The Xiaomi 15 Ultra stands out as a flagship smartphone that pushes boundaries, particularly for photography enthusiasts. Equipped with a Leica-tuned quad-camera system, the powerful Snapdragon 8 Elite processor, and a vibrant AMOLED display, it aims to redefine the premium smartphone experience. After using the device extensively, I can say it’s a device that grows on you with time, much like appreciating the finer details of a well-crafted dish. In this comprehensive review, we’ll dive into the Xiaomi 15 Ultra’s cameras, performance, design, battery life, and more to help buyers decide if this ₹1,09,999 flagship is worth the investment. Let’s explore whether this phone is the right choice for you.
Design and Build: Premium and Functional
The Xiaomi 15 Ultra feels like a premium device from the moment you pick it up. Its design draws inspiration from Leica’s iconic cameras, blending a sophisticated aesthetic with practical functionality. The phone sports a dual-tone look with a vegan leather back in black and silver, accented by elegant cursive “Ultra” branding. Weighing 226 grams, it’s not the lightest, and the large camera module makes it slightly top-heavy. However, Xiaomi’s thoughtful weight distribution ensures it feels balanced in hand, making it comfortable for prolonged use.
The 6.73-inch micro-quad-curved AMOLED display offers a near-flat appearance with subtle curves for improved grip. It’s protected by Xiaomi Shield Glass 2.0 on the front and Corning Gorilla Glass 7i around the camera module, complemented by an IP68 rating for dust and water resistance. The “wet touch” feature allows seamless operation in humid or rainy conditions—a practical addition for India’s diverse weather. The vegan leather back resists fingerprints, unlike glossy glass backs on other flagships, adding to its premium appeal.
When placed on a table, the camera module minimizes wobble, making typing comfortable. The in-hand feel is excellent, especially in landscape mode for photography, aligning with the phone’s camera-centric design. The included Photography Kit Legend Edition (valued at ₹11,999 separately) enhances the experience with a camera grip, zoom dials, and an additional 2000mAh battery, transforming the phone into a near-professional camera. This accessory is a boon for creators, enabling one-handed shooting with a tactile, camera-like feel.
Verdict on Design: The Xiaomi 15 Ultra combines premium materials with practical features, making it stylish and durable. It’s ideal for those who value aesthetics but may feel bulky for users preferring compact phones.
Camera: A Leica-Powered Photography Marvel
The Xiaomi 15 Ultra’s quad-camera system, co-engineered with Leica, is its defining feature, making it a dream device for photographers. The setup includes:
- 50MP Sony LYT-900 Main Camera (1-inch sensor, f/1.6): Exceptional detail and low-light performance.
- 200MP HP9 Periscope Telephoto (4.3x optical zoom, 100mm): Industry-leading zoom capabilities.
- 50MP IMX858 3x Telephoto (70mm): Ideal for portraits and mid-range shots.
- 50MP JN5 Ultra-Wide: Captures expansive scenes with minimal distortion.
- 32MP Front Camera: Improved but with room for refinement.
Main Camera Performance
The 1-inch sensor on the main camera is a standout in 2025, capturing more light and detail than competitors like the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra or iPhone 16 Pro Max. The f/1.6 aperture delivers stunning low-light shots with sharp details and minimal noise. However, the wide aperture causes a quick focus fall-off, creating a natural bokeh effect that some users may love, while others might find it too pronounced for close-ups. Keeping the subject slightly farther away resolves this, producing crisp, vibrant images.
Compared to the Xiaomi 14 Ultra, the HDR tuning has improved significantly. In auto mode, the dynamic range extends deeply into shadows and highlights, delivering contrasty yet balanced shots. While it occasionally overexposes highlights in harsh backlight, these instances are rare, and the overall performance is impressive. The Leica Vibrant mode, the default setting, produces punchy, social media-ready photos, while the Leica Authentic mode adds a vignette effect, perfect for street photography enthusiasts seeking a classic Leica aesthetic.
