Between the iPhone 17 and Xiaomi 15 Ultra, the iPhone 17 comes out ahead in weight and promised os updates, while the Xiaomi 15 Ultra wins on wired charging and wireless charging. Overall, the iPhone 17 scores 61.7 and the Xiaomi 15 Ultra scores 73.8 on our Mars Score.
Which should you buy?
The Xiaomi 15 Ultra is the clear pick on raw spec strength, leading by 12.1 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 17 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 Ultra 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 refresh rate, 5g support, water resistance, so those specs don't separate the two — focus on the differences below.
Bottom line: the Xiaomi 15 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 17 wins
- ▲Weight — 35.00 g less. 194 vs 229.
- ▲Promised OS updates: 6 (vs 4).
Why Xiaomi 15 Ultra wins
- ▲Wired charging — 233.33% more. 90 W vs 27 W.
- ▲Wireless charging — 220.00% more. 80 W vs 25 W.
- ▲Front camera — 166.67% more. 32 MP vs 12 MP.
- ▲RAM — 100.00% more. 16 GB vs 8 GB.
- ▲Battery capacity — 62.51% more. 6000 mAh vs 3692 mAh.
- ▲AnTuTu — 37.37% more. 2720000 vs 1980000.
- ▲Pixel density — 13.48% more. 522 ppi vs 460 ppi.
- ▲Screen size — 6.83% more. 6.73 " vs 6.3 ".
Spec comparison
Design
| Spec | Apple - iPhone 17 | Xiaomi 15 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 194 glead | 229 g |
| Thickness | 8.1 mmlead | 9.4 mm |
| Water resistanceⓘ | IP68 | IP68 |
| Form factor | bar | bar |
Display
| Spec | Apple - iPhone 17 | Xiaomi 15 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| Screen sizeⓘ | 6.3 " | 6.73 "lead |
| Pixel densityⓘ | 460 ppi | 522 ppilead |
| Refresh rateⓘ | 120 Hz | 120 Hz |
| Peak brightnessⓘ | 2200 nits | 3200 nitslead |
Performance
Cameras
| Spec | Apple - iPhone 17 | Xiaomi 15 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| Main cameraⓘ | 48 MP | 50 MPlead |
| Front camera | 12 MP | 32 MPlead |
| Optical image stabilizationⓘ | true | true |
Battery
| Spec | Apple - iPhone 17 | Xiaomi 15 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| Battery capacity | 3692 mAh | 6000 mAhlead |
| Wired chargingⓘ | 27 W | 90 Wlead |
| Wireless chargingⓘ | 25 W | 80 Wlead |
Connectivity
| Spec | Apple - iPhone 17 | Xiaomi 15 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| 5G supportⓘ | true | true |
| Headphone jack | false | false |
| microSD slot | false | false |
Operating System
| Spec | Apple - iPhone 17 | Xiaomi 15 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| OS | iOSlead | Android |
| Promised OS updates | 6 yearslead | 4 years |
Frequently asked
Which has better battery, iPhone 17 or Xiaomi 15 Ultra?+
Xiaomi 15 Ultra has 62.5% more battery — 3692 mAh vs 6000 mAh.
Which is lighter, iPhone 17 or Xiaomi 15 Ultra?+
iPhone 17 is 35g lighter — 194g vs 229g.
Is iPhone 17 waterproof?+
iPhone 17 has an IP68 rating.
Does Xiaomi 15 Ultra support 5G?+
Yes, Xiaomi 15 Ultra supports 5G.
Which has more RAM, iPhone 17 or Xiaomi 15 Ultra?+
Xiaomi 15 Ultra offers 16GB of RAM.
Which has a better camera, iPhone 17 or Xiaomi 15 Ultra?+
Xiaomi 15 Ultra has a 50 MP main camera vs 48 MP.
Spec-level deep dives
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