Xiaomi 15 (Pro) Gains a PC-Grade Processor and a Massive Battery
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We already know that the Xiaomi 15 is coming, but the company finally officially announced the flagship smartphone series on Tuesday in China. The two models, the non-Pro and Pro, run on HyperOS 2.0 and are powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite SoC, which adds a little surprise. Xiaomi has yet to confirm when it will launch the Xiaomi 15 duo in international markets and for how much.
The Xiaomi 15 is now more durable and gains more juice
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Starting with the Xiaomi 15, this year’s flagship base model is nearly identical to the Xiaomi 14 (review) in many aspects. It features a slightly brighter micro-curved 6.36-inch LTPO OLED display with a 120 Hz refresh rate, but now uses a Dragon Crystal glass. The Chinese brand said this is 10 times more durable than the Gorilla Glass Victus. Integrated into the panel is a new ultrasonic fingerprint scanner.
Plus, it has a strengthened aluminum frame and IP68 dust and water resistance. The standard paint jobs for the device are offered in green, black, purple, and white. If you want it to look more chic, there are special finishes, including a leather-clad diamond edition and a two-tone custom edition.
The camera modules at the back and front of the Xiaomi 15 remain relatively unchanged. It is headlined by a 50 MP 1/1.31” sensor and backed by a 50 MP 3x telephoto with a slightly adjusted 60 mm focal length and a 50 MP ultrawide shooter. A minor upgrade is how the main camera can now capture 8K video at 30 fps, up from 24 fps. The front-facing is a familiar 32 MP snapper.
Meaningful changes are found under the hood, including a larger 5,400 mAh rated battery capacity, a notable jump from Xiaomi 14’s 4,610 mAh cell. The company utilizes the Silicon-Carbon tech to squeeze in more cells without adding sizeable heft. You also don’t need to worry about charging the bigger battery, as it supports 90-watt wired charging, 50-watt wireless, and 10-watt reverse wireless charging.
The latest Qualcomm Snapdragon chipset is paired with configurable memory of up to 16 GB RAM and 1 TB UFS 4.0 storage, with the base having a 12/256 GB setup.
The Xiaomi 15 Pro gets more zoom
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The Xiaomi 15 Pro has a bigger footprint than the non-Pro sibling to accommodate the wider 6.73-inch LTPO AMOLED display. Additionally, it has a newer Dragon Crystal 2.0 glass, though similarly certified with an IP68 rating. It also brings a larger battery than its predecessor, measuring 6,100 mAh, while charging specfications from the smaller counterpart were retained.
Another reason you would go for the Pro is the farther zoom level on the rear 50 MP telephoto camera, which maxes at 5x optically. The rest of the cameras are the same with a 50 MP primary, 50 MP ultrawide, and 32 MP selfie shooters.
When can you buy the Xiaomi 15 (Pro)?
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Xiaomi opened pre-orders for the Xiaomi 15 series while actual sales will kick off on October 31. The standard model in its base configuration is priced at CNY 4,499 (~$630/€582) and the Xiaomi 15 Pro costs CNY 5,299 ($742/€686).
There’s no word yet on when the Xiaomi 15 will make it globally. As a reference, the Xiaomi 14 was launched in February this year. It’s also unclear if the Xiaomi 15 Pro will be released alongside it. Once available, those in the States might have to import or buy the Xiaomi 15 via grey markets.
Are you looking to snag the Xiaomi 15 or 15 Pro once it arrives? Tell us your plans.
