I Tested the Xiaomi 15 Ultra for 2 Weeks: Here's Everything You Need to Know

Yahoo

02-03-2025

The Xiaomi 14 Ultra was one of the best phones of 2024, thanks in no small part to an awesome camera system that took some of the best photos I've ever seen from a camera phone. At the heart of this was its 1-inch type image sensor ,which is physically larger than the sensors found in almost any other phone. The result? Great-looking images in a variety of conditions.
But it's 2025 now and the Xiaomi 15 Ultra is here to try and tempt more photographers away from Apple's clutches.
The phone has had a variety of updates, including the powerful Snapdragon 8 Elite processor and a host of new AI skills -- because apparently all phones need to have AI built in whether you like it or not. And while the camera hasn't seen many updates, there are a few tweaks to keep photographers interested.
The Xiaomi 15 Ultra global version was announced at Mobile World Congress" target="_blank in Barcelona. It goes on sale in the UK and wider Europe later this month for £1,299 with 512GB of storage or £1,499 if you want 1TB. As with other Xiaomi phones, the 15 Ultra will not be available to buy in the US but for reference that base UK price converts to $1,630 or AU$2,630.
Here are the most important things to know about the Xiaomi 15 Ultra.
I was bowled over by the massive image sensor inside the 14 Ultra's main camera, so I suppose I should be pleased that the 15 Ultra has kept it. But I am a bit disappointed that it's literally the same model -- the Sony LYT-900. Sure, it's a great sensor and not that old, but I had hoped to see Xiaomi take its winning formula from last year and make it even better.
Maybe the lens is better? On paper, I'd actually argue there's been a downgrade. The 14 Ultra had a rare variable aperture, which went from wide open at f/1.6 and could close down to f/4. It allowed for attractive star-burst effects when shooting points of light in the dark. The 15 Ultra has gotten rid of this and instead has a fixed f/1.6 aperture -- Xiaomi says it can achieve the same effects "through software optimization and algorithm updates." Sigh.
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While you can adjust the depth of field strength (the amount of background blur behind your subject) in the portrait mode, I've found a couple of things wrong. First, the image with the blur doesn't save when you take it, so it looks the same no matter what fake aperture you set it as. This is probably just early software problems and I'm sure they'll be fixed. But the lack of real adjustable aperture also means you don't get the nice star bursts on street lights at night anymore.
Those starbursts are probably a niche thing to be excited about, but they truly transformed the look of night photos and the effect was one of my favorite things about shooting with the 14 Ultra. To see this kind of innovation chucked out in favor of a software-based "solution" is frustrating. It's also exactly what I complained so much about last year, with AI being the only area where companies are innovating now. Ironically, in that article, I applauded Xiaomi for the 14 Ultra, but I won't be able to with this new model.
It's also odd to see that the ultrawide camera's aperture has been dropped from f/1.8 to f/2.2. The only actual upgrade to the cameras I can see is that the telephoto zoom resolution is higher for better-looking zoomed-in shots.
It's still a powerful camera setup though and I've taken some shots in my testing that I like. As with the 14 Ultra, the camera is certified by Leica, and there are some Leica-approved color styles to choose from, my favorite of which remains the high contrast black and white mode. It's great for punchy monochrome street photography.
You can see a selection of my test images here, but also check out my longer gallery of examples if you're keen to see more of this camera in action.
Yes, you can buy the 15 Ultra with the same Photography Kit that was offered with last year's model. It includes a case, a powered grip with shutter button and an attachable ring that allows you to use regular 67mm photography filters. The grip is awesome. It clicks in neatly, adds some extra battery life to the phone and the shutter button and settings wheel allow you to shoot just like you were using a compact camera. It's much more comfortable than taking photos without it.
It's been updated too, with a new thumb grip attachment to make it a bit easier to hold. There's also a soft-touch, screw-in shutter release button, which is bigger and easier to quickly find and hit than the original button it screws into. If you're keen on using your phone for street or travel photography, the Photography Kit is worth getting.
The Snapdragon 8 Elite chip found inside the Xiaomi 15 Ultra has already impressed us on phones like the OnePlus 13 and its power is noticeable here, too. It put in notable scores on our benchmark tests, while everyday operation is fast and lag-free.
It's great for gamers, too, with demanding titles like Genshin Impact playing smoothly at max settings and at 60 frames per second. Qualcomm's 8 Elite chip isn't just designed for raw power though, it's built for better AI processing. Which brings me neatly on to…
Google Gemini and Gemini advanced are built in as standard, including the conversational Gemini Live and Circle to Search. But Xiaomi has thrown in a few of its own features, too. There's a generative text tool to create blocks of text based on your prompts, along with a helpful tool that creates text transcriptions from voice recordings -- great for a busy tech journalist.
There's also a variety of image-focused AI tools for expanding an image using generative AI, removing things in a scene or simply sharpening the picture. The AI tools all work as well as I'd hope, but it's worth keeping in mind that all of them require an internet connection in order to use -- including the voice transcript tool, for some reason.
The 15 Ultra launches with Android 15 on board, and Xiaomi promises it'll receive four generations of Android updates along with six years of security support. It's less than what both Samsung and Google provide for their flagships (seven years of both software and security support) and I'd certainly have liked to see Xiaomi match, or even beat its rivals here, especially considering the high price of the phone.
Still, a shelf life of six years is decent enough (a third of people keep their phones for three years or longer) and matches what OnePlus offers for its recent OnePlus 13 flagship.
Battery life is good, but not outstanding. On our demanding video streaming test it held out better than the OnePlus 13 but didn't do quite as well as the Galaxy S25 Ultra. You can safely expect a day of use but as with all phones you'll probably want to give it a full charge overnight. The 6.7-inch display is bright, vibrant and pin sharp. Videos look great, as do colorful mobile games.
The phone is IP68 rated to help keep it safe from spilled drinks, too. All in all, it's a phone that ticks pretty much every box you'd expect from one of today's flagships. I just wish I'd seen more innovation in the cameras for this year's model. Still, there's no question that it still takes superb images that rival any of today's flagships. If you're looking for a high-performance Android phone to use as your main camera on your travels, it's certainly worth considering.