WhichPhoneToBuy

Apple iPhone 16 Plus vs Xiaomi 15

The Xiaomi 15 comes out ahead on 8 counts and the Apple iPhone 16 Plus on 1.

Which should you buy?

Pick the Apple iPhone 16 Plus for

  • Bigger screen: 6.7" vs 6.36"

Pick the Xiaomi 15 for

  • Bigger battery: 5,240 vs 4,674 mAh (12% more)
  • Faster wireless charging: 50 W vs 25 W
  • Lighter: 191 g vs 199 g (8 g less)
  • More compact: 8.6 mm shorter
  • Smoother display: 120 Hz vs 60 Hz
  • Brighter display: 3,200 vs 2,000 nits peak
  • More RAM: up to 16 GB vs 8 GB
  • More storage: up to 1 TB vs 512 GB

Size comparison

The Apple iPhone 16 Plus is 8.6 mm taller, 6.6 mm wider, 0.3 mm thinner and 8 g heavier than the Xiaomi 15. Its screen is 0.34" larger.

  • Apple iPhone 16 Plus160.9 × 77.8 × 7.8 mm
  • Xiaomi 15152.3 × 71.2 × 8.08 mm

Specs side by side

LaunchApple iPhone 16 PlusXiaomi 15
AnnouncedSeptember 9, 20241October 29, 20241
ReleasedSeptember 20, 20241October 29, 20241
Launch price$8991—
BodyApple iPhone 16 PlusXiaomi 15
Size160.9 × 77.8 × 7.8 mm152.3 × 71.2 × 8.1 mm
Thickness7.8 mm8.1 mm
Weight199 g191 g? (better)
Frame—aviation-grade aluminum1
Backglass1—
Water resistanceIP68IP68
ColoursUltramarine, Teal, Pink, White, Black1Liquid Silver, White, Black, Green
DisplayApple iPhone 16 PlusXiaomi 15
Size6.7"6.36"
TypeSuper Retina XDR OLEDCrystalRes AMOLED
Resolution1290 × 2796 (better)1200 × 2670
Refresh rate60 Hz120 Hz (better)
Peak brightness2,000 nits13,200 nits (better)
Performance and softwareApple iPhone 16 PlusXiaomi 15
ChipsetApple A18Snapdragon 8 Elite Mobile Platform
CPU6-core (2 performance + 4 efficiency)12 x Prime Core up to 4.32GHz, 6 x Performance Core up to 3.53GHz
Process—3 nm
Ships withiOS 18Xiaomi HyperOS 2
MemoryApple iPhone 16 PlusXiaomi 15
RAM8 GB18 GB / 12 GB / 16 GB (better)
Storage128 GB / 256 GB / 512 GB256 GB / 512 GB / 1 TB (better)
CamerasApple iPhone 16 PlusXiaomi 15
Rear48 MP Main, OIS 12 MP Ultrawide50 MP Main 50 MP Telephoto 50 MP Ultrawide
Main camera48 MP50 MP
Optical zoomNoneNone
Front12 MP32 MP
Video4K at 60 fps18K (7680x4320) at 24/30fps
BatteryApple iPhone 16 PlusXiaomi 15
Capacity4,674 mAh15,240 mAh (better)
Wired charging—90 W
Wireless charging25 W50 W (better)
ConnectivityApple iPhone 16 PlusXiaomi 15
5GYes1Yes1
Wi-FiWi-Fi 71Wi-Fi 7
Bluetooth5.316.0
NFCYes1Yes
USBUSB-C: USB 2.0 480 Mbit/sUSB Type-C
eSIMYes1Yes
Satellite messagingYes1—
FeaturesApple iPhone 16 PlusXiaomi 15
Fingerprint—Ultrasonic in-screen
Stereo speakers—Yes

Highlighted: the better value where one is clearly better. Sources for each phone are listed on the Apple iPhone 16 Plus and Xiaomi 15 pages.

Quick answers

Is the Apple iPhone 16 Plus bigger than the Xiaomi 15?
The Apple iPhone 16 Plus is 8.6 mm taller, 6.6 mm wider, 0.3 mm thinner and 8 g heavier than the Xiaomi 15. Its screen is 0.34" larger.
Which has the bigger battery, the Apple iPhone 16 Plus or the Xiaomi 15?
The Xiaomi 15 has the bigger battery: 5,240 mAh against 4,674 mAh. Real battery life also depends on the chip and screen.

More comparisons