Latest news with #15Ultra
Hindustan Times
10-06-2025
- Hindustan Times
Xiaomi 15 Ultra review: A camera beast with powerful performance
Xiaomi 15 Ultra review: In the premium segment of phones, many buyers often tend to Apple and Samsung for performance and camera capabilities. While these two brands have majorly dominated the smartphone market, other Chinese brands such as Oppo, Xiaomi, Vivo, and others have started to catch up. This year, Xiaomi has outdone itself by launching the Xiaomi 15 Ultra, and it is surely gaining much popularity among photography enthusiasts. Its giant circular camera module holds powerful lenses and sensors that capture DSLR-like images, but my favourite would be its macro shots. Over the years, Xiaomi has improved its flagship segment, but the 15 Ultra is really something else. Its Leica-powered camera takes all the attention, its Snapdragon 8 Elite-powered performance could compete with several other flagships, including Samusng Galaxy S25 Ultra, Vivo X200 Pro, Oppo Find X8 Pro, and others. Therefore, if you are planning to buy the Xiaomi 15 Ultra, then you want to know how it actually performs in real life, and if it's worth paying Rs.1,09,999 considering the competition. To answer all your queries, read the detailed Xiaomi 15 Ultra review to know if it's worth the hype and whether it matches the user expectations. Xiaomi 15 Ultra loudly speaks that it's built for camera enthusiasts due to its design inspired by the Leica camera. While the Silver Chrome colour variant catches eyes, it may not flatter everyone, since it gives the smartphone a retro look. On the back, you get aerospace-grade glass fibre, PU leather, and a massive circular camera module in the top middle of the phone. While the design looks premium and classy, it does not match my idea of aesthetics, which is a completely personal preference. A post shared by HT Tech (@hindustantimestech) The Xiaomi 15 Ultra is 9.48mm thick and weighs 229 grams, which, in my opinion, is on the bulkier side. The smartphone is also wide, therefore, it will take a few days to get acquainted with the design, but the grip does not disappoint. With a design and build like Xiaomi 15 Ultra, you also do not need a phone case. For durability, Xiaomi has used different kinds of protective glasses for the rear panel, camera deco, and screen, which the company calls Xiaomi Guardian Structure. It includes an aluminium frame, Xiaomi Shield Glass 2.0 for display, and Corning Gorilla Glass 7i protects the camera. Lastly, the smartphone also includes an IP68 rating for dust and water resistance. Now, who my like the Xiaomi 15 Ultra design, well, I think it will sit well for camera lovers, and its dual-tone design does grab eyeballs. However, many premium buyers prefer a simple and classic aesthetic, who may not like the design. However, the smartphone matches all the levels of premiumness and sturdy build, making it a great choice in the flagship segment. Before getting into the details, the Xiaomi 15 Ultra has one of the best displays with crisp visuals, vibrant colours, and the display size is just perfect for content viewing and gaming experiences. The smartphones come with similar display specs as Xiaomi 14 Ultra, but the new-gen includes some interactions which make it even more appealing. The Xiaomi 15 Ultra features a 6.73-inch OLED display with adaptive 120Hz refresh rate, and up to 3200nits peak brightness. It comes with support for HDR10+, Dolby Vision, and Widevine L1, making your OTT and multimedia experience exceptional. Since using the Xiaomi 15 Ultra, I have stopped watching content on my iPhone 16e. Well, there are two reasons for that, firstly, the luxury of a bigger display and secondly, the visuals appear sharper and punchier, which will keep you hooked. The Xiaomi 15 Ultra display is smooth as butter to use, making your day-to-day usage quick and responsive. Furthermore, the brightness is also apt for direct sunlight conditions. Therefore, it offers all the premium features that one expects from a smartphone which is priced more than Rs.1 Lakh. Also read: Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra review: Almost the perfect Android flagship Now, coming to the real deal, the cameras for which the smartphone is being hyped. The Xiaomi 15 Ultra comes with a quad camera setup that includes a 50MP main camera with a Sony LYT-900 sensor, a 200MP periscope telephoto lens with 4.3x optical zoom, a 50MP Leica floating telephoto lens, and a 50MP ultrawide camera with a 115-degree field of view. Well, the camera specs look impressive, but does it really deliver as expected? Well, I have been testing the smartphone's camera for over a month, and it performs exceptionally in most cases, but there are a few areas where I liked the camera a little less. The main camera