Maroc - THECEKODOK.COM - A La Une - 25/Mar 21:38

Xiaomi 15 Ultra Review – An Awesome Leica Device

A few years ago after Xiaomi partnered with Leica, I wrote an article with this prediction that this Chinese company would definitely become a powerhouse in the smartphone arena. This is based on what happened to Huawei after the Huawei P10 with Leica lenses was launched. Xiaomi’s weakness so far has been that its photography capabilities are not as good as Apple, Samsung, Huawei and Google. This year with the Xiaomi 15 Ultra, they have managed to offer a device that is almost at the level of perfection.SpecificationsXiaomi 15 Ultra6.73″ AMOLED screen, LTPOQHD+, 120Hz, Dolby VisionQualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite processor (3nm)2x Oryon V2 Phoenix L 4.32 GHz chips6 x Oryon V2 Phoenix M 3.53 GHzAdreno 830 GPURAM 16GB LPDDR5x12GB virtual MemoryStorage 512/1000 GB UFS 4.1Primary Camera 50MP f/1.6, OIS (Wide Angle)50MP f/2.2 (Ultra Wide Angle)50MP f/1.8, OIS (3X Telephoto)200MP f/2.6, OIS (Telephoto 4.3X)Leica lensesFront Camera 32 MP f/2.05410 mAh battery90W wired chargingWireless charging 80WReverse 10WDual SIM/Telephony/5GNFC YesAudio Jack NoWaterproof IP68Ultrasonic Under-Screen Fingerprint Scanning SystemFace ScanningPrice RM 5199 (16/256GB)RM 5699 (16/512GB)ScreenThe screen is a 6.73″ AMOLED LTPO that supports a 120Hz refresh rate in LTPO and has a maximum brightness of 3200 nits. This is the same technology as on the Xiaomi 15. The only difference is that the 15 Ultra screen still has a slight curve on the sides but does not cause the content to overflow.The screen is very responsive, offers beautiful colors and can be used without issues under bright light. It can also display HDR10+ and Dolby Vision content from streaming applications such as Netflix, Prime Video, Max and Disney+ Hotstar without any issues.All scrolling is also detected well. The haptic system used also provides realistic vibrations according to the menu being accessed in the application. The haptics on the 15 Ultra are comparable to what I felt on an iPhone 16 Pro Max and Oppo Find X8 Pro.BiometricsAn ultrasonic fingerprint scanner is also retained under the screen with a strategic position to facilitate the process of unlocking the device. The use of ultrasonic sensors allows the Xiaomi 15 Ultra to be unlocked even with wet or dirty fingers quite quickly. Face scanning can be used as long as it is not in very dark conditions. There is still no 3D face scanning system included by Xiaomi. Perhaps the technology is still immature and so far only Huawei offers it for devices other than Apple products.DesignThe design is not much different from the Xiaomi 15 Ultra because the sides are flat with only the corners rounded. Xiaomi has also started to follow the steps of Apple and Samsung who no longer iterate on designs every year. Luck is on Xiaomi's side because this is only the first time the design has been recycled unlike Samsung and Apple who have done it 3-4 times. Therefore, I do not want to criticize too much what Xiaomi has done this year.The power button and audio rocker are placed on the right side with both buttons made of metal which makes the process of pressing them feel quite comfortable. The audio grille, USB-C charging port, SIM tray are placed on the bottom. The infrared emitter is still placed on the top. This is different from the Xiaomi 15 which placed it on the camera bump. Personally, I prefer the location of the Xiaomi 15 because the device can be held vertically while being used as a remote control.The bump on the back is also still the same with its relatively large size. The only difference can be seen in the camera arrangement and the position of the Leica logo. This new configuration is because this year a 200MP sensor is used on one of the telephoto lenses. The large size of the bump means that the device cannot be placed flat on a table.Although the large bump this time the device no longer feels like a “head-heavy” making it feel unbalanced. Comments from 14 Ultra users have been heard by Xiaomi and the device now feels good in the hand.I also like the smooth texture used on the back because it is significantly more durable than the vegan leather used last year. My personal experience has found that the majority of devices with vegan leather panels will start to peel and peel off unsightly after a year. This is an issue that existed with the LG G4 a decade ago and continues to this day. There is a 15 Ultra model with a dual-tone leather panel. If you want to buy it, be smart about looking for a frame to avoid damage.The body of the device also passes the IP68 dust and water resistance standards which is sufficient for modern devices. As a device, the 15 Ultra offers a complete package with a premium finish that is comparable to other premium devices in the Malaysian market.Usage and SoftwareThe HyperOS 2.0.7.0 operating system I