The Xiaomi-Leica collaboration produced a stunning Leitzphone. I took great photos with it. Then I looked at the price. £1,700? Or roughly $2,279? Most people don’t have “CEO” or “Oil Baron” on their business cards. We can’t touch that phone.
Fortunately, Xiaomi isn’t just for the rich.
The 17T Pro is their new mid-range play. It sits at €899, which is about £779 or $1,045. The US is out of luck, it won’t launch here, but the rest of the world can grab this without draining their savings accounts. It has the metal frame, the Leica badge on the back, and the kind of daily drivers’ features that usually demand more money.
I’ve held it for hours. Barely. I can’t compare it yet to the Pixel 10A, the iPhone 17, or the behemoth 17 Ultra. But I have thoughts.
A slick, blue body
The phone is metal. It feels dense. There is a solidity here that defies the sub-€900 tag. It doesn’t feel like plastic waiting to crack.
The color is a deep blue. Stylish but smart. It stands out. I like tech with personality—the Nothing Phone 4A Pro in pink does it, my custom-skinned Leica Q3 does it—but the sea of black and white gets tired. The blue is a refresh.
It’s IP68 rated. Dust and water stay out. The 6.83-inch screen is bright, bold, big enough for YouTube binges or intense mobile gaming.
Leica optics on a budget
The camera array is a trio. Standard stuff.
- 50 MP main sensor
- 50 MP telephoto (5x optical zoom)
- 12 MP ultrawide
The main lens gets the Leica Summilux treatment for clearer shots. I am eager to test this. It won’t rival the Leitzphone—the big brother has advanced tech and a big price to prove its worth—but it should produce good images. Solid, reliable snaps.
Competition is fierce. Budget phones like the Pixel 10a and the Nothing Phone 4A Pro shoot vibrant, punchy pictures for pennies on the dollar. The bar is lower than it used to be. How well does the 17T Pro stack up? I’ll see.
Even budget phones are delivering vibrant images now, making every mid-range shot count.
Processor and battery life
Inside is the MediaTek Dimensity 9500. Benchmark scores were solid. It tracked with last year’s elite like the Galaxy S25 Ultra and iPhone 17. It did not chase this year’s top-tier S26 Ultra or Honor Magic 8 Pro. But for this price, that doesn’t matter. It plays PUBG at max settings without stutter.
Then there is the battery. A 7,000 mAh silicon-carbon block. That is massive. Expect all-day use.
When you finally run dry, there’s 100W wired charging. Plug in with the right adapter and the juice returns quickly.
The Verdict
It is too early for a final ruling. I like what I see. The specs check the boxes. Camera setup looks capable, the battery size is generous, the processor handles heavy lifting. The blue finish is a nice touch.
It won’t take the photography crown in 2026. Not even close to the Leitzphone.
But for the average person who isn’t ready to blow their entire savings on a new device? This looks like a serious option. Solid everyday specs without the premium tax.
I’m going to keep using it. Let’s see if the camera lives up to the badge.
