Xiaomi 15 Ultra review: the 200MP periscope is the whole pitch
The most capable zoom camera on any phone, in a package that is genuinely hard to buy in the West. Our score: 8.5 / 10 At a glance Spec Detail Main camera 50MP 1-inch type sensor Periscope 200MP, ~4.3x, lossless 2x-in-crop Colour Leica co-tuned Battery Around 5400 mAh, 90W wired For telephoto, nothing else is close The 200MP periscope resolves detail at distances where every other phone gives up, and because it is so high-resolution, the in-between focal lengths (2x, 3x) are crops with real detail rather than digital fudge. The 1-inch main sensor handles everything else with room to spare. The practical problems The camera island is enormous. HyperOS ships with bloat you will spend an evening removing. And official availability outside Asia and parts of Europe is poor, with band support to match, for many buyers this is an import, with all the caveats that carries. The good and the bad What works The best long-range phone camera on the market 1-inch main sensor Fast 90W charging What doesn’t Huge camera bump HyperOS bloat Limited Western availability and band support Who it’s for Buy it if telephoto photography is your priority and you can get one with the bands you need. Skip it if you want clean software and straightforward carrier support. Alternatives worth a look Vivo X200 Pro, a similar zoom-first phone that is easier to buy in Europe. Galaxy S26 Ultra, nearly as good at zoom, sold everywhere. The verdict: A zoom monster with a distribution problem. If you can live with the software and actually buy one, the camera delivers. Sources GSMArena specifications
