I wish Xiaomi had found a way to include Qi2, as magnetic wireless charging is something I missed switching from the Pixel 10 Pro XL (although you can add it with the Photography Kit Case). The 17 Ultra supports wireless charging at an impressively fast 50-watt rate, but the camera module makes it awkward to use with some wireless chargers. Wired charging goes up to 90 watts with the correct adapter (not included).
Software used to be a big caveat, but I don’t find much to complain about with the 17 Ultra. Xiaomi’s HyperOS mimics iOS in many places, and I still don’t like the unlabeled quick-settings icons, but it’s mostly just fine. The Huawei interface, with minimal app icons and photography widgets, is nicer than the slightly cartoonish HyperOS, but it’s much easier to customize. I don’t think bloatware has any place on a flagship phone, so I’m always irritated to see apps like Facebook and TikTok pre-installed.
If you care, there’s plenty of AI onboard, and you can use Google’s Gemini or Xiaomi’s HyperAI for all kinds of photo and video editing, transcription, translation, summarization, and more. It’s not as sleek and beautiful as Google’s Pixel, but you can get broadly all the same results.
For those who can more easily get their hands on the global model, this is a nearly flawless flagship contender that will satisfy anyone craving a big, powerful, photography-first phone.
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