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The newly launched Xiaomi 15T is a more budget-friendly sibling of the Xiaomi 15T Pro, which we reviewed a few weeks ago. While the latter is currently on sale for €803 (down from €1003 for the model with 12 GB of RAM and 1 TB of storage), the Xiaomi 15T is even more affordable.
Both Xiaomi smartphones feature nearly identical screens (the 15T Pro supports a refresh rate of 144 Hz, compared to “only” 120 Hz for the 15T). Among other compromises that help reduce the cost of the Xiaomi 15T are a less powerful Mediatek processor and a 2x telephoto lens (compared to 5x for the 15T Pro).
Although the battery capacity is the same on both devices, the Xiaomi 15T does not support the wireless charging offered by the 15T Pro, and wired charging is slightly slower (67 W compared to 90 W for the 15T Pro).
Considering these changes, does the Xiaomi 15T appear less appealing than the 15T Pro, or on the contrary, does its better price-quality ratio make it even more interesting? Let’s find out.
Technical Specifications
| Model | Xiaomi 15T |
|---|---|
| Dimensions | 78 mm x 163.2 mm x 7.5 mm |
| Manufacturer Interface | HyperOS |
| Screen Size | 6.83 inches |
| Resolution | 2772 x 1280 pixels |
| Pixel Density | 447 ppi |
| Technology | AMOLED |
| SoC | Mediatek Dimensity 8400-Ultra |
| Graphics Chip | Mali-G720 |
| Internal Storage | 256, 512 GB |
| Rear Camera |
Sensor 1: 50 MP Sensor 2: 50 MP Sensor 3: 12 MP |
| Front Camera | 32 MP |
| Video Recording Resolution | 4K @ 60 fps |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 6E |
| Bluetooth | 6.0 |
| 5G | Yes |
| NFC | Yes |
| Fingerprint Sensor | Under the screen |
| Connector Type | USB Type-C |
| Battery Capacity | 5500 mAh |
| Weight | 194 g |
| Colors | Black, Pink, Gray |
| Product Sheet |
Design
Due to their identical form factor, the Xiaomi 15T closely resembles its big brother, the Xiaomi 15T Pro. It measures 16.3 x 7.8 x 0.75 cm, weighing 194 grams.
However, the two smartphones differ in one subtle aspect: the aluminum frame of the Xiaomi 15T Pro has been replaced by plastic on the Xiaomi 15T, which may impact the smartphone’s durability if dropped on a hard surface.
Otherwise, it still boasts a matte glass fiber back, which is soft to the touch and resists fingerprint smudges, while the screen is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 7i.
It also features the large camera module, slim screen borders, the fingerprint sensor at the bottom of the display, and dual speakers, which deliver fairly satisfactory audio quality (comparable to what most other smartphones offer).
Last but not least, the Xiaomi 15T retains the same IP68 certification as the Xiaomi 15T Pro. Thus, it can be used without worry in very humid or dusty environments. It is resistant to rain and accidental immersions in water (freshwater!).
Display
When it comes to the screen, the Xiaomi 15T differs very little from its big brother: same size, same resolution, and same maximum brightness!
Its large 6.83-inch OLED panel displays images at 2772 x 1280 pixels.
The only technical difference is that the maximum refresh rate is “only” 120 Hz, which is more than sufficient for enjoying perfectly smooth animations while gaming (admittedly, the 144 Hz mode touted by the Xiaomi 15T Pro is more of a marketing feature).
As for display performance, the manufacturer claims a maximum brightness of 3200 nits in HDR peak. And indeed, this level was confirmed when we measured it using our Calibrite Display Pro HL probe and CalMAN Ultimate software by Portrait Displays.
Indeed, while the brightness reaches just over 1000 nits in SDR, it rises significantly in HDR: up to 3180 nits. This ensures optimal readability in full sunlight.
Thanks to this high brightness in HDR and compatibility with Dolby Vision and HDR10+, the Xiaomi 15T offers the best possible visual quality when watching a movie or a series on streaming platforms like Netflix, Disney+, etc.
Another satisfying aspect is the color fidelity, as the average Delta E measurement returns a result below 3 (2.69), with the Saturated display profile. And while the default color temperature is slightly too cold (7014 K), simply selecting the option for a warmer colorimetry provides a perfectly neutral temperature (6583 K).
Finally, the screen is capable of displaying 114% of the DCI-P3 color space (and 170% of the BT-709 gamut and 77% of the BT-2020 gamut), which—once again—proves to be positive.
Performance
The Xiaomi 15T is equipped with the Mediatek Dimensity 8400 Ultra processor, which has also been implemented in devices like the Poco X7 Pro. This chip features 8 Cortex A725 cores, one operating at 3.25 GHz (the others are clocked at 3.0 GHz and 2.1 GHz). Graphic operations are handled by the Mali-G720 GPU.
