Between the iPhone 15 Pro Max and Xiaomi 16 Ultra, the iPhone 15 Pro Max comes out ahead in weight, while the Xiaomi 16 Ultra wins on wireless charging and wired charging. Overall, the iPhone 15 Pro Max scores 63.2 and the Xiaomi 16 Ultra scores 74.3 on our Mars Score.
Which should you buy?
The Xiaomi 16 Ultra is the clear pick on raw spec strength, leading by 11.1 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 15 Pro Max 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 you photograph or shoot video regularly and want the better imaging pipeline of the two. Its strongest claims are wireless charging, wired charging, front camera, among others.
Both ship with comparable refresh rate, 5g support, water resistance, so those specs don't separate the two — focus on the differences below.
Bottom line: the Xiaomi 16 Ultra is the safer default. The other model is the right choice only when its specific advantages line up with your priorities.
Why Apple - iPhone 15 Pro Max wins
- ▲Weight — 8.00 g less. 221 vs 229.
Why Xiaomi 16 Ultra wins
- ▲Wireless charging — 433.33% more. 80 W vs 15 W.
- ▲Wired charging — 270.37% more. 100 W vs 27 W.
- ▲Front camera — 166.67% more. 32 MP vs 12 MP.
- ▲RAM — 100.00% more. 16 GB vs 8 GB.
- ▲AnTuTu — 92.81% more. 2950000 vs 1530000.
- ▲Battery capacity — 35.69% more. 6000 mAh vs 4422 mAh.
- ▲Pixel density — 13.48% more. 522 ppi vs 460 ppi.
- ▲Main camera — 4.17% more. 50 MP vs 48 MP.
Spec comparison
Design
| Spec | Apple - iPhone 15 Pro Max | Xiaomi 16 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 221 glead | 229 g |
| Thickness | 8.25 mmlead | 9.2 mm |
| Water resistanceⓘ | IP68 | IP68 |
| Form factor | bar | bar |
Display
| Spec | Apple - iPhone 15 Pro Max | Xiaomi 16 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| Screen sizeⓘ | 6.7 " | 6.73 "lead |
| Pixel densityⓘ | 460 ppi | 522 ppilead |
| Refresh rateⓘ | 120 Hz | 120 Hz |
| Peak brightnessⓘ | 2000 nits | 3200 nitslead |
Performance
Cameras
| Spec | Apple - iPhone 15 Pro Max | Xiaomi 16 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| Main cameraⓘ | 48 MP | 50 MPlead |
| Front camera | 12 MP | 32 MPlead |
| Optical image stabilizationⓘ | true | true |
Battery
| Spec | Apple - iPhone 15 Pro Max | Xiaomi 16 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| Battery capacity | 4422 mAh | 6000 mAhlead |
| Wired chargingⓘ | 27 W | 100 Wlead |
| Wireless chargingⓘ | 15 W | 80 Wlead |
Connectivity
| Spec | Apple - iPhone 15 Pro Max | Xiaomi 16 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| 5G supportⓘ | true | true |
| Headphone jack | false | false |
| microSD slot | false | false |
Operating System
| Spec | Apple - iPhone 15 Pro Max | Xiaomi 16 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| OS | iOSlead | Android |
| Promised OS updates | 5 years | 5 years |
Frequently asked
Which has better battery, iPhone 15 Pro Max or Xiaomi 16 Ultra?+
Xiaomi 16 Ultra has 35.7% more battery — 4422 mAh vs 6000 mAh.
Which is lighter, iPhone 15 Pro Max or Xiaomi 16 Ultra?+
iPhone 15 Pro Max is 8g lighter — 221g vs 229g.
Is iPhone 15 Pro Max waterproof?+
iPhone 15 Pro Max has an IP68 rating.
Does Xiaomi 16 Ultra support 5G?+
Yes, Xiaomi 16 Ultra supports 5G.
Which has more RAM, iPhone 15 Pro Max or Xiaomi 16 Ultra?+
Xiaomi 16 Ultra offers 16GB of RAM.
Which has a better camera, iPhone 15 Pro Max or Xiaomi 16 Ultra?+
Xiaomi 16 Ultra has a 50 MP main camera vs 48 MP.
Spec-level deep dives
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