Apple iPhone XS Max vs Xiaomi 15 Pro
The Verdict
Apple's iPhone XS Max represented flagship sophistication in 2018 with its premium stainless steel design, exceptional Super Retina OLED display at 725 nits, and reliable A12 Bionic performance. However, it shows its age significantly against the Xiaomi 15 Pro. Xiaomi delivers substantially better hardware across nearly every dimension: 3200 nits display brightness with 1-120Hz LTPO technology versus fixed 60Hz, a 6100 mAh battery versus 3174 mAh, and dramatically superior camera hardware including a 1-inch 50 MP sensor, 3x telephoto with OIS, and 8K video recording. The Xiaomi's 16 GB RAM and Snapdragon 8 Elite vastly outpace the iPhone's 4 GB and A12 Bionic. Charging advantages go decisively to Xiaomi: 90W wired and 50W wireless versus Apple's meager 18W wired (charger not included). The Xiaomi 15 Pro includes 5G, USB-C 3.2, and Wi-Fi 7, while the iPhone XS Max lacks 5G and uses Lightning. At $699 versus $1099, Xiaomi offers superior technology, battery life, camera capabilities, and charging speeds. The only advantage favoring Apple is software longevity and ecosystem integration, though even that gap narrows yearly.
Who Should Buy
Buy the Apple iPhone XS Max if…
- →Largest iPhone display at the time (6.5 inches)
- →Dual SIM with eSIM support introduced
- →Gorgeous Super Retina OLED display
Buy the Xiaomi 15 Pro if…
- →Massive 6100 mAh battery easily lasts two full days
- →1-inch type main sensor captures outstanding low-light photos
- →2K LTPO display with 3200-nit brightness is class-leading
Category Scores
Pros & Cons
Apple iPhone XS Max
Pros
- Largest iPhone display at the time (6.5 inches)
- Dual SIM with eSIM support introduced
- Gorgeous Super Retina OLED display
- A12 Bionic with first 7nm mobile chip
- Stereo speakers with wide sound
Cons
- No ultrawide camera
- 5W charger in the box
- Very expensive starting at $1099
- No Night mode in camera
- No Wi-Fi 6 support
Xiaomi 15 Pro
Pros
- Massive 6100 mAh battery easily lasts two full days
- 1-inch type main sensor captures outstanding low-light photos
- 2K LTPO display with 3200-nit brightness is class-leading
- 90W wired + 50W wireless charging is extremely fast
- Triple 50MP Leica camera system with 3x optical zoom
Cons
- Heavy at 213 g due to the large battery
- HyperOS software has ads and bloatware in some regions
- No 5x periscope — 3x telephoto is behind Samsung and Apple flagships
- Limited global market availability
Full Specifications
| Spec | Apple iPhone XS Max | Xiaomi 15 Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Software | iOS 12 | Android 15 (HyperOS 2) |
| Body | ||
| Weight | 208 g | 213 g |
| Material | Stainless steel frame, glass back | Aluminum frame, Gorilla Glass Victus 2 |
| IP rating | IP68 | IP68 |
| Dimensions | 157.5 x 77.4 x 7.7 mm | 161.3 x 75.0 x 8.35 mm |
| Camera | ||
| Main camera | 12 MP, f/1.8, OIS | 50 MP, f/1.44, OIS (1-inch type sensor) |
| Front camera | 7 MP, f/2.2 | 32 MP, f/2.0 |
| Video | 4K@60fps | 8K@24fps, 4K@60fps |
| Telephoto | 12 MP, f/2.4, 2x optical zoom | 50 MP, f/2.5, 3x optical zoom, OIS |
| Ultrawide | — | 50 MP, f/2.2, 115-degree |
| Memory | ||
| RAM | 4 GB | 16 GB |
| Storage options | 64 GB, 256 GB, 512 GB | 256 GB, 512 GB |
| Battery | ||
| Capacity | 3174 mAh | 6100 mAh |
| Charging | 18W wired (adapter sold separately) | 90W wired |
| Wireless charging | 7.5W Qi | 50W wireless |
| Display | ||
| Size | 6.5 inches | 6.73 inches |
| Type | Super Retina OLED | LTPO AMOLED |
| Resolution | 2688 x 1242 | 3200 x 1440 |
| Refresh rate | 60Hz | 1-120Hz |
| Brightness (nits) | 725 | 3200 |
| Processor | ||
| CPU | Hexa-core (2x2.5 GHz + 4x1.6 GHz) | Octa-core (2x4.32 GHz + 6x3.53 GHz) |
| GPU | Apple GPU (4-core) | Adreno 830 |
| Chipset | Apple A12 Bionic | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite |
| Connectivity | ||
| 5G | ||
| NFC | ||
| USB | Lightning | USB-C 3.2 |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac) | Wi-Fi 7 |
| Bluetooth | 5.0 | 5.4 |
Want to compare a third product?
Add another product for a 3-way comparison.
Related Comparisons
This comparison is based on verified manufacturer specifications covering display, performance, camera, battery, and build quality. Scores are generated by analyzing specs across weighted categories on a 10-point scale. Learn more about our methodology.
Explore more in phones, see all Apple products or all Xiaomi products. View full details for the Apple iPhone XS Max or the Xiaomi 15 Pro.