Xiaomi’s latest mainstream flagship phone has finally made its way beyond China and into global markets. While not exactly a surprise, the Xiaomi 15 is still a big deal for anyone chasing the best phone that isn’t a palm-stretching colossus. This slinky handset doesn’t skimp on battery life, performance, or camera tech. In fact, it’s swaying me away from the Galaxy S25 and Pixel 9 Pro.
This one’s for those who hate having to choose between pocket-friendly size and battery life. The Xiaomi 15 packs a 5240mAh battery into its slender 6.36in frame, thanks to Xiaomi’s clever silicon-carbon chemistry. That makes it a whole lot smaller than the current crop of big-screen flagships, and means it outclasses the rival Samsung Galaxy S25 by a huge margin. If you do manage to drain it, 90W and 50W wireless charging will juice you up in no time.
Xiaomi’s ongoing partnership with Leica means camera performance is also front and centre. There’s a trio of 50MP sensors on the back: a 23mm main lens with optical image stabilisation and a bright f/1.62 aperture, a 60mm telephoto with 3x optical zoom and macro capabilities, and a 14mm ultra-wide. The front camera is a 32MP sensor with HDR10+ support for sharper selfies and video calls. For video lovers, there’s 8K recording at 30fps, 4K Dolby Vision, and a Director Mode for pro-level controls.
The 6.36in AMOLED screen keeps things slick with a 120Hz adaptive refresh rate, peak 3200-nit brightness, and a crisp 2670×1200 resolution. Xiaomi’s own Shield Glass covers it, which it claims offers 10x the drop resistance of the Gorilla Glass found on previous models. Underneath, there’s an ultrasonic fingerprint sensor for fast and reliable unlocking.
Xiaomi’s HyperOS 2 runs the show, bringing in a wave of AI-powered features. You get text summarisation, real-time transcription, plus plenty of optimisations for smoother performance. Powering it all is Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset, paired with 12GB of RAM and up to 512GB of storage.
On the design front, the Xiaomi 15 sticks to the current trend of flat aluminium edges and flat glass front and back. There’s an IP68 rating to keep dust and water at bay. Colour options include Black, White, Green, and a striking Liquid Silver.
The Xiaomi 15 starts at £899, undercutting Google’s rival Pixel 9 Pro, and is available to order now directly from the Xiaomi website.
