At a look
Knowledgeable’s Ranking
Professionals
- Brilliantly balanced cameras
- Wonderful display screen
- Big battery for a small cellphone
- Stable battery & speedy charging
Cons
- Fussy and charmless HyperOS UI
- Value improve
- Samey design
Our Verdict
The Xiaomi 15 is one other excellent piece of {hardware}, providing a genuinely compromise-free flagship expertise in a pleasingly compact physique. HyperOS continues to be laborious to like, however in the event you’re keen to place up with that it’s a formidable package deal.
Value When Reviewed
This worth will present the geolocated pricing textual content for product undefined
Finest Pricing At present
Xiaomi bombards us with so many inexpensive smartphone choices below its Redmi and Poco sub-brands that it may be simple to overlook what the corporate’s day job is.
That’s: making extraordinarily well-equipped flagship telephones worthy of blending with the Google Pixels and Samsung Galaxies of this world.
Certainly, 2024’s Xiaomi 14 was arguably essentially the most spectacular compact flagship cellphone of the 12 months. The Xiaomi 15 picks up the place that cellphone left off, making treasured few compromises regardless of a comparatively small type issue.
There’s motive for concern, nevertheless, in that Xiaomi has bumped up the asking worth by between £50 and £100. Does the Xiaomi 15 do sufficient to justify such a rise, and is it as much as the duty of topping the Google Pixel 9 Professional and the Samsung Galaxy S25?
Design & Construct
- Very acquainted feel and appear
- Compact and stylish
- 4 colors
It didn’t hassle our reviewer that the Xiaomi 14 regarded rather a lot just like the Xiaomi 13. Third time round for this design within the Xiaomi 15, although, has us feeling a bit of stressed.
Particularly when stated design was hardly contemporary and distinctive to start with. True, Xiaomi isn’t the one producer to have cribbed from Apple’s homework. However that simply signifies that the Xiaomi 15, the Pixel 9 Professional, the Galaxy S25 and, after all, the iPhone 16 Professional all look just about the identical.
Familiarity apart, there’s no denying that the Xiaomi 15 is a nicely constructed piece of equipment
You could have the identical flat steel body, the identical dead-flat entrance and rear glass surfaces, and the identical curved corners.
Jon Mundy / Foundry
The principle factor that distinguishes all of those telephones is their very own distinctive takes on the digital camera module. Xiaomi basically takes the iPhone’s curvy sq. platform and fills in all of the area between the three cameras, so it’s a single flat piece of glass.
Familiarity apart, there’s no denying that the Xiaomi 15 is a nicely constructed piece of equipment, and one which’s beautiful to make use of each day. It’s not as small and light-weight because the Galaxy S25, however at 152.3 x 71.2 x 8.08mm and 191g, it’s nonetheless on the smaller finish of the smartphone spectrum.
Xiaomi claims to have toughened up the Xiaomi 15, too, with a Xiaomi Defend Glass materials that’s stated to be 10x extra drop resistant than the Xiaomi 14’s Gorilla Glass Victus. The aluminium body of the cellphone, in the meantime, is reportedly 33% more durable, and you continue to get IP68 certification into the discount.
Jon Mundy / Foundry
It’s unattainable to check these claims of superiority, after all. All I can say is that the Xiaomi 15 got here away fully unscathed from the on a regular basis bumps and bashes of my check interval – though this was probably aided by the welcome inclusion of a silicone case.
My mannequin is available in a sober Black, with a matt end that stands up nicely to fingerprints. I’m intrigued by the Liquid Silver choice’s “shimmering curves crafted from heat-bent glass”, though this particular end provides a bit of to the thickness and weight of the cellphone.
Display & Audio system
- 6.36-inch AMOLED
- 1-120Hz
- Stereo audio system
A pervasive sense of familiarity creeps into the Xiaomi 15’s show as nicely, though this time it’s completely comprehensible. The Xiaomi 14’s display screen was glorious.
As soon as once more you’re getting a 6.36in AMOLED panel with a 2670 x 1200 (aka 1.5K) decision. It’s an LTPO panel, which signifies that it could possibly scale all the way in which between 1 and 120Hz to save lots of battery when these excessive refresh charges aren’t wanted – which is more often than not.
There’s been one tweak with this 12 months’s mannequin, and that’s a barely larger peak brightness of 3200 nits, in comparison with 3000 nits within the Xiaomi 14.
