Should a flagship phone priced between three to four thousand yuan feature a plastic frame? Wang Teng, the former Redmi brand manager, has shared his perspective.

Following the launch of the Xiaomi 17T series today, which features a plastic mid-frame, the product has faced significant criticism from online users. A statement Wang made last year has been widely cited to mock the new series: "Don't talk nonsense, in 2025, will there still be plastic mid-frames on phones above 2,500 yuan?"

Addressing the online backlash, Wang Teng—who has since left Xiaomi—responded to users by clarifying that his comment specifically referred to the year 2025. He noted that this year, the costs of various components have been rising across the board.

Wang's point is clear: last year, when component prices were not inflated, using a plastic frame on a device priced above 2,500 yuan might have seemed lacking in sincerity. However, with widespread cost increases this year, opting for a plastic frame to manage expenses is a more understandable decision for new models.

The primary drawbacks of a plastic mid-frame are typically perceived quality and structural strength. Compared to a metal frame, plastic can feel less premium. However, it offers advantages such as lighter weight, greater flexibility in antenna design, and lower production costs.

Choosing a plastic frame within a constrained budget allows manufacturers to allocate more resources to other critical components like the chipset, camera system, and battery. Xiaomi has followed this approach with the 17T series. While it uses a plastic frame, the series maintains competitive performance and imaging capabilities compared to some recently released models targeting the offline market.

For instance, the Xiaomi 17T Pro is equipped with the Dimensity 9500 processor, a large 7000mAh battery, and a Leica-branded 5x periscope telephoto lens.

With the introduction of the 17T series, the Xiaomi 17 lineup now comprises eight models: the Xiaomi 17 Ultra Leica Edition, Xiaomi 17 Ultra, Xiaomi 17 Pro Max, Xiaomi 17 Pro, Xiaomi 17, Xiaomi 17 Max, Xiaomi 17T Pro, and Xiaomi 17T.

It is worth noting that the Xiaomi Civi series appears to have been discontinued this year, effectively replaced by the 17T series. Consequently, the new phone's main competitors are models like the vivo S60 and the OPPO Reno16 series.