Xiaomi 15 Ultra: Hands-on with three AI photo editing tools
Compared with its predecessor, the Xiaomi 15 Ultra offers an improved design, a faster Snapdragon 8 Elite SoC, and a brighter 6.73-inch LTPO AMOLED display capable of reaching above 3,600 cd/m². Bluetooth 6.0 and UFS 4.1 are also onboard for the first time. In Europe, the phone will set you back €1,499 (US$1,627) for the 512 GB model and €1,699 (US$1,844) for the 1 TB model.
Made of glass fibre, PU leather and aluminium, the phone’s chassis boasts IP68 certification and feels well balanced despite the large camera module. In addition to having improved lenses, the Leica quad-camera system features a main shooter with a 1-inch Sony sensor, an ultrawide camera with macro capability, and two telephoto cameras. The Xiaomi 15 Ultra can capture 8K videos at 30 fps, and 4K videos can be recorded at up to 120 fps or with Dolby Vision.
The 5,410 mAh battery provides plenty of runtime and supports 90-watt wired and 80-watt wireless charging. The built-in Wi-Fi 7, 5G Sub6 and dual SIM functionality ensure excellent connectivity. Shipped with Android 15 and HyperOS 2.0, the Xiaomi 15 Ultra is set to receive six years of updates.
Now, let's dive into a core new element of HyperOS 2.0: its brand-new AI features. We have taken a closer look at three image editing tools built into the photo gallery app.
Removing reflections
In this photo of a plane taken with the Xiaomi 15 Ultra at an airport, reflections are clearly visible on the windowpane.
The AI tool managed to significantly reduce the amount of reflections, though certain fragments remain noticeable.
On the left is the original image, whilst the right side has been AI-optimised.
AI eraser: Removing people
Captured in low ambient light, this photo shows a freestanding person obstructing our view of FC Barcelona’s trophy collection.
The AI eraser was able to quickly and cleanly remove the person from the photo.
On the left is the original image, whilst the right side has been AI-optimised.
Generative image extension
We used the generative function on the Xiaomi 15 Ultra to expand the two photos from their original portrait orientation to a 4:3 aspect ratio.
The results are less than satisfactory in both cases. Whilst the skybridge in the airport photo was simply ignored by the AI, the extended part of the restaurant photo looks very blurry and is inconsistent with the original colour-wise.
On the left is the original image, whilst the right side has been AI-optimised.
The AI algorithms for image processing are still not perfect, but in most situations, they work well as a quick and easy way to make minor adjustments to photos when on the go.
For more about the Xiaomi 15 Ultra, head over to our full review of the flagship phone.
