I like what Xiaomi is doing with its T series devices; the Chinese brand has consistently delivered performant phones that don't cost as much as its flagship Xiaomi 15. While these phones started out as mid-range devices, that is no longer the case in 2025, with the Xiaomi 15T and 15T Pro inching closer to flagships than traditional mid-range phones.
The upside is that Xiaomi now offers an all-round package; the 15T Pro has a sleek design that I prefer to the Xiaomi 15 and its rivals like the Vivo X200, the phone has cameras that are just as good in most situations, and the large battery ensures it lasts a day without breaking a sweat. It doesn't miss out on ingress protection either, and it even gets Xiaomi's 50W wireless charging tech in addition to regular 90W charging.
Essentially, the 15T Pro is the phone you buy if you don't need the absolute best cameras and want to save a few hundred dollars. The only drawback is that the phone doesn't have Android 16 out of the box, and Xiaomi is obstinate about not changing long-standing issues with the software. Still, if you don't mind the older software and want something that doesn't cost as much as true flagships, the 15T Pro has plenty to like.
Xiaomi 15T Pro: Pricing and availability
Xiaomi unveiled the 15T and 15T Pro globally at a launch event in Munich on September 24, and both phones are going on sale in the coming weeks. The regular Xiaomi 15T costs £549 ($737) for the 12GB/256GB model, and £599 ($804) for the 12GB/512GB edition.
The 15T Pro starts at £649 ($871) for the 12GB/256GB variant, with the 12GB/512GB model at £699 ($938). I'm using the 12GB/1TB model of the 15T Pro, and it comes out to £799 ($1,073) in the U.K.
Xiaomi 15T Pro: A design that (finally) looks good
The Xiaomi 13T Pro was the ugliest phone I used in 2023, so to see Xiaomi evolve the design to such a considerable degree is an achievement in and of itself. The Xiaomi 15T Pro looks sleek and elegant, and it stands out for all the right reasons. The phone has a glass fiber back with a matte texture that feels great to hold, and it prevents any smudging.
The sides have a flat design — like every other phone in 2025 — but the beveled edges ensure the 15T Pro doesn't dig into your palm, and I like the in-hand feel of the device. The mid-frame is aluminum, and build quality is excellent as you'd imagine. The squarish camera island at the back looks good in its own right, and it has a metallic finish that accentuates the design.
Although the 15T Pro is taller and wider than its predecessor, it isn't any heavier in spite of having a bigger battery, and while it's on the bigger end of the scale, you get a 6.83-inch panel. The phone is available in Black, Gray, and Mocha Gold colors, and the gold variant I'm using stands out thanks to its distinctive sheen.
Xiaomi retained a similar design for the regular 15T, but that device has a polycarbonate mid-frame instead of aluminum, and the back doesn't quite feel as nice to hold. Thankfully, both devices get IP68 dust and water resistance, and they're now guaranteed to withstand water ingress in up to three meters, which is good to see.
Xiaomi 15T Pro: Flagship-tier internals
Xiaomi outfitted the 15T Pro with a bigger 6.83-inch AMOLED panel, and it goes up to 144Hz refresh in select use cases. The phone feels fluid in regular use, and the panel has good color vibrancy — similar to every other Xiaomi phone I tested in the last five years.
It does a decent enough job with HDR content as well, and I didn't have any problems using the phone outdoors. Xiaomi touts a maximum brightness of 3,200 nits, but that's in HDR content and not really valid when talking about regular usage. While it doesn't get quite as bright as the Pixel 10 Pro XL, Vivo X200 Pro, or even the Xiaomi 15, there are no issues in this regard.
You also get good onboard sound, and gaming is generally enjoyable on the 15T Pro. The phone gets DC dimming as well, and there's extensive customizability when it comes to adjusting the color balance to your tastes. Xiaomi's reading mode is intact. and it allows you to switch to monochrome when reading text.
Xiaomi went with MediaTek's Dimensity 9400+, and the 15T Pro absolutely flies in regular use. I didn't see any slowdowns or lag in the two weeks I used the phone, and it is just as fluid as other Dimensity 9400-powered devices I used this year. It does a great job while gaming as well; there isn't much in the way of throttling, and it doesn't get as hot as its predecessor.
Category |
Xiaomi 15T Pro |
Xiaomi 15T |
iQOO 13 |
|---|---|---|---|
Geekbench 6 (single-core) |
2464 |
1623 |
2954 |
Geekbench 6 (multi-core) |
7751 |
6355 |
6650 |
Geekbench AI (Quantized Score) |
2624 |
2124 |
3915 |
3DMark Wild Life Extreme (score) |
3345 |
3347 |
4514 |
3DMark Wild Life Extreme (FPS) |
20.04 |
20.04 |
27.02 |
3DMark Solar Bay (score) |
5559 |
5467 |
7287 |
3DMark Solar Bay (FPS) |
21.14 |
20.79 |
27.69 |
You get LPDDR5X RAM and UFS 4.1 storage as standard regardless of whatever configuration you choose, and that's the right move (unlike what Google is doing with Pixel 10). There isn't much to talk about with the hardware, as it's largely a known quantity; you get the latest connectivity radios, and there are no issues in daily use.
