The Xiaomi T series of phones have always been a great choice for those seeking a budget-friendly alternative to flagship smartphones. In my previous reviews, I have praised the Xiaomi 15T Pro and 14T Pro for their performance. With the 17 series, Xiaomi continues to offer great options. The Xiaomi 17 Ultra is priced at £1300, while the smaller Xiaomi 17 is priced at £900. Notably, the Xiaomi 17 Pro or Pro Max were not released in the UK. Similar to last year, the launch of the 17 series coincides with the Honor 600 Pro, which I recently reviewed. The 17T Pro is positioned similarly to the Honor 600 Pro, just below the Honor Magic8 Pro. Related Reviews Xiaomi 17T Pro vs 15T Pro vs Honor 600 Pro Specifications Here is a comparison of the specifications of the Xiaomi 17T Pro, Xiaomi 15T Pro, and Honor 600 Pro before I delve into the performance of the Xiaomi 17T Pro in everyday use. Specification Xiaomi 17T Pro Xiaomi 15T Pro Honor 600 Pro Display 6.83-inch AMOLED, 144Hz 6.83-inch AMOLED, 144Hz 6.57-inch AMOLED, 120Hz Resolution 2772 x 1280 (1.5K) 1280 x 2772 1264 x 2728 Peak brightness 3500 nits 3200 nits 8000 nits Xiaomi 17T Pro vs 15T Pro – What has been upgraded? The most significant upgrade is the battery. The 17T Pro now boasts a 7,000mAh battery, up from 5,500mAh in the 15T Pro. Wired charging has also been improved from 90W to 100W. The chipset has been upgraded from the Dimensity 9400+ to the 9500, offering better CPU and GPU performance. The camera setup remains similar, with both phones featuring a 50MP main sensor and a 50MP 5x periscope telephoto. However, the 17T Pro uses a different sensor design, the Light Fusion 950, with 2.4-micron super pixels compared to the larger native sensor in the 15T Pro. Other upgrades include a slight increase in peak brightness and Dolby Vision support on the display. The 17T Pro also offers improved battery capacity, making it a worthwhile upgrade for those in need of longer battery life. Xiaomi 17T Pro vs Honor 600 Pro Key Differences The Honor 600 Pro features Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset, while the Xiaomi 17T Pro is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 9500. The Honor chipset, the SM8750, is the same Snapdragon 8 Elite found in last year's flagship devices. While Qualcomm's flagship chip has historically outperformed MediaTek's equivalent, the Dimensity 9500 is expected to offer better performance due to its newer generation. Both phones have strong camera setups, with the Xiaomi focusing on its Leica partnership and offering a 50MP main sensor and a 5x optical telephoto lens. The Honor, on the other hand, boasts a 200MP main sensor but only a 3.5x telephoto lens. The Xiaomi also excels in video recording capabilities, offering up to 8K resolution compared to the Honor's 4K maximum. In terms of display, the Xiaomi features a 6.83-inch screen with a 144Hz refresh rate, while the Honor offers an impressive 8,000 nit peak brightness. Both phones come with large batteries and fast charging capabilities, with the Xiaomi edging slightly ahead in wired charging speed. Overall, the choice between the Xiaomi 17T Pro and the Honor 600 Pro comes down to individual preferences. The Honor offers a lighter build, brighter screen, and longer update commitment, while the Xiaomi excels in battery life, camera reach, and video recording capabilities. Design & Build Quality The Xiaomi 17T Pro is a large and heavy phone, measuring 162.2 x 77.5 x 8.25mm and weighing 219g. The build quality is solid, with a brushed metal finish and micro-curved edges for a comfortable grip. The phone features a Leica-branded camera module and minimal bezels, protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 7i. While the phone is IP68 rated, the Honor 600 Pro offers additional IP69 and IP69K ratings for superior water resistance. Display The Xiaomi 17T Pro sports a 6.83-inch 1.5K AMOLED display with a 144Hz refresh rate, 68 billion colors, and support for HDR10+ and Dolby Vision. While the display offers excellent color accuracy and smooth motion, it falls short in outdoor brightness compared to the Honor 600 Pro. The full-range DC dimming feature is a welcome addition for those sensitive to screen flicker. It is worth noting that the Xiaomi's display does not have a confirmed LTPO range for power efficiency on static content, unlike some other models. Performance and Benchmarks The Xiaomi 17T Pro is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 9500 chipset, offering strong CPU and GPU performance. Benchmark results show that the 17T Pro outperforms the Honor 600 Pro in terms of raw numbers. The phone's Mali G1-Ultra GPU provides smooth gaming performance, complemented by dual stereo speakers with Dolby Atmos for an immersive audio experience. While the Xiaomi excels in day-to-day tasks, a proper stress test is needed to evaluate its sustained performance and throttling under extended load. Gaming Experience The Mali G1-Ultra GPU in the Dimensity 9500 chipset delivers a smooth gaming experience on the Xiaomi 17T Pro. The large display with a high refresh rate is ideal for fast-paced games, while the dual stereo speakers provide decent sound quality. The 3D IceLoop cooling system ensures stable performance during gaming sessions, although the phone's weight may make long handheld gaming sessions tiring. Battery Life and Charging The Xiaomi 17T Pro boasts a massive 7,000mAh battery with silicon-carbon technology, offering impressive battery life for heavy users. The phone supports 100W wired HyperCharge and 50W wireless HyperCharge, with reverse charging capabilities. The fast charging speeds and large battery capacity give the Xiaomi a significant advantage in endurance over the Honor 600 Pro. Camera Hardware and Features The Xiaomi 17T Pro features a triple rear camera system co-engineered with Leica. With a 50MP main sensor, 5x optical telephoto lens, and 12MP ultra-wide lens, the phone offers versatile photography options. The 5x optical telephoto lens gives the Xiaomi an edge in reach over the Honor 600 Pro's 3.5x telephoto lens. The phone's video recording capabilities, including 8K resolution and Log footage, outperform the Honor in this aspect. Overall, the Xiaomi's camera setup provides excellent performance for both photography and videography, offering a good balance of features and quality. HyperOS 3 & Android 16 The Xiaomi 17T Pro runs on HyperOS 3 based on Android 16. While HyperOS may not have the same polish as other Android skins, it offers a decent user experience. The phone comes with Xiaomi HyperAI, Circle to Search, Google Gemini, and Xiaomi Offline Communication features. Additionally, buyers in eligible markets receive bundled trials for Google AI Pro, YouTube Premium, and Spotify Premium. It is important to note that Xiaomi has not confirmed the software update commitment for the 17T Pro, so users should consider this aspect before making a purchase. Price and Alternative Options While the pricing for the Xiaomi 17T Pro is yet to be confirmed, it is expected to be around the £699 mark, similar to last year's model. The Honor 600 Pro, priced at £899.99 but often discounted to around £699, is a strong alternative to consider. Other options within Xiaomi's range, such as the standard Xiaomi 17 and Xiaomi 17T, offer different features and price points for users to choose from. Ultimately, the choice between the Xiaomi 17T Pro and the Honor 600 Pro depends on individual preferences and priorities. Both phones offer unique strengths, and users should consider factors like battery life, camera capabilities, display quality, and software updates before making a decision. Overall The Xiaomi 17T Pro is a well-rounded flagship phone that excels in battery life, camera versatility, and performance. While the phone has some drawbacks like its weight and size, it offers a compelling package overall. The choice between the Xiaomi 17T Pro and the Honor 600 Pro comes down to individual preferences and priorities, with each phone offering distinct advantages depending on user needs.