Xiaomi 15 Ultra Review: The best phone for photography?

One of the most popular series of camera -based phones is now updated, and its new model has added an advanced telephoto camera to a multipurpose collection that had previously been unsuccessful. In fact, with high -end hardware alongside the Leica logo on the back of the phone, the Xiaomi Ultra has a high chance of becoming the best smartphone for photography in year 6.

If you are not yet fully aware, one of the two Ultra telephoto cameras uses a 1.5 -inch 2 -megapixel sensor, which has been admired in other models. The sensor is accompanied by a 1mm lens (1.5 times zoom). This combination is different from what we’ve seen on the Vivo (X100 Ultra and X200 Pro) or the Magic7 Pro Zoom camera, so we can still wait for new discoveries.

The Xiaomi 15 Ultra has joined the top handsets this year and has taken the same way: using Qualcomm’s latest and best chip (while Vivo and Oppo have gone to MediaTek). Increasing battery capacity is one of the new generation changes, and in addition, the optical fingerprint sensor has replaced the ultrasonic sensor.

General Specifications of Xiaomi; Ultra

The contents of the box

The Xiaomi 4 Ultra comes in a regular black box, but you will notice the differences more accurately. The version reviewed is for the European market and the box is smaller than the previous models. On the box, there is a new icon showing an image of the adapter with a line that explains the reason for the smaller packaging.

In fact, this version lacks the charging adapter, but it still has a cable inside the box. This cable is USB-A to USB-C which may be a little unpleasant, especially if you want to use USB-C completely (you have to do so). However, you probably already have several USB Power Delivery fast charging adapters and USB-C cables with a current of 5 amps.

In addition, the box contains a transparent back cover that has relatively good quality. The frame does not provide complete protection, but it creates a good balance between protecting the phone and preserving the beauty of its design.

Design, construction quality and ergonomics

The camera section, which grows larger every year, has grown this year, but this is what is expected of the Ultra models. Of course not the Samsung ultra, but the ultrasounds that are really serious! The Circular Module of the Xiaomi 4 Ultra has a more diameter than the previous model, and as always, the back of the phone is completely dominated.

The highlight of this model is a two -color combination that looks like classic Rangefinder cameras, and the Ultra logo is exactly where the cameras are usually viewed. Located in a decorative loop, the Leica badge tries to give a little symmetry to this relatively uneven camera set. Also, an infrared transmitter is embedded in this module that has now become a standard feature. The Xiaomi logo at the bottom of the back cover completes the branding of the device.

The back of the phone is made of plastic. The black part is a synthetic leather with a relatively coarse and anti -slip surface, while its silver strip has a smooth and slippery surface. If you have a habit of replacing a hand when using the phone, this difference in sex may be a little problematic, but you will probably get used to it over time.

In the front, the display is protected by Xiaomi Shield Glass 2.0. Unlike many phones that use Gorilla Glass Coring’s glass, Xiaomi has used its own formulation for the display protector. This protector will probably be sufficiently resistant, but how to act in reality.

The Xiaomi 4 Ultra has an IP68 certificate, which means dust resistance and water immersion up to 1.5 meters deep for 5 minutes. This is a standard that was only seen in flagships until a few years ago, but today even some mid -range phones have it.

The aluminum frame is slightly thicker than the previous model and has more flat edges that make it easier to get in the hand. The buttons on the right of the phone feel good, and the power button, now called the Gemini button, has a groove text that gives a better touch.

Legend Edition Photography Kit

Xiaomi, like the previous generations, has released a special accessory package for the Ultra, but this time it is named Photography Kit Legend Edition. Basically, this kit is similar to previous versions, but it is added. This kit consists of two main parts:

1. A standard protective case that can be used alone.
2. A separate battery grape that connects to the frame and, in addition to increasing the ergonomics of the handset, provides more battery capacity.

One of the highlights of this version of the fiery red is on the edge of the frame, the grape battery and the camera lens around. This color combination is attractive and energetic, but it can be very impressive for some people. Unfortunately, there is no replacement color option, so if you are not a fan of this color, you have no choice but to deal with it.

In this model, the grip’s internal battery capacity has increased to 4.3 mAh, which is a progress compared to last year’s 4.3 mAh. This extra battery enhances photography and filming time, especially for those who spend a lot of time producing content.

