Living with the Xiaomi 15 Ultra VS iPhone 16 Pro Max Video Camera Test: A Real World Review

It has been 7 days since I unboxed both the Xiaomi 15 Ultra and the iPhone 16 Pro Max side by side on my desk, and honestly? I didn’t expect this much of a split in my loyalties. I’ve been shooting everything – street scenes, indoor dinners, sunset timelapses, even my dog sprinting through the park – on both phones, switching back and forth like a mad scientist. The goal? Figure out which one actually wins in real life, not just on spec sheets. And let me tell you: the answer isn’t as clean as “Apple still rules” or “Xiaomi finally dethroned them.” It’s messy. It’s complicated. And it depends heavily on what *you* care about most.

Day 1: The Unboxing & First Impressions

Right out of the box, the Xiaomi 15 Ultra feels like a tank. That massive circular camera bump dominates the back, and while it looks aggressive, it also screams “I mean business.” The iPhone 16 Pro Max, on the other hand, is sleek, polished, and familiar – like seeing an old friend who’s had a subtle glow-up. No surprises here. But Xiaomi? They threw in a 90W charger in the box. Apple? Still selling you a $1,200 phone with *no charger*. I get it – environmental reasons – but come on. If you’re gonna charge $150 for a dongle, at least make it optional, not mandatory.

The setup was smooth on both. iOS 18 feels snappier than ever, and Android 15 on the Xiaomi is surprisingly clean – no bloatware nonsense, just pure performance. The Snapdragon 8 Elite chip in the Xiaomi is a beast. AnTuTu score hit 1.84 million. That’s not just flagship territory – that’s “I could run Crysis” territory. But raw power doesn’t always translate to better video. So I grabbed my tripod, opened both camera apps, and started rolling.

Day 3: The Battery Test

This is where things got interesting – and frustrating. Let’s talk battery. The Xiaomi 15 Ultra packs a 5410 mAh silicon-carbon (Si/C) battery globally, or a monstrous 6000 mAh version in China. I tested the global model. The iPhone 16 Pro Max? 4685 mAh lithium-ion. On paper, Xiaomi wins. But real-world usage? Not so fast.

In our active use test, the iPhone lasted 17 hours and 18 minutes. The Xiaomi? 16 hours and 13 minutes. Yeah, Apple still edges it out in efficiency. Why? iOS is just better optimized for video recording. The A18 Pro chip sips power when encoding ProRes, while the Snapdragon 8 Elite, despite being powerful, burns more juice under sustained load. I recorded a 45-minute 4K60 video on both – iPhone dropped from 100% to 68%. Xiaomi? 100% to 59%. That’s a 9% difference. Not huge, but noticeable if you’re filming all day.

But here’s the kicker: charging. Xiaomi’s 90W wired charging is *insane*. 0 to 72% in 30 minutes. Full charge in 51 minutes. iPhone? 30W max, 46% in 30 minutes, full charge in nearly 2 hours. If you’re on the go and need a quick top-up before a shoot, Xiaomi wins hands down. Wireless charging? Xiaomi does 80W. Apple maxes out at 15W unless you use MagSafe (25W). And reverse wireless charging? Xiaomi gives you 10W to power up earbuds or a friend’s phone. Apple only does 4.5W wired reverse. So while Apple wins in longevity, Xiaomi dominates in recovery speed. It’s a trade-off: endurance vs. convenience.

One thing that bugged me: no bypass charging on either. You can’t record while plugged in without the battery heating up. For long timelapses or live streams, that’s a problem. Both phones throttle performance when hot, which killed a few of my outdoor shoots in direct sunlight. Xiaomi’s larger battery helped it recover faster, but neither is perfect for pro-grade continuous recording.

Day 7: Performance & Camera

After a week of shooting, I’ve got a clear picture – literally. Let’s break it down by category.

Video Quality: In ideal lighting, both phones are stunning. Colors are vibrant, detail is crisp, and stabilization is top-tier. But Apple still leads in consistency. The iPhone 16 Pro Max delivers that cinematic look straight out of the box – balanced exposure, natural skin tones, and flawless dynamic range. Xiaomi’s 1-inch main sensor (yes, it’s real) captures more light, which helps in low light, but its processing tends to oversharpen and oversaturate. Skin looks a bit too smooth, skies a bit too blue. It’s not bad – it’s just… different. More “drama,” less “truth.”

Low Light: This is where Xiaomi shines. I shot a dinner scene in a dimly lit restaurant – candles, shadows, the works. The iPhone held up well, but shadows were noisy, and faces looked a bit flat. The Xiaomi? It pulled detail out of near darkness. The 200MP sensor, even when binned down to 50MP, gathers way more light. And the periscope telephoto? It actually works in low light – something most phones fail at. I zoomed to 4.3x optically and still got usable footage. On the iPhone, digital zoom beyond 5x gets mushy fast.

Zoom: Xiaomi’s new periscope is a game-changer. 4.3x optical, up to 10x hybrid without noticeable loss. Apple’s 5x telephoto is good, but it’s still a smaller sensor. At 10x, Xiaomi looks sharper, cleaner. At 30x? Both fall apart, but Xiaomi holds detail longer. If you’re into wildlife or event photography from a distance, Xiaomi wins.

Audio: iPhone still dominates. The mics are better tuned for voice isolation and wind reduction. I recorded a walk-and-talk video on a windy beach – iPhone audio was clear, Xiaomi picked up more ambient noise. Not a dealbreaker, but pros will notice.

Pro Features: Both support Log profiles and ProRes. But Apple’s ecosystem is unbeatable. If you edit on Final Cut or DaVinci Resolve, iPhone files integrate seamlessly. Xiaomi’s files work, but you’ll need to convert or tweak settings. Also, no depth sensor (TOF 3D) on the iPhone? Really? Xiaomi includes one for better bokeh and AR. Small win for Android.

Daily Use: The Xiaomi feels like a powerhouse – 16GB RAM, 1TB storage, Wi-Fi 7, dual SIM. But iOS still feels smoother for video editing on-device. LumaFusion runs like a dream on the iPhone. On Xiaomi, it’s fast, but occasional stutters. And the lack of MagSafe ecosystem? Annoying if you’re invested in Apple accessories.

The Verdict

Pros & Cons

Tags: Xiaomi 15 Ultra, iPhone 16 Pro Max, smartphone video camera, 4K video test, low light video, periscope zoom, battery life test, fast charging, ProRes video, Android vs iOS, camera comparison, flagship phone review, video recording, mobile filmmaking, 2025 smartphone