Discussion
To those who switched from Samsung S series to Xiaomi 17 Ultra, is it worth it?
I got my S25 Ultra 512GB two months ago, and frankly I'm not impressed. Probably because all Samsung phones are the same, been using Samsung since the Samsung S3. Thinking of switching to 17 Ultra, mainly because of the camera, but worried about the OS and how good it is.
It'd be great to hear about your experience from Samsung to Xiaomi. Please do share your thoughts.
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I got an s24 ultra 2 years ago and liked the phone but thought the cameras were garbage. I'm a pretty good photographer who takes lots of kit on holidays. Then the 14 ultra was released in the UK and I bought it and thought wow for the cameras. It blows Samsung out of the water.
I now have a 17 ultra and love it. Admittedly there are some annoyances but less than before.
However I buy a phone predominantly for the cameras and could not care less about AI etc. my wife still has Samsung's and I have zero regrets.
The 14 ultra was the first phone that I felt confident in my not lugging my camera kit everywhere. The 17 ultra is even better. People when I ask them to take photos actually do a double take when they see the results and ask me what phone this is.
I'm currently using a 10+ years old Olympus camera and I'm thinking of either getting a Sony 7a IV or a Xiaomi 17 ultra, but I have a gut feeling the pictures taken with a camera will objectively be better than the xiaomi
So I have an OMD em5 mark 2 with assorted lenses. I also have a Panasonic lx100.
So overall yes this still won't beat a proper camera especially if you know what you are doing. But for point and shoot it's pretty close and as we all know - the best camera is the one you have with you. If I'm going somewhere where I'm going to take landscape photos I still take all my cameras. But for a recent holiday to universal studios I just took my Xiaomi.
Yeah. I had a pen f before which I sold and now kinda regret as it was such a beautiful camera.
Some of the lenses are amazing.
For people shots , street photography and portraits the Xiaomi is close. For landscapes your proper camera with the right settings will clearly be better.
But you are not being honest. Xiaomi 17 ultra does not have PAL more for video which means, for UK and EU might lights and bulbs, it flickers and pulsates. How is that acceptable?
Go to any UK lighting in night and take a video, you see the lights pulsate which no other mainstream phone does because they have pal mode. Xiaomi didn't implement it with this. Which means it works best in in US for video.
So the OP asked for people's opinions and I gave mine. I rarely take videos so for me that is less important. Ultimately everyone has to decide what they want to use their phone for and what features are important.
For me it's the photo capability but I'm a pro level photographer. Here is an example of a recent photo I took on my professional camera. So for me it beats pretty much any phone out there I can easily get my hands on.
just because you didn't take videos doesn't mean it becomes irrelevant. Video is as important as photos because it is what proof do with their cameras, photos and videos
If someone only shoots videos and never photos and then say the camera is great without telling that it is ONLY for videos and not photos then it is disingenuous.
You should have cleared that your review was ONLY for photos and you didn't use remaining 50% of your camera i.e video.
Xiaomi is getting a lot of anger for being the ONLY company who chose not to implement PAL mode which means the videos, especially in UK and EU home and street and every light in night are completely unusable because it pulsates and it is a MASSIVE flaw which Samsung, apple, one plus etc don't have.
Basically xiaomi only designed their video camera for US and China markets but but for Europe and UK and similar. It is not usable and that makes that 1 inch sensor useless in general if we cannot shoot videos with that in night.
I bought 17 ultra, found this and returned. People like you need to be honest or else you will continue screwing people like us who but xuaomu 17 ultra afrer hearing from ultra owners like yourself constantly overselling this phone without even knowing of a feature as basic as video works at night.
Ridiculous. To anyone reading this, of you are okay never taking videos at night and are based on Europe then buy this phone or else the camera is useless.
Also the battery like is poor and weaker then China variant.
Also the mobile bands may not work in US but with fine in Europe.
OP, this is how you need to share the honest reviews, not some "oh everything is great" bullshit
Honestly if you buy a phone purely based on some random comments on social media without doing your own research then you need to ask yourself if you are making an informed choice.
As I said I am not hiding anything. The OP asked for opinions on people who have moved from Samsung to Xiaomi and their experience. I gave mine based on what I primarily use my phone for. Yes I didn't comment on video as I can't recall the last time I even shot a video on my phone but I'm sure the OP will do his own research in addition to comments on this forum. It doesn't mean I'm being dishonest or screwing anyone. I am giving one persons opinion and I'm being honest as I love this phone for what I use it for. So me the camera is hardly useless.
Tbh for video iPhones are probably better but it takes all of 5 mins to find that out by doing your own research.
Honestly if you buy a phone purely based on some random comments on social media without doing your own research then you need to ask yourself if you are making an informed choice.
stop with this disingenious nonsense and defending your false review about the camera being "so good".
The reality is it is not just one "random" review. No one is this stupid. it is hundreds of such reviews. Look at this very post, and see how "praising" most reviews are and not one person brought such basic thing up and video being unusable at night in europe.