The 15T Pro gets a bigger 5,500mAh battery, and it easily lasts over a day without any problems. I had no issues getting to the end of the day even with heavy use, and more often than not, I got a day and a half between charges. The only issue is that you don't get a charger in the box; while Samsung and Google don't include one either, their phones don't go up to 90W, and not bundling it with the 15T Pro is an egregious move by Xiaomi.
Xiaomi 15T Pro: Cameras that continue to shine
Xiaomi isn't changing things too much with the cameras; the 15T Pro gets a new 50MP Light Fusion 900 main camera that uses an OmniVision OVX9100 sensor along with OIS, and it retains the same auxiliary modules as last year: a 50MP Samsung JN1 (S5KJN1) tele lens with OIS, and a 12MP wide-angle lens that relies on OmniVision's OV13B sensor. The front contains the same module as last time, a 32MP Samsung KD1 sensor.
There isn't much to talk about when it comes to the interface; Xiaomi cleaned up the viewfinder a little, but it is in line with what you get on most other phones, with shooting modes at the bottom, toggles around the interface, and easily-accessible settings. Xiaomi continues to limit 4K60 video to the main and tele lenses, and the wide-angle misses out. That said, video quality is better than previous years.
The main camera does a terrific job in daylight and low-light situations, delivering photos with good vibrancy, dynamic range, and contrast. Xiaomi's collaboration with Leica is leading to huge gains on the likes of the Xiaomi 15 Ultra, but the 15T Pro also benefits.
The auxiliary cameras are great as well, with the tele lens producing detailed images up to 5x. The wide-angle module continues to be the weakest sensor, and while it doesn't measure up in low-light, it's decent in other situations. Overall, this isn't a camera that can take on the Xiaomi 15 or Vivo X200, but it holds its own well against other devices in the same category, and that's all that matters.
Xiaomi 15T Pro: Same old software issues
Xiaomi needs to address its software situation; although the brand embarked on a redesign effort two years ago, the interface continues to be largely unchanged, and there are vestiges of MIUI that make it not as cohesive as other Chinese skins. But what's particularly annoying is that Xiaomi still doesn't offer Android 16 out of the box; both the 15T and 15T Pro run Android 15 as standard, and there's no telling when either device will switch to the latest version of Android.
To put this into context, Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 7 launched three months ago with Android 16 out of the box. Yes, that is a significantly costlier device, but Android 16 has been available for over a quarter now, and not including it out of the box is nothing short of negligence. While I've largely enjoyed what Xiaomi is doing with the hardware and cameras on its phones, its software is among the worst of any Android brand, and there's a feeling that Xiaomi doesn't want to change that.
As a result, you're once again left with an older version of Android on a brand-new device, and the interface should be familiar if you've used a Xiaomi phone in the past. It is fluid and doesn't have much in the way of issues, but it just isn't exciting to use; Xiaomi has to do a better job in this area, because it's not only behind Google and Samsung, but also OPPO and Vivo.
Xiaomi 15T Pro: The alternatives
The Pixel 10 is a good alternative to the 15T Pro, and while it doesn't quite have versatile cameras, that's about the only major downside. Google did a good job with its phones this year, and the Pixel 10 delivers fantastic software, a great camera, and good internals that aren't as hobbled as previous generations.
The OnePlus 13 gets a recommendation as well now that it's discounted. It is a terrific all-round package, and it doesn't have much in the way of shortcomings. I also like the iQOO 13; that's another device that does a good job with the basics, and you get decent cameras this year.
Xiaomi 15T Pro: Should you buy it?
Overall, Xiaomi did enough with the 15T Pro to merit a recommendation. I like the changes to the design, and the cameras are an upgrade — the phone clearly holds its own in this area. The bigger panel is great to use, the internals are among the best around, and the battery life is solid.
The only problem is around the software; Xiaomi's reluctance to address these issues and continue rolling out phones with older versions of Android is becoming a real issue. In a sense, Xiaomi is like Honor in this regard, with both brands refusing to acknowledge lingering issues with their software. Meanwhile, OPPO and Vivo are doing a great job introducing new features and modernizing their skins, and I can't help but feel that Xiaomi is being left behind.
If you're willing to overlook the fact that the 15T Pro doesn't have the latest version of Android, then you should get it — the hardware is among the best in its category.