of the Xiaomi 15 Ultra captures impressive images with great clarity, detailing, and exposure. The daylight images are just brilliant with natural light and tones, but in some cases, it overprocesses the images and confuses the colours. For instance, if you are capturing the sunset, the light of the sun gets too bright that it fades the other natural hues of the sky. I practically loved using the main camera at 2x and 3x zoom as it beautifully captures the details without any grainy effect. One of the attractive features of the Xiaomi 15 Ultra is its portraits and exceptionally telephoto lens performance. When it comes to portraits, the smartphone manages to bring great focus to the subject with natural blur to the background. I have tested several flagship range smartphones such as Vivo X200 Pro and Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra, and I must say the Xiaomi 15 Ultra is an equal competitor when it comes to portrait photography. Its 3x zoom is something which needs a special shout out as you can capture the smallest object and close up shots with great details, colours, and focus. Additionally, the telephoto lens could capture the farthest object, but things start to get shaky after 10x zoom. Another thing with Xiaomi 15 Ultra buyers should keep in mind is that it offers an average ultrawide camera performance. While the dynamic range, colours, and overall scene appear pleasing, it is not as good as other lenses, and you may notice the difference between the main camera and the ultrawide camera. Else. The over-camera performance of the smartphone is exceptional and noteworthy. Therefore, if you are a camera enthusiast, you will love the Xiaomi 15 Ultra. Also read: Vivo X200 Pro review: A camera perfectionist, reliable performance, and a worthy flagship With the camera, the Xiaomi 15 Ultra was also hyped for its greater performance upgrade with the Snapdragon 8 Elite processor. Well, it's needless to say that the processor itself is powerful enough to carry out heavy-duty tasks, but is the performance as good as other Snapdragon 8 Elite-powered phones? Well, as per my day-to-day usage, the smartphone provided a promising and expected performance. In India, the smartphone is available in just a single storage variant of 16GB and 512GB storage, providing a seamless experience and storage. I relied on Xiaomi 15 Ultra for my creative work, gaming, video editing, and content viewing. Well, the smartphone excelled in all these tasks without any stutter or lag, as you expect from a smartphone priced around 1 Lakh. Even with multitasking between multiple apps, split-screen work, and others on the Xiaomi 15 Ultra was not a hassle. One of the most exciting parts about the smartphone was its gaming performance. I heavily ran Genshin Impact and Call of Duty: Mobile on the smartphone with more than an hour of gameplay, and the overall experience for buttery smooth. From maintaining high FPS to impressive graphics, you will definitely enjoy gaming on the device. Well, after an hour, you will notice a slight heat, but it is well taken care of with the cooling system, and no performance was hampered. Lastly, you also get some basic AI features such as AI Gallery Editor, Gemini AI, Circle to Search, AI writing tools, AI speech recognition, and more. The Xiaomi 15 Ultra runs on HyperOS 2.0, which provides a decent user interface. The Xiaomi 15 Ultra is backed by a 5410mAh battery that provides more than expected battery life. Even with heavy usage, multitasking, OTT viewing, and gaming, the smartphone could last you an entire day and more, which is quite impressive. Xiaomi 15 Ultra could compete with several pricier models in the flagship segment when it comes to battery life. Lastly, the smartphone supports 90W HyperCharge, which takes about an hour to fully charge the device. I would also like to highlight that you get the adapter in the box, and it has greater charging capacity than the Galaxy S25 Ultra, Pixel 9 Pro XL, and other flagships, which makes it stand out from the crowd at just Rs.1,09,999. Now, who should get the Xiaomi 15 Ultra? Well, it is pretty obvious that the smartphone is designed for camera enthusiasts, and it delivers what it promises. If you want to explore greater capabilities, then the smartphone also comes with a custom photography kit, which can be purchased separately. The kit includes a detachable shutter button that gets attached to a grip case. Alongside photography, the Xiaomi 15 Ultra ensures powerful performance, effortless multitasking, and a smooth gaming experience without any stutter or lag. The display is a true eye-candy that will not disappoint. But the design and UI experiences could've been better. Overall, the Xiaomi 15 Ultra is one of impressive models of 2025 that needs more recognition and appraise.
