Xiaomi 15T Professional assessment: Predictably good

Out of all of the telephones in Xiaomi’s lineup, I just like the “T Professional” sequence essentially the most. It’s not the corporate’s flagship – this accolade is reserved for the usually very highly effective however cumbersome “Extremely” variant – however an in-betweener which provides nice efficiency for an inexpensive worth.

With the Xiaomi 15T Professional, which follows final yr’s Xiaomi 14T Professional, the corporate did precisely what was anticipated: It upgraded the cellphone in a number of key methods whereas protecting the value on the similar stage.

Earlier than I proceed with the assessment, I’d like to focus on simply how odd a yr this can be for Xiaomi’s lineup. The Xiaomi 15T Professional was simply launched. However the firm’s President of cell phones Lu Weibing introduced that the corporate can even launch the Xiaomi 17 sequence this month.

You learn that proper, the Xiaomi 17 sequence, which follows the Xiaomi 15 sequence, that means that the Xiaomi 16 sequence will simply get skipped (the brand new title being an apparent nod to Apple’s iPhone 17). And that’s on prime of the corporate cramming in two vital cellphone launches so shut to at least one one other.

Fortuitously, it’s not essential to sweat any of those particulars if you happen to’re out there for an inexpensive cellphone with flagship-level efficiency, as a result of that’s precisely what the Xiaomi 15T Professional is. With that out of the way in which, let’s proceed with the assessment.

Xiaomi 15T Professional: Worth and specs

Xiaomi 15T Professional is an easy evolution of its predecessor, the 14T Professional. It seems comparable, however has a bigger show, extra superior digicam, extra highly effective chip inside, and a bigger battery. Xiaomi mainly upgraded the cellphone in each means that issues. Right here’s a fast overview of the specs.

• 6.83-inch AMOLED show with a 44Hz refresh fee

• 50/50/12-megapixel triple rear digicam with 5x optical zoom

• MediaTek Dimensity 9400+ chip

• 12GB of RAM

• 256GB/512GB/1TB storage

• 5,500mAh battery with 90W wired and 50W wi-fi quick charging

Xiaomi 15T Professional: Design and show

Xiaomi didn’t take any possibilities with the design: It’s nonetheless a slab of glass with a punch-hole selfie digicam on the entrance, and a easy polished aluminum floor on the again, with a big digicam bump with 4 black circles which homes three cameras and a few sensors. That’s just about what the final mannequin appeared like, although the unit that XIaomi despatched me has a pleasant, chocolatey Mocha Gold shade which makes the cellphone look fancy.

It is not vastly completely different from earlier mannequin, nevertheless it does feel and appear good.
Credit score: Stan Schroeder/Mashable

The show, nonetheless, has grown in dimension. It now measures 6.83 inches (roughly the identical as Apple’s iPhone 17 Professional Max) with very skinny bezels on the facet. It’s brilliant, stunning, and really easy, due to the adaptive 144Hz refresh fee. The show is protected by Corning’s Gorilla Glass 7i, which ought to make it fairly sturdy, and, as is customary for Xiaomi and most different Chinese language cellphone makers, it comes with a pre-applied display screen safety.

Oh, and there are two different colours on supply: Black, and Grey. Booooring. Get the chocolate one.

Xiaomi 15T Professional: Efficiency and AI

Battery life is nice, and charging could be very quick.
Credit score: Stan Schroeder/Mashable

MediaTek’s Dimensity chipsets aren’t what most individuals take into consideration when they give thought to prime cell chips. That is improper. The chip inside this cellphone, the MediaTek Dimensity 9000+, is roughly as highly effective as Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for many duties, solely lagging barely in GPU efficiency. Right here, it’s coupled with 12GB of RAM, making my day-to-day utilization very easy.

I performed just a few video games of PUBG, and I by no means observed any body fee drops, even after I maxed out the settings. I am not a hardcore gamer, however this cellphone is highly effective sufficient for my wants.

