Not sure which camera-focused Android flagship to choose? You are in the right place.
We compared the five-star Oppo Find X9 Ultra and the Xiaomi 17 Ultra to help you navigate the choices in the competitive smartphone market. Otherwise, our best camera phones and best Android phones should have you covered too.
Pricing and availability
The Xiaomi 17 Ultra is available to buy now, with a starting price of £1,299 for the 16+256GB model.
Design
Put the Oppo Find X9 Ultra and the Xiaomi 17 Ultra side by side, and the differences are immediate. At 9.1mm, the Find X9 Ultra is thicker than the 8.3mm Xiaomi 17 Ultra. The latter is also lighter, at 223 g compared to 236 g.
Flip the handsets onto their front sides, and you’ll notice a difference between their respective camera bumps. The X9 Ultra has a hexagonal shape inside the centrally placed circular module, while the 17 Ultra simply sports a large circular hob.
Unlike the Find X9 Ultra, the 17 Ultra doesn’t include any additional buttons other than volume and power controls. Instead, the Find X9 Ultra is equipped with a Quick Button to access the camera and the customizable Snap Key shortcut.
Image credit (trusted reviews)
The Find X9 Ultra is available in two finishes: Canyon Orange, which is less vibrant than the iPhone 17 Pro and has a traditional glass and metal smartphone feel, and Tundra Umber, which instead has a metal and vegan leather finish.
Finally, the 17 Ultra is available in a variety of finishes: Black, White, or Green, the latter sporting a speckled finish. You can also opt for the Leica edition, which comes in black or white and also features a vegan leather back panel.
Picking a winner here is difficult as they are both striking handsets that are comfortable in the hand. However, since it is lighter and thinner, we will give the victory to the Xiaomi 17 Ultra here.
Winner: Xiaomi 17 Ultra
Screen
It’s worth noting that we were impressed with the respective screens of the Oppo Find X9 Ultra and Xiaomi 17 Ultra. The former is slightly smaller, at 6.8 inches, and sports the same QHD+ resolution and LTPO-compatible 120Hz refresh rate as the cheaper Oppo Find X9 Pro. Speaking of which, the Find X9 Ultra also has the ability to boost up to 144Hz when gaming.
Even though the Xiaomi 17 Ultra only achieves a 120Hz refresh rate, it still offers a high peak brightness of 3,500 nits and, unlike its predecessor, now has a flat screen.
Winner: Oppo Find X9 Ultra
Camera
Although sometimes on smartphones there’s a lens or two that you largely ignore or use in hyper-niche circumstances, all of the Find X9 Ultra’s rear sensors are largely brilliant. Of course, the main 200MP is the star here because, although it’s a slightly smaller sensor than the one on the Xiaomi 17 Ultra, it’s capable of absorbing a huge amount of light. Essentially, images look rich and detailed, without appearing overly saturated (we’re looking at you, Samsung.)
Image credit (trusted reviews)
This is supported by a 200MP 3x lens that we bet you’ll end up using more than you expected because the quality is seriously impressive. Then there’s a 50MP, 10x periscope that does a great job of retaining textures from afar. Finally, the 50MP ultra-wide also manages to hold its own, even when you’re heading into difficult lighting conditions.
These sensors are flanked by the fifth true color camera that keeps white balance and tones aligned across the entire field.
On the other hand, the Xiaomi 17 Ultra is equipped with three rear sensors, with a single 200 MP telephoto lens capable of optical zooming between 3.2x and 4.3x. This is impressive technology, but we were disappointed with its telemacro capabilities, as the telephoto lens can’t focus as close as we’d like.
Image credit (trustworthy reviews)
However, the star of the show is undoubtedly the main 50MP which produces fantastic results in all lighting conditions without ever appearing overexposed.
Winner: Oppo Find X9 Ultra
Performance
Unsurprisingly, as Android flagships, the Oppo Find X9 Ultra and Xiaomi 17 Ultra run on Qualcomm’s high-end Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chip. With this in mind, you can ensure that everything from scrolling and even gaming is fast and responsive.
Call of Duty on Oppo Find X9 Ultra. Image credit (trusted reviews)
That said, it’s worth noting that the Oppo Find X9 Ultra did better than the Xiaomi 17 Ultra in our benchmark tests, as shown in the table below.
Even so, we generally think you’re unlikely to notice the difference between chips in the real world.
Winner: Oppo Find X9 Ultra
Software
We really like Oppo’s OxygenOS software because it’s customizable, polished, and easy to use. There are of course a sprinkling of AI features, including AI Mind Space for storing screenshots and the like for easy retrieval, as well as access to Google’s Gemini.
In comparison, Xiaomi’s HyperOS needs more time to learn and get used to it. It’s not overtly complicated by any means, but it’s not as polished as OxygenOS or iOS – although HyperOS very clearly resembles the latter.
There are also plenty of AI features, including the ability to add AI-generated subtitles to whatever you’re watching on your phone.
Winner: Oppo Find X9 Ultra
Battery
At 7,050mAh, the Oppo Find X9 Ultra may not have as big a battery as the Find X9 Pro, but it’s still a two-day device. We found that on less demanding days we ended the day with up to 70% battery remaining in the tank – although this will of course vary depending on your own usage.
When it comes time to charge, the 100W wired support and 50W wireless support should help you see a good boost quickly. Remember that you will need to purchase compatible chargers separately.
Xiaomi 17 Ultra. Image credit (trusted reviews)
Otherwise, the Xiaomi 17 Ultra has a 6,000mAh cell that we think would get us through a day comfortably without worry. However, we usually end the day with around 30%, meaning it’s not quite a two-day fixture.
While it also supports 50W wireless charging speeds, it’s slightly slower than the Find X9 Ultra’s wired speeds at 100W.
Winner: Oppo Find X9 Ultra
Verdict
With Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 under its belt, a brilliant camera setup, and a seriously powerful battery, there’s so much to love about the Oppo Find X9 Ultra. If you want one of the best camera phones but don’t want to compromise on more general smartphone uses, then the Oppo Find X9 Ultra is a brilliant choice.
That said, the Xiaomi 17 Ultra remains a solid alternative. However, it disappoints with macro photography, while its HyperOS software just isn’t as polished as Oppo’s alternative.
For a deeper dive into the specifications and further details about these phones, you can visit the full comparison page Here.
“`
