Xiaomi 15 Ultra – Review

As mobile photography hardware and software continue to improve, the competition has never been fiercer. From flagship models from Apple and Samsung to various offerings from leading Chinese brands like Vivo, Oppo, Huawei and Xiaomi, there’s a healthy spread of options for cutting-edge smartphone camera technology, with the brands looking to grab a slice of the mobile device pie. 

On a positive note, nothing looks set to change as the Xiaomi 15 Ultra remains committed to mastering the craft of imaging. Like its predecessor, the high-end device packs the power of renowned image maker Leica into an everyday carry, making mobile photography more accessible and convenient, and allowing anyone to capture quality snaps without the heft of the German company’s legendary cameras. This time, the rear shooters are arranged slightly differently than before, marking a distinction in appearance amid a strong overall improvement in all-around performance. 

While housed in the same protruding circular cutout, the symmetry of the previous camera array is now gone. Instead, three of the lenses have been pushed nearer to the bottom of the cutout’s frame, which may be awkward and unsightly for some, with the lopsided look bleeding into the Silver Chrome edition. There’s a reasonable justification for that, though, as the blend of a silver finish and faux leather is designed to evoke the old-school Leica aesthetic.  

The large protruding module is also where a familiar gripe resurfaces. In addition to constant rocking on a flat surface, the top-heavy build causes fatigue after prolonged use, especially when held horizontally in one hand and particularly for individuals with smaller hands. Indeed, the Xiaomi 15 Ultra is fairly robust at 229 grams and 9.48mm thick (versus 226 grams and 9.35mm on the black and white iterations), making it heavier than the previous generation and the Samsung S25 Ultra. The 227-gram iPhone 16 Max Pro is closest to its weight, but the difference in your hand feels more stark than expected.

At a time when curved displays have been largely ditched, it’s interesting that the device still adopts one. Despite efforts to reduce the curvature, it can dull some of the shine for those who prefer straight edges, as the chunky bezels translate to a thicker bar on the sides, and by extension, a break in immersion. 

Look past the nitpicking, however, and visual enjoyment awaits. The 6.73-inch AMOLED screen pairs a WQHD+ resolution (3,200 x 1,440 pixels) with a 120Hz refresh rate to deliver vibrant colours, sharp detail, and smooth motion in various shows and movies. It’s standard fare for flagship offerings, accompanied by other notable features like a maximum brightness of 3,200 nits, eye-care tech, and IP68-rated water resistance with reinforced glass protection. 

Powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite processor and an Adreno 830 GPU, mobile gaming is a breeze as the Xiaomi 15 Ultra proves capable of handling heavy GPU loads, running titles like Wuthering Waves, Honkai: Star Rail, and Zenless Zone Zero smoothly. Putting it through in-house testing yielded minimal frame drops and stutter, with its impressive thermal management emerging as a surprise standout and recording some of the lowest temperatures to date. 

The headliner, though, continues to be the Leica-branded camera system. Where all four lenses were 50 megapixels (MP) previously, the periscope camera has now been upgraded to 200 MP and the same one-inch-type Sony LYT-900 image sensor from last year’s model is back at work on the main snapper, joining the full list of specifications below: 

• 50 MP, f/1.6, 23mm (wide), 1.6µm, 1.0”-type, OIS
• 50 MP, f/1.8, 70mm (telephoto), 1/2.51”, 0.7µm, OIS, 3x optical zoom
• 200 MP, f/2.6, 100mm (periscope telephoto), 1/1.4”, 0.56µm, OIS, 4.3X optical zoom
• 50 MP, f/2.2, 14mm, 115° (ultrawide), 1/2.76”, 0.64µm, dual pixel PDAF TOF 3D

There are several other tweaks to the formula that, while negligible for the general crowd, may catch the attention of photography enthusiasts and professionals. For starters, the zoom distance on the periscope and telephoto cameras is slightly reduced, coming in at 4.3x and 3x, respectively, versus 5x and 3.2x on the Xiaomi 14 Ultra. Additionally, removing variable aperture – a rare and underrated feature in itself – means some loss in versatility here.

It’s more of a strange performance downgrade than a dealbreaker, and in practice, the Xiaomi 15 Ultra still upholds the impressively high standards attached to the Leica name. Visuals appear punchy and natural in good lighting without the oversaturated tint seen on some of its contemporaries, especially with the Leica Authentic profile. Leica Vibrant offers an alternative for those who prefer a stronger pop of colour, but crisp detail and pin-sharp clarity can be expected in either scenario.