This kit is definitely one of the attractive accessories for the Xiaomi Ultra. If you are going to have an experience like professional cameras, this is a great choice. But if you are more interested in digital and touch use and do not deal with physical buttons, there is probably no need to buy it.

Display

The Xiaomi 15 Ultra display is no different from the previous generation. The handset still has a 4.7 -inch QHD OLED panel that supports adaptive refresh rates in the range of 1 to 2 Hz, has PWM exposure with a frequency of 1 Hz and DC Diming and can display up to 5 billion colors. HDR10+ and Dolby Vision are also supported in this display.

What has changed is the brightness of the display. In the tests performed, the brightness in the automatic mode reached 2 nits, with 2 nits more than 2 ultra. In manual mode, this amount was also normally with the activation of Sunlight Mode and 2 nits. These values ​​are at a level that, although it may seem average at first glance, is also excellent in the current standards.

The refresh rate of the display is commonly managed in Xiaomi phones. There are three modes in the settings: the default mode that operates fully automatic, the custom -made 1 Hz custom mode that adjusts the ceiling to 1 Hz and the custom -made mode of 4 Hz that holds the ceiling to 1 Hz. Regardless of the selective mode, the phone automatically adjusts the renovation rate depending on the need, which can change from 1 Hz to 5 Hz.

The Xiaomi 2 Ultra supports HDR10+ and Dolby Vision standards. HDR content on YouTube and Netflix has no problem, and these platforms have announced that both standards are supported on the device. Also, support for Widevine L1 ensures that DRM -protected videos can be watched at high resolution.

Battery

The Xiaomi -Ultra battery in its global version is a 1.5 mAh carbon silicon battery. This increase in capacity is noticeable compared to the previous model, which had a 1.5 mAh hour, although many of the important models of this year have even larger batteries. Of course, the Chinese version of the Ultra is available with a 1.5 mAh battery, which has increased compared to the capacity of the 4.3 mAh Chinese model.

The Xiaomi 2 Ultra is offered without a charger but supports fast charging up to 5 watts. This is available not only with Xiaomi adapters, but also with standard USB Power Delivery chargers, provided they provide power specifications correctly. This charger supports several PPS standards, so if you are planning to buy a third -party charger, you should consider these specifications. In the early stages of charging, the highest recorded power was about 2 watts, which decreased with increased charging percentage.

Using this 2 -watt charger, full charge was made from about 1 to 2 percent in about 5 minutes, while the battery marker displayed 2 % after 5 minutes. This speed is slower than last year’s model, but this is a trend seen in the new generation of phones. However, it is still faster than the Galaxy S25 Ultra, Pixel 4 Pro XL and the IPhone 6 Pro Max.

Sound

The Xiaomi Ultra uses a stereo speaker system that includes a lower unit and a front speaker combination and phone. There is no longer any lattice at the top of the phone, so there is no additional sound during the phone conversation.

The sound of the sound is similar to that of almost all high -end phones in recent times, though Xiaomi is a bit superior as a result. It also produces great sound that is better than the Find X8 Pro and the Vivo X200 Pro, and is likely to be better than the Galaxy S25 Ultra. The iPhone 6 Pro Max may be a little better.

Android 2 and Hyperos 2

The Xiaomi 4 Ultra works with Android 2, which is completed by the latest version of the Hyperos 2.0. Xiaomi has promised that the upcoming software update will reach the handset and the phone will be covered by security updates for 5 years.

Hyperos 2 has separate pages for notifications and control center and there is no option for a common interface between the two. Home pages support apps and widgets. The home screen -1 can only be Google Discover. The Xiaomi App Vault is no longer in this version of the operating system.

Then we have the capabilities of artificial intelligence that exist in Xiaomi -Ultra. You can ask Google Gemini to do different tasks and even make complete conversations. You can also ask it to create an image for you. The Circle to Search feature is also available globally.

Performance and benchmarks

The Xiaomi Ultra is in the top -top Android flagship this year. The handset uses the highest category of Qualcomm, unlike DieMS City in some Chinese competitors. The Snapdragon 2 Elite is a known chip that has been previously seen on the Galaxy S25 and a number of other recent flagship phones.

