The Snapdragon 8 Elite chip found inside the Xiaomi 15 Ultra has already impressed us on phones like the OnePlus 13 and its power is noticeable here, too. It put in notable scores on our benchmark tests, while everyday operation is fast and lag-free.

On paper, the Xiaomi 15 Ultra offers a lot of great specs. Powerful Leica-tuned cameras, including an absurd 200MP telephoto lens, a large battery, and all the performance of the new Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset. However, like all Xiaomi phones, there’s a big emphasis on the own-brand software, rather than a cleaner variation of Android.