Between the iPhone 17 and Xiaomi 15, the iPhone 17 comes out ahead in promised os updates, while the Xiaomi 15 wins on wired charging and front camera. Overall, the iPhone 17 scores 61.7 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 8.3 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 17 if you care most about promised os updates. The biggest gaps in its favor are 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, front camera, wireless charging, 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 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 17 wins
- ▲Promised OS updates: 6 (vs 4).
Why Xiaomi 15 wins
- ▲Wired charging — 233.33% more. 90 W vs 27 W.
- ▲Front camera — 166.67% more. 32 MP vs 12 MP.
- ▲Wireless charging — 100.00% more. 50 W vs 25 W.
- ▲RAM — 50.00% more. 12 GB vs 8 GB.
- ▲Battery capacity — 46.26% more. 5400 mAh vs 3692 mAh.
- ▲AnTuTu — 35.35% more. 2680000 vs 1980000.
- ▲Main camera — 4.17% more. 50 MP vs 48 MP.
- ▲Weight — 2.00 g less. 192 vs 194.
Spec comparison
Design
| Spec | Apple - iPhone 17 | Xiaomi 15 |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 194 g | 192 glead |
| Thickness | 8.1 mm | 8.1 mm |
| Water resistanceⓘ | IP68 | IP68 |
| Form factor | bar | bar |
Display
| Spec | Apple - iPhone 17 | Xiaomi 15 |
|---|---|---|
| Screen sizeⓘ | 6.3 " | 6.36 "lead |
| Pixel densityⓘ | 460 ppi | 460 ppi |
| Refresh rateⓘ | 120 Hz | 120 Hz |
| Peak brightnessⓘ | 2200 nits | 3200 nitslead |
Performance
Cameras
| Spec | Apple - iPhone 17 | Xiaomi 15 |
|---|---|---|
| Main cameraⓘ | 48 MP | 50 MPlead |
| Front camera | 12 MP | 32 MPlead |
| Optical image stabilizationⓘ | true | true |
Battery
| Spec | Apple - iPhone 17 | Xiaomi 15 |
|---|---|---|
| Battery capacity | 3692 mAh | 5400 mAhlead |
| Wired chargingⓘ | 27 W | 90 Wlead |
| Wireless chargingⓘ | 25 W | 50 Wlead |
Connectivity
| Spec | Apple - iPhone 17 | Xiaomi 15 |
|---|---|---|
| 5G supportⓘ | true | true |
| Headphone jack | false | false |
| microSD slot | false | false |
Operating System
| Spec | Apple - iPhone 17 | Xiaomi 15 |
|---|---|---|
| OS | iOSlead | Android |
| Promised OS updates | 6 yearslead | 4 years |
Frequently asked
Which has better battery, iPhone 17 or Xiaomi 15?+
Xiaomi 15 has 46.3% more battery — 3692 mAh vs 5400 mAh.
Which is lighter, iPhone 17 or Xiaomi 15?+
Xiaomi 15 is 2g lighter — 194g vs 192g.
Is iPhone 17 waterproof?+
iPhone 17 has an IP68 rating.
Does Xiaomi 15 support 5G?+
Yes, Xiaomi 15 supports 5G.
Which has more RAM, iPhone 17 or Xiaomi 15?+
Xiaomi 15 offers 12GB of RAM.
Which has a better camera, iPhone 17 or Xiaomi 15?+
Xiaomi 15 has a 50 MP main camera vs 48 MP.
Spec-level deep dives
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