The Xiaomi 15 brings smoother performance, notable camera improvements, enhanced battery life, and a more dynamic experience with HyperOS 2, featuring AI-powered customizations and better Apple ecosystem integration. While similar to the Xiaomi 14, upgrades in display, power efficiency, and stability make it a strong option, especially for those preferring small-sized phones.
DESIGN & BUILD
The design is largely unchanged from the hands-on video. Upon handling, it feels more sophisticated, similar in premium feel and size to the iPhone 16 and 16 Pro. The frosted back and frame add to the premium feel but make the phone more slippery. The ultrasonic fingerprint area has been improved in position and speed, avoiding bright flashes at night.
DISPLAY
The Xiaomi 15’s screen offers three upgrades over last year: greater brightness, narrower bezels, and improved power efficiency. Brightness can now reach 3,000 nits across 25% of the screen area, including in eBook mode. With narrower bezels than most phones, its new M9 luminescent material and dual microcavity structure reduce power consumption by 10%. At 6.3 inches and less than 72mm wide, the screen size adds to the appeal of the Xiaomi series.
PERFORMANCE & BATTERY
Benchmark scores from Xiaomi 13 to 15 reveal the Xiaomi 15 with Snapdragon 8 Elite as the most improved generation. Thanks to the second-gen Oryon architecture, CPU scores significantly surpass those of the previous generation, enhancing gaming performance. Genshin Impact now runs smoothly, even on the Xiaomi 14, but the Xiaomi 15 achieves similar performance with lower temperatures, less power, and reduced frame rate jitter. Combined with a 5400mAh battery, it consumes 2% less power than the 14 over 20 minutes of gaming, making this the biggest difference between the two models.
CHARGING
Battery charging remains similar to the Xiaomi 14, with 90W wired and 50W wireless charging, achieving a full charge in about 40 minutes. A new cold endurance mode in the Xiaomi 15’s battery settings extends battery life by limiting performance, making it useful in extremely cold environments.
CAMERA
On paper, the Xiaomi 15’s camera specs appear similar to the Xiaomi 14’s, with only a minor upgrade to the telephoto sensor. However, in practice, the Xiaomi 15 shows notable improvements. Photos are sharper, less noisy, and outperform the Xiaomi 14 in all aspects—main, telephoto, and ultra-wide cameras—thanks to the enhanced ISP of the Snapdragon 8 Elite and advanced Xiaomi algorithms. AI-driven enhancements and fixes, like improved red color accuracy and white balance stability, result in truer colors and more appealing food photos. The keying algorithm in portrait mode has been refined, preserving detail even in challenging conditions. Dynamic range and exposure have been improved, though contrast is slightly reduced, which can be restored by using Leica Authentic mode, providing similar photo styles across both models.
HYPER OS
Compared to OS 1, HyperOS 2 feels smoother, with fewer dropped frames, added blurring effects, and more dynamic animations. Comparisons with HyperOS 1 highlight numerous optimizations in OS 2. New features include AI-powered dynamic wallpaper customization and integration with Apple’s ecosystem via a single app, though some features await an OTA update for full functionality. While some functions need refinement, more updates are expected in the Xiaomi 15 Pro review. Overall, HyperOS 2 offers a great experience. For Xiaomi 14 users, the Xiaomi 15 is a worthy upgrade, but waiting for the Xiaomi 16 may be more practical if budget is a concern.