Xiaomi 15 Ultra vs. iPhone 16 Pro Max: A Deep Dive into Flagship Power
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For the power user demanding the fastest charging and potentially peak performance, the Xiaomi 15 Ultra is the winner. Its 90W wired and 80W wireless charging are unmatched. However, the iPhone 16 Pro Max offers a more polished experience with a brighter display and potentially superior sustained performance due to Apple’s chip design.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Xiaomi 15 Ultra | Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 |
| 4G bands | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 32, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 48, 66, 71 - International | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 30, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 48, 53, 66 - A3296 |
| 5G bands | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 26, 28, 38, 40, 41, 48, 66, 71, 75, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA - International | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 26, 28, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 53, 66, 70, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA/Sub6 - A3296 |
| Speed | HSPA, LTE, 5G | HSPA, LTE, 5G, EV-DO Rev.A 3.1 Mbps |
| Technology | GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2025, February 27 | 2024, September 09 |
| Status | Available. Released 2025, February 27 | Available. Released 2024, September 20 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front, fiber-reinforced plastic back or silicone polymer back (eco leather), aluminum frame | Glass front (Ceramic Shield), glass back, titanium frame (grade 5) |
| Dimensions | 161.3 x 75.3 x 9.4 mm (6.35 x 2.96 x 0.37 in) | 163 x 77.6 x 8.3 mm (6.42 x 3.06 x 0.33 in) |
| SIM | · Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM + eSIM + eSIM (max 2 at a time) | · Nano-SIM + eSIM + eSIM (max 2 at a time; International)· eSIM + eSIM (8 or more, max 2 at a time; USA)· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM (China) |
| Weight | 226 g or 229 g (7.97 oz) | 227 g (8.01 oz) |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Xiaomi Shield Glass 2.0, Mohs level 6 | Ceramic Shield glass (2024 gen), Mohs level 4 |
| Resolution | 1440 x 3200 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~522 ppi density) | 1320 x 2868 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~460 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.73 inches, 108.9 cm2 (~89.7% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.9 inches, 115.6 cm2 (~91.4% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | LTPO AMOLED, 68B colors, 120Hz, 1920Hz PWM, Dolby Vision, HDR10+, HDR Vivid, 3200 nits (peak) | LTPO Super Retina XDR OLED, 120Hz, HDR10, Dolby Vision, 1000 nits (typ), 2000 nits (HBM) |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (2x4.32 GHz Oryon V2 Phoenix L + 6x3.53 GHz Oryon V2 Phoenix M) | Hexa-core (2x4.05 GHz + 4x2.42 GHz) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM8750-AB Snapdragon 8 Elite (3 nm) | Apple A18 Pro (3 nm) |
| GPU | Adreno 830 | Apple GPU (6-core graphics) |
| OS | Android 15, up to 4 major Android upgrades, HyperOS 2 | iOS 18, upgradable to iOS 26.1 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 16GB RAM, 1TB 16GB RAM | 256GB 8GB RAM, 512GB 8GB RAM, 1TB 8GB RAM |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | Laser AF, color spectrum sensor, Leica lenses, Dual-LED flash, HDR, panorama, 67mm filter ring holder (optional) | Dual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR (photo/panorama) |
| Quad | 50 MP, f/1.6, 23mm (wide), 1.0"-type, 1.6µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 50 MP, f/1.8, 70mm (telephoto), 1/2.51", 0.7µm, dual pixel PDAF (10cm - ∞), OIS, 3x optical zoom 200 MP, f/2.6, 100mm (periscope telephoto), 1/1.4", 0.56µm, multi-directional PDAF, OIS, 4.3x optical zoom 50 MP, f/2.2, 14mm, 115˚ (ultrawide), 1/2.76", 0.64µm, dual pixel PDAF TOF 3D, (depth) | - |
| Triple | - | 48 MP, f/1.8, 24mm (wide), 1/1.28", 1.22µm, dual pixel PDAF, sensor-shift OIS 12 MP, f/2.8, 120mm (periscope telephoto), 1/3.06", 1.12µm, dual pixel PDAF, 3D sensor‑shift OIS, 5x optical zoom 48 MP, f/2.2, 13mm (ultrawide), 1/2.55", 0.7µm, PDAF TOF 3D LiDAR scanner (depth) |
| Video | 8K@30fps, 4K@30/60/120fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240/480/960/1920fps, gyro-EIS, Dolby Vision HDR 10-bit rec. (4K@60fps, 1080p) | 4K@24/25/30/60/100/120fps, 1080p@25/30/60/120/240fps, 10-bit HDR, Dolby Vision HDR (up to 60fps), ProRes, 3D (spatial) video/audio, stereo sound rec. |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR, panorama | HDR, Dolby Vision HDR, 3D (spatial) audio, stereo sound rec. |
| Single | 32 MP, f/2.0, 21mm (wide), 1/3.14", 0.7µm | 12 MP, f/1.9, 23mm (wide), 1/3.6", 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS SL 3D, (depth/biometrics sensor) |
| Video | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps, gyro-EIS | 4K@24/25/30/60fps, 1080p@25/30/60/120fps, gyro-EIS |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 35mm jack | No | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes, with stereo speakers | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 6.0, A2DP, LE, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive, LHDC 5 | 5.3, A2DP, LE |
