Xiaomi 15 debuts in China including two brand-new editions

Plus no less than 20 different finishes

Xiaomi 15 Pro

Following the success of the 14 series, Xiaomi has officially announced the Xiaomi 15 phones which includes the Pro model and two editions not seen before.

Both the regular Xiaomi 14 and 14 Ultra were up there with the best phones you can buy, with the latter offering a compelling DSLR alternative for many people.

The new Xiaomi 15 models have big shoes to fill, though note that the Xiaomi 15 Ultra is yet to be unveiled. Xiaomi did unveil the Pad 7 and Pad 7 tablets, though.

Here’s everything you need to know about the Xiaomi 15 series, from its release date and pricing to detailed specs and features.

>>>BP51 Battery for Xiaomi 14 Ultra

When will the Xiaomi 15 be released?
The Xiaomi 15 series, including the regular Xiaomi 15 and Xiaomi 15 Pro, were unveiled on 29 October 2024.

The both phones are currently available for pre-order in China, with general sales set to begin on 31 October 2024.

While this release date applies to the Chinese market, Xiaomi has not yet announced specific details for a global launch.

Lei Jun, CEO of Xiaomi, posted on X that “we’re bringing the Xiaomi 15 Series to global markets soon.”

And as with all Xiaomi phones, don’t expect any of the 15 series to ever be officially sold in the US. Your best bet there will be to try and import one or buy a ‘global’ model from the likes of Amazon.

How much will the Xiaomi 15 cost?
The Xiaomi 15 and Xiaomi 15 Pro come in multiple configurations, offering different storage and RAM combinations to cater to diverse needs.

>>>BP4Q Battery for Xiaomi 14

Here’s a breakdown of the pricing in China:

Xiaomi 15 Pricing

  • 12GB RAM/256GB storage: CNY 4,500 (About NZ $1,057)
  • 12GB RAM/512GB storage: CNY 4,800 (About NZ $1,128)
  • 16GB RAM/512GB storage: CNY 5,000 (About NZ $1,175)
  • 16GB RAM/1TB storage: CNY 5,500 (About NZ $1,292)
  • Custom Edition (16GB/512GB only): CNY 4,999 CNY 4,999 (About NZ $1,175)
  • Diamond Edition (16GB/1TB only): CNY 5,999 (About NZ $1,410)
Xiaomi 15
Xiaomi 15:小米最极致的小尺寸旗舰售价4499 元起-最极客

Xiaomi 15 Pro Pricing

  • 12GB RAM/256GB storage: CNY 5,299 (About NZ $1,245)
  • 16GB RAM/512GB storage: CNY 5,799 (About NZ $1,363)
  • 16GB RAM/1TB storage: CNY 6,499 (About NZ $1,527)
Xiaomi 15 series launches as first phones with Snapdragon 8 Elite

Each model offers a variety of colour options, with the Xiaomi 15 Pro providing a more premium Rock Silver version and the Xiaomi 15 featuring an additional Custom Edition with up to 20 colour choices.

>>>BP4R Battery for Xiaomi 14 Pro

What specs and features will the Xiaomi 15 have?
Design
The standard Xiaomi 15 maintains a compact design at 152.3 x 71.2 x 8.08mm, slightly smaller than its predecessor but with a minor weight increase to 191g.

The device is protected by Xiaomi’s new Dragon Crystal glass, boasting 10x the durability of Gorilla Glass Victus (according to Xiaomi’s Lab.)

Xiaomi 15 1

The Xiaomi 15 Custom Edition prioritises personalisation, designed for users seeking a device that reflects their unique style.

With 20 colour options available for the back panel, along with the choice between two bezel types, this edition offers an impressive variety of 40 possible combinations.

The Custom Edition maintains the core specifications and design language of the Xiaomi 15, including the ultra-narrow bezels, quad-curved frame, and lightweight build.

The most eye-catching is the Xiaomi 15 Diamond Edition which boasts a diamond-studded frame, offering a distinct shimmer that elevates the aesthetic appeal. This edition is available in three exclusive colour options: Glacier White, Elephant Gray, and a bold Orange.

