OnePlus describes the OnePlus 15 as a ‘two-generation’ jump, offering quite the upgrade over the OnePlus 13 that came early this year – but how does it compare to Xiaomi’s top-end 17 Pro Max?
While the two flagships are evenly matched in key areas like performance and battery life, there are big differences between the two that could sway your buying decision one way or the other – at least it will once the Xiaomi flagship launches outside of China in the coming months.
For now, here’s how the OnePlus 15 compares to the Xiaomi 17 Pro Max on paper.
Pricing and availability
The OnePlus 15 costs £849/$899 for the entry-level 256GB variant or £979/$999 for the top-end 512GB variant, and it’s available to purchase now following its release in mid-November.
The Xiaomi 17 Pro Max, on the other hand, remains a China-only phone – for now. The phone was released in September 2025 in its home region, and it will cost CNY 6,000 (approximately £638/$843) locally. However, don’t expect such affordable prices once it makes its international debut.
Both have impressive screens – but Xiaomi has one on the rear
Whether you go for the OnePlus 15 or Xiaomi 17 Pro Max, you’ll be getting a comfortably top-end screen.
The OnePlus 15’s 6.78-inch AMOLED screen impresses with its 1.5K resolution, smooth LTPO 165Hz refresh rate and 3200Hz touch response, which make it not only a great choice for scrolling through apps but gaming too – with 165fps support from games like Call of Duty Mobile.
The Xiaomi 17 Pro Max features a slightly larger 6.9-inch AMOLED screen, although it has a slightly lower resolution, making it slightly less pixel-dense than OnePlus’s option. It boasts an LTPO-enabled 120Hz refresh rate, along with ultra-slim bezels, and it supports Dolby Vision, HDR Vivid, and more.
However, it’s the rear of the Xiaomi that stands out – because there’s a secondary screen nestled next to the rear cameras.
The 2.9-inch AMOLED rear panel offers a surprisingly high-end experience, featuring an LTPO 120Hz refresh rate to match the main panel. It doubles as not only a camera preview but also a way to check notifications, incoming calls, and even play retro games when paired with the company’s game controller case.
Triple 50MP cameras, with a few differences
Glance at the OnePlus and Xiaomi spec sheets, and you’d be forgiven for assuming they have identical camera setups. They both offer a triple 50MP setup comprised of a primary, zoom and ultrawide lens after all – but look a little closer and the differences are clear.
First off, the 17 Pro Max features a larger main sensor, measuring 1/1.28in, compared to OnePlus’s 1/1.56in alternative. It is also equipped with a slightly wider f/1.7 aperture than the competing f/1.8. It essentially means that the Xiaomi should have a slight upper hand when it comes to low light, with the ability to slurp in more light than the OnePlus 15.
There’s also a difference in the periscope lens department; the OnePlus 15 offers 3.5x optical zoom, while the Xiaomi 17 Pro Max offers 5x. It’s not a complete win for Xiaomi, however; many people prefer the 3.5x zoom for portrait photography, with 5x often getting a little too close for comfort.
OnePlus aims to take a win in the ultrawide department; it not only boasts a wider 116-degree angle than Xiaomi’s 107-degree alternative, but also features a larger sensor and a wider aperture.
Of course, spec sheets only tell half the story – much of an image’s final quality depends on elements like post-image processing and the ISP used, so we’ll have to wait and see how the two compare in real-world use.
The OnePlus 15 is more durable
The OnePlus 15 stands out in the durability department. Not only does it offer more comprehensive water and dust resistance with support for IP68, IP69 and IP69K compared to Xiaomi’s IP68, but it also offers tougher glass protection in the form of Gorilla Glass Victus 2.
However, it’s the mid-frame that stands out – on the Sand Storm finish in particular. That colourway of the OnePlus 15 features a Micro Arc Oxidation finish on the mid-frame and camera housing which, according to OnePlus, is 3.4x tougher than standard aluminium and even 1.3x tougher than titanium.
The other colourways come with the same standard aluminium alloy mid-frame as Xiaomi’s 17 Pro Max.
The Xiaomi 17 Pro Max has a bigger battery – for now
Both the OnePlus 15 and Xiaomi 17 Pro Max have sizeable batteries – but Xiaomi pips OnePlus to the post. In China, anyway.
Xiaomi tends to stuff its flagship phones with massive batteries in its home territory, but with EU rules on the size of individual batteries in smartphones, those rarely make it to the global market. Take the Xiaomi 15 Ultra for example; it shipped with a 6000mAh cell in China, but those sold globally featured a smaller 5410mAh cell.
The same will likely happen with the Xiaomi 17 Pro Max once it gets its wider release sometime in 2026.
OnePlus, on the other hand, features a whopping 7,300mAh cell that is available globally. That’s a healthy 40% increase in capacity compared to phones like the Galaxy S25 Ultra, and it translates to solid battery life – as you’d expect.
The OnePlus 15 also offers faster 120W charging than Xiaomi’s 100W alternative, though both offer 50W wireless charging support.
Both sport the same top-end Snapdragon chipset
Performance is one area where the two flagship phones are evenly matched; both feature the new top-end Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset for truly top-end power, and both come with either 12- or 16GB of RAM depending on the storage option you go for.
While we’re yet to test the Xiaomi 17 Pro Max, the OnePlus 15 offers blisteringly fast performance across CPU, GPU and NPU, making it one of the most powerful available right now – and we very much expect the same from Xiaomi’s alternative once that gets its wider release.
Early thoughts
The OnePlus 15 is a performance-focused flagship with a top-end processor, gaming-focused display tech like a 165Hz refresh rate and 3200Hz touch sample rate and rapid 120W charging, making it a great all-rounder.
However, there’s something unique about the Xiaomi 17 Pro Max – yes, it’s that rear panel. Whether it’ll be a novelty that wears off quickly is yet to be seen, but bringing the ability to see a camera preview, notifications, and more on the rear of the phone is indeed handy.
We’ll withhold our final thoughts until we’ve gone hands-on with the Xiaomi 17 Pro Max, so check back soon for our full verdict.