Zoom Capabilities
The 200MP periscope telephoto is a game-changer, offering 4.3x optical zoom and up to 100x digital zoom. Up to 4.3x (100mm), it captures fine textures and details, rivaling dedicated cameras. Even at 10x, 30x, and 60x, AI-enhanced zoom recreates details effectively, making it ideal for distant subjects like wildlife or events. Xiaomi’s transparency in AI processing—allowing users to see it activate and toggle it off—sets it apart. Low-light zoom performance is equally impressive, leveraging large sensors to capture clear shots in dim conditions.
Portrait and Ultra-Wide
The 3x telephoto lens shines in portrait mode, delivering sharp textures and natural bokeh at 1x, 2x, 3x, and 4.3x focal lengths. Skin tones can occasionally feel inconsistent, but this can be addressed by creating custom presets in Pro mode. The ultra-wide lens maintains color consistency with the main camera, capturing expansive scenes with minimal distortion, making it great for landscapes or group photos.
Video Recording
Video capabilities are robust, with 4K 60fps recording across all rear cameras and 4K 120fps slow-motion on the main and periscope lenses. The 4-axis OIS and EIS ensure smooth, stable footage, even during movement or zooming. As an ACES Product Partner, the phone supports film-level color accuracy, and Dolby Vision enhances video quality for creators. The front camera, while improved, lags slightly in low-light selfies compared to competitors.
Pro Mode and Features
The Pro mode offers extensive manual controls, including shutter speed, ISO, white balance, and focus adjustments. Users can save custom presets, such as a film-grade orange and teal look, tailoring results to their style. The Fastshot mode, paired with the Photography Kit, enables quick adjustments via physical buttons, and you can customize the shutter button’s appearance (I set mine to a quirky Diet Coke logo). The camera app includes AI features like Object Eraser and AI Expansion, though these need refinement to match competitors like Google’s Pixel 9 series.
Verdict on Camera: The Xiaomi 15 Ultra is a photography powerhouse with unmatched versatility. It’s perfect for enthusiasts seeking DSLR-like results, though the selfie camera and AI features could use further polish.
Display: A Visual Delight
The 6.73-inch LTPO AMOLED display boasts a 2K resolution, 120Hz refresh rate, and 3200 nits peak brightness. Supporting Dolby Vision, HDR10+, and Pro HDR, it’s ideal for streaming Netflix or YouTube. The HDR tuning is precise, with accurate skin tones and excellent control over highlights and shadows. Unlike some flagships with oversaturated colors, the Original Pro Color mode ensures accuracy, while the vibrant mode pops for casual use.
Certified for low blue light, flicker-free, and circadian-friendly viewing, the display reduces eye strain during long sessions. The wet-touch support ensures smooth operation in humid or rainy conditions. Whether gaming, streaming, or editing photos, the display delivers a premium experience.
Verdict on Display: The AMOLED panel is among the best in 2025, offering vibrant colors, high brightness, and practical features. It’s a dream for media enthusiasts and gamers.
Performance: Powerful and Efficient
Powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset, 16GB LPDDR5X RAM, and 512GB UFS 4.1 storage, the Xiaomi 15 Ultra handles multitasking, gaming, and heavy apps effortlessly. Playing Genshin Impact at max settings for 30 minutes yielded a steady 59 FPS, with temperatures peaking at 42°C—cooler than the Xiaomi 14 Ultra, thanks to the dual-channel IceLoop cooling system. The AnTuTu score of 2,746,580 reflects its raw power, though Xiaomi’s conservative tuning prioritizes efficiency, minimizing overheating and optimizing battery life.
The in-display fingerprint sensor is fast and reliable, and the haptic feedback is crisp and premium, enhancing the user experience. This makes the phone ideal for gamers and power users who need consistent performance.
Verdict on Performance: The Xiaomi 15 Ultra delivers top-tier performance with excellent thermal management, perfect for gaming and multitasking.
Battery Life and Charging
The 5410mAh battery offers over a day of heavy usage, including gaming, camera use, and streaming. In a video loop test, it lasted over 20 hours, rivaling top 2025 flagships. The 90W wired charging fills the battery in under an hour (with “Top Speed” mode), and the included charger is a welcome addition. The 80W wireless charging and 10W reverse charging add versatility for charging accessories.
