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I like what Xiaomi is doing with its T collection gadgets; the Chinese language model has persistently delivered performant telephones that do not price as a lot as its flagship Xiaomi 15. Whereas these telephones began out as mid-range gadgets, that’s now not the case in 2025, with the Xiaomi 15T and 15T Professional inching nearer to flagships than conventional mid-range telephones.
The upside is that Xiaomi now gives an all-round package deal; the 15T Professional has a modern design that I want to the Xiaomi 15 and its rivals just like the Vivo X200, the telephone has cameras which can be simply pretty much as good in most conditions, and the big battery ensures it lasts a day with out breaking a sweat. It does not miss out on ingress safety both, and it even will get Xiaomi’s 50W wi-fi charging tech along with common 90W charging.
Primarily, the 15T Professional is the telephone you purchase if you happen to do not want the best possible cameras and need to save a couple of hundred {dollars}. The one disadvantage is that the telephone does not have Android 16 out of the field, and Xiaomi is obstinate about not altering long-standing points with the software program. Nonetheless, if you happen to do not thoughts the older software program and wish one thing that does not price as a lot as true flagships, the 15T Professional has a lot to love.
Xiaomi 15T Professional: Pricing and availability
Xiaomi unveiled the 15T and 15T Professional globally at a launch occasion in Munich on September 24, and each telephones are occurring sale within the coming weeks. The common Xiaomi 15T prices £549 ($737) for the 12GB/256GB mannequin, and £599 ($804) for the 12GB/512GB version.
The 15T Professional begins at £649 ($871) for the 12GB/256GB variant, with the 12GB/512GB mannequin at £699 ($938). I am utilizing the 12GB/1TB mannequin of the 15T Professional, and it comes out to £799 ($1,073) within the U.Ok.
Xiaomi 15T Professional: A design that (lastly) appears good
The Xiaomi 13T Professional was the ugliest telephone I utilized in 2023, so to see Xiaomi evolve the design to such a substantial diploma is an achievement in and of itself. The Xiaomi 15T Professional appears modern and stylish, and it stands out for all the precise causes. The telephone has a glass fiber again with a matte texture that feels nice to carry, and it prevents any smudging.
The perimeters have a flat design — like each different telephone in 2025 — however the beveled edges make sure the 15T Professional does not dig into your palm, and I just like the in-hand really feel of the gadget. The mid-frame is aluminum, and construct high quality is great as you’d think about. The squarish digital camera island on the again appears good in its personal proper, and it has a metallic end that accentuates the design.
Though the 15T Professional is taller and wider than its predecessor, it is not any heavier regardless of having an even bigger battery, and whereas it is on the larger finish of the size, you get a 6.83-inch panel. The telephone is accessible in Black, Grey, and Mocha Gold colours, and the gold variant I am utilizing stands out because of its distinctive sheen.
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Xiaomi retained the same design for the common 15T, however that gadget has a polycarbonate mid-frame as a substitute of aluminum, and the again does not fairly really feel as good to carry. Fortunately, each gadgets get IP68 mud and water resistance, and so they’re now assured to resist water ingress in as much as three meters, which is nice to see.
Xiaomi 15T Professional: Flagship-tier internals
Xiaomi outfitted the 15T Professional with an even bigger 6.83-inch AMOLED panel, and it goes as much as 144Hz refresh in choose use instances. The telephone feels fluid in common use, and the panel has good shade vibrancy — much like each different Xiaomi telephone I examined within the final 5 years.
It does a good sufficient job with HDR content material as nicely, and I did not have any issues utilizing the telephone outdoor. Xiaomi touts a most brightness of three,200 nits, however that is in HDR content material and not likely legitimate when speaking about common utilization. Whereas it does not get fairly as brilliant because the Pixel 10 Professional XL, Vivo X200 Professional, and even the Xiaomi 15, there aren’t any points on this regard.
You additionally get good onboard sound, and gaming is mostly pleasurable on the 15T Professional. The telephone will get DC dimming as nicely, and there is in depth customizability in the case of adjusting the colour stability to your tastes. Xiaomi’s studying mode is undamaged. and it means that you can swap to monochrome when studying textual content.
Xiaomi went with MediaTek’s Dimensity 9400+, and the 15T Professional completely flies in common use. I did not see any slowdowns or lag within the two weeks I used the telephone, and it’s simply as fluid as different Dimensity 9400-powered gadgets I used this 12 months. It does an awesome job whereas gaming as nicely; there is not a lot in the way in which of throttling, and it does not get as scorching as its predecessor.
|
Class |
Xiaomi 15T Professional |
Xiaomi 15T |
iQOO 13 |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Geekbench 6 (single-core) |
2464 |
1623 |
2954 |
|
Geekbench 6 (multi-core) |
7751 |
6355 |
6650 |
|
Geekbench AI (Quantized Rating) |
2624 |
2124 |
3915 |
|
3DMark Wild Life Excessive (rating) |
3345 |
3347 |
4514 |
|
3DMark Wild Life Excessive (FPS) |
20.04 |
20.04 |
27.02 |
|
3DMark Photo voltaic Bay (rating) |
5559 |
5467 |
7287 |
|
3DMark Photo voltaic Bay (FPS) |
21.14 |
20.79 |
27.69 |
You get LPDDR5X RAM and UFS 4.1 storage as commonplace no matter no matter configuration you select, and that is the precise transfer (not like what Google is doing with Pixel 10). There is not a lot to speak about with the {hardware}, because it’s largely a recognized amount; you get the newest connectivity radios, and there aren’t any points in day by day use.
