I tested the Xiaomi 15 ultra in Barcelona – it can replace my $ 3,500 Sony camera

ZDnet’s most important take -away restaurants

• The new Xiaomi 15 Ultra sees improvements in almost all right places, with a 200Mp periscope lens and a more sustainable design.
• The camera configuration is still one of the most competing on the market.
• If you are in the US, you have to pay to play, with conversions of almost $ 1,555.

The moment I have the Xiaomi 15 UltraI knew I was in trouble. Although the flagship was launched in China only a few days ago, the worldwide debut today at Mobile World Congress (MWC) should increase some flags at its Android competitors – and perhaps also Apple.

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I have now tested the phone for a little less than a month, after I have alternated my Sim from the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra, and as every day passes, it is harder for me to switch back. I partly thank T-Mobile, such as most international telephones such as the Xiaomi support just Enough mobile bands based on mobile bands for calling, messages and browsing on LTE work here in the US.

Other reasons vary from the new 200MP Periscope camera (that is more than just a marketing gimmick) to the industrial design and surprising software experience. In other words, the Xiaomi 15 Ultra is perhaps the best all -rounder phone I have tested so far. But even then the reasons to upgrade it are just as clear as those to look somewhere else. Here is the breakdown.

With the 15 Ultra you don’t have to look far to understand how Xiaomi wants to sell you on it. The absolute island of a camerabult requires attention, whether you feel directly to tail or weight when you hold the phone.

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But let it not distract from the rest of the hardware, of which Xiaomi says it has become much more durable than last year’s model, from the Shield Glass 2.0 for a better drop protection to the high-quality Gorilla glass 7i-layeredness that protects the rear cameras. The subtle grooves on the on / off button are a nice touch.

The Xiaomi 15 Ultra is also heavier than its predecessor-a rather surprising turn, taking into account recent trends to slim-down devices-probably because of the updated camera papelel and a larger battery capacity. On 226 grams, the Xiaomi 15 Ultra is still lighter than the iPhone 16 Pro Max but noticeably heavier than the Galaxy S25 Ultra (218g). Even then the curved dimensions make the phone much more manageable than the Boxier Ethetics of Samsung.

This year’s model, Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Chip, which, in combination with 16 GB RAM and a rather well-opted Hyperos skin over Android, delivers a spicy, near-foolless software experience. I still knock on Xiaomi for the excessive bloatware, including pre -loaded apps such as WPS Office and Aliexpress. But otherwise, the device stutters or almost never drops frames, even when I use it after performing benchmarks. It is optimized in this way.

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For charging, look at 90W Wired and 80W wireless reviews, which are not recorded on a global scale, but in essence twice as fast as the best phones in the US (without plus). You need the right loading stone to reach faster loading speeds, but the efficiency is worth it. It is just a shame that Xiaomi has reduced its battery to a capacity of 5,400 mAh when the China version of the 15 Ultra has a size of 6000 mAh.

Now, for the elephant in the room: WiFi 7 connectivity. I’m joking. The Xiaomi 15 Ultra’s quad camera setup is one of the most competent I have tested, and I say “one of” because the domestic rivals, such as the VIVO X200 Pro, are just as good.

Although Xiaomi has kept the majority of camera hardware the same this year, including the Leica Partner and Merkoptiek, the subtle but meaningful upgrades has been made across the board. The most important 50MP lens still catches subjects with a level of dynamic range and depth that can only reach a sensor of one inch, and I am a big fan of the ultra rough image, which retains details for when I edit in Lightroom, but the new 200Mp periscope lens has become my standard collection tool.

It is a large specification of last year’s 50MP sensor, and help the added pixels when you record photos in environments with little light or want to participate after the fact. Just know that the optical hem has been shortened to 4.4x of 5x, which takes some getting used to when you come from an iPhone or Samsung with 5x.

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I tested the 200MP camera on portraits, landscape photo $ 3,500 Sony A7S III. Although the phone can take a few extra seconds to fully display and process images, which means that you do not see the last recording immediately after you have captured it, the results have exactly the right amount of natural color, sharpness and contrast with my taste.

That is, the Xiaomi 15 Ultra is a telephone that would be logical to have a special camera/shutter button. Placing an under the on / off button would also encourage users to stabilize the phone (and best-heavy camera culture) with their index finger, possibly resulting in a more comfortable and more reliable recording.

ZDnet’s buying advice

As is the case with all global telephone variants (read: those who are not officially sold in the US), you must export Xiaomi 15 Ultra To use one. It currently sells for EUR 1499, which roughly converts to $ 1,555 USD. That does not count the approaching upcharges due to recent American rates. So if you want one of the best phones on the market, you have to pay to play.

Fortunately, the Xiaomi 15 Ultra is one of the easier telephones for me to recommend users and technical enthusiasts, thanks to the capable camera system and the attack of specifications. At the moment I can even continue the phone week with only the phone to take product photos and videos instead of my Bulkier Sony camera.