Xiaomi has announced its new ‘Ultra’ flagship quite recently, and we’re here to compare it to the best Samsung has to offer. We’ll be comparing the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra vs Xiaomi 15 Ultra. So, two ‘Ultra’ smartphones are facing each other here. The Xiaomi 15 Ultra arrived a couple of days ago, while the Galaxy S25 Ultra launched at the end of January. So they’re both quite new.
There is a lot to talk about here, as these two smartphones are considerably different. They offer completely different designs, while they have considerably different camera setups too. There are some similarities in the spec-department, but not a lot. Either way, we’ll first list their specifications and will then move to compare them across a number of other sections. Let’s get to it.
Specs
Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra vs Xiaomi 15 Ultra, respectively
– Screen size:
6.9-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X (flat, adaptive 120Hz, HDR10+, 2,600 nits max brightness)
6.73-inch LTPO AMOLED (flat, adaptive 120Hz, 3,200 nits max brightness)
– Display resolution:
3120 x 1440
3200 x 1440
– SoC:
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite
– RAM:
12GB (LPDDR5X)
16GB (LPDDR5X)
– Storage:
256GB/512GB/1TB (UFS 4.0)
512GB/1TB (UFS 4.0)
– Rear cameras:
200MP (wide, f/1.7 aperture, OIS, multi-directional PDAF, 1/1.3-inch sensor, 0.6um pixel size), 50MP (ultrawide, 120-degree FoV, f/1.9 aperture, Dual Pixel PDAF 0.7um pixel size), 10MP (telephoto, f/2.4 aperture, OIS, 1/3.52-inch sensor size, Dual Pixel PDAF, 1.12um pixel size, 3x optical zoom), 50MP (periscope telephoto, OIS, 1/2.52-inch sensor size, PDAF, 5x optical zoom)
50MP (f/1.6 aperture, 23mm lens, 1-inch sensor size, 1.6um pixel size, dual pixel PDAF, OIS), 50MP (ultrawide (f/2.2 aperture, 115-degree FoV, 1/2.76-inch sensor size, 14mm lens, 0.64um pixel size, dual pixel PDAF), 50MP (telephoto, 1/2.51-inch sensor size, 3x optical zoom. 0.7um pixel size, dual pixel PDAF, macro 10cm, OIS), 200MP (periscope telephoto, 1/2.76-inch sensor size, f/2.2 aperture 14mm lens, 115-degree FoV, 0.64um pixel size, dual pixel PDAF)
– Front cameras:
12MP (wide, f/2.2 aperture, Dual Pixel PDAF, 1/3.2-inch sensor size, 22mm lens)
32MP (f/2.0 aperture, 21mm lens, 1/3.14-inch sensor size, 0.7um pixel size)
– Battery:
5,000mAh
5,410mAh
– Charging:
45W wired, 15W wireless (Qi2 Ready), 4.5W reverse wireless (charger not included)
100W wired, 80W wireless, 10W reverse wireless (charger included)
– Dimensions:
162.8 x 77.6 x 8.2 mm
161.3 x 75.3 x 9.4 mm
– Weight:
218 grams
226/229 grams
– Connectivity:
5G, LTE, NFC, Wi-Fi, USB Type-C, Bluetooth 5.4/6.0
– Security:
In-display fingerprint scanner (ultrasonic) & facial scanning
In-display fingerprint scanner (ultrasonic) & facial scanning
– OS:
Android 15 with One UI 7
Android 15 with HyperOS 2
– Price:
$1,299+
€1,499
– Buy:
Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra (Samsung.com)
Xiaomi 15 Ultra (Amazon)
The moment you lay your eyes on these two phones, you’ll see how different they are. Those differences will only be emphasized when you grab both phones. Both of them have flat sides, but the frame on the Xiaomi 15 Ultra curves toward the back, into the phone’s backplate. While the Galaxy S25 Ultra has flat front and back sides, the Xiaomi 15 Ultra incorporates the quad micro-curved design on the front and tries to mimic that on the back. In other words, all four sides are curved towards the edges, a little bit.
Despite the quad micro-curved design, the display on the Xiaomi 15 Ultra is flat. The display is also flat on the Galaxy S25 Ultra, by the way. Both phones do include a centered display camera hole on the front, while the bezels are a bit thinner on the Galaxy S25 Ultra. Both smartphones include all of their physical buttons on the right-hand side. The power/lock button sits below the volume up and down keys.
You’ll notice that they have considerably different-looking camera setups on the back. The Galaxy S25 Ultra includes four cameras on the back, but has five separate camera islands. Each of the modules is separately protruding from the phone’s backplate. The Xiaomi 15 Ultra, on the other hand, has a huge camera oreo on the back, with four cameras included on the inside.
The Galaxy S25 Ultra is slightly taller, wider, and thinner than the Xiaomi 15 Ultra. It is also a bit lighter in comparison. Both smartphones are IP68 certified for water and dust resistance. Both glass models are slippery, but the Xiaomi 15 Ultra also comes in a vegan leather variant, which does add some grip to the equation.
Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra vs Xiaomi 15 Ultra: Display
The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra features a 6.9-inch Dynamic LTPO AMOLED 2X display. That panel is flat, and it supports an adaptive refresh rate (1-120Hz). It also supports HDR10+ content, while its peak brightness is at 2,600 nits. This display has a resolution of 3120 x 1440, and it has a 19.5:9 aspect ratio. The screen-to-body ratio is slightly under 93%, while the Gorilla Armor 2 protects this panel.
