Xiaomi 15 Ultra is official and brutal, but a huge battery disappointment might let down international users

I say: read the following carefully, as there could be dealbreakers ahead.

The global unveiling for the Xiaomi 15 Ultra is scheduled for March 2, like we told you recently, and it's supposed to take place at MWC (Mobile World Congress) in Barcelona (in Spain).

Xiaomi 15 Ultra specifications:

• Camera setup: 50 MP, f/1.63 (main), 50 MP, f/1.8 (telephoto zoom), 50 MP, f/2.2 (wide-angle), 200 MP, f/2.6 (periscope zoom); 32 MP, f/2.0 (selfie snapper);
• Chipset: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite;
• Memory: 12/16 GB RAM, 256/512 GB or 1 TB UFS 4.0 storage;
• Display: A gorgeous 6.73-inch, LTPO AMOLED panel, 3200×1440, 522 ppi, 1-120 Hz, Dolby Vision, HDR10, HDR10+, up to 3200 nits brightness, ultrasonic fingerprint scanner;
• Dimensions: 161.3×75.3×9.48 (or 9.35 mm for the Legend Edition), 226 g (or 229 g for the Legend Edition);
• OS: Android 15 (Xiaomi HyperOS 2.0);
• Battery: 6,000 mAh cell with 90W wired charging and 80W wireless charging; 18W reverse charging.

Sounds amazing, but if you've been following Xiaomi's Ultra high-end models, you'd know that the 15 Ultra is not some earth-shattering upgrade over the Xiaomi 14 Ultra from 2024.



What's probably the biggest difference (apart from the chipset, of course) is the 200 MP periscope zoom camera. As we've reported mere hours before the Chinese unveiling, this one is promising to deliver big time and excels in nighttime photography. Xiaomi calls the 15 Ultra the "Night God", which isn't a bad nickname at all.



So, the secondary zoom packs a large 1/1.4-inch sensor (ISOCELL HP9, which is also found on the Vivo X100 Ultra, another incredible photo-centric flagship) and a large (for a telephoto lens) f/2.6 aperture: it's 100mm in equivalent focal length, which is great for portraits.

Of course, it's all Leica-branded. Xiaomi has a successful partnership with the legendary camera maker. In fact, 2025 is a special anniversary for Leica and that's why the Xiaomi 15 Ultra comes in a dual-tone variant, representing a Leica camera. This modern (yet retro) outlook comes in a black and gray variant and in green and gray variant. The "basic" 15 Ultra is either black or white.

To push things further, Xiaomi is once again presenting a Photography Kit (with a dedicated snap-on grip for a camera-like experience) for its Ultra. It's handy and flashy, but only for those who are mad about mobile photography and videography.

So, what's the problem?

No problem per se. It's just that there's a concerning rumor that Xiaomi will once again cripple the global variant of its Ultra.

When the Xiaomi 14 Ultra was presented in China, it arrived with a 5,300 mAh capacity cell, while the global variant packed 5,000 mAh.

The 6,000 mAh capacity battery on the Xiaomi 15 Ultra probably won't make it to the global model. Maybe we're looking at a 5,500 mAh capacity cell for the international version, at best. It's not the end of the world, but for some users, 500 mAh might be a lot of extra juice. Some will go for the Chinese version, if their country supports the 5G bands and everything is OK on the connectivity front. For the US, you might want to check everything carefully and check web forums.

Speaking of availability, the Xiaomi 15 Ultra is not expected to hit US shelves officially. But that's to be confirmed on March 2 at the earliest.

During the presentation, Xiaomi teased Apple with comparisons to the iPhone 16 Pro Max and how much better (and cooler) the 15 Ultra is when it comes to keeping thermals checked:



Of course, lots of images from the 15 Ultra camera(s) were shown: these are handpicked and of course they look amazing, but still: this is a fine mobile photography tool. It can also be used as a smartphone.

When it comes to the price, the Xiaomi 15 Ultra will set you 6499 yuan, or $895 (when converted directly).