Affordable Powerhouse Smartphone
Xiaomi once again delivers an alluring Leica experience for the masses.
Xiaomi’s latest 15T Pro smartphone offers consumers flagship photography and advanced mobile technology at below S$1,000. Running on the top-spec MediaTek Dimensity 9400+ CPU with Dimensity 8400-Ultra GPU, this smartphone delivers commendable performance that does not break the bank.
My two-week hands-on review is generally satisfactory. While the overall phone performance is not as snappy as the “Ultra” flagship model, the camera performance is sufficiently impressive. The overall design makes the 15T Pro very satisfying to use with its large 6.83-inch display that achieves peak 3200 nits brightness, 144Hz refresh rate and 3840Hz PWM dimming.
It has the largest display yet among Xiaomi series smartphones, and the screen bezels are also slimmer than previous models. The slight disadvantage would be the overall bulk compared to my personal smartphone, but the aluminium alloy frame has a noticeable curve on the edges, which offers excellent handholding comfort.
With a 5500 mAh battery capacity and aggressive battery management, the Xiaomi 15T Pro easily lasts the whole day during my vacation, while its thermal management system keeps the device running with little heat. Even when the battery is low, it supports 90W wired HyperCharge to get the device charged rapidly within minutes.
Other than fitting the black silicone casing included in the retail package, I tested the Xiaomi 15T Pro without applying a screen protector and observed no scratches at the end of my 2-week vacation, as the screen is reinforced with Corning Gorilla Glass 7i. The smartphone is also certified IP68 water and dust resistant, which can withstand the elements.
The Leica triple camera system covers an optical zoom range from 15mm to 115mm, with digital zoom all the way to 230mm. Photo quality stands out, especially from the new 50MP Leica main and 50MP 5× periscope (115mm) pairing: colour is restrained yet rich, detail holds up to 10–15×, and the 100× digital ceiling is surprisingly usable for quick reference shots.
The 12MP ultra-wide (15mm) keeps lines tidy, and Leica’s Authentic/Vibrant profiles plus the Master-Lens presets make it easy to dial a look without editing. Video is equally confident, up to 8K30 or 4K120 with HDR10+ and robust stabilisation, and the 32MP selfie camera stays sharp for social and video calls. The portrait bokeh effects deliver authentic looks of a premium camera, elevating everyday images to pro-level shots.
We Say: A big, bright display, strong battery life, and a genuinely capable Leica triple-camera make this an easy sub-S$1,000 recommendation – flagship flavour without the flagship bill.
Rating: 4/5
S$799
www.mi.com
Technical Specifications
Processor MediaTek Dimensity 9400+, GPU Immortalis-G925 MC12, NPU 890
Operating System HyperOS 2 based on Android 15
Memory LPDDR5X + UFS 4.1 Storage, 12GB ROM, 256/512/1024GB RAM
Display 6.83” AMOLED 144Hz AMOLED 2772 x 1280 447 ppi, Dolby Vision, HDR10+
Rear Cameras 23mm f/1.62 Leica 50 MP main camera, 115mm f/3.0 Leica 50 MP super telephoto camera, 15mm f/2.2 Leica 12MP ultra-wide angle camera
Front Camera 21mm f/2.2 32 MP camera
Connectivity 5G NSA and SA, Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6.0, NFC
SIM Type Dual SIM + eSIM
Water Resistance IP68
Battery 5,500mAh, 90W HyperCharge
Dimensions 162.7 x 77.9 x 7.96mm
Weight 210g