However, fast charging can cause the phone to heat up, a trade-off for speed. Switching to standard charging mode reduces heat but extends charging time. Overall, the battery life is a strong point for power users.
Verdict on Battery: The Xiaomi 15 Ultra offers excellent battery life and fast charging, though heating during charging is a minor drawback.
Software: HyperOS 2.0 with Potential
Running HyperOS 2.0 based on Android 15, the Xiaomi 15 Ultra provides a smooth, customizable experience with minimal bloatware—most pre-installed apps can be uninstalled. Xiaomi promises four years of OS updates and six years of security updates, ensuring longevity. The software includes AI features like AI writing, subtitles, interpreter, and photo editing tools (AI Eraser, AI Expansion). While useful, these lack the polish of Google’s Pixel 9 or Apple’s iPhone 16. The Object Eraser, for instance, can produce inconsistent results, and speech recognition needs improvement.
The inclusion of Circle to Search and two months of free Gemini Advanced subscription are nice touches, but the AI features need refinement to compete with industry leaders.
Verdict on Software: HyperOS 2.0 is smooth and feature-rich, but AI tools require improvement. The long-term update promise is a significant advantage.
Specifications Table
| Specification | Details |
|---|---|
| Display | 6.73-inch LTPO AMOLED, 2K, 120Hz, 3200 nits, Dolby Vision, HDR10+ |
| Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite (3nm, octa-core) |
| RAM | 16GB LPDDR5X |
| Storage | 512GB UFS 4.1 (256GB/1TB variants available globally) |
| Rear Camera | 50MP Main (1-inch, f/1.6) + 200MP Periscope (4.3x) + 50MP 3x Telephoto + 50MP Ultra-Wide |
| Front Camera | 32MP |
| Battery | 5410mAh, 90W wired, 80W wireless, 10W reverse charging |
| OS | HyperOS 2.0 (Android 15), 4 years OS updates, 6 years security updates |
| Connectivity | 5G, Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6.0, NFC, USB Type-C, Dual SIM |
| Build | Vegan leather, aerospace-grade glass fiber, IP68, Xiaomi Shield Glass 2.0 |
| Weight | 226g (229g for some colors) |
| Dimensions | 161.30 x 75.30 x 9.35mm |
| Price in India | ₹1,09,999 (16GB+512GB), Photography Kit: ₹11,999 |
Should You Buy the Xiaomi 15 Ultra?
The Xiaomi 15 Ultra is a stellar flagship, especially for photography enthusiasts. Its Leica-tuned cameras, particularly the 1-inch main sensor and 200MP periscope, offer unmatched versatility and quality, making it a top choice for creators. The vibrant AMOLED display, robust performance, and excellent battery life make it a well-rounded device. Priced at ₹1,09,999 in India (with discounts bringing it under ₹1 lakh during pre-orders), it’s competitively priced against the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra (₹1,29,999) and iPhone 16 Pro Max (₹1,44,900).
However, the selfie camera and AI features need refinement, and the bulky design may not suit everyone. If photography is your priority and you want a phone that doubles as a near-professional camera, the Xiaomi 15 Ultra is worth the investment, especially with the free Photography Kit during pre-orders. For general users, alternatives like the OnePlus 13 or Pixel 9 Pro offer strong performance at a lower price.
Is It Worth It? For photography buffs and power users who value a premium display and top-tier performance, the Xiaomi 15 Ultra is a fantastic choice. For casual users, its price and bulk may be overkill, but its camera capabilities make it a standout in 2025’s flagship market.
Final Thoughts: The Xiaomi 15 Ultra is a camera-focused masterpiece that doesn’t skimp on performance or design. It’s not for everyone, but if you’re willing to master its camera system, it delivers an unmatched experience. Whether capturing stunning photos, gaming, or streaming, the Xiaomi 15 Ultra proves it’s a pinnacle of mobile technology.
