Cover image via Sukhbir Cheema / SAYS
Smartphones today are getting bigger, bulkier, and — let's be honest — a bit overwhelming. But the Xiaomi 15 takes a different approach.
It's a flagship phone that stays refreshingly compact while packing an impressive feature set. It also comes in four colours: black, green, liquid silver, and white.
With a bright display, long-lasting battery, and powerful cameras, the Xiaomi 15 starts at RM3,499, making it a strong contender against bigger smartphone brands.
I had the opportunity test out the Xiaomi 15, specifically the green coloured variant packed with 12GB of RAM and 512GB of storage. Here's my review.
Image via Sukhbir Cheema / SAYS
Right out of the box, the Xiaomi 15 feels premium. The aerospace-grade fibreglass back is smooth but not slippery, and it's resistant to fingerprints and scratches.
The aluminium frame curves towards the glass, giving it a refined look while making it comfortable to hold.
It's IP68-rated, meaning it can handle dust and water like a champ.
Image via Sukhbir Cheema / SAYS
Image via Sukhbir Cheema / SAYS
At just 6.36 inches, the phone is easy to use one-handed — something rare in today's flagship market. If you miss the days of sleek, manageable smartphones, this might be your perfect match.
Xiaomi has given the 15 a stunning CrystalRes AMOLED display with a buttery smooth 120Hz refresh rate
Whether you're scrolling through social media or watching a Netflix drama, the screen looks vibrant and sharp.
Colours pop, blacks are deep, and brightness reaches an impressive 3,200 nits — great for outdoor use.
The screen is also incredibly smart. It can drop as low as 1Hz when idling to save battery, ensuring that power isn't wasted when you're just checking the time.
It's protected by Xiaomi's Shield Glass, which adds a layer of durability to prevent minor drops from becoming disasters.
Image via Sukhbir Cheema / SAYS
One of the biggest wins here is battery life. The Xiaomi 15 packs a 5,240mAh battery, which easily lasts a full day of heavy use.
If you're more of a casual user, you might even stretch it to two days. That's impressive, considering the high-end specs inside.
Charging speeds are just as noteworthy. With 90W wired charging, you can go from 0 to 83% in just 30 minutes, with a full charge taking 45 minutes. Wireless charging is no slouch either, with support for 50W speeds — faster than many flagship phones.
The downside? Xiaomi doesn't include a charger in the box, so you'll need to buy one separately if you want to take advantage of the rapid charging speeds.
Image via Sukhbir Cheema / SAYS
Cameras can make or break a flagship phone, and Xiaomi gets a lot right here through its collaboration with German camera maker, Leica
The 50MP main sensor takes stunning shots with rich detail, great dynamic range, and realistic colours. Even in low light, the automatic Night Mode keeps images sharp without looking overly processed.
The 50MP telephoto lens has been tweaked this year, offering a whopping 60x optical zoom. It delivers fantastic portraits and crisp zoomed-in shots, making it great for macro photography.
Image via Sukhbir Cheema / SAYS
Image via Sukhbir Cheema / SAYS
Image via Sukhbir Cheema / SAYS
Image via Sukhbir Cheema / SAYS
The camera also comes with two Leica photographic styles — Leica Authentic Look and Leica Vibrant Look.
The ultra-wide camera is where things start to slip. While it's still 50MP, the details aren't as sharp, and the dynamic range lags behind the other lenses. It's not bad by any means, but if you rely on ultra-wide shots often, you might notice the difference.
Image via Sukhbir Cheema / SAYS
Video recording is another highlight, with 4K available on all cameras and 8K at 30fps on the main sensor. Stabilisation is solid, and colours remain true to life. Low-light video is also surprisingly good, making this a great option for content creators.
While there's a lot to love, no phone is perfect. The biggest drawback of the Xiaomi 15 is its thermal management.
The Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset delivers blazing-fast performance, but under heavy loads, it struggles with heat. Prolonged gaming or intense multitasking can cause noticeable throttling, leading to dips in performance. It's not a deal-breaker, but something to keep in mind if you push your phone to the limit.
Another frustration is the lack of expandable storage. You'll need to decide between 256GB or 512GB when purchasing, as there's no microSD slot. For most people, this won't be an issue, but power users might find it limiting.
Image via Sukhbir Cheema / SAYS
Image via Sukhbir Cheema / SAYS
Lastly, while Xiaomi's new HyperOS 2 interface (based on Android 15) is smooth and filled with useful AI features, the changes from its previous software version feel more like refinements rather than a major upgrade.
That said, Xiaomi promises four years of major updates and six years of security patches, which is great for longevity.
Despite a few drawbacks, the Xiaomi 15 is a fantastic compact flagship that punches well above its weight
It has an excellent display, a premium design, top-tier cameras (minus the ultra-wide), and some of the best battery life in its class.
While it could improve in thermal management and Xiaomi really should include a charger, these aren't deal-breakers for most people.
If you want a phone that's powerful yet pocketable, the Xiaomi 15 is one of the best choices available. It's proof that bigger isn't always better — and that's a refreshing change in the world of smartphones.
Image via Sukhbir Cheema / SAYS
