Killer Android phone just launched with new Snapdragon chip – but can it compete with Samsung and Google?

If you're a fan of the best Android phones on the market, chances are you already know how competitive things are. Gone are the days when your options were split between a handful of household name brands – these days, users can choose between fantastic spec sheets from a range of different manufacturers.

Another such device has just been launched in China. The Xiaomi 15 range is finally here – marking the debut of the Snapdragon 8 Elite chip within the market.

The brand has launched both its vanilla model and the Xiaomi 15 Pro at the event. Notably, the anticipated Xiaomi 15 Ultra was absent, with that expected to come around later on.

Still, there's a lot to love about these handsets. As mentioned, the latest Snapdragon silicon can be found inside, offering the latest and greatest processing power for the handsets. They also share the Hyper OS 2 skin, 12GB of RAM in the base model, an IP68 water resistance rating, an ultrasonic in-display fingerprint sensor and flat sides.

Arguably the largest upgrade for these models comes in the battery department. Charging has always been quick on Xiaomi phones – I remember using the Xiaomi 13 and the Xiaomi 14 and sitting in awe of the charging speed – but the capacity itself has previously been lacklustre.

That's now a thing of the past, with both models seeing a sizable boost. The vanilla variant jumps from 4,610mAh on the previous generation to 5,400mAh here, while the Pro model soars from 4,880mAh to 6,100mAh. That's a massive leap, and should allow for some truly impressive longevity – particularly when coupled with 90W wired and 50W wireless charging.

Cameras also form a big part of the Xiaomi experience. The brand has been in league with Leica for years now, and that doesn't change here. Those opting for the vanilla model will find a 50MP main sensor with an f1.62 aperture, a 50MP ultrawide with a 115-degree field of view and a 50MP telephoto sensor with a 2.6x optical zoom. That's slightly unexpected, appearing to be a downgrade from the 50MP 3x variant on the older handset.

For the Pro model, users will find the same 50MP main sensor – though with a wider f1.44 aperture – paired with a 50MP ultrawide and a 50MP 5x periscope telephoto. That's a seriously impressive camera array, which should be more than enough for even the most snap-happy of users.

So what's the downside? Well, these handsets aren't around in Europe or the USA at the moment. That's not unusual for Xiaomi – the brand often launches in China first, with a global release at MWC in February. For now, then, we'll just have to wait to get our hands on one in a few months time.