Introduction
So what exactly makes a real “Xiaomi 15 Ultra” model smartphone? As do our other products, it is the best of Mobile imaging for Xiaomi. Xiaomi’s Ultra series has been defying smartphone photography limits since it teamed up with Leica. The new Xiaomi 15 Ultra is no different, bringing the best photographic capabilities of a smartphone without compromising on flagship specifications.
Design
Xiaomi 15 Ultra design — Bringing its signature style to the future Fresh from the new pixel transfer under current pixel data up to October 2023, the Xiaomi 15 Ultra takes Xiaomi’s signature design language in a familiar direction, making it immediately distinctive as part of the Ultra family. The camera bump is still sizeable and thick — the price to pay for next-gen imaging tech. The module replaces a quad HDMI port, gives the back panel an iconic layout, and plays very nicely into the aesthetics and ergonomics based on the sheer size of the module.
The white version also has a “moiré texture” on the back panel that can improve grip and make it feel less weighty. The midframe, forged from a single piece of aluminium ingot, gives it long lasting and high end feel. The button quality is also where it should be, having earlier issues with looseness with devices such as the Xiaomi MIX Fold 4.
The 6.73-inch 2K OLED micro-curved display on the front offers a 522 PPI pixel density, a 120Hz adaptive refresh rate, a 300Hz touch sampling rate, and, finally, an instantaneous sampling rate of 2560Hz. The 3200 nits peak brightness, a CIE 170-color calibrated display comparable to professional display color accuracy.
Professional Photography Kit
Included with the Xiaomi 15 Ultra’s photography kit are a protective case and a luxurious gold-plated camera grip. This includes a shutter button, a control wheel that can be customized, plus a video record button. It also supports interchangeable shutter buttons, and comes with an optional, detachable fingerrest for comfort.
The protective case provides durability in a slim design. There’s a decorative ring at the lens area for extra protection, and you can use 67mm attachments with the matching adapter ring. The quick-release mechanism has been improved and the machine now disassembles faster and easier.
Camera System
When the camera app opens, Xiaomi says: “Beyond the human eye was Perceiving the human heart.” You can see this design philosophy in the Xiaomi 15 Ultra’s quad-camera system, engineered for stunning imaging performance.
Main Camera
As for the Xiaomi 15 Ultra, it keeps the same Sony LYT-900, a 1-inch sensor with a pixel size of 1.6µm. Along with four-in-one pixel binning, this expands the pixel size to 3.2µm, for more light capture and lower exposure time to better control highlights.
Periscope Telephoto Lens
This generation swaps the 200MP Sony IMX858 sensor for Samsung’s new 200MP ISOCELL HP9 sensor, cutting detail retention in well-lit environments impressively. And at night, it adopts multi-pixel fusion technology to ensure that the image quality is still superior. This means the sensor now allows for lossless zoom for 17.2x (400mm) equivalent focal length, which is great for long-range as well.
Imaging Performance
With its unique lens, the Xiaomi 15 Ultra captures a wealth of rich detail in daylight with well-balanced light and shadow and no overzealous post-processing. Portrait shots are especially striking, capturing natural skin textures without over-sharpening and avoiding the “plastic” smoothness that often comes from artificial enhancement.
The Xiaomi 15 Ultra, celebrated as the “Night God,” paves the way for low-light photography. Instead of harshly illuminating night shots, it opts for smooth transitions and natural textures, maintaining mood and depth. It makes for night photos that feel authentic, not artificially enhanced.
Performance & Gaming
The Xiaomi 15 Ultra, is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Edition and scores an amazing 2,555,917 points on AnTuTu Benchmark:
- CPU: 540,988
- GPU: 1,070,628
- Memory: 536,044
- User Experience: 408,257
Storage Performance
- Read Speed Sequential: 4293.7 MB/s
- Seq Write 3822.000 (4K QD=1 = 4650[257])
- Random Read Speed: 1616 MB/s
- Random Write Speed: 1736 MB/s
- AI Read Speed: 696 MB/s
Gaming Experience
Honor of Kings: The phone averaged 119.9 FPS with no frame drops at maxed out settings. Thermals were well managed, peaking at 40.9°C.
Genshin Impact: 58.5 FPS average sustained on ultra settings for 20 minutes before frame drops emerge due to thermal leeway after the 22-minute mark. By the 28th minute, the game limited the FPS to 55, max temperature 47°C.
The gaming performance on the Xiaomi 15 Ultra is pretty good and is in par with other phones in this range, despite its heat management falling behind specialized gaming mobiles during long sessions.
Battery & Charging
The Xiaomi 15 Ultra pack 6000mAh Jinshajiang battery with 10% silicon content and offers 90W wired and 80W wireless fast charging.
Charging Specs (T: 25°C; also only in-cell charging)
- 15 minutes: 32%
- 25 minutes: 50%
- 45 minutes: 90%
- 55 minutes: Full charge
Xiaomi uses a conservative charging strategy to keep heat buildup in check, but also deliver a fast top-up when required.
Conclusion
So does Xiaomi 15 Ultra live up to the “Ultra” name? Absolutely. As a camera-centric flagship, it is the best in the Android ecosystem for imaging. But its photography prowess does come at the expense of weight and sustained gaming performance.
If photography is your end-all be-all, then look no further than the Xiaomi 15 Ultra. But if you’re after something more balanced on the gaming and daily usage fronts, you might want to look elsewhere in the flagship