use is based on Android 15 but with Xiaomi's taste. It doesn't try to follow the Pixel design which makes it easier to use for hardcore Xiaomi fans. The move Xiaomi took was smarter because I complained when OneUI 7 on the Galaxy S25 changed too much of the interface to the point of making it a Pixel and no longer a Galaxy.The interface works smoothly even though HyperOS 2 crams in various new features. Among the highlights is the lock screen that can use personal videos complete with 3D effects. It also allows Xiaomi 15 content to be accessed using a macOS computer.This year Chinese manufacturers are racing to integrate the Apple ecosystem into their devices. Pictures from Xiaomi 15 can be transferred to a macOS without any issues. At the time of writing I have not yet been able to use this feature because the software has not been given to international users.There is Circle to Search support from day one after the Pixel and Samsung exclusivity period is over. I still believe Circle to Search is the most useful feature of Android phones after Gemini because it facilitates various search features for goods and content. Gemini can be invoked directly using the power button. Xiaomi is giving away a free 6-month Gemini Pro subscription with every Xiaomi 15 purchase.There are several AI features included such as real-time translation, image editing, image enlargement, document summarization, transcription of recorded audio, and automatic subtitle generation for videos.I won't go into detail about these AI features as they are all the same as those currently offered on the majority of flagship Android devices, just with different "flavors" from each manufacturer.BenchmarksI used four benchmarking apps to see how the Snapdragon 8 Elite used by the Xiaomi 15 Ultra performed. The scores were then compared to phones with chips such as the list below. It should be noted that Xiaomi still prevents me from benchmarking using 3DMark, so no scores are included. Here is a list of competing devices and chips.Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy – Samsung Galaxy S25 UltraDimensity 9400 – Oppo Find X8 ProApple A18 Pro – Apple iPhone 16 Pro MaxApple A17 Pro – Apple iPhone 15 Pro MaxTensor G4 – Google Pixel 9 Pro XLAnTuTu 3DChip ScoreSnapdragon 8 Elite 2,341,598Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy 1,946,864Dimensity 9400 2,629,017Apple A18 Pro 1,720,751Apple A17 Pro 1,542,050Tensor G4 1,016,712Geekbench 6Single Core Multi Core ChipSnapdragon 8 Elite 2918 8917Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy 2957 9435Dimensity 9400 2663 8959Apple A18 Pro 3359 8129Apple A17 pro 2793 6925Tensor G4 1916 4644Geekbench AIChip Single Accuracy Score Half Accuracy Score Quantized ScoreSnapdragon 8 Elite 2514 2478 3637Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy 2727 2703 4580Dimensity 9400 1728 1740 2147Apple A18 Pro 3975 7744 6204Apple A17 Pro 3705 6515 5696Tensor G4 2058 2017 31293DMark Wildlife ExtremeChip ScoreSnapdragon 8 Elite Can'tSnapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy 6135Dimensity 9400 6251Apple A18 Pro 4560Apple A17 Pro 3746Tensor G4 2567The scores recorded are not disappointing as they are not far behind the 8 Elite for Galaxy and A18 Pro. The scores are only an indication of performance for synthetic tests. In real-world use, the 15 Ultra operates very smoothly. This is aided by the use of 16GB LPDDR5X RAM and the very fast UFS 4.1 storage. The process of installing and launching applications is a snap. The large amount of RAM ensures that I do not experience issues with applications closing in the background. There is an option to add up to 12GB of virtual RAM if necessary.Performance running common applications is as expected with no issues at all. Download as many applications as possible as there is a storage option of 512GB or 1TB. The main game can be run at settings up to Ultra. COD Warzone, COD Mobile, PUBG Mobile, Genshin and Mobile Legends Bang Bang can all be played for long periods of time without overheating issues. Snapdragon 8 Elite with 3nm technology operates at a lower temperature than Snapdragon 8 Gen 3. There is nothing negative I can write about the performance of the 15 Ultra.CameraThe main camera consists of a 50MP f/1.6 wide-angle lens (OIS) with a 1″ sensor, a 50MP f/2.2 ultra-wide-angle, a 3X 50MP f/1.8 telephoto (OIS) and a 4.3X 50MP f/2.6 telephoto (OIS) This is matched with a 32MP f/2.0 front camera. This distinguishes the 15 Ultra from other flagship devices in the market that are no longer offered with a 1″ sensor for the wide-angle lens. The Leica lens is matched to the sensor and the software is on the camera app.This year the photos taken no longer look too dark and now have a more diverse Leica filter. There are several built-in filters such as Leica Vibrant, Leica Authentic, Leica BW and Leica BW High Contrast each with its own color profile.Personally, I prefer to use