Xiaomi 17 Pro vs Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra: Best Big Phone Award Showdown
Two of the most ambitious big-phone flagships of 2025. Xiaomi 17 Pro won Best Big Phone at MKBHD's 2025 Smartphone Awards; Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra was runner-up Phone of the Year. The Xiaomi has more ambitious hardware; the Samsung has more mature software and US support.
Updated · Verdict based on MKBHD Smartphone Awards results and spec analysis.
Xiaomi 17 Pro
Xiaomi · 2025 · From $1199
Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra
Samsung · 2025 · From $1299
Round wins
Xiaomi 17 Pro: 1 · Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra: 4 ·Ties: 3
Specs side-by-side
| Spec | Xiaomi 17 Pro | Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| Display | 6.9-inch AMOLED, 144Hz + 3-inch rear display | 6.9-inch QHD+ AMOLED, 120Hz LTPO |
| Processor | Snapdragon 8 Elite | Snapdragon 8 Elite |
| RAM | 16GB | 12GB |
| Camera | Triple 50MP (wide, ultrawide, 5x periscope) | 200MP main + 50MP ultrawide + 10MP 3x + 50MP 5x telephoto |
| Battery | 7,500 mAh | 5,000 mAh |
| OS | Android 15 (HyperOS 2) | Android 15 (One UI 7) |
| Starting price | $1199 | $1299 |
| Released | 2025 | 2025 |
Round-by-round breakdown
Display
TieBoth 6.9-inch AMOLED at 120Hz. Galaxy S25 Ultra has anti-reflective coating; Xiaomi has the bigger always-on back display. Pick based on use case.
Battery
Winner: Xiaomi 17 ProXiaomi: 7,500 mAh silicon-carbon battery. Samsung: 5,000 mAh. Xiaomi has 50% more capacity in a body that's barely thicker.
Performance
TieBoth Snapdragon 8 Elite (Samsung's is mildly tuned). Functionally identical.
Camera
TieXiaomi: triple 50MP with Leica color tuning. Samsung: 200MP main + 5x periscope + 3x telephoto + ultrawide. Samsung wins on zoom; Xiaomi wins on raw image character. Pick based on style preference.
S Pen / extras
Winner: Samsung Galaxy S25 UltraS Pen is a genuine Samsung differentiator. Xiaomi's secondary back display is innovative but less broadly useful.
Software
Winner: Samsung Galaxy S25 UltraOne UI 7 on Galaxy is more polished than HyperOS. Galaxy AI is broader and more deeply integrated than Xiaomi's AI features.
Software updates
Winner: Samsung Galaxy S25 UltraSamsung: 7 years of major Android updates. Xiaomi: 4 years. Big gap.
Availability
Winner: Samsung Galaxy S25 UltraGalaxy S25 Ultra is sold and carrier-supported everywhere. Xiaomi 17 Pro has limited US availability.
Final verdict
Buy the Galaxy S25 Ultra in the US — better software, longer updates, S Pen, and proper carrier support. Buy the Xiaomi 17 Pro if you live in a market where it's supported and you specifically want the largest battery, the secondary back display, or the most ambitious hardware spec sheet on the market.
Frequently Asked Questions
Xiaomi 17 Pro vs Galaxy S25 Ultra: which is the better big phone?
Xiaomi 17 Pro won Best Big Phone at MKBHD's 2025 awards specifically because of its ambitious hardware (7,500 mAh battery, secondary back display). For US buyers, Samsung is the safer pick due to availability and software support.
Is the Xiaomi 17 Pro worth it over the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra?
Hardware-wise yes — bigger battery, innovative back display. Practically no for US buyers — limited carrier support, fewer software updates, and HyperOS rough edges.
Does the Xiaomi 17 Pro work in the US?
Limited — you can import it but you'll lose proper carrier support and US-region software localization. Imported flagships are common but come with real trade-offs.