Of course, this chip is less powerful than the Mediatek Dimensity 9400+ found in the Xiaomi 15T Pro and Samsung’s Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra. But how does it perform compared to chips in other mid-range smartphones?
According to the scores from various benchmarks that we use in each test, the theoretical performance of the Xiaomi 15T is slightly better than that of the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8s Gen 3, recently seen in the OnePlus Nord 5.
However, Mediatek’s chip is significantly less powerful than the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 found in the Poco F7 Pro, and even the Exynos 2400 processor, which powers the recent Samsung Galaxy S25 FE.
In practice, this doesn’t seem to be a major issue for “normal” use. Indeed, during our test, the smartphone showed no notable signs of strain when switching between multiple apps or gaming. For instance, in Fortnite, the Xiaomi 15T supports the maximum refresh rate (120 frames per second), with minimal graphical settings, or superb graphic quality (Epic mode), with animations still very smooth (60 frames per second).
Software
As we mentioned in our test of the Xiaomi 15T Pro, the manufacturer’s software offering is particularly rich. And of course, the Xiaomi 15T benefits from this as well. It runs on Android 15, with all the enhancements of the proprietary HyperOS 2 interface.
You still have access to Gemini, Google’s Circle to Search function, and numerous AI-enhanced features. These include functions for writing assistance, translation, audio transcription (with speaker recognition and summary creation), and the creation of dynamic wallpapers (a particularly impressive feature that brings your photos to life).
In addition, there are numerous photo editing features available, including some that use artificial intelligence to move or remove objects or people, extend a photo, or change the color of the sky.
Photography
Like the rest of its equipment, the Xiaomi 15T features a photographic setup very similar to that of the Xiaomi 15T Pro, with three rear lenses branded by Leica:
- A wide-angle lens (23 mm, F/1.7), paired with a 50-megapixel sensor (with optical stabilization).
- An ultra-wide-angle lens (15 mm, F/2.2), with a 12-megapixel sensor.
- A 2x telephoto lens (46 mm). The sensor of this lens, with a resolution of 50 megapixels, is not stabilized, unlike that of the 15T Pro (which also has a longer focal length of 115 mm, corresponding to a 5x optical zoom).
It’s noteworthy that this last module, which was reserved for high-end smartphones just a few years ago, is increasingly found on mid-range devices. They are capable of achieving a 2x optical zoom (like the Nothing Phone (3a) Pro, OnePlus 13R, or CMF Phone 2 Pro), 2.5x like the Poco F7 Ultra, 3x (Samsung Galaxy S25 FE), or even 3.5x (Oppo Reno 14).
For selfies, the Xiaomi 15T retains the lens (21 mm, F/2.2) and 32-megapixel sensor of the 15T Pro.
In broad daylight, the photos captured with the wide-angle lens, at its base focal length (23 mm) and with the 2x optical zoom (46 mm), are of impeccable quality. All elements of the images benefit from great precision.
We note that the quality of the shots remains satisfactory when using a focal length between 115 mm and 230 mm (corresponding, let’s remember, to 5x and 10x digital zooms). Most of the time, the precision is not significantly degraded (or at least it is not noticeable on the screen of a smartphone, but only on the large screen of a monitor) and the overall sharpness of the scene is maintained.
However, the photos captured under the same conditions using the Xiaomi 15T Pro and its 5x telephoto lens (115 mm) turn out to be more detailed. This is particularly visible when viewing the images on a large screen. The example below shows this (even though the lighting conditions were different at the time of the two shots, hence a warmer colorimetry in the case of the 15T Pro).
To see even further, one can use a digital zoom offering a magnification factor much higher than 10x. But then, one should not expect usable results, as shown by the examples below, captured with the 30x (690 mm) zoom and the maximum zoom, 60x (1380 mm). These extreme zoom levels should therefore only be used as a last resort.
At night, the photos taken with the wide-angle lens are quite satisfactory (even if the sharpness is not extraordinary), provided the light sources are not too distant. Otherwise, the Quad Pixel Binning technology manages to enhance the brightness of the scene, but the precision remains generally low.
To use the 2x optical zoom at night, the presence of nearby light sources becomes even more essential if one wants to obtain decent shots.
The ultra-wide-angle lens also produces good quality photos during the day, although—as often—the elements placed at the edges of the images do not benefit from excellent sharpness.
At night, as often, the ultra-wide-angle lens most often produces blurry photos, or very dark ones if—once again—the ambient light is very low.
Lastly, selfies, with or without Portrait mode, are well executed. The intensity of the background blur effect (Bokeh) is adjustable, and there are numerous options available to enhance one’s visual appearance (up to the whiteness of the teeth!).
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Maya Singh is a senior editor covering tablets and hybrid devices. Her work explores how these tools reshape digital productivity and learning. She also contributes to feature editorials on emerging tech.
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