The Xiaomi 15 Ultra, on the other hand, has a 6.73-inch LTPO AMOLED display. That panel is also flat, while it has curved glass on top of it. The display supports an adaptive refresh rate (1-120Hz), while it also has support for Dolby Atmos, HDR10+, and HDR Vivid. The peak brightness here is 3,200 nits. The display aspect ratio is 20:9, while the screen-to-body ratio is at around 90%. The Xiaomi Shield Glass 2.0 protects this panel.
Both of these displays are outstanding. They’re not only sharp and vivid but have great viewing angles. They also get more than bright enough, while the touch response is very good on both. Both displays also have deep blacks, as you’d expect. The Xiaomi 15 Ultra’s panel does support high-frequency PWM dimming, unlike the Galaxy S25 Ultra’s. The Galaxy S25 Ultra’s display, on the other hand, fights off glare with noticeably more success, thanks to the Gorilla Armor 2. Both of them have their advantages, but they’re both excellent, you can’t go wrong here.
Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra vs Xiaomi 15 Ultra: Performance
Both of these smartphones are fueled by an overclocked version of the Snapdragon 8 Elite. The chip included inside the Galaxy S25 Ultra has a special name, though, for branding purposes, the Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy. The Xiaomi 15 Ultra offers 16GB of LPDDR5X RAM in its global version and 512GB of UFS 4.0 flash storage. The Galaxy S25 Ultra has 12GB of LPDDR5X RAM in most markets, but a 16GB RAM model does exist. That phone also utilizes UFS 4.0 storage.
As you’d expect out of flagship smartphones, both of them offer great performance. They’re very snappy during daily use, even if you push them real hard. There’s not a hint of lag here, not at all. They can easily jump between apps, they open then real quick, are great for multimedia consumption, browsing, video processing, image processing, and so on.
When it comes to gaming, well, that’s not a problem for either phone. From what we’ve seen, they can both handle even the most demanding games. Granted, we did not review the Xiaomi 15 Ultra just yet, but from the time we had with the phone, it does a very good job with games. We’ve extensively tested the Galaxy S25 Ultra at this point, and the phone handles stress like a champ, no issues there.
Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra vs Xiaomi 15 Ultra: Battery
Samsung included a 5,000mAh battery inside the Galaxy S25 Ultra. The Xiaomi 15 Ultra, on the other hand, has a 6,000mAh battery in China, but a 5,410mAh unit globally. For some reason Xiaomi opted for this change, unfortunately. It could have something to do with certifications. Either way, both phones do seem to offer great battery life. Once again, we did not extensively test the Xiaomi 15 Ultra at this point, but from what we’ve seen, battery life is really not an issue.
In regards to the Galaxy S25 Ultra, it offers outstanding battery life. We’ve been able to cross the 9-hour screen-on-time mark several times, though we don’t usually use a phone that much in a single day. The Galaxy S25 Ultra even managed to do it across two days on a couple of occasions. The point is, power users should be pleased with the battery life here, that’s for sure. Do note that gaming will push down those numbers, of course. Your mileage may vary based on your usage.
When it comes to charging, the Galaxy S25 Ultra supports 45W wired, 15W wireless (Qi2 Ready), and 4.5W reverse wireless charging. The Xiaomi 15 Ultra, on the flip side, supports 90W wired, 80W wireless, and 10W reverse wireless charging. Up to 30%, they charge in about the same time, but the Xiaomi 15 Ultra destroys the Galaxy S25 Ultra when it comes to charging fully. It takes the phone around 50 minutes to do it.
Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra vs Xiaomi 15 Ultra: Cameras
Both of these can be considered camera-centric phones. We’d argue that the Xiaomi 15 Ultra is leaning more in that direction, however. The inclusion of Leica hardware and expertise, plus the camera hardware itself points in that direction. Both smartphones feature four cameras on the back, though the setups are notably different.
The Galaxy S25 Ultra comes with a 200-megapixel main camera (1/1.3-inch sensor), and a 50-megapixel ultrawide unit (120-degree FoV). A 10-megapixel telephoto camera (1/3.52-inch sensor, 3x optical zoom) is also included, and so is a 50-megapixel periscope telephoto camera (1/2.52-inch sensor, 5x optical zoom).
The Xiaomi 15 Ultra, on the other hand, comes with a 50-megapixel main camera (1-inch type sensor), and a 50-megapixel ultrawide unit (1/2.76-inch sensor size, 115-degree FoV). It also includes a 50-megapixel telephoto camera (1/2.51-inch sensor size, 3x optical zoom), and a 200-megapixel periscope telephoto unit (1/1.4-inch sensor size, 4.3x optical zoom).
We haven’t had the chance to review the Xiaomi 15 Ultra just yet, but based on what we’ve seen, it does get the overall win. Zoom shots, especially high-zoom shots, provide considerably more detail and are better in general. That’s not all that surprising considering the much better periscope telephoto camera, plus Xiaomi also did a nice job with processing it seems.
The main camera on the Xiaomi 15 Ultra does seem to offer more saturated images and a bit more detail too, especially in low light. That’s not all that surprising, considering the sensor size here. It’s not without its problems, though.
Audio
Both of these smartphones come with stereo speakers, and both of them are very good. The ones on the Galaxy S25 Ultra are tuned by AKG, and they’re slightly less loud than the ones on the Xiaomi 15 Ultra. The difference is very minimal. Both offer very good audio output.
There is no audio jack on either phone. You can use their Type-C ports if you need to connect your headphones via a wire, though. If not, the Galaxy S25 Ultra offers Bluetooth 5.4, while the Xiaomi 15 Ultra comes with Bluetooth 6.0.
