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Xiaomi 15 Ultra vs. iPhone 16 Pro Max
In recent times, there have been a number of flagship phones released, such as the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra and the OnePlus 13. But a new flagship phone has come into the market and is comparing the iPhone 16 Pro Max directly to it. Yes, a competitor to the iPhone 16 Pro Max! Here, we are referring to the Xiaomi 15 Ultra, which has just launched. It made its debut at the MWC 2025 and people are wondering what is so special? We believe two of the top flagship smartphones that break the boundaries of mobile photography are the Xiaomi 15 Ultra and the iPhone 16 Pro Max. Xiaomi's new 15 Ultra tries to break all the expectations with its latest camera tech. Whereas, Apple is upgrading its formula yet again with iPhone 16 Pro Max. It's a comparison between the phones to help you choose the best that suits your needs. Let's compare Xiaomi 15 Ultra vs. iPhone 16 Pro Max and determine which is superior.
Xiaomi 15 Ultra vs. iPhone 16 Pro Max: Design and display
-
The iPhone 16 Pro Max is similar to its predecessor. It is pretty similar in terms of design, featuring a titanium frame, glass structure, and a similar camera placement.
-
It has some interesting design features such as the Action Button, Dynamic Island on the screen, and the new camera control button.
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To provide experiences that are comparable to those of the iPhone, several smartphone manufacturers are currently copying these three features.
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Once there is a new feature in any phone all the other companies also replicate it.
In contrast, the Xiaomi 15 Ultra is made of metal and glass and features a sizable round camera module. Both smartphones are high-end, as seen by their IP68 rating and roughly comparable weight.
- The iPhone 16 Pro Max's 6.9-inch Super Retina LTPO XDR OLED screen can reach a maximum brightness of 2000 nits and has a refresh rate of 120 Hz.
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It also supports HDR10 and Dolby Vision for enhanced visuals.
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The Xiaomi 15 Ultra, on the other hand, has a 6.73-inch LTPO AMOLED screen. It comes with a refresh rate of 120 Hz and a maximum brightness of 3200 nits.
Xiaomi 15 Ultra vs. iPhone 16 Pro Max: Design and Display Comparison
|
Feature |
Xiaomi 15 Ultra |
iPhone 16 Pro Max |
|
Design |
Aluminum frame with glass front and glass-fiber or silicone polymer back (eco leather option) |
Titanium frame with Ceramic Shield front and textured matte glass back |
|
Dimensions |
161.3 x 75.3 x 9.35 mm |
77.6 mm (width) x 163 mm (height) x 8.25 mm (depth) |
|
Weight |
226 g |
227 grams (7.99 ounces) |
|
Display Type |
LTPO AMOLED |
Super Retina XDR OLED |
|
Display Size |
6.73 inches |
6.9 inches (diagonal) |
|
Resolution |
1440 x 3200 pixels |
2868 x 1320 pixels |
|
Refresh Rate |
120 Hz |
Up to 120 Hz with ProMotion technology |
|
Brightness |
Peak brightness of 3200 nits |
Typical 1000 nits, peak 1600 nits (HDR), 2000 nits (outdoor) |
|
Aspect Ratio |
20:9 |
N/A |
|
PPI |
Approximately 522 PPI |
Approximately 460 PPI |
|
Special Features |
Dolby Vision, HDR10+, HDR Vivid, TÜV Rheinland certifications for low blue light and flicker-free display |
Dynamic Island, Always-On display, True Tone, Wide color (P3) |
Xiaomi 15 Ultra vs. iPhone 16 Pro Max: Battery
Both 25W MagSafe and 38W wired charging are possible with the iPhone 16 Pro Max's 4685mAh battery. The Xiaomi 15 Ultra is powered by a 5,410mAh silicon-carbon battery that can be charged at 90W wired and 80W wireless.
Xiaomi 15 Ultra vs. iPhone 16 Pro Max: Processor
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The iPhone 16 Pro Max is powered by the A18 Pro CPU and 8GB of RAM.
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On the other hand, the Xiaomi 15 Ultra is powered by a Snapdragon 8 Elite CPU, 16GB LPDDR5X RAM, and UFS 4.1 storage.
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Both devices, which are powered by powerful, cutting-edge chipsets, will make multitasking and effective daily use easier.
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However, Xiaomi has more RAM, which might mean it has higher processing capability.
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The iPhone 16 Pro Max also has an advantage thanks to Apple Intelligence technologies including the Clean up tool, visual intelligence, ChatGPT integration, Smarter Siri, and much more.
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On the other hand, the Xiaomi 15 Ultra has HyperAI, a set of AI features that includes AI Search, AI Art, AI Writing, and more. It also incorporates Google's Gemini integration.