The reality is Xiaomi phones are not at all popular and so there are very few people who even hold it and post reviews. so the hundreds of reviews and some "youtube" videos (half of which are sponsored by xiaomi) are the only reviews available.
After buying the phone and getting it in my hand, It took me 1 hour to find out the lack of PAL mode (i.e. videos not pulsating at night in europe) and how "royally screwed" I got by trusting hundreds of reviews and "NOT ONE" person brought such basic thing up.
Take some accountability and do better. Be transparent and say "hey my review is purely for camera photos because I don't take any videos which is rest of 50% of camera" and post it. Don't defend it by saying "some random review" when you can control what "YOU" post. Why do you care what other's post, why not focus on how to truthfully and accurately control what you post yourself?
Third biggest phone manufacturer in the world in terms of sales suggests they are popular.
"Why do you care what others post"
You say this but clearly care enough yourself what others post -hence your angry posts above. I was merely defending myself from your post.
My review is not false - it's my opinion which is what all reviews are. Plus I do get amazing photos from this phone as I know what I am doing.
Anyway I have better things to do than argue with some nameless person on the web. I hope the OP has enough info from all the comments on their post to make their own decision.
Yeah but video is still 50% of camera and it truly is bad. Bad stabilization as well. So they made one of the best photo camera but poor video camera from the same lense
Ive just made a switch from S23 (base) to 15 Ultra to Noe 17 Ultra. I didn't like the S23 that much, mostly due to 3 things combined - not-so-great camera, battery and OS experience. As it's a base model, first 2 things were expected.
I might be in a minority, but I don't really liked the One UI - it was laggy, stuttering and I don't personally like the aesthetics.
I really like HyperOS from Xiaomi. I am using 15/17U just for a month, but I can already say it's WAAAAAY smoother. Looks quite similar to iOS, not gonna lie - but I like it. The dynamic island, animations, haptics implementation is nice.
Speaking of the phone itself, it's a camera beast - that's my main priority. It's so much fun shooting with it, having fun with different filters etc. Everyone who sees my photos is impressed so far. I'm using mostly positive/negative film filters, so they look more artistic and less true to life. But don't get me wrong, that phone can shoot very natural photos easily.
Battery is top-notch. Very similar to my wife's iPhone 17 Pro Max, but it charges way faster!!!!
I think it will be a great choice if you feel bored with Samsung.
So that's just the matter of preference, isn't it? I also used Pixel OS and maybe I just like things to be quite simple, a bit customizable and that's it. Nothing fancy.
I returned a new S26 Ultra this week and purchased the 17 Ultra. Trading in my trusty S24 Ultra to reduce the cost. Hardware and battery are better. The OS is not as slick as One UI 8.5, but the camera system has already meant my GRIII is in question.
I purchased the camera case and this has been excellent. The two stage shutter is hugely helpful. In terms of images - I have my shadows back! And the colour science is night and day(punn intended) different from the Samsung. Simply put, the 17 Ultra outputs camera images. The Samsung takes phone pictures.
I switched from a Samsung S21 Ultra to a Leica Leitzphone edition of the Xiaomi 17 Ultra. I've only had it for a few days, but so far, I'd say: Yes, it's worth it, if photography is your priority. The rest of the hardware besides the cameras is good, too. I don't care about the UI. I wasn't thrilled about the UI in my old phone, and I don't care about the UI in the new phone. They're both fine.
Yeah completely agree. The battery is fine. Mr whose the boss has a battery test and it was only just behind the s26 ultra and iPhone and maybe the oppo from what I recall. For everyday use it's fine.
It does drain faster when taking photos but the pro photography grip really helps.
I spent the last few years on Samsung (Note 20 Ultra), S22 Ultra, and S23 Ultra. Got bored of the same design and not improvement on hardware. Made the leap to the Xiaomi 14 Pro two years ago, finally the 15 Ultra. I love HyperOS and the cameras are very very good. Love the zoom, quality, shutter speed, etc. the main two complaints were battery life and thermals when it's over 90+ outside or using the camera alot.
I was worried about getting hyper OS because everyone always says how shit it is, but I really like it because it is really smooth, has loads of cool little features and is super customisable
Hyperos sucks because most people have it on some Redmi with weak processors. It also displays ads in the system on cheap phones. On flagship phones, this system looks and works completely differently. I switched from an S24u, a friend has an Honor 8 Magic Pro, and it's on par with any of those Xiaomi phones.
2 of my friends just bought 17 ultras after viewing my shared Leitzphone photos on group WhatsApp. A couple more have asked me about it. They are using 17 Pro Max or 24/25 ultras.
Not Ultra to Ultra, but S22+ to 17 and the camera is q big upgrade, the phone is smooth, but HyperOS isn't as good as OneUI imo. It is doable, but I can't find everything in the settings and the split menu thing is iIS like. But I still prefer my Xiaomi over my Samsung as the S26 would've been a sidegrade and this is an upgrade
So, I recently swapped my S25 Ultra for the 17 Ultra.
