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Xiaomi has been at the forefront of smartphone innovation for the past couple of years. From ultra-fast charging to waterfall displays, and display-equipped camera bumps, Xiaomi has it all. And what's even more impressive is the fact that the company has managed to do so in a very price-conscious way!
The company also stemmed two separate model lines under the Xiaomi brand, the Redmi, and Poco, both offering slightly different experiences in the budget to midrange category. It seems that Xiaomi wants to cover every imaginable market niche, and we're impressed to say that the company is doing a great job executing this plan.
So today we’re gonna make a list of the best Xiaomi phones you can get in 2026. The company caught many people off guard, announcing the Xiaomi 17 Ultra and keeping the Pro version China-only, so we finally got to have a proper Ultra phone.
With so many Xiaomi models out there it's very hard to navigate and find the best ones. We're here to help! Let's go!
The Xiaomi 17 Ultra offers great camera hardware | Image by PhoneArena
Why I Picked it
The Ultra series of the Xiaomi flagship lineup has always been about the camera. The Xiaomi 17 Ultra is no exception. This phone features three cameras on its back, with the main wide camera using OmniVision OVX10500 1-inch sensor. You've got a 200MP periscope zoom camera, with 4.3x optical zoom and a big 50MP ultrawide.
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If that's not enough for you photography nerds out there, there's a Photography Kit Pro available, and it includes the Xiaomi 17 Ultra official protective case, a camera grip with 2,000mAh reserve battery, a detachable shutter button with rubber bushings, a detachable thumb support, hand strap, and an adapter ring for 67mm camera filters.
Of course, the Xiaomi 17 Ultra is not only a couple of cameras. The phone uses the latest Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset, it has one of the brightest displays we've ever tested, and the battery is also quite big at 6,000 mAh, even without the 2,000 mAh grip.
The vanilla Xiaomi 17 - formulaic design, but great execution | Image by PhoneArena
Why I Picked it
The Xiaomi 17 is your bona fide compact powerhouse and a great alternative to the Galaxy S26 or the iPhone 17. There's a lot to like about this phone, and it packs a punch in its slim and petite body. It's an evolution of the previous model, with a couple of upgrades.
In terms of power, the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 will give you more than enough, and coupled with the silicon-carbon battery inside (6,330 mAh), you're in for a good two days on a single charge. It's the silicon-carbon revolution in action.
The camera system is also pretty potent in this little flagship. We have a triple 50MP camera system on the back, consisting of a main, ultrawide, and telephoto camera with 2.6x optical zoom. I quite liked the predecessor, and even though this model is just a refresh, I like it a lot as well.
Finally, the display is one of the brightest I've ever tested, so the complete package is in place. The only drawback is the price (899 euros) and the fact that the Xiaomi 17 could be hard to get in the States.
The Xiaomi 15T Pro looks very similar to the 17 but it's much more affordable | Image by PhoneArena
Why I Picked it
Flagship phones are pretty expensive nowadays, pushing that $1,000 mark easily, but there are models that shine like rare diamonds hidden from plain view. Xiaomi's T-series lineup consists mainly of those kinds of devices, and the new Xiaomi 15T is no exception. I think it offers a great set of features and it's disguised as a flagship.
The price of this phone is around 799 euros, about twice as cheap as some other modern flagships, and it comes with very few compromises. First, it sports a very good OLED screen with a 144Hz refresh rate and a very respectable peak brightness of 4,000 nits. You can also get up to 16GB of RAM and up to 1TB of storage for the Pro model, in terms of memory configuration.
The Xiaomi 15T supports 67W fast charging, while the Pro version boasts rapid 90W charging, allowing the Pro's battery to go from 0 to 100% in just 40 minutes. Both the 15T and the Pro models feature big 5,500mAh batteries.
The Redmi Note 15 Pro+ is here to take on the Pixel 10a and the Galaxy A57 | Image by PhoneArena
Why I Picked it
The name of the Xiaomi Redmi Note 15 Pro Plus may be mouthful, but so are its specs. The phone features some impressive hardware under the hood, for not a lot of money. The base 8/512GB storage configuration starts at 500 euros, and for that amount of cash you're getting a lot.
Let's start with the camera. The main snapper is a 200MP sensor under some f/1.7 lenses and it produces stunning, clear, and noise-free images, even at low light. This main camera can rival the big guys, you know, your Galaxies and iPhones.
The 6.8-inch display is big, bright, and can go up to 120Hz, which your regular iPhone can't do. The charging is super-fast, 100W can pump-up the hefty 6,500 mAh battery from zero to 100% in just 56 minutes.
Last but not least, the Snapdragon 7s Gen 4 chipset is no slouch. Granted, it's no Snapdragon Elite but you won't notice any lag or stutter using the phone. Check out our full review of this affordable Xiaomi beauty below.
This phone is just 8.2 mm thick but features an 8,500 mAh battery. Impressive! | Image by PhoneArena
Why I Picked it
We're in the Poco territory now! Speaking about "good for the money" phones, we just can't let this one out. It sticks to the original Poco Phone idea of an affordable flagship and also improves on the Poco X8. Not only that, but the Poco now proudly sports the "Pro Max" moniker in its name.
This model elevates the Poco experience bringing the best display in the series, a powerful chipset, premium design, and... wait for it... a much more expensive price tag. All those improvements come at a cost, but the Poco X8 Pro Max is still a very good value proposition, even at $469 ($429 early bird price).
But I think it's worth it, if you take into account the huge 8,500 mAh battery, the gorgeous 6.83-inch AMOLED display, the 100W fast charging, and the decent 50MP main camera. The phone also looks and feels premium.
Xiaomi has been striving to offer a wide range of devices catering to diverse usage scenarios and customer preferences. This commitment has undoubtedly contributed to the recent rice in popularity of Xiaomi phones.
If you're in search of the ultimate Xiaomi smartphone, you're sure to find one amidst the amazingly wide product range the company has to offer. With numerous models and variations to choose from, from camera phones, through midrange bang-for-your-buck devices, to ultra-affordable phones, finding the perfect Xiaomi phone for your needs is practically assured.
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Mariyan, a tech enthusiast with a background in Nuclear Physics and Journalism, brings a unique perspective to PhoneArena. His childhood curiosity for gadgets evolved into a professional passion for technology, leading him to the role of Editor-in-Chief at PCWorld Bulgaria before joining PhoneArena. Mariyan's interests range from mainstream Android and iPhone debates to fringe technologies like graphene batteries and nanotechnology. Off-duty, he enjoys playing his electric guitar, practicing Japanese, and revisiting his love for video games and Haruki Murakami's works.
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