Xiaomi 15T and 15T Pro review - an impressive pair of mid-range Androids

Verdict

Both the Xiaomi 15T and 15T Pro are fantastic phones, offering top-tier performance, rapid charging, and lovely displays. They’re not perfect, as I think they’re a little too big for some, and the selfie camera could be a little sharper, but if you’re looking for the flagship experience without spending upwards of $1,000, I’d recommend checking these out.

Pros

• Quality performance
• Flagship-beating cameras
• Rapid charging
• Lovely displays
• Real value for money

Cons

• A bit big for some
• 15's plastic frame is a little disappointing
• Selfie camera could be better
• Hard to get in the USA

In the world of smartphones, September usually means two things. The first is the introduction of a new iPhone lineup, as was the case just a couple of weeks ago, with Apple revealing the iPhone 17 series. The second is a little closer to my heart, as September also means the launch of Xiaomi's latest mid-range phones. My first-ever phone review, around this time two years ago, was for the Xiaomi 13T, and I've reviewed at least two dozen Android handsets since. So, it only made sense to check out the new Xiaomi 15T and 15T Pro at the first opportunity, just to see what's changed in the last two years.

The mid-range market is more congested than ever in 2025, thanks to the likes of the iPhone 16e, Samsung Galaxy S25 FE, and Google Pixel 9A, but this pair of Xiaomi phones is more than capable of holding their own. What we've got on our hands here are a couple of potential future Android entries for our guide to the best mid-range phones and potentially even our list of the best gaming phones. Don't believe me? Well, allow me to explain.

Price and availability

Given there are a few options to pick from when it comes to the Xiaomi 15T and 15T Pro, we've put all the configurations and prices in the table below:

As ever, neither the Xiaomi 15T nor the 15T Pro is available in the US at the time of launch, but there's the option to import if this review has you convinced it's the phone for you. If you're reading this in the UK or Europe, it's worth heading over to Xiaomi's official site to check out some great early bird deals, giving you the chance to pick up some extra goodies for no extra price.

In terms of colors, the 15T comes in Black, Gray, and Rose Gold, while the 15T Pro is available in Black, Gray, and Mocha Gold. For this review, we received the 12GB+512GB 15T in Rose Gold and the 12GB+1TB 15T Pro in Black.

Specs

Here are the Xiaomi 15T and 15T Pro's specs:

Performance and gaming

Almost all the flagship phones I've tested in the last year have packed the Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset, so I was looking forward to trying something a little different with this pair of Xiaomi phones. The 15T packs the MediaTek 8400 Ultra processor, while the souped-up 15T Pro utilizes the MediaTek 9400+ chip. That means that, unlike a lot of sections in this review, we have to approach the two phones separately, but the good news is that both of them are plenty capable; it's just that one is slightly better than the other. No, there are no prizes for guessing which.

First, the Xiaomi 15T. I tested both phones as I normally would, with a bit of content streaming, video recording, social media scrolling, and, of course, gaming. My go-tos are Honkai Star Rail and PUBG Mobile; top picks from our guide to the best mobile games demand a lot of the phone's processor, helping to give me a good idea of just what a device is capable of. At high visual settings and 30 FPS, the gameplay was nice and smooth, and I'd be happy enough using it as my daily driver. The only time I ever noticed any slight dips was when I was mid-battle using the game's fast-forwarding mechanic, but I've experienced that on much more expensive phones, so I'm not going to complain all that much.

As for the 15T Pro, with its more powerful MediaTek 9400+ processor, that takes things to the next level. I turned the settings up as far as they'd go in Honkai Star Rail, and the phone took it in its stride, with every in-game animation absolutely popping out of the screen. There might have been the occasional, slight instance of slowdown, but keep in mind that I'm watching the phone like a hawk, so it's likely something you wouldn't notice if you were just casually playing. As far as I'm concerned, if the 15T Pro is the poster child for the new, ultra-powerful MediaTek 9400+ chip, this level of performance is a crowning achievement for both the processor and the phone itself.

Moving on to thermals, and again, I'm impressed. As I've noticed with a couple of phones I've reviewed this year, the 15T and 15T Pro actually got hotter when downloading games than when playing them. If your gaming session lasts under an hour, you likely won't feel either phone heat up at all, and even if it runs for longer than that, it never gets too toasty, which is a big win for Xiaomi's 3D IceLoop System. Apple might want to act like it's just invented vapor chamber cooling, but brands such as Xiaomi have long mastered the art of keeping a device cool, and it's well worth highlighting.

