Xiaomi 15: The Final Chapter, Worth the Upgrade?

Xiaomi 15: The Final Chapter, Worth the Upgrade?Since the release of the Xiaomi 15, I have received countless messages from friends asking me about whether it's worth buying and if they should upgrade from their Xiaomi 14. Among all the inquiries, Xiaomi 14 users are arguably the most conflicted, as a simple comparison of specs reveals that, apart from the processor and fingerprint unlocking, the rest of the hardware upgrades are negligible, with some even remaining unchanged

Xiaomi 15: The Final Chapter, Worth the Upgrade?

Since the release of the Xiaomi 15, I have received countless messages from friends asking me about whether it's worth buying and if they should upgrade from their Xiaomi 14. Among all the inquiries, Xiaomi 14 users are arguably the most conflicted, as a simple comparison of specs reveals that, apart from the processor and fingerprint unlocking, the rest of the hardware upgrades are negligible, with some even remaining unchanged. To address this, I've created a comparison chart - I have a feeling Xiaomi smartphones are now following the same pattern as iPhones...

As a former Xiaomi 14 user and current Xiaomi 15 owner, after using the Xiaomi 15 for a week, I'm here to share my insights on the differences between the two devices and whether it's worthwhile for Xiaomi 14 users to upgrade.

A Significant Difference in Grip Experience, 15 More User-Friendly for Naked Phone Fans?

If you ask me what the most appealing upgrade of the Xiaomi 15 is, my answer isn't the processor or the screen or imaging hardware, but the overall design. My primary reason for choosing the Xiaomi 14 was its compact 6.36-inch screen that allowed for easy one-handed grip. Therefore, hand feel is a crucial factor when I consider a phone upgrade.

While specs reveal almost no changes in the dimensions of Xiaomi 14 and 15, the main difference lies in a 0.12mm reduction in thickness, with negligible weight difference. However, upon holding both devices, one can instantly feel the stark contrast in their grip experience.

The key distinction lies in the transition between the frame and the back cover. Observing the Xiaomi 14, you'll notice a noticeable transition zone between the glass and the frame. When your palm touches this area, it creates an uncomfortable sensation, rendering the one-handed grip experience less pleasant. This is why I opted to use a case with my Xiaomi 14 even after purchasing insurance.

The Xiaomi 15, however, presents a completely different frame-to-back cover transition. Xiaomi coined this new design as "four-curve wrapped frame," where the frame curves inward, aligning the curved edges of the glass back cover with the frame. Sliding your finger from the frame to the back cover reveals almost no obstruction or transition. Though not entirely seamless, the grip feel surpasses the Xiaomi 14 completely.

Additionally, the Xiaomi 15 (excluding custom and bright silver models) features a textured matte finish for the frame, similar to the back glass. While some prefer the glossy finish's aesthetic, the matte finish's primary advantage is its fingerprint resistance, making it an ideal choice for those who enjoy using their phones without a case.

If you, like me, dislike using phone cases, then the Xiaomi 15 is a clear upgrade over the Xiaomi 14. After experiencing it firsthand at Xiaomi Home, I doubt anyone would disagree. Of course, I can confidently ditch my case thanks to the Xiaomi 15's one-year screen and back cover accidental damage insurance, which was initially available until November 1st but has now been extended to November 11th, a bonus benefit.

Powerful AI Algorithm Leads to Significant Imaging Upgrade

Historically, image quality has been a focal point in the upgrades of Xiaomi's digital flagship series. However, the Xiaomi 15's imaging specs have been met with some skepticism, as the three cameras remain virtually unchanged. For instance, the main camera and ultra-wide-angle sensor are identical, while the telephoto lens now offers "60mm equivalent" compared to the previous "75mm equivalent," with support for 5x lossless zoom. Consequently, many Xiaomi fans believe that the Xiaomi 15 lacks innovation due to the meager hardware upgrade. I initially shared this sentiment but was proven wrong after conducting actual comparison tests.

The Xiaomi 15's most significant imaging upgrade lies not in hardware but in a new AI image algorithm. Powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy's robust AI performance, Xiaomi's AI algorithm can process up to 4.3 billion pixels per second. For a detailed analysis of the Xiaomi 15's image performance, I recommend checking out my colleague's review, "Xiaomi 15 First Impressions: Completely Outperforms iPhone, The Dream Phone for Xiaomi Fans?" This article focuses on illustrating the difference between Xiaomi 14 and 15 in default shooting mode, with all photos captured in automatic mode. Aside from the manual setting of the same focal point, there is no further adjustment.