the Leica Vibrant profile which enhances the color clarity. Leica Authentic looks darker which looks like it was taken using film. In all situations the photos that this camera system can take are very satisfactory. I give praise to the color reproduction and the night mode which still looks bright assisted by the HDR system which ensures that all objects can be seen well.The wide-angle lens captures photos with the best sharpness I have ever seen on a smartphone. Below is a photo inside the Barcelona Cathedral and the bricks on the walls can be clearly seen. The conditions inside the cathedral are actually quite dark but the 15 Ultra can capture photos that look clear and bright. For street photography, facial expressions are captured accurately and the fast sensor can patch the image without appearing blurry. The flag in the hand can be captured clearly even though it is fluttering quickly in the wind.Previously, I crowned the phone with the best black and white mode as the Huawei Mate 20 Pro. This year I can hand over its throne to the Xiaomi 15 Ultra after it was briefly held by the Xiaomi 15. The photos taken look very cinematic. Black and white photography fans will definitely love the 15 Ultra camera.Xiaomi Legend Edition Photography KitWith the Xaomi 15 Ultra, the Legend Edition Photography Kit was launched once again by making it easier to use this phone as a digital camera. Like last year, this kit consists of a frame with a vegan leather finish, three lenses, two camera button covers, a thumb cover and a camera holder equipped with a 2000 mAh battery.The holder has buttons to zoom and take pictures. The thumb cover provided solves the issue of fingers frequently touching the screen which causes the camera button to not be pressed. Overall, this kit succeeds in making the 15 Ultra a digital camera as advertised and extends the life of the device with a built-in battery.AudioThere are stereo speakers with loud audio but a little unbalanced due to the speaker configuration where only one shoots forward. But the 15 Ultra supports the Qualcomm XPAN feature which allows the Xiaomi Buds 5 Pro WiFi to be used. The technology supports tethering to devices using Bluetooth and audio streaming using WiFi. The Buds 5 Pro can stream audio from the 15 Ultra as long as there is a WiFi network. This solves the TWS bluetooth issue which usually disconnects after leaving the 10 meter range. Theoretically all devices with the 8 Elite have XPAN support but so far only the 15 Ultra has activated it.BatteryThe 5410 mAh battery of the silicon carbide (SiC) type can be recharged using a 90W charger. The battery size provided is large for a flagship device and therefore there is no problem with the 15 Ultra lasting all day. Consistently SOT between 9-10 hours can be achieved with moderate use.The recharging process takes only 50 minutes using the 90W charger that comes with every purchase. 80W wireless charging is also supported along with 10W reverse. One issue I noticed is that battery life will be affected in cold weather, battery performance will be affected. This happened while using the 15 Ultra in Barcelona the other day. In Malaysia this issue is not there. Just remember if you go abroad during the winter the battery life will not be as good as in the country.In the BoxHere's what you get in the box with your purchase.1x Xiaomi 15 Ultra1x Transparent case1x USB-A to USB-C charging cable.1x 90W charging head1x Manual.1x SIM pin.ConclusionThe smartphone with the most amazing camera system so far in my opinion is the Xiaomi 15 Ultra. The use of a 1″ sensor on a wide-angle lens shows the difference with other devices with smaller sensor sizes. The detail and sharpness of the pictures taken regardless of the situation is quite amazing. The gimmick is not just the camera because the beautiful screen with Dolby Vision, chip performance, large amount of memory, fast storage and long-lasting battery make the 15 Ultra a near-perfect package.The only drawback at this time is that it only receives 4 versions of Android and 6 years of security patches compared to other manufacturers who have started supporting 7+7 years as standard. However, with a starting price of RM5199, this can be forgiven because it is offered at a very competitive price.ProsThe body design is now balanced.The screen supports Dolby Vision in major streaming applications.The Snapdragon 8 Elite is powerful for basic and advanced applications.Very good camera performance with Leica lenses.IP68 waterproof and dustproofBattery life is very good and charging is also fast.ConsOnly received 4 OS versions and 6 years of security patches.The screen is still slightly curved on the sides."Experience ultimate innovation with the Xiaomi 15 Ultra – stunning camera quality, ultra-fast performance, and a sleek design that redefines premium smartphones. Don’t miss out on this flagship powerhouse – get yours today! 🔥📱✨"