Xiaomi 15 Ultra vs. iPhone 16 Pro Max: Processor
|
Feature |
Xiaomi 15 Ultra |
iPhone 16 Pro Max |
|
Processor |
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite with a 3nm manufacturing process and Oryon CPU. |
Apple A17 Bionic with a 3nm process, featuring a 6-core CPU and a 5-core GPU. |
|
CPU Cores |
Octa-core: 2 x Prime Core (up to 4.32 GHz) and 6 x Performance Core (up to 3.53 GHz). |
Hexa-core CPU: 2 high-performance cores and 4 high-efficiency cores. |
|
GPU |
Adreno GPU integrated into the Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset. |
Apple-designed 5-core GPU for enhanced graphics performance. |
|
AI Performance |
Features a Qualcomm AI Engine for AI tasks and AI-enhanced camera features. |
Includes a Neural Engine for AI processing, enhancing tasks like image recognition and machine learning. |
|
Manufacturing Process |
3nm process for improved efficiency and performance. |
3nm process for enhanced power efficiency and performance. |
|
Performance Comparison |
Offers robust performance for Android apps and multitasking, with a focus on power efficiency. |
Provides superior performance for iOS apps, with a strong focus on graphics and AI-driven tasks. |
Xiaomi 15 Ultra vs. iPhone 16 Pro Max: Camera
A 12MP periscope telephoto lens, a 48MP primary camera, and a 48MP ultrawide camera make up the iPhone 16 Pro's triple camera setup. Some of the best camera performance in the industry is offered by this setup. Apple's Pro Max camera is used by many professional photographers, painters, and filmmakers to produce images that appear to have been captured with a professional camera. Nonetheless, the new quad camera setup on the Xiaomi 15 Ultra has enhanced camera performance. It features a 50MP telephoto camera with 3x optical zoom and macro capabilities, a 50MP main camera, a 50MP ultrawide camera, and a 200MP periscope telephoto lens with 4.3x optical zoom.
Xiaomi 15 Ultra vs. iPhone 16 Pro Max: Camera
|
Feature |
Xiaomi 15 Ultra |
iPhone 16 Pro Max |
|
Main Camera |
50 MP Sony LYT-900, 1-inch sensor, f/1.63 aperture, OIS/EIS, Leica-tuned |
48 MP Quad Pixel sensor, 24mm equivalent, f/1.78 aperture, Dual Pixel AF, OIS |
|
Ultra-Wide Camera |
50 MP Samsung ISOCELL JN5, 115° FOV, f/2.2 aperture |
48 MP sensor, 13mm equivalent, f/2.2 aperture, Dual Pixel AF |
|
Telephoto Camera |
50 MP Sony IMY858, 3x optical zoom, f/1.7 aperture |
12 MP sensor, 120mm equivalent, f/2.8 aperture, Dual Pixel AF |
|
Periscope Telephoto |
200 MP periscope camera with up to 10x optical zoom (100mm and 200mm focal lengths) |
Not available |
|
Front Camera |
32 MP wide camera, f/2.0 aperture |
Not specified |
|
Variable Aperture |
Yes (f/1.6–f/4.0 on main camera) |
No |
|
Low-Light Performance |
Excellent; minimal noise and great detail retention |
Excellent; wide dynamic range and natural color rendering |
|
Video Stabilization |
Effective stabilization |
Industry-leading stabilization |
|
AI Features |
Advanced editing tools for object removal and detail enhancement |
Not emphasized |
|
Portrait Mode |
Master Portrait and Leica Portrait modes with natural bokeh |
Excellent for portraits with accurate subject separation |
Xiaomi 15 Ultra vs. iPhone 16 Pro Max: Cost
The iPhone 16 Pro Max model with 256GB of storage starts at Rs 1,44,900. However, the 16GB + 512GB storage version of the Xiaomi 15 Ultra costs Rs 1,09,999.
|
Device |
Base Price (India) |
Effective Price with Offers |
|
Xiaomi 15 Ultra |
Rs 1,09,999 |
Rs 99,999 (with ICICI Bank cashback and free photography kit) |
|
iPhone 16 Pro Max |
Rs 1,44,900 |
Rs 1,33,700 (on Vijay Sales with additional bank discounts available) |
Conclusion
Go for the Xiaomi 15 Ultra if you are more into innovative photography features, improved battery life, and an even higher-resolution screen. You can opt for the iPhone 16 Pro Max if you like software stability, high-end video recording, and integration with Apple's ecosystem. In the end, the Xiaomi 15 Ultra is best for tech fans in search of innovation at a competitive price point. The iPhone 16 Pro Max is best for users who like reliability and like to show off their phones as the iPhone is like a status symbol too.
Disclaimer: The information regarding the gadgets/devices listed in the table and article has been sourced from various secondary sources. For detailed product specifications, please refer to the brand sources.