Jon Mundy / Foundry
That solely pertains to restricted HDR situations. Typically use, with auto brightness off and the daylight enhance energetic, I recorded a high brightness of 799 nits. It’s not fairly Pixel 9 Professional territory, but it surely’s nonetheless very sturdy.
HDR10+ and Dolby Imaginative and prescient are supported, and all of the media content material I threw on the Xiaomi 15 regarded nice. This is likely one of the most colour-accurate screens in its class, and I wasn’t compelled to modify away from its default ‘Unique color PRO’ color scheme to realize such a pure look both.
Xiaomi has upgraded the under-display fingerprint sensor to an ultrasonic unit, making it as much as 50% quicker and safer than the previous optical sensor. I can vouch for its pace and accuracy.
Flanking the show – a minimum of in panorama orientation – is a set of audio system that get impressively loud with out distortion. They nonetheless lack a bit of low finish grunt and nuance, however they provide a loud, crisp output.
Specs & Efficiency
- Snapdragon 8 Elite
- 12GB RAM
- 256/512GB storage
Efficiency is unimpeachable on the Xiaomi 15, appropriately with each 2025 cellphone that makes use of Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite. This actually is a beast of a chip, providing class-leading efficiency together with first rate power effectivity.
Geekbench 6 benchmark outcomes are broadly consistent with the Samsung Galaxy S25 and the OnePlus 13, to not point out the Xiaomi 15 Extremely. All of which utilise the identical chip. They’re additionally method forward of the Google Pixel 9 Professional with its outclassed Tensor G4 chip.
We’ll should replace this evaluation with GPU benchmark outcomes after the cellphone’s launch. Xiaomi blocked its cellphone from accessing any such server-referencing GPU assessments earlier than the evaluation embargo.
Jon Mundy / Foundry
Nonetheless, I’m not remotely involved for the cellphone on this respect. With the Snapdragon 8 Elite onboard, I’m fairly assured the Xiaomi 15 goes to attain equally nicely to its contemporaries. It’s able to operating GRID Legends and Genshin Affect very fluidly on maxed out settings.
It must be famous that the mannequin Xiaomi despatched to me for testing comes with 16GB of RAM, regardless of the actual fact I used to be advised that each UK fashions (256 and 512GB) will solely include 12GB. Once more, that ought to show ample – it’s a match for the Galaxy S25 a minimum of – but it surely’s all the time a bit of annoying each time such specs aren’t universally utilized.
It is a nicely specced cellphone elsewhere as nicely, with Bluetooth 6.0 and Wi-Fi 7 assist protecting your connectivity bases.
Xiaomi additionally provides its customary IR blaster, this time as a part of the digital camera module, so you may management your TV or Hello-Fi utilizing the supplied Mi Distant app.
Xiaomi 15 benchmarks
Cameras
- Triple 50Mp rear cameras with Leica
- New improved 60mm telephoto
- 32Mp selfie cam
We have been severely impressed with the Xiaomi 14’s photographic chops, so it’s comprehensible that the corporate has solely made average enhancements to the Xiaomi 15 digital camera system.
You’re nonetheless getting a succesful trio of Leica-branded cameras, led as soon as once more by a 1/1.31″ 50Mp f/1.62 Gentle Fusion 900 sensor. That is accompanied by OIS and a 7P lens array.
This predominant digital camera produces pictures with loads of element and dynamic vary, along with spot-on publicity. Colors seem both good and pure in Leica Genuine mode, or with a punchier and extra Insta-worthy look in Leica Vibrant. Each taking pictures modes are all the time obtainable from the primary digital camera UI.
Xiaomi affords a number of the most in depth portrait choices round, too. You’ll be able to select between 4 focal lengths, whereas Grasp Portrait mode boosts the depth and vibrancy of those pictures.
The 50Mp f/2.2 ultrawide digital camera appears to be like the identical as earlier than, and is a stable panorama snapper, if a notable step again from the primary digital camera when it comes to element and publicity. What’s really new this time round is the 50Mp Leica 60mm floating telephoto digital camera.
Technically the optical zoom has taken a step again from the Xiaomi 14’s 3.2x (60mm right here equates to 2.6x), however I’ve few complaints about that. Hybrid zoom pictures taken on the Xiaomi 15 look nice proper as much as 5x, and nonetheless look fairly first rate at 10x.
Extra importantly, this new telephoto digital camera captures double the dynamic vary of the Xiaomi 14 equal. Positive sufficient, the zoomed-in pictures that I took captured the distinction between shiny and shady areas fantastically, with wealthy colors that pop with out that synthetic, processed look.
