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Journalism of Courage
As mentioned on numerous occasions, I simply love compact smartphones. And, if they come feature-packed, there’s no one happier than yours truly. In my review of the Samsung Galaxy S25, I couldn’t help but rave about its slim and sleek design. The new Xiaomi 15 has captivated me in the same way, and I feel this is the year maybe the world will shine the spotlight on the compact form factor.
I have been using the Xiaomi 15 for the past few weeks. The newly launched device is priced at Rs 64,999, and I have been charmed. In this review, I will attempt to share my experience to help you make an informed decision. From design to cameras, to performance, let’s find out how the new Xiaomi 15 fares in the battle of compact premium Android smartphones.
When it comes to the design, the Xiaomi 15 has borrowed the aesthetics of the Xiaomi 14. It is indeed a comfortable form factor, weighing just under 200 g, which also makes it substantially lighter than most flagships in the market. Of course, I enjoyed the liberation accorded by the device’s single-handed usability without compromising on the features.
The Xiaomi 15 comes in green, black and white shades. The green is subtle, as if they breathed the word green onto silver. For the review, I got the black edition, which I found to be remarkably elegant. The curved aluminium edges are reminiscent of the new generation of iPhones. Along with the eye-pleasing curves, the Xiaomi 15 sports on the front and back a shield glass, which the company claims comes with superior shatter resistance. The device comes with a pre-installed screen protector, saving you time and worry.
The Xiaomi 15 features a 6.36-inch CrystalRes AMOLED panel, which I feel is the device’s standout feature. It offers an impressive 2670 x 1200 resolution with exceptional clarity. Although the device doesn’t match up to the Xiaomi 15 Ultra’s pixel density, it holds its ground. Moreover, the display features a variable 1-120Hz refresh rate, something that you would love if you are an avid gamer. The variable refresh rate offers smooth animations and battery efficiency. The peak brightness of the device is at 3200 nits, ensuring excellent outdoor visibility, even on a scorching day in April in New Delhi.
There is HDR10, HDR10+, and Dolby Vision compatibility along with DCI-P3 colour gamut coverage and 68 billion colour depth. This makes viewing content a feast for the eyes. It is indeed a marvellous smartphone for content creators and media consumers. The Xiaomi 15 comes with a wet touch, making the screen fully functional even when wet. This is a great feature if you, like me, have the habit of listening to music or podcasts in the shower.
I have never doubted Xiaomi’s camera prowess. In recent years, with its celebrated partnership with German camera brand Leica, Xiaomi’s camera modules are more than assuring. The Xiaomi 15 features a Leica-branded quad camera setup – Xiaomi’s custom 50MP Light Fusion 900 sensor, a 50MP floating telephoto lens, a 50MP ultra-wide camera, and a 32MP in-display selfie camera.
During my use, I found the low-light performance of the main sensor to be impressive. There was minimal noise and authentic colour reproduction even in conditions with poor lighting. The device offers two Leica-tuned image processing modes –Authentic for more natural and moody aesthetics and Vibrant, which is the default, for bright and popping colours. The phone has amazing HDR processing, as it has a realistic approach to scenes with high contrast. Anyone who loves a dramatic and cinematic aura to their images would truly enjoy this. Below are some unedited photo samples clicked on the Xiaomi 15:
On the other hand, the telephoto works well for portraits and moderate zoom scenarios. The ultra-wide delivers consistency in colour and detail when compared to some of the flagships in the segment. The Xiaomi 15 comes with 8K recording at 30fps and 4K at 60fps, which offers more balanced quality footage. Besides, the Master Cinema mode allows 10-bit recording for enhanced dynamic range, although it is limited to the main camera at 30fps.
The phone is packed with Xiaomi’s HyperOS2, which allows room for a host of customisation and comprehensive gaming modes. Some of the most notable features are dynamic lock screens, advanced theming, and AI writing assistance. The AI capabilities on the device are very similar to those found on competing smartphones.
Some of the practical features include real-time transcriptions and translation, AI subtitles for any audio, AI writing assistance, speech recognition, AI interpreter, etc. Xiaomi 15 also supports Google’s Circle to Search functionality and Gemini integration. The device is secured by an ultrasonic in-screen fingerprint sensor using 3D mapping technology, which works well even with moist fingers. There is an AI-enhanced face unlock, which works instantly.
The Xiaomi 15 is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite, built on a 3nm process—offering flagship-level speed, efficient battery life, and support for advanced AI and camera features. As of 2025, it is Qualcomm’s most powerful mobile chipset, promising faster CPU and GPU performance for smoother multitasking, an enhanced gaming experience, quicker app switching, and more.
Surprisingly, no! The battery life is impressive. The Xiaomi 15 is powered by a 5,240 mAh Xiaomi Surge battery, and it lasts comfortably a whole day even with heavy action, including extensive photography, considerable screen time and even streaming movies and shows. This battery capacity is much higher than that of the Galaxy S25 and Pixel 9 Pro XL. The smartphone is shipped with a 90W HyperCharge wired charging and a 50W wireless charger. The power management is efficient, as barely 10 minutes of charge could give you substantial hours of usage. It needs to be noted that the wireless charger is sold separately.
The Xiaomi 15 is a genuinely compact flagship with minimal compromises. At Rs 64,999, it offers a premium build, exceptional display and battery life, competitive performance that rivals popular flagships, and outstanding photography capabilities. Moreover, it feels great in hand and pocket. The device gets a four-year major OS update and a six-year security update promise. For anyone looking for a small phone enriched with features on par with flagship devices, the Xiaomi 15 is a compelling choice.
