Xiaomi 15 continues the compact-flagship tradition Xiaomi has been pushing for the last few years. At first glance, it feels like an incremental evolution of the Xiaomi 14: same philosophy, same compact form, still loaded with Leica cameras, and powered by a top-tier chipset. But after extended use, this phone proves that Xiaomi did not just iterate, it refined the formula until it felt right. Xiaomi 15 is not simply powerful. It is complete.
It is still a compact device, but nothing about it feels “cut down” or compromised. Storage options finally make sense, performance is brutal, camera tuning feels mature, battery technology has caught up with the compact body, and the overall execution feels far more thought-through compared to its predecessor. This is a small flagship that behaves like a big one.
Design and Build
Visually, Xiaomi 15 stays familiar, but with more cohesive refinement. The matte finish now extends from the back glass to the frame, replacing the glossy metal frame of Xiaomi 14. It looks cleaner and more premium. The camera island still carries Leica branding, now with a tidier flash layout and better condensation resistance. Xiaomi addressed the lens fogging issue that appeared on the Xiaomi 14; here it is significantly harder to trigger and dissipates much faster.
The frame houses the essentials: dual speakers, USB-C 3.2, dual SIM support, WiFi 7, eSIM capability, IP water resistance, excellent haptics, and up to 50W wireless charging. Everything expected from a flagship is here.
Display
Xiaomi 15 is compact, but its display is unquestionably flagship tier. The 6.36-inch LTPO OLED panel dynamically shifts between 1Hz and 120Hz depending on content, balancing smoothness and efficiency. Brightness is outstanding and outdoor visibility is excellent.
This year Xiaomi also shifts to its in-house protective glass, Xiaomi Shield Glass (Dragon Crystal Glass), which it claims is significantly stronger than Gorilla Glass Victus. Marketing aside, it feels sturdy, sharp, and premium.
Performance
Inside, Xiaomi 15 is a monster. Powered by Snapdragon 8 Elite with LPDDR5X RAM and UFS 4.0 storage, it is blisteringly fast. Benchmark scores are top tier, but numbers matter less than experience: animations are instant, apps never slow down, and gaming is phenomenal.
Mobile Legends pushes 120fps comfortably. PUBG runs smoothly. Genshin Impact averages near 60fps with only minor dips in intense battle scenes, still among the best compact gaming experiences available. More impressive is thermal behavior. While midrange devices with powerful chips often overheat, Xiaomi 15 holds stability around 42°C under heavy gaming loads. In a compact body, that is excellent engineering.
Battery and Charging
This may be the most surprising part. Compact phones historically meant small batteries. Not here. Xiaomi 15 packs a massive 5200mAh silicon-carbon battery — larger than many big flagships. Endurance is impressive: streaming music barely drains it, and gaming consumption is very efficient.
Charging is equally strong. With Xiaomi’s 90W charger, 15 minutes delivers roughly 45%, and a full charge completes in under an hour. Wireless charging remains available and fast as well.
Camera Performance
This phone does not just have Leica branding as a marketing line; Xiaomi and Leica’s tuning partnership remains one of the strongest in mobile photography. Xiaomi 15 carries a triple 50MP setup across main, ultrawide, and telephoto lenses, and all of them benefit from Leica color science.
The results are unmistakably Leica-Xiaomi: deep contrast, strong yet realistic tones, cinematic shadows, and natural detail without artificial sharpening. Images feel premium, intentional, and stylistically confident. The only drawback is slightly softer ultrawide color consistency compared to the main lens — noticeable only when you pixel-peep.
Video performance is premium as well. The selfie camera supports 4K 60fps, stabilization is solid, exposure control behaves intelligently, and audio capture is clear.
Software
Xiaomi 15 launches with HyperOS 2 and a promised update policy of 4 years OS updates and 6 years security updates. That is competitive and meaningful, especially as AI-assisted features continue to evolve. However, Xiaomi still carries its long-standing flaw: ads in some native apps and system menus. On a premium flagship, that feels out of place. It does not ruin the experience, but it definitely undermines the luxury positioning.
Conclusion
Xiaomi 15 is one of the most satisfying compact flagships available right now. It delivers maximum flagship performance in a small body, keeps temperatures controlled, dramatically improves battery capacity, charges ridiculously fast, and brings Leica-level photography that feels refined rather than experimental. The design is elegant, the hardware is premium, and the software support promise is strong.
Expected pricing referenced in the transcript aims around the previous generation level of roughly $710, which converts to approximately $780 USD depending on region and tax structure. If Xiaomi maintains aggressive pricing like before, Xiaomi 15 becomes one of the best compact-flagship deals available.
The only meaningful downside remains Xiaomi’s insistence on pushing ads in certain parts of its UI. If that does not bother you, Xiaomi 15 is almost flawless for its category.
Value Score: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐✩✩ (8/10 — extremely strong value for a true compact flagship)