This new telephoto digital camera additionally helps you to take properly detailed macro pictures from a distance of 10cm. In reality, this doesn’t really feel like essentially the most spectacular macro implementation I’ve seen, with the digital camera not in a position to get fairly shut sufficient for correct perspective-shifting outcomes, but it surely nonetheless expands your creative choices.
Behind the scenes, Xiaomi claims that its AISP 2.0 AI picture processing algorithm runs 82% quicker. That is one other aspect that’s laborious to quantify in actual time, however I can actually affirm that the taking pictures expertise is sharp and fluid, with no pauses or delays for processing.
The 32Mp entrance digital camera stays a powerful performer, too. It recognises and locks onto faces shortly and persistently, and can routinely ‘zoom out’ to the broader 0.8x view if it detects that your selfie topic is a bit of too tight.
I did discover a curious shadowy halo impact on one set of selfies taken in shadow with a sunny background, although.
Video continues to impress, with 8K attainable at 24 or 30fps, or 4K/60fps with Dolby Imaginative and prescient HDR.
Jon Mundy / Foundry
Battery Life & Charging
- Considerably bigger 5240mAh battery
- 90W HyperCharge
- 50W wi-fi HyperCharge
The Xiaomi 15 packs a 5240mAh battery, which is 14% bigger than its predecessor.
At this level, we may level to the truth that that is a lot bigger than the Samsung Galaxy S25’s 4000mAh battery. Nevertheless, the extra outstanding comparability could be with the Samsung Galaxy S25 Extremely – a considerably bigger cellphone with a smaller 5000mAh cell.
Xiaomi claims that this bigger battery, together with a extra environment friendly Snapdragon 8 Elite chip, results in a 25% enhance in battery life.
I’m not totally satisfied by that declare. In our PCMark Work 3.0 battery assessments, the Xiaomi 15 scored 13 hours 50 minutes – simply over an hour longer than the Xiaomi 14 12 hours and 43 minutes, which is a couple of 9% improve.
Jon Mundy / Foundry
That’s a substantial enchancment nonetheless. It nonetheless falls nicely wanting the Samsung Galaxy S25’s rating, but it surely narrowly beats the Google Pixel 9 Professional.
I actually by no means struggled with the Xiaomi 15’s stamina in each day use. On a working day with 4 hours 20 minutes of display screen on time – what I’d name the higher finish of ‘average’ utilization – I’d are typically left with 50% left within the tank. It’s a possible two-dayer.
Xiaomi hasn’t touched its charging provision, but it surely actually didn’t have to. 90W wired continues to be vastly aggressive, and method past what the Samsung Galaxy s25 (25W), Google Pixel 9 Professional (27W), and iPhone 16 Professional (25W) supply.
What’s extra, in contrast to these rivals, you get Xiaomi’s speedy 90W HyperCharge charging brick within the field.
It’s adequate to get the Xiaomi from 0% to 39% in simply 15-minutes, after which 68% in half an hour. That’s not so good as the Xiaomi 14, because of the bigger capability battery, but it surely comfortably beats its compact rivals.
On the wi-fi charging aspect, 50W assist goes equally above-and-beyond. You’ll want the related Xiaomi Wi-fi Charging Stan Professional charger for the job although, in any other case it’s plain outdated Qi speeds, and with no magnetised Qi2 assist.
Software program & Apps
- HyperOS 2.0
- Android 15
- AI provision feels considerably threadbare
Xiaomi has upgraded its UI to HyperOS 2.0 layered over Android 15, however that is very a lot enterprise as normal. For those who’ve used a Xiaomi cellphone with HyperOS or its predecessor MIUI earlier than, it would all really feel acquainted.
That’s not precisely a glowing suggestion, as a result of Xiaomi’s tackle Android has by no means been my favorite. It’s fairly a fussy UI, with cluttered and complicated menus, a great deal of additional system apps, and a convoluted break up notification menu.
Xiaomi has correctly reinstated the Settings menu shortcut to this menu, in order that’s an enchancment over HyperOS 1.0. Extra reward must be supplied for the final pace and fluidity of the UI, which by no means stuttered throughout my time with the Xiaomi 15.
Jon Mundy / Foundry
Certainly, with the excessive diploma of personalisation potential, I used to be in a position to tweak the UI to a degree the place I discovered it fairly nice to make use of. Nevertheless, I switched forwards and backwards between this and the Pixel 9 Professional a couple of instances in the course of the evaluation interval, and I used to be all the time glad to return to Google’s flagship with its glossy, fashionable UI.