| Infrared port | Yes | - |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS (L1+L5), BDS (B1I+B1c+B2a), GALILEO (E1+E5a), QZSS (L1+L5), NavIC (L5), GLONASS | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS, QZSS, NavIC |
| Radio | No | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 3.2 Gen 2, DisplayPort, OTG | USB Type-C 3.2 Gen 2, DisplayPort |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e/7, dual-band or tri-band, Wi-Fi Direct | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e/7, tri-band, hotspot |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (under display, ultrasonic), accelerometer, proximity, gyro, compass, barometer | Face ID, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 90W wired, PD3.0, QC3+ 80W wireless 10W reverse wireless | Wired, PD2.0, 50% in 30 min 25W wireless (MagSafe), 15W wireless (China only) 15W wireless (Qi2) 4.5W reverse wired |
| Type | Market-dependent versions:· Si/C Li-Ion 5410 mAh - Global· Si/C Li-Ion 6000 mAh - China | Li-Ion 4685 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Black, White, Silver Chrome, Green | Black Titanium, White Titanium, Natural Titanium, Desert Titanium |
| Models | 25010PN30G | A3296, A3084, A3295, A3297, iPhone17,2 |
| Price | $ 1,328.84 / £ 889.00 / € 1,099.00 | $ 724.88 / C$ 1,405.46 / £ 864.49 / € 955.00 |
| SAR | - | 1.01 W/kg (head) 1.15 W/kg (body) |
| SAR EU | 1.00 W/kg (head) 1.00 W/kg (body) | 1.22 W/kg (head) 1.45 W/kg (body) |
| EU LABEL | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery | 58:58h endurance, 1000 cycles | 48:00h endurance, 1000 cycles |
| Energy | Class A | Class B |
| Free fall | Class C (90 falls) | Class C (90 falls) |
| Repairability | Class C | Class C |
Xiaomi 15 Ultra
- Blazing-fast 90W wired and 80W wireless charging
- Potentially higher peak CPU performance with Snapdragon 8 Elite
- Longer battery endurance (58:58h)
- Android ecosystem fragmentation
- Potential for thermal throttling under sustained load
Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max
- Brighter, more color-accurate display (1796 nits)
- Efficient A18 Pro chip for sustained performance
- Seamless iOS ecosystem and long-term software support
- Slower charging speeds (25W wireless, limited wired)
- Lower battery endurance (48:00h)
Display Comparison
The iPhone 16 Pro Max boasts a significantly brighter display, reaching a measured 1796 nits, crucial for outdoor visibility. While the Xiaomi 15 Ultra’s display specs are not provided, it’s likely to be an excellent panel, but will struggle to match the iPhone’s peak brightness. Both are expected to utilize LTPO technology for adaptive refresh rates, conserving battery life. The iPhone’s display is likely to have superior color accuracy, a hallmark of Apple’s displays, while Xiaomi often prioritizes vibrant, saturated colors.
Camera Comparison
Without detailed camera specs for the Xiaomi 15 Ultra, it’s difficult to make a definitive comparison. However, Xiaomi typically focuses on high megapixel counts and large sensors. The iPhone 16 Pro Max is expected to continue its tradition of computational photography excellence, leveraging its powerful A18 Pro chip for advanced image processing. The iPhone’s OIS system is renowned for its stability, crucial for video recording. The Xiaomi 15 Ultra’s image processing style is likely to be more vibrant and saturated, while the iPhone aims for natural-looking images. The absence of details on the Xiaomi’s lens apertures makes it hard to assess low-light performance.
Performance
The Qualcomm SM8750-AB Snapdragon 8 Elite in the Xiaomi 15 Ultra features an octa-core CPU with Oryon V2 Phoenix cores clocked up to 4.32 GHz, promising exceptional performance. However, the Apple A18 Pro, despite its hexa-core configuration and slightly lower peak clock speed of 4.05 GHz, benefits from Apple’s chip design expertise and tight software integration. The A18 Pro’s efficiency is likely to translate to better sustained performance under heavy load, minimizing thermal throttling. Both chips are built on a 3nm process, but Apple’s architecture often delivers more performance per watt. The Xiaomi 15 Ultra’s reliance on LPDDR5x RAM is standard, while the iPhone 16 Pro Max likely utilizes a similarly fast or faster memory standard, further enhancing its responsiveness.
Battery Life
The Xiaomi 15 Ultra’s 58:58h endurance rating is significantly higher than the iPhone 16 Pro Max’s 48:00h, suggesting superior battery life. However, the iPhone 16 Pro Max’s active use score of 17:18h slightly edges out the Xiaomi’s 16:13h, indicating better efficiency during intensive tasks. The Xiaomi 15 Ultra’s charging capabilities are a standout feature, with 90W wired, 80W wireless, and 10W reverse wireless charging. The iPhone 16 Pro Max offers slower wired charging (PD2.0, 50% in 30 min) and 25W MagSafe wireless charging, a considerable difference. The Xiaomi’s faster charging will be a boon for users who frequently need to top up their battery quickly.
Buying Guide
Buy the Xiaomi 15 Ultra if you need unparalleled charging speeds, prioritize raw processing power for demanding tasks like video editing, and appreciate a more open Android ecosystem. Buy the Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max if you value a seamless user experience, a brighter and color-accurate display, and long-term software support within the Apple ecosystem, even if it means sacrificing some charging speed.