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Business Standard
02-06-2025
- Business
- Business Standard
Xiaomi Upgrade Days: Check discount, bank offers on smartphones, TVs, more
Xiaomi has announced discount offers on its range of smartphones, tablets, TVs and ecosystem devices, as part of Xiaomi Upgrade Days sale. During the sale period, Xiaomi's flagship 15 Ultra smartphone will be available at a discounted price of Rs 99,999, down from its launch price of Rs 109,999. The company is also offering bank discounts of up to Rs 10,000 on select bank cards, and exchange bonus up to Rs 3,000 on trade-in deals. Customers can avail these offers while purchasing Xiaomi products from the company's official website till June 8. Xiaomi said that beyond the headline offers, customers can take part in several events such as 'Spin the Wheel' to get a flat discount on all purchases, and 'One Minute Deals' which will be live each day during the sale period at 12 pm. Xiaomi Upgrade Days: Offers on smartphones Xiaomi 15 Ultra: Offer price: Rs 99,999 Bank discount: Rs 10,000 Xiaomi 15: Offer price: Rs 59,999 Bank discount: Rs 5,000 Redmi Note 14 Pro plus: Offer price: Rs 27,999 Bank discount: Rs 2000 Exchange bonus: Rs 3000 Redmi Note 14 Pro: Offer price: Rs 21,999 Bank discount: Rs 2000 Exchange bonus: Rs 3000 Redmi Note 14: Offer price: Rs 15,999 Bank discount: Rs 1000 Exchange bonus: Rs 2000 Redmi 13 5G: Offer price: Rs 12,999 Xiaomi Upgrade Days: Offers on TVs Xiaomi QLED TV Series: Offer price: Rs 13,999 Bank discount: Rs 1000 Xiaomi 4K TV Series: Offer price: Rs 24,499 Bank discount: Rs 2000 Xiaomi Upgrade Days: Other During the sale period, Xiaomi Pad 7 tablet will be available at a discounted price of Rs 26,999 onwards. There is also a bank discount of Rs 1000. There are also offers on Redmi Buds 6 wireless earbuds, Redmi Watch Move and Xiaomi Power Bank 4i 10K.
The Verge
27-05-2025
- Business
- The Verge
May 27, 2025 at 8:37 AM EDT
Xiaomi is moving upmarket. Never mind its growing EV business, the world's third biggest smartphone manufacturer is trying to reposition itself as a premium brand to rival Apple and Samsung, and it seems to be working. In its latest earnings report Xiaomi notes its 15 Ultra flagship has sold 90 percent more than last year's 14 Ultra during its first month or so on sale, and the company now has almost ten percent of the flagship market share in China.
Yahoo
06-03-2025
- Yahoo
Top tech of MWC 2025: the best gadgets we saw on the showfloor
Mobile World Congress 2025 has taken the tech world by storm, with major brands choosing the huge trade show to reveal all-new mobile products, hardware that's just around the corner, and exciting concepts which give us a glimpse of the future. Digital Trends has been covering MWC 2025 on the ground and remotely, getting hands-on time with the latest tech, and interviewing key figures in the industry. After much writing, testing, and deliberation, we have settled on a final list of the best tech at MWC 2025. Is the Xiaomi 15 Ultra the best camera phone of the year? It's definitely a very strong contender, and we gave it a highly respectable 8/10 in our comprehensive review. The 15 Ultra has a multi-lens camera system designed to replicate the array of lens options a professional photographer would keep in their bag, just all wrapped up in a pocketable package. It even looks like a camera from the back. Xiaomi came to MWC 2025 with a wide array of new mobile products, including the standard Xiaomi 15, the Xiaomi Watch S4, and even a concept device where camera lenses can be magnetically attached to the back of a smartphone. Interestingly, it wasn't the only one with such a crazy concept, as you'll see shortly. The Nothing Phone 3a Pro is arguably the star device at MWC 2025 because of its general affordability, as it costs less than half the price of the Xiaomi 15 Ultra, and it'll be sold in the U.S. too. The great thing is, the phone looks and performs brilliantly, and it has proven to be a rock solid partner in Barcelona, capturing the event and city on its excellent camera. It's joined by the Nothing Phone 3a, which doesn't have quite the same crazy design on the back, and the camera isn't as versatile either. However, the rest is very similar including the software, which is a real Nothing phone benefit. There's some AI added in, of course, but it's intriguing and useful. Whether you choose the Phone 3a or