Xiaomi 15 Ultra Review in Five Minutes: A New Ceiling for Mobile Photography!

The Xiaomi 15 series was unveiled in India earlier this month. The Xiaomi 15 and 15 Ultra recently went on pre-order in the country. We were able to get our hands on the top-end Xiaomi 15 Ultra for a brief period to find out what the hyper was all about. So without any delays, here's our hands-on review of the Xiaomi 15 Ultra.

Xiaomi 15 Ultra Price in India

The Xiaomi 15 Ultra price in India starts from Rs ,1,09,999, although ICICI Bank credit card holders can get an instant Rs 10,000 discount on the phone, while Xiaomi is also including the photography kit worth Rs 11,999 free for a limited period.

What's in the Box?

In the box is a transparent back cover, a SIM tray, charging brick, and the phone itself, pretty standard stuff. However, Xiaomi also sent us the Photography Kit Legend Edition, which includes a red and black case that can be used independently or with the multi-functional camera grip. The photography kit also includes decorative rings for the camera bump, a lanyard, detachable thumb support, two detachable shutter buttons, and a ring threaded for lens filters.

Design & Build

The Xiaomi 15 Ultra certainly looks like an 'Ultra' smartphone, with a massive camera bump on the back, housing four sensors. In India, the handset is only offered in the Silver Chrome colour, which features a dual-tone finish, designed to resemble the cameras of old. The phone boasts a quad-curved display, offering a nice balance between comfort and elegance.

The two-tone Silver Chrome finish uses a combination of vegan leather and matte plastic, which looks stunning. The massive camera bump on the back is protected by a metal ring, while the frame is also made of aluminium. The 15 Ultra uses Xiaomi Shield Glass 2.0 on the front as opposed to the latest Corning Gorilla Glass.

There's a pre-applied plastic screen protector on the front as well. Xiaomi has also made the switch from an optical to an ultrasonic fingerprint reader, with a noticeable difference in how quick and responsive it is. The power and volume buttons on the right blend into the silver frame, while there's the standard port placement on the bottom, including the SIM Tray, USB Type-C port, and speaker grille. Finally, the Xiaomi 15 Ultra has an IP68 rating for resistance to dust and water.

Display

Xiaomi spares no expense with the 15 Ultra's display, featuring a 6.73-inch WQHD+ (3200 x 1440 pixels) LTPO OLED panel capable of showcasing up to 68 billion colours. The adaptive refresh rate can automatically switch between 1Hz to 120Hz depending on the task you're engaged in. The display features 1920Hz PWM and DC dimming for reduced eye fatigue. It is also TÜV Rheinland Low Blue Light, Flicker Free, and Circadian Friendly Certified.

The panel supports HDR10+ and Dolby Vision formats. The display has a peak brightness of 3,200 nits, although HBM is closer to 1700 nits, making the screen easily visible in all outdoor scenarios. Finally, the Always-active Display feature allows you to keep essential information visible when the phone is locked at minimal power consumption.

Performance

For performance, the Xiaomi 15 Ultra is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset paired with Adreno 830 GPU. In India, the Xiaomi 15 Ultra comes with 16GB of LPDDR5X RAM and 512GB of UFS 4.1 storage. This ensures the Xiaomi 15 Ultra can handle just about anything you throw at it with ease.

In AnTuTu, the phone managed an overall score of 2.6+ million points. Geekbench 6 saw the phone score 3121 points in the single-core test and 9391 points in the multi-core test. To ensure excellent sustained performance, the Xiaomi 15 Ultra uses an all-new 3D Dual-Channel IceLoop System with a thermal area of 5100mm².

Cameras

The Xiaomi 15 Ultra has one of the most formidable camera setups of any smartphone to date. The quad-camera setup was co-developed with camera experts Leica and includes:

• Main: 50MP Sony LYT-900, f/1.6, PDAF Laser AF, OIS
• Ultrawide: 50MP Samsung ISOCELL JN5, f/2.2, PDAF
• Telephoto: 50MP Sony IMX858, f/1.8, OIS, 3x Optical Zoom
• Periscope: 200MP Samsung ISOCELL HP9, f/2.6, PDAF, 4.3x Optical Zoom
• Front Camera: 32MP OmniVision OV32B40, f/2.0

We've only spent a few days with the camera system on the Xiaomi 15 Ultra, but the results have been quite impressive. The level of detail and colour consistency across all four lenses, while the 200MP periscope allows you to maintain clarity from a significant distance. The Xiaomi 15 Ultra also captures excellent selfies in all lighting, although I felt the front camera performance was not as good as Pixel 9 Pro XL.

For videographers, the Xiaomi 15 Ultra offers superb stabilization, 4K/60fps and 8K/30fps on all four lenses, and 120fps for primary and 4.3x lenses. It supports LOG, Dolby Vision, and 1080p color filters, though lacks a cinematic mode. Natural focal lengths and night/macro-options help compensate.

Overall, my initial impressions of the cameras on the Xiaomi 15 Ultra were overwhelmingly positive. The camera system delivers an excellent balance of quality and versatility. On the other hand, the Xiaomi 15 Ultra has the best camera hardware among today's crop of mainstream flagships. Stay tuned for our full review for a full breakdown of camera performance on the Xiaomi 15 Ultra.

Battery

Unfortunately, the battery on the Indian version of the Xiaomi 15 Ultra is smaller than the Chinese variant, although 5,410 mAh isn't small by means. The Xiaomi 15 Ultra easily passed our all-day battery test, although I haven't had a chance to really put the battery through its paces. And when it does run out of juice, there's incredibly fast 90W wired and 80W wireless fast charging support to get you back up to speed in no time.

Software

HyperOS 2 on the Xiaomi 15 Ultra brings a refined, AI-powered interface based on Android 15. It enhances user experience with smoother animations, faster app launches, and better battery management. The OS also integrates advanced AI features, like voice recognition, translation, and image editing.

Plus, it offers high customization options, making it a seamless and versatile mobile experience for users seeking both performance and personalization. We will dive deeper into all the features available on HyperOS 2 in our full Xiaomi 15 Ultra review. Finally, Xiaomi is offering 4 Android OS updates and six years of regular security patches with the 15 Ultra.

Photography Kit

Xiaomi 15 Ultra's photography kit is a versatile accessory that enhances creative freedom and protection for the flagship's sophisticated camera system. The kit includes a stylish red and black case, which can be used independently or attached to the multi-functional camera grip, providing better handling during shooting.

With detachable shutter buttons and decorative rings for the camera bump, users can easily customize their device's appearance while protecting its delicate optics. The added detachable thumb support ensures stable, comfortable shooting, while the threaded ring for lens filters allows photographers to experiment with different creative effects, elevating mobile photography to professional levels.

Xiaomi 15 Ultra First Impressions

Overall, the Xiaomi 15 Ultra leaves a strong impression with its premium design, powerful Snapdragon 8 Elite performance, and an impressive Leica-co-developed camera system. The stunning 6.73-inch LTPO OLED display and refined HyperOS 2 interface deliver a smooth, customizable user experience, while fast charging and excellent thermal management keep performance sustained.

Despite a slightly smaller battery in the Indian variant, this flagship sets a high benchmark in both style and functionality, making it a compelling choice for enthusiasts and photography aficionados alike. Additionally, the comprehensive photography kit enhances creative versatility, offering specialized accessories that elevate mobile imaging to a professional level.