First test: Xiaomi 15 Ultra with Leica camera at the MWC 2025

As it has done for several years now, Xiaomi is once again using the MWC 2025 as a major stage for a whole series of new products. The spearhead is the Xiaomi 15 Ultra, whose camera the Chinese manufacturer has once again developed together with the Hessian specialist Leica.

The design of the smartphone is very similar to its predecessor; Xiaomi has merely rounded off the edges and transitions slightly. The back is adorned with a leather-look plastic layer and a silver stripe, while the bold camera element protrudes from the back. Nevertheless, the Xiaomi 15 Ultra is well-balanced and not as top-heavy as you might expect from its appearance.

Inside is the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite, one of the most powerful smartphone processors, which can access 16 GB of RAM and 512 GB or 1 TB of storage. The 6.73-inch OLED display has a resolution of 3200 x 1440 pixels and achieves a pixel density of 522 dpi. In the control range, we measured a maximum brightness of a very strong 1920 cd/m², with over 3000 cd/m² possible in some scenarios. This makes the display of the Xiaomi 15 Ultra easy to read in all positions. Wifi 7, Bluetooth 5.4, dual SIM with nano and eSIM and a 5410 mAh battery are also included in the casing, which is IP68 protected against dust and water. The Xiaomi 15 Ultra charges at 90 watts with a cable and barely slower at 80 watts wirelessly with the proprietary charger.

There is room for four cameras in the circular camera element: the main camera with 50 megapixels and f/1.6 aperture – Xiaomi has removed the variable aperture in the predecessor –, a triple telephoto with 50 MP, a second, horizontally mounted telephoto with a magnification of 4.3x and 200 MP sensor for further digital zoom and an ultra-wide angle with 50 MP. The selfie camera takes pictures with up to 32 MP.

The Xiaomi 15 Ultra reveals clear gaps in the measured values of our usual benchmarks, and this is due to the firmware of the test devices. Xiaomi blocks internet access for the GFXBench and 3DMark apps and the tests cannot be run. Geekbench at least works and delivers the expected high results that the Snapdragon 8 Elite also achieves in other devices. It is all the more strange that Xiaomi does not release the benchmarks, as this is not a brand-new, secret chip whose performance is not yet known.

Xiaomi 15 Ultra camera test

During a photo tour in the run-up to the MWC in Barcelona, we subjected the camera of the Xiaomi 15 Ultra to an initial test. Taking photos with the smartphone is fun because the camera reacts quickly, catches the focus in a flash and delivers very respectable pictures shot from the hip. It is striking that switching from the natural Leica color mode to the vibrant mode ("Leica Vibrant") not only changes the color intensity, but also the general brightness of the images. The images taken in vibrant mode are generally brighter, which is not always conducive to the image effect. If in doubt, it is best to take two pictures if the situation allows, as the Leica mode cannot be changed afterwards.

At night, other smartphones sometimes do a better job than the Xiaomi 15 Ultra. Street lighting often creates an unnatural yellow cast in the images. The Xiaomi smartphone then captures scenes with different lighting elements very atmospherically. The Xiaomi does not have a dedicated astro mode like the Google Pixel, but it does have its own mode for photographing the moon.

The Xiaomi 15 Ultra reliably captures portrait shots, the recognition and separation of subject and background also works reliably with fine structures such as the fur hat of a street musician (in the picture gallery). The background blur is sometimes almost a little too pronounced, so that the images no longer look so natural when you look closely. For selfies, skin tones and details in the subject fit very well, the background should show a little more detail. But that's complaining on a high level, the first impression of the camera, which has yet to visit our test lab, is excellent.

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Xiaomi 15 Ultra im Hands-on (30 Bilder)

Xiaomi 15 Ultra Kameratest

The Xiaomi 15 Ultra is not cheap. With 16/512 GB of memory it costs 1499.90 euros, with 16 GB/1 TByte it is even 1699.90 euros. The photography kit with camera grip costs an additional 199.90 euros.

The compact Xiaomi 15 is a little slimmed down and visually more discreet. It has almost the same main camera as the Ultra, but with seven instead of eight lenses. The periscope telephoto lens does not fit in here, while the 50 MP telephoto lens has a slightly shorter focal length of 60 mm. The ultra-wide angle has the same key data as the Ultra, but a different sensor (JN1 instead of JN5). The Xiaomi 15 is also equipped with a Snapdragon 8 Elite, which has access to 12 GB of RAM. At 5240 mAh, the battery is hardly weaker than in the Ultra, but should provide better endurance due to the significantly smaller 6.36-inch display. The screen of the Xiaomi 15 is certified by TÜV Rheinland for Low Blue Light, Flicker-Free and Circadian Friendly. The Xiaomi 15 will also receive the latest security patches and four Android upgrades for six years.

The Xiaomi 15 with 12/256 GB storage costs 999.90 euros. If you prefer the version with 12/512 GB, you will have to pay an additional 100 euros.

New tablets, headphones and more

In addition to the two smartphones, Xiaomi is also presenting two new tablets, the Pad 7 and the Pad 7 Pro. Both have 11.2-inch screens with a resolution of 3200 x 2136 pixels and 8850 mAh batteries, while the Pro has slightly higher-resolution cameras. The processors come from Qualcomm, a Snapdragon 7+ Gen 3 in the Pad 7 and a Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 in the Pro. The tablets cost from 399.90 euros for the Pad 7 and 499.90 euros for the Pad 7 Pro. Xiaomi also offers the Pad 7 Pro with matte glass, which costs 649.90 euros with 12/512 GB of storage.

There are also two new in-ear headphones, the Xiaomi Buds 5 Pro and the Buds 5 Pro (Wifi), the second model also connects directly to the smartphone via Wi-Fi, which should ensure better sound quality. They cost 199.99 and 229.99 euros respectively. The Xiaomi Watch S4 (from 159.99 euros) and the Smart Band 9 Pro (from 79.90 euros) complete the wearable range. The Xiaomi Electric Scooter 5 Max rounds off the offer at a price of 599.99 euros.

(sht)