Between the iPhone 16 and Xiaomi 15, the iPhone 16 comes out ahead in weight and promised os updates, while the Xiaomi 15 wins on wired charging and wireless charging. Overall, the iPhone 16 scores 57.4 and the Xiaomi 15 scores 70 on our Mars Score.
Which should you buy?
The Xiaomi 15 is the clear pick on raw spec strength, leading by 12.6 points on the Mars Score. The margin is wide enough that the underdog only makes sense if its individual strengths line up with what you specifically need.
Pick the iPhone 16 if you carry the device everywhere and weight or thickness has been the deciding factor before. The biggest gaps in its favor are weight, promised os updates.
Pick the Xiaomi 15 if you photograph or shoot video regularly and want the better imaging pipeline of the two. Its strongest claims are wired charging, wireless charging, front camera, among others.
Both ship with comparable 5g support, water resistance, pixel density, so those specs don't separate the two — focus on the differences below.
Bottom line: the Xiaomi 15 is the safer default. The other model is the right choice only when its specific advantages line up with your priorities.
Why Apple - iPhone 16 wins
- ▲Weight — 22.00 g less. 170 vs 192.
- ▲Promised OS updates: 5 (vs 4).
Why Xiaomi 15 wins
- ▲Wired charging — 350.00% more. 90 W vs 20 W.
- ▲Wireless charging — 233.33% more. 50 W vs 15 W.
- ▲Front camera — 166.67% more. 32 MP vs 12 MP.
- ▲Refresh rate — 100.00% more. 120 Hz vs 60 Hz.
- ▲AnTuTu — 65.43% more. 2680000 vs 1620000.
- ▲Battery capacity — 51.64% more. 5400 mAh vs 3561 mAh.
- ▲RAM — 50.00% more. 12 GB vs 8 GB.
- ▲Screen size — 4.26% more. 6.36 " vs 6.1 ".
Spec comparison
Design
| Spec | Apple - iPhone 16 | Xiaomi 15 |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 170 glead | 192 g |
| Thickness | 7.8 mmlead | 8.1 mm |
| Water resistanceⓘ | IP68 | IP68 |
| Form factor | bar | bar |
Display
| Spec | Apple - iPhone 16 | Xiaomi 15 |
|---|---|---|
| Screen sizeⓘ | 6.1 " | 6.36 "lead |
| Pixel densityⓘ | 460 ppi | 460 ppi |
| Refresh rateⓘ | 60 Hz | 120 Hzlead |
| Peak brightnessⓘ | 2000 nits | 3200 nitslead |
Performance
Cameras
| Spec | Apple - iPhone 16 | Xiaomi 15 |
|---|---|---|
| Main cameraⓘ | 48 MP | 50 MPlead |
| Front camera | 12 MP | 32 MPlead |
| Optical image stabilizationⓘ | true | true |
Battery
| Spec | Apple - iPhone 16 | Xiaomi 15 |
|---|---|---|
| Battery capacity | 3561 mAh | 5400 mAhlead |
| Wired chargingⓘ | 20 W | 90 Wlead |
| Wireless chargingⓘ | 15 W | 50 Wlead |
Connectivity
| Spec | Apple - iPhone 16 | Xiaomi 15 |
|---|---|---|
| 5G supportⓘ | true | true |
| Headphone jack | false | false |
| microSD slot | false | false |
Operating System
| Spec | Apple - iPhone 16 | Xiaomi 15 |
|---|---|---|
| OS | iOSlead | Android |
| Promised OS updates | 5 yearslead | 4 years |
Frequently asked
Which has better battery, iPhone 16 or Xiaomi 15?+
Xiaomi 15 has 51.6% more battery — 3561 mAh vs 5400 mAh.
Which is lighter, iPhone 16 or Xiaomi 15?+
iPhone 16 is 22g lighter — 170g vs 192g.
Is iPhone 16 waterproof?+
iPhone 16 has an IP68 rating.
Does Xiaomi 15 support 5G?+
Yes, Xiaomi 15 supports 5G.
Which has more RAM, iPhone 16 or Xiaomi 15?+
Xiaomi 15 offers 12GB of RAM.
Which has a better camera, iPhone 16 or Xiaomi 15?+
Xiaomi 15 has a 50 MP main camera vs 48 MP.
Spec-level deep dives
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