The 15T Professional will get an even bigger 5,500mAh battery, and it simply lasts over a day with none issues. I had no points attending to the tip of the day even with heavy use, and most of the time, I received a day and a half between prices. The one subject is that you aren’t getting a charger within the field; whereas Samsung and Google do not embody one both, their telephones do not go as much as 90W, and never bundling it with the 15T Professional is an egregious transfer by Xiaomi.
Xiaomi 15T Professional: Cameras that proceed to shine
Xiaomi is not altering issues an excessive amount of with the cameras; the 15T Professional will get a brand new 50MP Gentle Fusion 900 foremost digital camera that makes use of an OmniVision OVX9100 sensor together with OIS, and it retains the identical auxiliary modules as final 12 months: a 50MP Samsung JN1 (S5KJN1) tele lens with OIS, and a 12MP wide-angle lens that depends on OmniVision’s OV13B sensor. The entrance comprises the identical module as final time, a 32MP Samsung KD1 sensor.
There is not a lot to speak about in the case of the interface; Xiaomi cleaned up the viewfinder a little bit, however it’s in step with what you get on most different telephones, with taking pictures modes on the backside, toggles across the interface, and easily-accessible settings. Xiaomi continues to restrict 4K60 video to the principle and tele lenses, and the wide-angle misses out. That mentioned, video high quality is healthier than earlier years.
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The primary digital camera does a terrific job in daylight and low-light conditions, delivering images with good vibrancy, dynamic vary, and distinction. Xiaomi’s collaboration with Leica is main to large positive factors on the likes of the Xiaomi 15 Extremely, however the 15T Professional additionally advantages.
The auxiliary cameras are nice as nicely, with the tele lens producing detailed photos as much as 5x. The wide-angle module continues to be the weakest sensor, and whereas it does not measure up in low-light, it is first rate in different conditions. Total, this is not a digital camera that may tackle the Xiaomi 15 or Vivo X200, nevertheless it holds its personal nicely towards different gadgets in the identical class, and that is all that issues.
Xiaomi 15T Professional: Standard software program points
Xiaomi wants to deal with its software program scenario; though the model launched into a redesign effort two years in the past, the interface continues to be largely unchanged, and there are vestiges of MIUI that make it not as cohesive as different Chinese language skins. However what’s notably annoying is that Xiaomi nonetheless does not provide Android 16 out of the field; each the 15T and 15T Professional run Android 15 as commonplace, and there isn’t any telling when both gadget will swap to the newest model of Android.
To place this into context, Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 7 launched three months in the past with Android 16 out of the field. Sure, that may be a considerably costlier gadget, however Android 16 has been accessible for over 1 / 4 now, and never together with it out of the field is nothing in need of negligence. Whereas I’ve largely loved what Xiaomi is doing with the {hardware} and cameras on its telephones, its software program is among the many worst of any Android model, and there is a feeling that Xiaomi does not need to change that.
Consequently, you are as soon as once more left with an older model of Android on a brand-new gadget, and the interface must be acquainted if you happen to’ve used a Xiaomi telephone up to now. It’s fluid and does not have a lot in the way in which of points, nevertheless it simply is not thrilling to make use of; Xiaomi has to do a greater job on this space, as a result of it isn’t solely behind Google and Samsung, but in addition OPPO and Vivo.
Xiaomi 15T Professional: The options
The Pixel 10 is an efficient various to the 15T Professional, and whereas it does not fairly have versatile cameras, that is about the one main draw back. Google did a great job with its telephones this 12 months, and the Pixel 10 delivers implausible software program, an awesome digital camera, and good internals that are not as hobbled as earlier generations.
The OnePlus 13 will get a advice as nicely now that it is discounted. It’s a terrific all-round package deal, and it does not have a lot in the way in which of shortcomings. I additionally just like the iQOO 13; that is one other gadget that does a great job with the fundamentals, and also you get first rate cameras this 12 months.
Xiaomi 15T Professional: Do you have to purchase it?
Total, Xiaomi did sufficient with the 15T Professional to benefit a advice. I just like the modifications to the design, and the cameras are an improve — the telephone clearly holds its personal on this space. The larger panel is nice to make use of, the internals are among the many finest round, and the battery life is strong.
The one downside is across the software program; Xiaomi’s reluctance to deal with these points and proceed rolling out telephones with older variations of Android is changing into an actual subject. In a way, Xiaomi is like Honor on this regard, with each manufacturers refusing to acknowledge lingering points with their software program. In the meantime, OPPO and Vivo are doing an awesome job introducing new options and modernizing their skins, and I am unable to assist however really feel that Xiaomi is being left behind.
For those who’re keen to miss the truth that the 15T Professional does not have the newest model of Android, then you need to get it — the {hardware} is among the many finest in its class.