Phone 3a Pro, we think you're going to be very happy with your decision. The Lenovo ThinkBook Flip concept is one of the most unique takes on a folding laptop design. Rather than the book-style foldable that phones and Lenovo's folding laptop have taken, it uses a vertical design that is essentially two 13-inch screens stacked on top of each other. When folded backwards, the outer display can be used to mirror the other screen, which makes it perfect for meetings and presentations. There's a few nifty software tricks, including being able to display the outer display and swiping across the hinge to 'fling' content to the outer display. The trackpad is also one of the most unique I've ever seen, as it features three different modes that offer access to a number pad and quick settings. – Nirave Gondhia The Realme Ultra concept phone is exactly the kind of madness we want at MWC. At first it's a normal looking smartphone, but attach an adaptor plate to the camera module and it'll accept a normal camera lens, creating a crazy phone/camera hybrid like nothing else. It's as unwieldy as it is impressive, and it actually works too. We took some pretty remarkable photos with the Realme Ultra concept, but it was a challenge getting to grips with the manual focus and back-to-basics stabilization. However, just the fact it exists at all means it belongs on this list, but we'll have to wait and see whether it ever becomes a product we can buy or not. Could the HMD Fusion X1 be the first smartphone tech fans will want to buy for their kids, and that your kids will be satisfied with? That's HMD's goal, and it's working with online safety experts Xplora to help create a safety-first environment that is only as restrictive as you want it to be, letting your child grow with their phone, and avoiding pointless bans or content blockers. The Fusion X1 is just the first step in a wider strategy for HMD too, which is far more than just a project to grab headlines and appease concerned parents. It's not a flagship to rival the Xiaomi 15 Ultra, but it's arguably the device which will pave the way for younger generations to own a full flagship phone in the future, and understand much more about maintaining a safe and healthy relationship with mobile tech along the way. TCL's Nxtpaper 11 Plus tablet isn't on the list because it's a tablet, but because of the screen technology it uses. The Nxtpaper panel is designed to minimize eye strain and make extended use more comfortable, which it does by switching between full color and e-paper-style monochrome, getting rid of damaging blue light in the process. TCL has made switching between the screens simple with a new button, and the 4th generation screen is almost indistinguishable from a 'regular' OLED. It's an interesting device which could take the place of your laptop and e-reader for some trips or excursions, and we always love a multi-function product. I consider myself a bit of an audiophile, though not quite to the degree that makes me annoying at parties. I appreciate good sounding music and normally gravitate toward in-ear earbud designs for daily use. Having spent a time with the Honor Earbuds Open, I find myself mystified at how it gets so much of the sound right with its open-ear design. In terms of design they strike a balance between sleek aesthetics and practicality, while I'm still a bit surprised at how much I dig the sound considering the sit on the outside of the ear. – Jason Howell Samsung teased us with a tri-fold silhouette during the Galaxy S25 launch earlier this year, but Tecno isn't hanging around, showing off its tri-fold phone at MWC – the Tecno Phantom Ultimate 2. And it's certainly a head turner, with a super slim frame making it thinner than the Huawei Mate XT Ultimate (the only tri-fold you can currently buy – in China and Malaysia). Unfolded, it's also thinner than the supremely svelte Oppo Find N5 and Honor Magic V3 book-style foldables. If this has got you salivating for a foldable phone which can open out to a super slim 10-inch tablet, wait a moment. The Phantom Ultimate 2 is just a concept for now, with no word on when/if it will be commercially available. – Jason Howell
Yahoo
02-03-2025
- Yahoo
I Tested the Xiaomi 15 Ultra for 2 Weeks: Here's Everything You Need to Know
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. Read more: Best Android Phone of 2025 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.