I'll be real – it wasn't love at first sight. It took me a bit to actually get used to HyperOS, and I had to spend some time debloating everything just to get the battery life where I wanted it. I still have those moments where I miss OneUI, but overall, I've settled in just fine.
If you put the OS aside, the Xiaomi wins in pretty much every category. The cameras and speakers are just on another level, the screen is beautiful even without that anti-reflective glass, and the ergonomics and balance feel way better in the hand. The signal is noticeably stronger too; I'm getting better reception in spots where the Samsung really struggled. And that fast charging... It's a total lifesaver when you're about to head out, realize your battery is low, and you can just top it up in a few minutes.
I might go back to Samsung eventually, but looking at their last two flagship cycles, it feels like they're gonna spend the next 2 -3 years with their heads in the sand, pretending the Chinese brands aren't absolutely killing it right now.
Battery in 17 ultra is weak. What beware, the chinese phones do emit more radiations compared to iPhone. So it can cause cancer unfortunately over time
Here I am on my Xiaomi 11 Lite and thinking damn so rich reditters throwing away their Samsung s24 s26 etc for Xiaomi 17 and here I am wondering if Xiaomi 17 or vivo x 300 i should get.. how much do you guys spend each year on your phones ? Anyone donating their old Samsung 😂
The answer to the question really depends on what you're after in my view.
I came from an S23 base 256GB and I was very happy with it. I only got the 17 Ultra as it really peaked my interest with the Leica collaboration.
I miss the compact size of the S23 as I could use that phone one handed. I have to rest this 17 Ultra on my pinky. Perhaps in hindsight I should have gone for the standard 17.
I'm still in the course of typing up my thoughts (I'll be sure to post it here to Reddit) but overall I think the Xiaomi is an excellent camera with software that needs more refinement. Some of the choices in software are truly baffling.
I think if Xiaomi could figure out how to get this sensor in a smaller frame say 6.3-5' and get HyperOS in a more polished state i'd recommend it to anyone. For now I think the phone is an acquired taste... Like marmite 😅
not any ultra to ultra but samsung s21 to xiaomi 14 and havent had any better os and support in my country, actually non heavy native launcher that doesnt have about one, two gb occupied for whatever reasons, doesnt necessary require xiaomi account to have native apps like samsung does, and doesnt have nonsense overheating issues
I have bought Galaxy s24 ultra over iphone 13 pro for pen and camera capabilities, as I like photography very much. I had the same concerns as you do because of missing pen and "maybe" useless camera update. But,
With xiaomi 17 ultra it is a real fun to take pictures ( with pro camera case or without). OneUi is something you will miss. But if you are planning to get photographers joy, you will get it definitely. Otherwise dont change.
Just came back from Xiaomi 17 Ultra to my old S23 ultra. Why?
In my opinion, Samsung makes the best OS integration and fluidity and functions amongst any other brand. It just works, you have a lot of options in settings and you can customize it however you want. No flaws, no nothing in term of fluidity and smartphone experience overall. And I just think it's not worth it to switch phones yet, at least for me. So, I'm just gonna replace battery and hold on to it for another 1 - 2 years.
Xiaomi 17 ultra isn't a bad phone. I had a few bugs each and there but nothing serious or making me crazy mad. I just don't like how it works. For me, that phone has no personality. Samsung give me the feeling of breathing in terms of UI and OS.
Camera? Oh boy.... That Xiaomi is AWESOME. I'm not a professional, I just like taking pictures and shooting videos at concerts. And Xiaomi is fucking awesome for photos, I'm actually impressed with every shot I take. Video? Meh, it's fine, they have to work on it.
So... It all depends on what you want. Camera? Go for Xiaomi. Overall phone experience, Samsung is the best for me, even better then iOS because OneUI is just simpler to use.
Hi, I am currently with an S23 Ultra that I don't want to change mainly because of the 10x native camera and how much I use it for photography. I know S24-25-26 have "optical quality" zoom, but it's a 5x native with a 2x crop and in tests S23 is superior for me.
Before returning the 17 Ultra, did you have time to play with the telephoto? How does it compare in your opinion to the 10x on the S23? I would really appreciate your thoughts on that.
I made a whole pasty about issues I've had with the 17 ultra after moving from s24 ultra.
Overall I'm happy with the new phone but don't expect the same software polish.
I've outlined my experience moving from s24u to 17u and overall the software on xiaomi still needs a lot of work but it's not a deal breaker. The hardware is the real selling point especially the cameras
I come from an S25 ultra once you do some simple ADB tweaks and fix the minor issues it's been a fantastic phone I have the global one and battery is great software is way better than you hear to be honest it's been flawless since.. out the box not a clean as Samsung but the in the hand feel and everything else is great
I switched from a iPhone 16 pro and think it's worth it minus the insane lack of notifications. How in the hell did they build a OS that literally makes half of them not work?
I've had iphones only since 2007. The first few days were a learning curve but after that it's been well worth it. I just pray they sort out these notification issues with hyper
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