A “new dark horse” has emerged in the mobile phone industry, breaking the sales record in 5 minutes.

In recent years, Xiaomi's flagship digital series has seen outstanding sales. In my opinion, a key reason for this is that they borrow the small, flat-screen design from Apple phones. Perhaps because they've learned from this experience, Xiaomi made a surprising decision this year: skipping the Mi 16 series and naming the new phones the Mi 17 series, even emulating Apple in the naming. This move quickly sparked heated debate online, with many users initially skeptical of the Mi 17 series.

A phone that faced so much skepticism before its release would have expected mediocre market performance, but the reality is quite the opposite. The Xiaomi Mi 17 series quickly became a dark horse after its launch, with sales far exceeding expectations. According to Xiaomi's official first-day sales report, the Mi 17 series set a sales record within five minutes of its release, becoming the top seller in both first-day sales and overall revenue for a new domestic smartphone series across all price segments in 2025.

This achievement surprised many. It's particularly noteworthy that the Xiaomi Mi 17 series is not cheap: the standard version starts at 4,499 yuan, while the Pro and Pro Max versions are priced at 4,999 yuan and 5,999 yuan, respectively. Furthermore, given the fierce competition surrounding the iPhone 17 series, Xiaomi's success can only be attributed to its product's strong product focus, which truly meets the needs of consumers in this price range.

Performance is undoubtedly the most critical factor. The Xiaomi Mi 17 series debuts with Qualcomm's fifth-generation Snapdragon 8 Extreme Edition, one of the most powerful flagship chips currently available. Its super-core frequency reaches 4.6GHz, and its AnTuTu score exceeds 4.5 million. Beyond the scores, the actual experience is also excellent. According to tests by multiple media outlets, the frame rate can still be maintained stable even when running large-scale games for long periods of time, and the cooling system performs excellently. The ring-shaped cold pump cooling technology used in the Xiaomi Mi 17 series significantly controls the heating phenomenon of the Snapdragon 8 Extreme Edition, which is rare for Xiaomi flagship models.

In terms of screens, Xiaomi continues to follow Apple's lead, but has made significant improvements. The Xiaomi Mi 17 and Mi 17 Pro feature a 6.3-inch M10 straight screen with edges as narrow as 1.18mm, offering an exceptional visual experience and a peak brightness of 3500 nits. The Pro Max version, on the other hand, features a 6.9-inch RGB OLED screen with a 1.5K resolution, a display approaching 2K, and lower power consumption – a crucial factor for heavy phone users, as improved battery life is crucial.

The imaging system has also been fully upgraded. The entire series is equipped with a Leica triple-camera, with no filler lenses, and all sensors are 50 million pixels. The main camera has been upgraded to the Light Hunter 950, which greatly increases the amount of light entering and makes the night scene more pure. The use of a full set of optical coatings effectively suppresses glare. The Pro and Pro Max versions are also equipped with a periscope telephoto lens, which makes long-range shooting clear and detailed, and significantly enhances practicality. However, the standard version does not have this upgrade, which is still in line with its product positioning.

In terms of battery life, the Mi 17 boasts a 7000mAh battery, while the Pro Max boasts a 7500mAh battery. All models support 100W wired fast charging and 50W wireless charging. Furthermore, the Mi 17 Pro and Pro Max feature an innovative rear screen that not only displays time and notifications but also integrates with the back of the game controller, offering both practicality and differentiation. Combined with UWB ultra-wideband technology, IP68 waterproofing, dual speakers, and the Surge T1 series chip, the overall experience is well-balanced.

So, what do we think of a product that achieved a sales breakthrough amidst controversy? Perhaps it tells us that in the fierce market competition, accurate insights into user needs and solid product strength are still the keys to winning the market.