Features and software

The Xiaomi 15T and 15T Pro both come with the brand's own HyperOS 2 Android skin. I'm not as opinionated as some others on different versions of Android, but I can still say with some certainty that this is a better operating system than what Xiaomi was offering just a couple of years back with MIUI. It might be a bit of a jarring change if you're an Apple user, but if you're coming from another Android phone, it shouldn't take all that long to adjust to Xiaomi's way of doing things.

One improvement of note is that Xiaomi seems to have finally gotten my memo about bloatware, and it's nowhere near as prevalent as I've experienced on previous devices from the Chinese tech brand. Sure, there are still a few apps you might not need when you boot the phone up for the first time, but you can delete them all in just a couple of minutes before you install your own essentials. So, setup is easier than ever, which I appreciate, because I already spend too much of my life setting up new phones to test and review.

In terms of unique features, both of these phones offer Xiaomi Offline Communication, which is exactly what it says on the tin. Using this feature, 15T Pro devices can voice-to-voice communicate offline from a distance of up to 1.9km, while 15T devices can reach up to 1.3km. I won't lie, that's a cool feature, but there's a pretty obvious catch. It's not all that useful if you're the only person you know with a 15T or 15T Pro. Outside of that, you've got some fun AI tools, such as Google Gemini, as well as Xiaomi's own AI Dynamic Wallpapers, AI Interpreter, and more. It's pretty common fare in 2025, but it's still nice to have.

Design

In terms of design, there's very little to tell the Xiaomi 15T and 15T Pro apart, but that isn't a bad thing, as they both look pretty stylish. With these phones, it feels like Xiaomi has firmly settled on its design language, as they look quite similar to both the 15 and the 14T, right down to the placement of the buttons on the right-hand side of the phone and the square-shaped camera island.

So it looks nice, but there might be a problem for some. These phones feel massive. I've got a set of mammoth Sasquatch hands, and even for me, it feels unwieldy at times, so I can imagine that anyone with smaller - let's say, normal - hands might find it's a bit too big. I could be wrong here; after all, it's around the same size as the iPhone 17 Pro, which is a wildly popular phone, but it just feels big. Fortunately, it is lightweight; otherwise, it'd feel like a proper unit, but it keeps catching me off guard when I pick the phone up, just how sizable it is.

In terms of build quality, there is a bit of a gulf between the two phones, as while the 15T Pro has an aluminium build, the 15 is made of plastic. While the metal frame makes the Pro version a little heavier, it's worth it, as it feels much more premium than the 15. The 15's plastic build isn't awful, but it does make it feel a little bit cheap, which is a bit disappointing.

Back to the good stuff, both phones are IP68 rated for dust and waterproofing. That's pretty much the golden standard, but it's still important to point that out, as not only are there a surprising number of mid-range phones that don't offer that level of protection, but also because I live in the UK, and the UK is wet. I often use my phone in the rain, when I'm walking my dog or shopping, so I always appreciate knowing that a few seconds of use in wet weather isn't going to render my phone useless.

Display

If you like a vibrant display, both the Xiaomi 15T and 15T Pro deliver. Both phones boast a 6.83-inch AMOLED display, but the 15T goes up to a refresh rate of 120Hz, while the 15T Pro has a 144Hz screen, which makes for even smoother gameplay. Both displays are also capable of 3,200 nits of peak brightness. That's more than bright enough for you to use the phone even under direct sunlight, which is what you'd expect from a phone at this price point.

Remember earlier when I mentioned that these phones are massive? Well, when it comes to the display, that's actually quite a good thing. It makes the 15T and 15T Pro great for gaming or watching videos, just because you've got that extra bit of space, especially in games like Genshin Impact and Pokémon TCG Pocket, which have a lot of small writing on-screen. Both phones also feature dimming, which is perfect for someone like me, who spends more time gaming at night than I should, but at least I know I'm not doing quite so much damage to my eyes with the screen dimmed.

Xiaomi 15T and 15T Pro's cameras

The Xiaomi 15T series sees the continuation of the Chinese tech brand's relationship with Leica, the German camera manufacturer. As for what you get, both phones pack a 50MP main lens, a 50MP telephoto lens, and a 12MP ultra-wide lens. So they're the same, right? Well, not quite, as the 15T Pro's telephoto lens has a 115mm focal length, while the 15T's is 46mm. For those who don't know, that makes the 15T Pro better for capturing a magnified subject, which is exactly what you want from a good telephoto lens.

