors featured 6.83” screens and 5,500mAh batteries. The new models have traded some of their slimness (increasing from 7.5mm-8.0mm to about 8.2mm-8.3mm) to accommodate those significantly larger batteries. It’s a trade-off most users are usually happy to make in exchange for an extra day of use.

If you’re still on the fence, you can dive deep into the technical details in our full Xiaomi 17T review or check out the Xiaomi 17T Pro review.

What’s Your Take?

Is the new direction for the 17T a step forward, or do the price hikes make it a tough sell? Are you tempted by that massive 7,000mAh battery in the Pro, or is the more compact 17T calling your name?

And what about the Pro? It essentially takes the 15T Pro formula and cranks up the performance and battery life. Is that enough to justify the extra cash?