Xiaomi 15 Ultra
Snapdragon 8 Elite · Leica · 1-inch sensor
iPhone 17 Pro Max
A19 Pro · 6.9″ OLED · IP68
iPhone 17 Pro Max takes it — here’s why.
In our weighted Specdex score, Xiaomi 15 Ultra lands at 92 and iPhone 17 Pro Max at 96. That puts iPhone 17 Pro Max ahead by 4 points — a narrow margin driven mostly by its strengths in the categories below.
Pick Xiaomi 15 Ultra if…
- ✓1-inch LYT-900 main sensor
- ✓Leica tuning on every camera
- ✓90W + 80W wireless charging
Pick iPhone 17 Pro Max if…
- ✓A19 Pro chip
- ✓Up to 39 hours video playback
- ✓Up to 2 TB storage
Winner by scenario
Derived from the sub-score breakdown · not a separate testPhotography
Xiaomi 15 UltraStills and video quality across lenses
Xiaomi 15 Ultra leads on camera (98 vs 95).
Battery life
TieScreen-on time and charging
Effectively tied — neither pulls a 2-point weighted lead.
Performance
TieChipset speed for gaming and heavy apps
Effectively tied — neither pulls a 2-point weighted lead.
Display
TiePanel quality, brightness, refresh rate
Effectively tied — neither pulls a 2-point weighted lead.
Value for money
iPhone 17 Pro MaxSpecdex score per dollar at MSRP
iPhone 17 Pro Max more score per dollar ($1,199 vs $1,499).
Score breakdown
Specs side-by-side
| Spec | Xiaomi 15 Ultra | iPhone 17 Pro Max |
|---|---|---|
| Display | 6.73″ LTPO AMOLED, 120Hz, 3200×1440 | ▲ 6.9″ OLED, 2868×1320 at 460 ppi |
| Chipset | Snapdragon 8 Elite | Apple A19 Pro chip |
| RAM | 12/16 GB | — |
| Storage | 256 GB – 1 TB | 256 / 512 GB / 1 / 2 TB |
| Rear camera | 50 MP 1″ + 50 MP 3× + 50 MP 4.3× periscope + 50 MP UW | — |
| Battery | 6000 mAh | — |
| Charging | ▲ 90W wired, 80W wireless | 50% in 20 min with 40W adapter; MagSafe up to 25W |
| OS | HyperOS 2 / Android 15 | iOS 26 |
| Battery (video) | — | Up to 39 hours |
| Weight | — | 233 g |
| IP rating | — | IP68 (6 m, 30 min) |
Xiaomi 15 Ultra
- +1-inch LYT-900 main sensor
- +Leica tuning on every camera
- +90W + 80W wireless charging
- −Limited US availability
- −HyperOS still maturing
- −Large and heavy
iPhone 17 Pro Max
- +A19 Pro chip
- +Up to 39 hours video playback
- +Up to 2 TB storage
- −Premium price
- −Weighs 233 g
- −Wired charging requires 40W+ adapter
FAQ: Xiaomi 15 Ultra vs iPhone 17 Pro Max
Which is better, Xiaomi 15 Ultra or iPhone 17 Pro Max? +
iPhone 17 Pro Max scores 96 on our weighted rubric — ahead by 4. Your best pick depends on the sub-scores above.
Is Xiaomi 15 Ultra worth the price? +
At $1,499, Xiaomi 15 Ultra delivers a Specdex score of 92 — strongest in camera.
Is iPhone 17 Pro Max worth the price? +
At $1,199, iPhone 17 Pro Max delivers a Specdex score of 96 — strongest in cpu.
Does Xiaomi 15 Ultra or iPhone 17 Pro Max last longer? +
Based on our long-term update and support ratings, both ship with multi-year support. Battery and reliability scores are visible in the breakdown above.
Which is better for photography, Xiaomi 15 Ultra or iPhone 17 Pro Max? +
Xiaomi 15 Ultra — leads on camera (98 vs 95). Stills and video quality across lenses.
Which is the better value, Xiaomi 15 Ultra or iPhone 17 Pro Max? +
iPhone 17 Pro Max — more score per dollar ($1,199 vs $1,499). Specdex score per dollar at MSRP.