The Xiaomi 15S Pro offers a similarly strong overall package as the Pro model. This is hardly surprising, as everything apart from the chipset remains the same. In its effort to become more independent and to offer all components in-house, Xiaomi is on a very promising path with its XRing O1. Considering Google’s work with its Tensor series, Xiaomi’s SoC debut is genuinely remarkable. While the 15S Pro with the XRing O1 is slightly less powerful than the 15 Pro with the Snapdragon 8 Elite, it offers more consistent performance overall.

Anyone willing to accept compromises in update support and availability will get a great smartphone with solid hardware. However, we see no clear reason to choose the 15S Pro over the Xiaomi 15 Pro.

The Xiaomi 15S Pro is a new variant of the existing Pro model, but aside from the new processor and an optional carbon look, it remains largely unchanged. According to Xiaomi, the textured surface is intended to resemble dragon scales, or at least that is what the name implies. While the 15 Pro is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite, the S version in the 15 series uses Xiaomi’s own XRing O1 chip.

Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

      Oppo Find X8 Pro       Xiaomi 15 Pro       Xiaomi 15S Pro       Samsung Galaxy S25+       Google Pixel 9 Pro       DIN A6 162.3 mm / 6.39 in 76.7 mm / 3.02 in 8.2 mm / 0.3228 in 215 g0.474 lbs161.3 mm / 6.35 in 75.3 mm / 2.96 in 8.7 mm / 0.3425 in 213 g0.4696 lbs161.3 mm / 6.35 in 75.3 mm / 2.96 in 8.3 mm / 0.3268 in 216 g0.4762 lbs158.4 mm / 6.24 in 75.8 mm / 2.98 in 7.3 mm / 0.2874 in 190 g0.4189 lbs152.8 mm / 6.02 in 72 mm / 2.83 in 8.5 mm / 0.3346 in 199 g0.4387 lbs148 mm / 5.83 in 105 mm / 4.13 in 1 mm / 0.03937 in 1.5 g0.00331 lbs

To assess real-world positioning accuracy, we recorded a short cycling route for comparison using the Garmin Venu 2. The route data from the Xiaomi smartphone shows some minor deviations in detail but overall provides accurate location tracking.

Thanks to dual band support for satellite systems, positioning is both highly precise with accuracy around two metres and very quick.

The Xiaomi 15S Pro is equipped with four microphones and supports two physical nano SIM cards. eSIM functionality is not available in the Chinese version. However, the device does support VoLTE and calls over domestic Wi-Fi networks.

Voice quality is good, with voices reproduced clearly and at an adequate volume.

Image comparison

Choose a scene and navigate within the first image. One click changes the position on touchscreens. One click on the zoomed-in image opens the original in a new window. The first image shows the scaled photograph of the test device.

HauptkameraHauptkameraLow LightUltraweitwinkel

Inputs on the OLED display are registered quickly and precisely, even at the edges of the touchscreen. The manufacturer specifies a touch sampling rate of up to 300 Hz. The 15S Pro offers smooth handling throughout, and the X-axis vibration motor provides crisp haptic feedback.

For authentication, the Xiaomi smartphone uses a 3D ultrasonic fingerprint sensor integrated into the display, which reliably recognises registered fingerprints. Biometric face recognition is also available, though only via a relatively insecure 2D face unlock function.

* … smaller is better

Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)

Measurement series with fixed zoom level and different brightness settings (The amplitude curve at minimum brightness looks flat, but this is due to the scaling. The info box shows the enlarged version of the amplitude at minimum brightness.)

The range of display settings is impressively extensive. In addition to various colour profiles, users can also adjust the colour temperature and fine-tune individual parameters. In the “Original Pro” profile, colour deviations are barely noticeable.

Display Response Times

Outdoors, the 15S Pro leaves a strong impression. Even under direct sunlight, display content remains clearly visible. Viewing angle stability is also excellent, with no cause for criticism.

The XRing O1 chip is manufactured using a 3 nm process and reaches clock speeds of up to 3.9 GHz. In Geekbench, the Xiaomi CPU performs at a similar level to the Snapdragon 8 Elite found in the Pro model, although the Xiaomi 15 Pro still holds a slight advantage.

Graphics processing is handled by an integrated Immortalis G925 with 16 cores, which shows strong results in GPU benchmarks and does not need to shy away from the competition. While the 15S Pro does not outperform a Galaxy S25 Ultra in demanding GFXBench tests, it still achieves 50 FPS at 4K resolution.

* … smaller is better

Surface temperatures are relatively high. However, in the 3DMark Wild Life stress tests, the 15S Pro shows only a moderate performance drop of around 10 to 15 percent.

(-) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 45.5 °C / 114 F, compared to the average of 32.8 °C / 91 F for the devices in the class Smartphone.
(-) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 48.2 °C / 119 F, compared to the average of 35.1 °C / 95 F, ranging from 21.9 to 63.7 °C for the class Smartphone.
(-) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 45.7 °C / 114 F, compared to the average of 33.9 °C / 93 F
(±) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 36.1 °C / 97 F, compared to the device average of 32.8 °C / 91 F.

The Xiaomi smartphone uses a dual-speaker setup that delivers impressive sound. Light bass is present, although the pink noise test reveals a somewhat uneven frequency response. For external audio output, users can connect via the USB port (wired) or use Bluetooth 5.4 (wireless).

dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2040.836.12535.5363130.328.64037.229.25032.631.86318.221.98018.331.310021.141.412518.648.41601652.820016.256.225018.357.931517.859.740014.258.750014.963.163018.865.280020.369.2100016.872.8125014.877.516001780.120001479.9250012.676.731501270.6400011.872.550001266.1630012.167.380001271.41000012751250011.869.11600011.470.9SPL27.187N0.964.9median 14.8median 69.1Delta37.340.539.132.236.533.230.931.129.738.540.226.133.924.632.819.536.618.341.516.354.515.455.71455.715.158.213.263.111.568.811.868.713.472.915.27613.375.31371.112.771.513.971.814.277.11481.214.685.413.781.413.680.813.578.513.476.512.666.825.990.60.781.3median 13.7median 71.818.5hearing rangehide median Pink Noise

The 15S Pro uses a new battery generation that combines silicon and carbon at the anode. The 6,100 mAh battery supports fast charging via USB-C at 90 watts or wireless charging at 50 watts. In our test, charging took just about 55 minutes when using Boost mode.

The device demonstrates efficient power consumption both at idle and under load.

* … smaller is better

In our Wi-Fi test at a calibrated display brightness of 150 cd/m², the 15S Pro lasts for over 25 hours, which represents an excellent runtime.

Battery Runtime

The Xiaomi 15S Pro is an excellent smartphone, though it is unlikely to receive an official release in Europe.

Total Sustainability Score: 48.5%

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Xiaomi 15S Pro (15 Series)

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