Between the Xiaomi 15 and Xiaomi 16 Ultra, the Xiaomi 15 comes out ahead in weight, while the Xiaomi 16 Ultra wins on wireless charging and ram. Overall, the Xiaomi 15 scores 70 and the Xiaomi 16 Ultra scores 74.3 on our Mars Score.
Which should you buy?
The Xiaomi 16 Ultra edges ahead on the Mars Score (70 vs 74.3), but the 4.3-point gap is small enough that the right pick comes down to which spec advantages matter to you.
Pick the Xiaomi 15 if you carry the device everywhere and weight or thickness has been the deciding factor before. The biggest gaps in its favor are weight.
Pick the Xiaomi 16 Ultra if the display is what you stare at all day — refresh rate, brightness, or sharpness is where the difference will be most visible. Its strongest claims are wireless charging, ram, pixel density, among others.
Both ship with comparable main camera, refresh rate, 5g support, so those specs don't separate the two — focus on the differences below.
Bottom line: there is no wrong answer here — match the spec advantages to how you actually use the product. The Mars Score parity tells you both are well-rounded; the differences are about trade-offs, not quality.
Why Xiaomi 15 wins
- ▲Weight — 37.00 g less. 192 vs 229.
Why Xiaomi 16 Ultra wins
- ▲Wireless charging — 60.00% more. 80 W vs 50 W.
- ▲RAM — 33.33% more. 16 GB vs 12 GB.
- ▲Pixel density — 13.48% more. 522 ppi vs 460 ppi.
- ▲Battery capacity — 11.11% more. 6000 mAh vs 5400 mAh.
- ▲Wired charging — 11.11% more. 100 W vs 90 W.
- ▲AnTuTu — 10.07% more. 2950000 vs 2680000.
- ▲Screen size — 5.82% more. 6.73 " vs 6.36 ".
- ▲Promised OS updates: 5 (vs 4).
Spec comparison
Design
| Spec | Xiaomi 15 | Xiaomi 16 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 192 glead | 229 g |
| Thickness | 8.1 mmlead | 9.2 mm |
| Water resistanceⓘ | IP68 | IP68 |
| Form factor | bar | bar |
Display
| Spec | Xiaomi 15 | Xiaomi 16 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| Screen sizeⓘ | 6.36 " | 6.73 "lead |
| Pixel densityⓘ | 460 ppi | 522 ppilead |
| Refresh rateⓘ | 120 Hz | 120 Hz |
| Peak brightnessⓘ | 3200 nits | 3200 nits |
Performance
Cameras
| Spec | Xiaomi 15 | Xiaomi 16 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| Main cameraⓘ | 50 MP | 50 MP |
| Front camera | 32 MP | 32 MP |
| Optical image stabilizationⓘ | true | true |
Battery
| Spec | Xiaomi 15 | Xiaomi 16 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| Battery capacity | 5400 mAh | 6000 mAhlead |
| Wired chargingⓘ | 90 W | 100 Wlead |
| Wireless chargingⓘ | 50 W | 80 Wlead |
Connectivity
| Spec | Xiaomi 15 | Xiaomi 16 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| 5G supportⓘ | true | true |
| Headphone jack | false | false |
| microSD slot | false | false |
Operating System
| Spec | Xiaomi 15 | Xiaomi 16 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| OS | Android | Android |
| Promised OS updates | 4 years | 5 yearslead |
Frequently asked
Which has better battery, Xiaomi 15 or Xiaomi 16 Ultra?+
Xiaomi 16 Ultra has 11.1% more battery — 5400 mAh vs 6000 mAh.
Which is lighter, Xiaomi 15 or Xiaomi 16 Ultra?+
Xiaomi 15 is 37g lighter — 192g vs 229g.
Is Xiaomi 15 waterproof?+
Xiaomi 15 has an IP68 rating.
Does Xiaomi 16 Ultra support 5G?+
Yes, Xiaomi 16 Ultra supports 5G.
Which has more RAM, Xiaomi 15 or Xiaomi 16 Ultra?+
Xiaomi 16 Ultra offers 16GB of RAM.
Which has a better camera, Xiaomi 15 or Xiaomi 16 Ultra?+
Xiaomi 16 Ultra has a 50 MP main camera vs 50 MP.
Spec-level deep dives
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