Xiaomi 15 Ultra Camera Review: The New King of 200MP Periscope Zoom.

Xiaomi isn’t a “budget brand” anymore, and the Xiaomi 15 Ultra is the final nail in that coffin. Launched in India at a staggering ₹1,09,999, this phone is designed for one type of person: someone who wants to carry a professional Leica camera in their pocket.

The real truth is, while the iPhone and Samsung are busy refining their titanium frames, Xiaomi has gone “beast mode” on optics. This year, they’ve introduced a monstrous 200MP periscope lens that literally sees what the human eye misses. But with a price tag that crosses the one-lakh mark, is it worth your hard-earned money? Don’t waste your money if you just want a phone for WhatsApp and Instagram; this is a professional creative tool. Let’s break down if it actually lives up to the “Ultra” title.

1. QUICK SPECS TABLE

2. DESIGN & BUILD (Deep Dive)

The Xiaomi 15 Ultra is a “hefty” boy. At 229 grams, you will feel it in your pocket. But that weight isn’t accidental—it’s the result of some of the most complex mobile engineering we’ve seen.

• Material Science: Xiaomi has used a new Aerospace-grade Glass Fiber for the Silver Chrome variant. It feels cooler to the touch than glass but more premium than plastic. The Black and White versions come in a refined Eco-Leather finish that provides a “camera-grip” feel.
• The “Camera Deco”: The massive circular camera module on the back is now more integrated into the frame using a 3D curved design. It’s no longer just a “bump”; it’s a design statement.
• Durability: It’s rated IP68, but Xiaomi also claims a new “Shield Glass 2.0” protection for the screen, which is supposedly 25% more resistant to drops on rough surfaces like Indian roads.

3. DISPLAY & VISUALS

This is easily one of the top three displays on the planet right now.

• The Brightness War: It hits a 3200 nits peak brightness. In plain English: you could be standing in the middle of a desert at noon, and you’d still be able to see your screen perfectly.
• Visual Fidelity: It’s a 12-bit panel capable of showing 68 billion colors. When you watch a Dolby Vision movie on this, the gradients in the sky or the shadows in a dark scene look incredibly lifelike.
• Eye Care: Xiaomi has added 1920Hz PWM dimming, which means even if you use your phone at 2 AM in a pitch-dark room, your eyes won’t feel that “stinging” sensation typical of cheaper OLEDs.

4. PERFORMANCE & GAMING

Powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite, the Xiaomi 15 Ultra is a benchmark monster.

• Real-World Multitasking: With 16GB of RAM, I kept 40 apps open, including heavy ones like Lightroom and 4K Video Editor, and not a single app “restarted.” It’s fluid, almost scary.
• The Thermal Secret: Xiaomi uses a 3D IceLoop cooling system. Unlike traditional vapor chambers, this uses a vapor-liquid separation design to keep the heat away from your hands.
• Gaming: In Genshin Impact at Max settings, the phone maintained a stable 60FPS for over two hours. The frame rate didn’t drop even when the phone got slightly warm (reaching around 43.5°C).

5. CAMERA: THE 200MP REVOLUTION

This is where you’re spending the big bucks. The Xiaomi 15 Ultra features a quad-camera setup tuned by Leica.

• The 200MP Periscope: This is the game-changer. Using a 1/1.4″ sensor (massive for a zoom lens), it captures unbelievable detail at 4.3x zoom. You can crop into a photo taken from 50 feet away and still read the text on a sign.
• The 1-Inch Main Sensor: The 50MP Sony LYT-900 sensor is currently the gold standard. It captures light in a way that makes night photos look like professional studio shots. No more “noisy” or “grainy” night sky photos.
• Video Mastery: You can record 4K at 120fps on the main camera AND the periscope lens. This is huge for slow-motion wildlife or sports shots.

6. BATTERY & ENDURANCE

Xiaomi has moved to a Silicon-Carbon battery (5410mAh), which stores more power in a smaller physical space.

• Battery Drain: In a heavy use day (5G on, lots of photography, some GPS), the phone lasted me 7.5 hours of Screen-On Time. For a WQHD+ display, that’s impressive.
• Charging Speed:
  • 0-50% in 21 minutes using the 90W HyperCharge.
  • 0-100% in 51 minutes.
• The Wireless Perk: It supports 80W Wireless Charging. If you buy the official Xiaomi wireless stand, it charges faster than most Samsung phones do with a wire!

7. THE COMPETITION

Xiaomi 15 Ultra vs Samsung S26 Ultra vs iPhone 17 Pro Max

Winner: For pure photography and value, the Xiaomi 15 Ultra wins by a mile. It gives you hardware that Apple and Samsung won’t match for another two years. However, if you need the S-Pen, Samsung is your only choice.

8. FINAL VERDICT

The Xiaomi 15 Ultra is the best “enthusiast” phone ever made. It’s a camera first, and a phone second.

Read More : Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra

Buy it if:

• You are a photographer or content creator who wants the best zoom and night shots.
• You are a power user who hates slow charging (Apple/Samsung speeds).
• You want the brightest, most color-accurate screen on the market.

Skip it if:

• You find heavy phones (229g) uncomfortable to use with one hand.
• You prefer a “Clean” Android experience (HyperOS is better now, but still has its quirks).
• You don’t care about “Leica color science” and just want a simple point-and-shoot.

Rating: 4.8/5 Stars

9. FAQs (People Also Ask)