Let's begin by examining the telephoto lens, which has undergone the most considerable change. The Xiaomi 15's 5x lossless zoom capability significantly enhances detail, rendering colors and buildings closer to what the human eye perceives.

In the area where plant branches meet the sky, the Xiaomi 14's photo appears blurry, while the Xiaomi 15 manages to barely discern the direction and depth of the branches.

This comparison photo focuses on the distant intersection of trees. The Xiaomi 15 clearly exhibits an improvement in sky processing, and the light and shadow transitions in the trees appear more natural. The overall contrast feels lower, making the photo appear more realistic, but it comes at the cost of some detail loss in the shadowed areas. As they say, you can't have your cake and eat it too.

Next, let's take a look at this set of images. At first glance, they might seem identical.

But upon closer inspection, we can see the difference.

This set of photos was taken simultaneously in auto-focus mode. The Xiaomi 14 exhibits noticeable blur in the lower left corner, while the Xiaomi 15 remains sharp. Thanks to its more powerful algorithm, the Xiaomi 15 demonstrates notable improvements in auto-focus accuracy and speed. Additionally, the shadow areas of the leaves on the top left corner exhibit a noticeable difference. The Xiaomi 15 boasts superior contrast and detail, but the Xiaomi 14 is not without its advantages. It more accurately reproduces the green spots on the leaves. To ensure more unified colors, the Xiaomi 15's algorithm has reduced the green proportion, sacrificing some color detail in the process.

Overall, while there is minimal difference in the actual image quality between the Xiaomi 14 and 15 during daylight, the Xiaomi 15's superior AI performance enhances its contrast control, color reproduction, focusing speed, and detail rendering.

However, daylight is not the Xiaomi 15's forte, nighttime is. Under night conditions, the Xiaomi 15's new computational photography platform showcases its dominance. Let's examine another set of detail comparison photos.

We can clearly see superior performance from the Xiaomi 15 in areas like the lamp bulb's texture, dynamic range, highlight control, and better rendering of plant contrast and shadow details. Furthermore, the Xiaomi 15's dynamic range control significantly outperforms the Xiaomi 14, as seen in the spotlight-illuminated floor in the upper right corner of the photo. The spotlight outline and floor details are vastly different.

Now let's compare photos taken of brightly lit decorative lights.

The Xiaomi 15's lens captures almost entirely eliminated haloing around the decorative lights, rendering the light strips' colors and brightness closer to what the human eye observes directly. There is a significant difference in image quality.

Even in the presence of less bright decorative lights, the Xiaomi 15 still surpasses the Xiaomi 14.

The Xiaomi 15's nighttime image performance improvement exceeded my expectations and demonstrates the power of AI computational photography. It achieves significant advancements in dynamic range, light control, and more without altering the main camera hardware. This has even piqued my curiosity about the capabilities of the upcoming Xiaomi 15 Ultra.

While Xiaomi hasn't heavily promoted the imaging performance upgrade, its current performance suggests that it might be the most significant improvement apart from chip performance. As for whether this algorithm will trickle down to other Xiaomi phones, I believe it's unlikely. Firstly, mobile platforms other than the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy lack the necessary AI processing power to support this level of pixel calculations. Secondly, the computational photography platform used in the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy differs from previous generations, making complete compatibility challenging.

Xiaomi 15: A "Final Chapter" Device, Blind Upgrade for Old Users?

If you're still undecided after reading through the first two sections, there aren't many other aspects likely to sway you. The experience with Surge OS 2.0 is indeed impressive, from the fluidity of animations to focus notifications and AOD display, all of which are worth exploring. Some AI features, like active visual perception (automatically switching to the scan code function when detecting a QR code, eliminating the need to manually open the scan interface), exemplify the convenience brought about by AI integration in the new system.

However, the Xiaomi 14 is scheduled to receive Surge OS 2.0 first in November, meaning that most of the new features available on the Xiaomi 15 will be accessible to Xiaomi 14 users soon.

In my opinion, upgrading solely for the new system isn't essential. The rollout of Surge OS 2.0 is significantly faster than its predecessor, with most devices expected to receive the update before the first half of next year. Participation in beta testing programs might even grant access to the update two months in