I have to caveat this section by admitting I'm not much of a photographer, but even as an amateur, I'm impressed with what these phones have to offer. I used them both on a recent trip to Munich and managed to capture some fantastic shots of the landscape that, with a bit of editing, I think look as good as anything I've seen from more expensive flagship devices. My only slight critique is that I noticed some images look slightly over-saturated, but I'd rather that than them looking washed out or lacking in color.

What really blew me away, though, was the 15T Pro's zoom capabilities, thanks to the focal length I mentioned earlier. There were moments during the tour of Munich where I wanted to get a closer look at the details of the architecture, but I'd left my glasses at home, like an idiot. Usually, this would mean I'm not going to get the detailed look I was hoping for, but the Pro model was ready to save the day, and I could use it almost as a sort of high-quality binoculars while also capturing a shot that I could share on my social media to show off just what a well-traveled sort of guy I am. Considering the only thing that comes close is the new iPhone 17 Pro, which is significantly more expensive than the 15T Pro, these camera capabilities are really worth shouting about.

In terms of the selfie cameras, both phones offer the same 32MP lens that gets the job done. It's not a mind-blowing camera, and it lacks a little in terms of vibrancy, but fortunately, that's nothing a little editing can't solve, and there are plenty of options in terms of filters and effects. All in all, both the 15T and 15T Pro are pretty impressive in the camera department, and they're both capable of taking shots worthy of uploading to social media.

Battery

If you went back and read the reviews I've written for every Xiaomi phone I've ever laid hands on, I don't think you'd find a single complaint about battery life or charging speeds, and I'm about to add two more phones to that list. Both the 15 and 15T Pro hold their charge like few other phones on the market, including the premium offerings from Apple and Samsung.

I'd say that both phones are capable of going all day, even with a solid gaming session thrown in the mix, while retaining enough charge to get you through to the following morning, if not beyond. According to my testing, the Xiaomi 15T loses around 12% juice from an hour of gaming, while with the 15T Pro, it's more like 15%, which makes sense given that the 15T Pro's chip is that bit more powerful. If you're using either phone sporadically, they can go for days at a time, and I consistently found myself surprised when picking the devices up for a bit more testing, only to find they're still alive and ready to go.

The 15T offers 67W charging, while the 15T Pro goes a little higher with 90W charging. So, whichever phone you get, you can guarantee that you won't be waiting by the plug for what feels like forever, waiting to get back to 100%. In my testing, the 15T took around 45 minutes to charge from flat to full, while the 15T Pro took around 30. That blows the latest Samsung and Apple flagships out of the water, but it's something I've almost come to expect from a Xiaomi phone. However, it's worth pointing out that only the 15T Pro offers wireless charging, so if that's a big deal to you, there's only one way to go.

Should you buy the Xiaomi 15T or 15T Pro?

If you're looking for a phone that feels like a flagship without the premium price point, the Xiaomi 15T and 15T Pro are both great options. They offer fantastic performance, reliable battery life, and lovely visuals thanks to their AMOLED displays. Then there are the cameras, which might just be the best in a mid-range phone in 2025, beating out the likes of the iPhone 16e and Samsung Galaxy S25 FE.

The only thing that might hold me back from recommending either of these phones to just about anyone is how big they are and the slightly lackluster selfie cameras. Outside of that and the offline communication feature I can't quite get my head around, I've nothing but good things to say about the 15T series, and I'd happily advise anyone looking for a new phone to check them out.

Alternatives

If we've not sold you on either the Xiaomi 15T or 15T Pro, check out our suggestions for alternatives below.

iPhone 17

The Xiaomi 15T is a great phone, but if you're an Apple power user who still isn't ready to leap to Android, the iPhone 17 is the most sensible alternative. It doesn't have all the bells, whistles, and vapor cooling chambers of the 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max models, but it's a step-up from the iPhone 16, with plenty of gaming performance power and a 120Hz refresh rate screen that allows for super smooth scrolling.

Samsung Galaxy S25

With the Samsung Galaxy S26 just around the corner, you can find plenty of deals to pick up this year's flagship for around the same price as the Xiaomi 15T. With a slightly tighter form factor than the Xiaomi 15T, it's another great gaming phone, though you're not going to get quite as fast a charge as you would with the Xiaomi. For more on this one, see our Samsung Galaxy S25 review.

There you have it, our Xiaomi 15T and 15T Pro review. If you're still looking to evaluate all your options before making the plunge on a new phone, be sure to check out our guides to the best Android phones and the best iPhones for gaming while you're here. Or, if you're more interested in gaming-specific hardware, see our list of the best handheld consoles, which includes everything from budget picks to the still-new Nintendo Switch 2.