Portrait Mode is most intuitive with a human subject in frame, and capturing the desired effect for, say, objects or pets, will require more effort in certain situations. Once users get into the swing of things, soft and creamy bokeh becomes a regular occurrence, making it easy for the foreground to stand out. The organic depth of field benefits macro photography experiences like food snaps, though it should be noted that edge detection isn’t the best here, resulting in the occasional fuzzy and inaccurate feathering. 

Where the Xiaomi 15 Ultra harnesses its expertise is in contrast. It proves competent at finding the perfect balance between deep shadows and highlights, especially in Pro mode, reinforcing the ease of capturing visually arresting images. White balance remains inconsistent at times, so there may be instances where washed-out photos evoke the imagery of a post-apocalyptic setting. 

The camera fares well enough in dark or dimly lit environments, even if the loss of detail is more prominent and its images are noticeably darker than the competition. Supermoon Mode adds a touch of fun to the mix, offering the point-and-shoot convenience of up to 120x zoom and AI-powered post-processing.

While there are some kinks to iron out, the handset delivers beastly Leica prowess in spades and can be paired with a separate photography kit for a more authentic compact camera experience. Also introduced with last year’s model, it includes a case, a grip with a shutter button and a settings dial, an integrated 2,000mAh battery, and a 67mm adapter ring – perfect for users of ND (short for neutral density) filters, circular polarisers, or other forms of photography filters. 

The grip, like before, offers added friction for a more secure and comfortable fit in hand, and attaching or removing it remains a snappy, fuss-free affair. It slots in neatly, with the easy-to-hit shutter button transmitting a welcome tactile response when pressed. In particular, the bundle comes highly recommended for street or travel photography, so long as users are willing to fork out another S$199 and lug the extra heft around.

Leaning into the artificial intelligence (AI) push, the Xiaomi 15 Ultra touts new and improved features for writing, image editing, and day-to-day tasks. It’s nothing new, but the AI Writing suite ships with options for summarising, proofreading and tonal changes, joined by a prompt-based generative text tool and transcription capabilities, which, depending on the job (like a journalist, for example), can be handy. 

On the imaging side of things, generative AI acts as the driving force behind expanding or sharpening an image and removing unwanted subjects in a scene. Remove Reflections is the latest addition to the roster, and it fails to work its magic in the same way Apple, Oppo, and Samsung devices did. The bigger caveat here, however, is the need for an internet connection to run these features (yes, even the transcription tool).

As is the standard for current Android offerings, Google Gemini and Gemini Advanced are available right out of the box, granting access to Gemini Live, Circle to Search, and more. Running HyperOS – Xiaomi’s Android skin – atop Android 15 means the Xiaomi 15 Ultra also suffers from the same bloat and annoyances found on its other Chinese-branded counterparts, from preinstalled apps that cannot be removed to burying tasks beneath unnecessarily complicated menu navigation. 

Battery capacity isn’t too shabby, packing more juice than its predecessor. It comes in at 5,410mAh, and for unknown reasons, is smaller than the Chinese variant (6,000mAh), but can last through a typical work day with little fanfare. Keeping in mind that mileage will vary depending on individual use case and load, performing day-to-day tasks like surfing social media, replying to emails, and chatting in communication apps, interspersed with watching videos, playing games, and other interruptions, clocked around eight hours of use. Charging is snappy, taking slightly longer than an hour to hit 100 percent from zero. 

The Xiaomi 15 Ultra may be a pricey proposition at S$1,699 for the base 512GB model, but its powerful hardware, impressive display, and most importantly, exceptional camera performance promise a great return on investment. While the well-rounded showing certainly boosts its appeal, the biggest purchasing factor should be its mastery over mobile photography that few can match. Ironically enough, this also means the device may not be ideal for casual users or enthusiasts, as they are likely to find better value elsewhere. Instead, serious shutterbugs are the best fit here.

Si Jia

Si Jia is a casual geek at heart – or as casual as someone with Sephiroth’s theme on her Spotify playlist can get. A fan of movies, games, and Japanese culture, Si Jia’s greatest weakness is the Steam Summer Sale. Or any Steam sale, really.