Xiaomi 15 Ultra launches in India, makes the Galaxy S25 Ultra look hilariously overpriced

Xiaomi 15 Ultra back view against Indian artwork
(Image credit: Apoorva Bhardwaj / Android Central)

Xiaomi is onto a winner with the 15 Ultra; I used the phone for well over a month, and it is absolutely fantastic. There's a new design that makes it easier to hold and use, a bigger battery, the same great 1-inch main camera as last year but with a new 200MP tele lens that takes outstanding portraits alongside 4.3x zoom, and the latest available hardware.

Xiaomi debuted the device globally at Mobile World Congress, and the 15 Ultra is now making its way to India, where it is sold in a single 16GB/512GB model that costs ₹109,999 ($1,259). As always, Xiaomi India is incentivizing the launch by providing freebies — including the excellent photography kit that's bundled with all pre-orders. The phone is ₹10,000 costlier than the 14 Ultra in India, and that's understandable when you look at all the upgrades.

Even then, it is a considerable bargain when you consider the same phone is sold in the U.K. for £1,499 ($1,932), and other countries in the region for €1,499 ($1,627). Xiaomi has always been aggressive when it comes to India, and that's the case with the 15 Ultra as well, and if you're interested in the phone, India is the best country to pick it up. I'd argue that it's better to buy the 15 Ultra in India than China — even though it's more affordable in Xiaomi's home market — because the Indian model comes with the Play Store and all Google services out of the box.

Xiaomi 15 Ultra home page against Indian artwork

(Image credit: Apoorva Bhardwaj / Android Central)
Harish Jonnalagadda
Senior Editor - Mobile

Harish Jonnalagadda is Android Central's Senior Editor overseeing mobile coverage. In his current role, he leads the site's coverage of Chinese phone brands, networking products, and AV gear. He has been testing phones for over a decade, and has extensive experience in mobile hardware and the global semiconductor industry. Contact him on Twitter at @chunkynerd.

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