The back panel features a premium crocodile-skin textured Corna leather. The diamond-studded frame extends around the device’s quad-curved wrapped metal frame, seamlessly blending into the glass-covered back, creating a continuous, unified look.

This edition also includes a specially designed packaging box and exclusive gift, underscoring its status as a limited, premium offering.

Xiaomi 15 7

The Xiaomi 15 Pro, on the other hand, features a slightly larger 6.73-inch screen with micro-curved edges for a sleek look and comes with Dragon Crystal Glass 2.0 for enhanced scratch resistance.

Both models are IP68-rated for dust and water resistance.

Xiaomi 15 Pro 5

Display 

The Xiaomi 15 features a 6.36-inch flat OLED panel with a 1,200 x 2,670 resolution and 120Hz refresh rate, capable of reaching a peak brightness of 3,200 nits with DC dimming.

Xiaomi 15 6

Meanwhile, the Xiaomi 15 Pro upgrades to a 6.73-inch LTPO OLED panel with a 1,440 x 3,200 resolution, a 1-120Hz adaptive refresh rate, and the same peak brightness of 3,200 nits.

Both phones incorporate an ultrasonic fingerprint scanner beneath the display for added security.

Performance 

Both models of the Xiaomi 15 series are powered by theSnapdragon 8 Elitechipset, paired with 12GB or 16GB of LPDDR5X RAM and storage options ranging from 256GB to 1TB with UFS 4.0 technology.

Xiaomi 15 2

Cameras 

Xiaomi continues with a triple 50Mp camera setup for both models but introduces different enhancements.

The Xiaomi 15’s primary camera is the 50Mp OmniVision Light Fusion 900 sensor with 1.2µm pixels and 23mm focal length, equipped for 5x lossless zoom. The telephoto lens offers a 60mm focal length for portraits and macro shots, while the ultrawide camera has a 115° field of view.

Xiaomi 15 5

For the Pro version, Xiaomi has worked with Leica for camera tuning, and it includes the same 50Mp main camera, a new 50Mp periscope camera with 5x optical zoom, and a 50Mp ultrawide lens.

The Xiaomi 15 Pro’s camera system also benefits from the AISP 2.0 computational photography system, boosting overall image quality and enabling 8K video recording at 30fps and 4K at 30/60fps with Dolby Vision HDR across all cameras.

Battery & charging 

The Xiaomi 15 packs a 5400mAh battery with Silicon-Carbon technology for longevity, while the Xiaomi 15 Pro houses a massive 6100mAh battery.

Xiaomi 15 4
Xiaomi 15 Pro 7

 Both phones support 90W wired and 50W wireless charging, optimized by the Xiaomi G1 battery management chip, ensuring that each device retains at least 80% capacity even after 1,600 charging cycles (according to Xiaomi).

Software 

The Xiaomi 15 series is confirmed to ship running the company’sHyperOS 2 software, which is based onAndroid 15.

It introduces three significant innovations – HyperCore, HyperConnect, and HyperAI – enhancing performance, connectivity, and AI-driven user experiences across its ecosystem.

It’s not yet clear if Xiaomi will continue offering the four major Android updates and five years of security updates available on the 14 series.

HyperOS 2 3
HyperOS 2 4

With a dedicated team optimising over 25,000 usage scenarios, HyperCore includes a custom scheduler that reduces CPU idle time by 19%, dynamic memory management, and Storage 2.0.

HyperConnect, on the other hand, fosters seamless cross-device integration, allowing Xiaomi devices to share apps, files, and even dual-camera feeds for multi-angle video recording.

Lastly, HyperAI elevates user interaction with AI-driven features such as animated lock screens, real-time transcription, and AI-generated call summaries.

Additional AI tools include sketch-to-art conversion, bilingual translation, and fraud detection.HyperOS 2 1

HyperOS 2 2

This is all we currently know about Xiaomi’s upcoming flagships. We will update this article when we hear about global launch details including the UK.

In the meantime, see our guides to the best phones and the best Xiaomi phones to see what the Xiaomi 15 series will be up against.

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