I have three new Xiaomi and Redmi camera phones on my desk, each promising to be the next big thing in mobile photography. They share a common look and design DNA, but each one feels like meeting siblings eager to prove their worth.

The first thing that strikes you is their beauty—the smooth finishes, confident colours, and camera modules displaying a keen sense of symmetry. But when you power them up, the real excitement begins. These phones lean towards delight, delivering vibrant colours and a confident AI processing that sometimes makes photos look better than real life.

What surprised me most was how different they felt in my hand. The Xiaomi 17T is the confident (near) flagship that knows what it's doing, shooting with it feels effortless. The Redmi Note 15 Pro+ is the stylish overachiever, genuinely eye-catching and ambitious, while the Redmi Note 15 Pro is the quiet middle child, solid and dependable without making a fuss.

Despite their differences, these models all reward curiosity, making them worth exploring if you're in the market for a new phone. Whether or not they revolutionise mobile photography remains to be seen, but one thing's certain: they've certainly caught my attention.