The Xiaomi 15 has seen the world once before, but at that time, it was born in China and remained within those borders. That was a bit of a shame, considering it was the very first smartphone to launch with the Snapdragon 8 Elite.
Well, the phone’s time to see the world is here now, as Xiaomi has just launched its Xiaomi 15 series globally. The best part is that with the global launch comes the new Xiaomi 15 Ultra, which looks deadset on being one of the camera kings of the year. Let’s see whether it has a claim to that on paper.
The Xiaomi 15 Ultra Looks Like a Professional Camera, with the Hardware to Match
There was a time when OEMs and reviewers would spend half of their keynotes and reviews talking about the cameras. We have left that phase behind for the most part, especially as the average camera has become good enough for the average person’s needs.
However, the last few years have seen the rise of ultra-flagships that put a massive focus (pun intended) on the cameras—those massive modules are proof enough. The Xiaomi 15 Ultra is the Chinese OEM’s next entry in that regard, and it does a lot better than its predecessor.
The Design
Depending on who you ask, the Xiaomi 15 Ultra is a good-looking phone. I mostly like the design, as I’ve gotten used to these large camera modules. However, the asymmetry of the lenses is probably the one thing that I don’t like design-wise. It’s not horrendous, though.
The device comes in Black, White, and Silver Chrome, with the latter being the obvious standout. Its glass and vegan leather back panel is designed to look like a classic camera, and it hits the mark pretty well. You get a slightly curved back panel, a very slightly curved screen, and flat sides.
The Screen
The display on this phone is nothing special as far as flagships go. It’s a 6.73-inch AMOLED display with 1440p resolution and 3,200 nits of peak brightness. Obviously, it supports up to 120Hz in the refresh department. It is covered with Xiaomi Shield Glass 2.0, which supposedly improves drop protection sixteen-fold. An ultrasonic fingerprint sensor is under the glass. Again, it’s the usual flagship screen.
The Hardware
As expected, the Xiaomi 15 Ultra brings the Snapdragon 8 Elite, which is the best chip that you can get right now. The device is available with 16GB of RAM and comes with either 512GB or 1TB of UFS 4.1 storage.
Unsurprisingly, its connectivity standards are as updated as they come. You get Wi-Fi 7, NFC, an IR blaster, USB Type-C 3.2 Gen 2, and even Bluetooth 6.0—this is my first time seeing the latter.
The Battery and Charging
Those buying phones in China get the beauty of a large 6,000mAh cell that takes them through the day. Unfortunately, the global variant drops that by 10% to 5,410mAh. It’s still large, but it’s normal to want more.
The phone will charge up super-quick anyway, with 90W wired charging and ridiculously fast 80W wireless charging.
The Cameras
Needless to say, the cameras are the biggest selling point of the phone. The main camera rocks a one-inch 50MP Sony LYT-900 sensor with a Leica Summilux lens, f/1.63 aperture, and variable focal lengths. It’s a killer camera.
To get closer to your subjects, you have the option of a 70mm 50MP Leica telephoto/macro camera for portraits and a super-powered 100mm Leica telephoto with a 200MP sensor. It is so much better than what was in the Xiaomi 14 Ultra. The last camera on the back is a 50MP ultrawide. On the front is a 32MP selfie shooter.
You’ll be able to shoot 8K/30, 4K/120, and even FHD/1920. It supports recording in log format, which is nice to have for the pros.
The Xiaomi 15 Has a Simple Design with Far-From-Simple Power
In the world of the Xiaomi 15, things are a lot simpler. It wants to be a reliable camera phone, but it doesn’t have any plans to be at the top of the world. It’s a very solid phone, so let’s talk about it.
The Design
The Xiaomi 15 has a mostly rectangular build with slightly rounded corners. However, besides that little bit of curve, everything else is flat—the back panel, the screen, and the sides. The device is available in Black, White, Green, and the more eye-catching Liquid Silver option. It’s a very simple-looking device, and it works well in its favor.
The Screen
The Xiaomi 15 has a smaller screen than the Ultra model, at just 6.36 inches. It is still flagship-grade despite that, making it perfect for those who like smaller phones. It is CrystalRes AMOLED with 3,200 nits of peak brightness, 2670 x 1200 resolution, and 120Hz refresh.
The Hardware
The device doesn’t compromise on performance, as you still get the Snapdragon 8 Elite. In this case, the phone only gets UFS 4.0 for its storage standard and 12GB of RAM, though you can choose between 256GB and 512GB storage options. The device comes with Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6.0, and an IR blaster.
The Battery and Charging
The Xiaomi 15 suffers the same fate as the Ultra model, though to a lesser extent. Buyers in China get a 5,400mAh battery, while those on the global scene lose a little bit—only 5,240mAh for them.
However, you still get access to lightning-fast 90W fast charging and 50W when on a charging pad.
The Cameras
The camera setup here is a triple-50MP system with a wide lens with variable focal lengths (23mm, 28mm, 35mm), a 60mm telephoto, and a 14mm ultrawide. On the front of the phone is a 32MP selfie camera.
The phone might not be able to do some of the crazy things that the Ultra model can do, but it maintains 8K/30 recording, as well as 4K/60 and FHD/960. You’ll be able to record 1920fps slow-mo only in 720p. There’s Log recording here though.
Pricing and Availability
The Xiaomi 15 and Xiaomi 15 Ultra are both available in the United Kingdom, as well as other European markets. The Xiaomi 15 will start at £899, while the Xiaomi 15 Ultra will be a lot more costly, starting at £1,299. Each phone is available in two storage variants.
Plus, if you buy the phone anytime from now until March 31st, you’ll have the chance to get a bunch of pretty cool perks, including a free Xiaomi Pad 7.