The handset is available in a variety of memory configurations in China, but it is likely that only two versions of the world will be sold with 2GB of RAM and 2 terabytes or 2GB of memory. The RAM is LPDDR5X and UFS 4.1 internal memory, similar to UFS 4.0 but with minor improvements. Xiaomi -Ultra has achieved predictable results in benchmarks. It is in the middle of the flagship phones and has no superb number compared to other phones.

Xiaomi -Ultra’s performance in long -term loading tests was not very significant. The handset failed to finish the 3DMark Wild Life Extreme stress test in Performance or in Balanced mode. In fact, in the 1 or 2 round of this test, the 2 -minute test was removed.

In the CPU Throttling performance test, the overall result was 2 %. The performance chart also had unusual behavior and initially a slight drop in performance was observed, but in the later stages, a sharp decline occurred with small and continuous fluctuations. Fore performance phones have been seen, but there are definitely weaker phones.

Camera

Xiaomi did a lot of right in the camera’s hardware section at the Ultra, and there were limited options for improved Ultra. One of these options was very clear. Those 4 -megapixel telephoto cameras we’ve seen earlier had to reach Xiaomi -based camera for this year.

The main camera is also more advanced than most phones, even if one of its prominent features, the variable aperture, has lost this time. Neither Vivo nor Oppo will sell the 5 -inch main sensor outside China this year, and the potential Huawei Pura 80 Ultra will usually be challenged without Google Collection on Android. Therefore, it seems that this Xiaomi is the best option for the main unit with a large sensor. Removing variable aperture in practice should not be a big problem.

The Xiaomi, the Ultra, takes great photos with his main camera a day. The excellent dynamic range and the automatic equilibrium of white are reliable, the colors are alive without crossing the extreme. The details are good and clear, naturally provided and no noise of shades or areas with uniform color.

At night, the Xiaomi -Ultra main camera shows professional results. The exposure is well done and the shadows and bumps are well developed, while high contrast is maintained. The automatic equilibrium of white is not affected by strange lighting and is still reliable and the color saturation is well judged.

The Xiaomi 4 Ultra can record up to 8K30 with all its back cameras. The 4K120 is available on the main camera and the 4.3X telephoto, while the ultravidide and the 3X telephoto reach up to 4K60, as the selfie camera has the same limit.

In the day, all cameras capture noise -free images with good detail. Contrast and colors have declined slightly from the previous generation, making the image look a bit more advanced in general, or this may be due to the time of the year and the recent weather. However, the quality is the same between all cameras. At night, the Ultra is doing well, but it still failed to surprise us. The quality of the main camera and the telephoto 4.3X is good, but the rest of the cameras are normal.

Competition

The Xiaomi -Ultra continues the path of previous Xiaomi Ultra models, providing advanced camera performance in a packaging that is quite capable in other sectors. This may seem a different suggestion, but there are actually many options that have the same capabilities.

Consider, for example, the Vivo X200 Pro. With a 2 -megapixel telephoto camera, it has a different approach to zooming out (a single -dimensional telephoto camera), but does almost the same thing and creates a small balance between distance and close -up capabilities. Xiaomi works better in the superb and zoom, but all the camera’s comparisons show small and small differences. The rest is almost equal, so it can depend on personal preference and regional availability.

The same is true of the Oppo Find X8 Pro, but it is different. Oppo has professional cameras that have small differences with Xiaomi, but Xiaomi is generally a little superior. And well, a few other minor differences you need to consider and decide.

There are more significant differences between Xiaomi Ultra and Galaxy Ultra. The Galaxy S25 has a capable camera, but is designed differently. Xiaomi wins in the camera section, but the Galaxy may be a better choice as an all -out device (which depends on your use of SP).

You can also compare with the Honor Magic 7 Pro. The model also has a shorter Xiaomi telephoto camera with a shorter lens and has an unusual approach to processing. If the Magic7 Pro is much cheaper where you live or the only option to access the 2 -megapixel camera, it can have its benefits.

The Xiaomi Ultra may not be amazing, but it is still one of the best camera -based phones, and when you start comparing it in different fields, it may eventually be introduced as the best choice without competitors in photography.