iPhone 17 vs Xiaomi 15 Pro

iPhone 17

ProMotion 120Hz finally arrives on the standard iPhone, making the 6.1-inch OLED display significantly smoother than previous base models.

• ProMotion 120Hz is the single biggest upgrade — scrolling, animations, and general interaction feel dramatically smoother
• Peak brightness reaches 2,000 nits which is excellent for outdoor use though lower than the Pro 3,000-nit panels
• No always-on display despite ProMotion hardware — a frustrating omission to differentiate from the Pro line

Xiaomi 15 Pro

The 6.73-inch 2K LTPO AMOLED is a technical marvel, hitting 3,200 nits peak brightness while consuming 24% less power than the Xiaomi 14 Pro's display. The 1920Hz PWM dimming reduces eye strain, though some users report OLED smear at low brightness levels.

• 3,200 nits peak brightness with 24% lower power consumption than the predecessor — outstanding efficiency
• 2K resolution (2670x1200) with 120Hz LTPO and 1920Hz PWM dimming for reduced eye strain
• Reports of OLED smear/ghosting at lower brightness levels when scrolling dark content

iPhone 17

The 48MP main + 12MP ultrawide dual camera delivers impressive results with improved computational photography, though the lack of telephoto remains the biggest gap versus Pro.

• The 48MP main camera produces sharp, well-exposed photos with excellent color science that is nearly indistinguishable from Pro in good light
• The new 24MP TrueDepth front camera is a standout — selfie quality takes a major leap with better detail and more natural skin tones
• No telephoto means digital zoom only beyond 2x, which produces noticeably softer results than the Pro optical zoom

Xiaomi 15 Pro

The triple 50MP Leica Summilux system delivers solid results with a standout 5x periscope telephoto. The main sensor with f/1.44 aperture handles most scenarios well, and AI Zoom makes 20x digital shots usable. However, the ultrawide is the clear weak link, and the system can't quite match the Vivo X200 Pro's imaging prowess.

• 5x periscope telephoto (120mm) delivers sharp, detailed results up to 10x — AI Zoom usable at 20x
• Main 50MP sensor with f/1.44 aperture and Leica color science produces pleasing, natural-looking images
• Ultrawide camera (50MP JN1) is the weakest lens — frequently criticized by users as noticeably below main and telephoto quality
• Camera scored 82% on NotebookCheck — the lowest individual category score, behind the Vivo X200 Pro

iPhone 17

The A19 chip handles daily tasks, gaming, and Apple Intelligence features with ease, providing a consistently smooth experience.

• A19 chip delivers more than enough power for everyday use — apps, multitasking, and Apple Intelligence all run smoothly
• Gaming performance is strong, with only a slight gap behind the A19 Pro in GPU-heavy titles

Xiaomi 15 Pro

The Snapdragon 8 Elite (3nm) delivers a 44% single-core improvement over the previous generation and manages thermals better than most competitors. NotebookCheck awarded a 99% application performance score, placing it among the fastest phones available.

• Snapdragon 8 Elite achieves Geekbench 6 single-core of 3,157 — a 44.4% leap over Snapdragon 8 Gen 3
• Better thermal management and sustained performance than competitors like the Oppo Find X8 Pro
• Some throttling under prolonged heavy gaming loads, though managed better than peers