On the AI facet, you get Google’s Gemini, a well-known choice that’ll do exactly advantageous for most people. You may invoke it with a protracted press of the facility button on the facet or by saying “Hey Google,” and instantly begin annoying your mates by asking the AI about any matter that comes up in dialog.

Beneath Xiaomi’s HyperOS pores and skin you get Android 15, which is annoying, provided that Android 16 has been obtainable since June. When shopping for a brand new cellphone, I would desire to have the newest model of the underlying OS beneath, nevertheless it simply wasn’t meant to be on this one.

Oh, and in addition annoyingly, Xiaomi nonetheless packs its telephones with pre-installed third-party apps. For instance, I do not know what WPS Workplace is, and I would moderately selected my very own workplace suite as an alternative of getting this factor already put in on a model new cellphone.

Xiaomi 15T Professional: Cameras

Xiaomi’s Leica branded digicam system is one of the best while you use the primary, 50-megapixel digicam. The images are crisp and detailed in daylight; come nightfall, and so they get a bit of fuzzy however they’re nonetheless surprisingly colourful. When you go extensive, nonetheless, the standard decreases considerably.

This picture seems brighter and extra colourful than it ought to have, given how darkish it actually was.
Credit score: Stan Schroeder/Mashable

I used to be in a position to make use of the Xiaomi 15T Professional unit similtaneously Apple’s new iPhones, and it was attention-grabbing to see whether or not the extra inexpensive Xiaomi can hold in there with essentially the most highly effective Apple cellphone, the iPhone 17 Professional Max.

Go extensive, and you may lose on the small print.
Credit score: Stan Schroeder/Mashable

The reply is: Generally sure, principally no. The iPhone had higher extensive pictures, sharper night time pictures, much less artificial-looking macro pictures. The Xiaomi’s telephoto digicam hangs in there fairly properly, although, particularly at 2x magnification.

Left:
Xiaomi 15T Professional
Credit score: Stan Schroeder/Mashable

Proper:
Xiaomi 15T Professional
I’ve gotten one of the best outcomes with 2x zoom, however the Leica telephoto digicam on this cellphone goes to 5x optical.
Credit score: Stan Schroeder/Mashable

Selfies are fairly nice. The 32-megapixel entrance digicam produces detailed, crisp pictures, however you will get one of the best ends in properly lit circumstances.

I’ve persistently gotten very detailed selfies with correct colours.
Credit score: Stan Schroeder/Mashable

Xiaomi 15T Professional: Battery life

On paper, the Xiaomi 15T Professional has a roughly 10 p.c larger battery than the final yr’s mannequin. I’ve given it just a few very intense days, taking images, gaming, and streaming movies for hours on finish, and it held up amazingly properly. This cellphone will simply final two days between prices.

Charging, each wired and wi-fi, is fairly quick; I used to be in a position to cost the Xiaomi 15T Professional from near-zero to full cost in about 45 minutes, although you will want a quick charger for that.

Is the Xiaomi 15T Professional value it?

It is a fantastic cellphone, nevertheless it competes in opposition to so many new fashions.
Credit score: Stan Schroeder/Mashable

Xiaomi’s 15T Professional strikes me as a no-nonsense buy. It’s inexpensive whereas hitting the candy spots in nearly each means that issues, be it battery life, show high quality, or digicam efficiency. In Mocha Gold it truly seems fancy, too. You do must get used to Xiaomi’s UI and settings (one thing I haven’t had too many issues with for years now), and it most likely isn’t the only option for hardcore avid gamers.

Xiaomi’s largest downside right here is the truth that the corporate can be launching a completely new lineup of Xiaomi 17 telephones, making Xiaomi 15T sound out of date proper from the get go. A distinct launch timing would profit this mannequin extra.

The Xiaomi 15T Professional begins at €799 ($938) in Europe. There’s additionally a less expensive variant, the Xiaomi 15T, that has a much less highly effective chip, slower charging, and lacks 5x zoom; that one begins at €649 ($762). You may get them at Xiaomi’s on-line retailer.