Bloatware remains to be a wearisome concern right here. There are 10 third-party apps preinstalled, together with such non-essentials as Reserving.com, LinkedIn, and AliExpress.
Not less than you don’t get a folder filled with horrible video games, as you do on Xiaomi’s cheaper telephones. There are solely the 2 net browsers this time round, too, which is progress of a kind.
Jon Mundy / Foundry
This being a 2025 flagship cellphone, the Xiaomi 15 packs in a couple of AI instruments, although it doesn’t appear to be as all-in as Google or Samsung. Head into AI providers within the Settings menu and also you’ll discover simply six AI-enhanced components. A type of is Google’s Circle to Search, too, which I appeared unable to provoke regardless of being toggled on. Maybe I’m lacking one thing.
Nonetheless, Gemini is prominently positioned, and Xiaomi affords its personal AI-enhanced instruments for observe summaries and structure help, translation, video subtitles, and the like.
There are a great deal of AI instruments within the Gallery app, too, although you’ll want to put in particular person plug-ins for every instrument. Background object removing works, however not as elegantly as Google’s or Samsung’s, whereas altering the skies felt a bit extra Instagram filter-like to me.
There’s actually nothing as spookily spectacular as Google’s scene manipulation instruments right here.
Value & Availability
The Xiaomi 15 hits the UK in two variants, beginning with the mannequin with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage for £899.
Then there’s a step up mannequin with the identical 12GB of RAM and 512GB of storage for £999.
On condition that the Xiaomi 14 began from £849, this represents a £50 worth bump. Even worse is that the 512GB mannequin of the Xiaomi 14 arrived at simply £899, which represents a £100 worth improve.
Contemplating that bigger improve for the highest mannequin, I’m a bit of confused as to why the highest UK mannequin solely has 12GB of RAM. It’s not that this can be a substandard quantity, however reasonably that the mannequin I used to be despatched for testing comes with 16GB.
With double the storage and a rise in RAM, this worth disparity could be extra comprehensible.
Whatever the worth bump, I’d argue that the Xiaomi 15 represents glorious worth for cash. It’s £10 cheaper than the equal 256GB mannequin of the Samsung Galaxy S25, regardless of that includes a greater digital camera, show, and charging provision, in addition to a bigger battery.
It’s additionally £200 cheaper than the equal Pixel 9 Professional. Google’s compact flagship runs the Xiaomi 15 nearer in lots of respects, however falls nicely quick on efficiency, stamina, and charging.
You should purchase each variants of the Xiaomi 15 direct from the Xiaomi UK web site. As normal, Xiaomi isn’t promoting the Xiaomi 15 within the US.
Must you purchase the Xiaomi 15?
The Xiaomi 15 hasn’t modified all that a lot from the Xiaomi 14, and it’s obtained an unwelcome worth stumble upon the discount. Regardless of that, it stays among the finest compact flagship choices available on the market.
Its efficiency is up there with the most effective; its show is sharp and correct; and its digital camera system is fantastically achieved. Xiaomi has squeezed in a a lot bigger battery this time round, whereas its charging provision stays one of the crucial spectacular in its class.
Even the unlucky matter of the worth bump isn’t all that a lot of a criticism – it’s nonetheless cheaper than all of its compact flagship rivals once you examine like for like storage capacities.
Nearly the one main criticism I’ve pertains to Xiaomi’s overly busy software program, which continues to fall wanting the Pixel 9 Professional and the iPhone 16 Professional on readability, usability, and ongoing assist. For those who can stay with that, there’s no extra spectacular a small cellphone than this.
Specs
- Android 15 with HyperOS 2
- 6.36in, 1.5K, OLED, 120Hz, flat show
- In-display fingerprint sensor
- Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite
- 12GB LPDDR5X RAM
- 256GB/512GB storage
- 50Mp, f/1.62 predominant digital camera
- 50Mp, f/2.2 ultra-wide digital camera
- 50Mp, f/2.0 telephoto macro digital camera
- As much as 8K @ 30fps rear video
- 32Mp front-facing digital camera
- Stereo audio system
- Twin-SIM
- Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e/7
- Bluetooth 5.0
- 5240mAh battery
- 90W wired charging, 50W wi-fi charging
- 152.3 x 71.2 x 8.08mm
- 191g
- Launch colors: Black, White, Inexperienced, Liquid Silver