iPhone Air
Xiaomi 15
🏆 Verdict
Xiaomi 15 is the better pick overall by 17.9 points, leading in Charging, Battery and Camera. The gap is large; iPhone Air only makes sense for a lower price or one specific feature.
Xiaomi 15 offers more for the money ($1,079 vs $999 at launch).
By category
Performance
Xiaomi 15 is faster with the Snapdragon 8 Elite (performance index 100 vs 99). You notice it in heavy games and video editing, less in daily use. Xiaomi 15 has more RAM (16 GB vs 12 GB), which helps multitasking.
Camera
Xiaomi 15's main camera is 50 MP vs 48 MP. More pixels help cropping and digital zoom, but final quality depends on sensor size and processing. Only Xiaomi 15 has an optical 2.6× telephoto; the other relies on digital zoom. Only Xiaomi 15 has an ultrawide lens. Xiaomi 15 has the higher-resolution selfie camera (32 MP vs 18 MP).
Battery
Xiaomi 15's battery is 2,091 mAh larger (5,240 vs 3,149 mAh), about 66% more. Real battery life also depends on chip and display efficiency.
Charging
Xiaomi 15 charges faster over cable (90W vs 20W). Wireless charging is faster on Xiaomi 15 (50W vs 20W).
Display
iPhone Air has the larger screen (6.5" vs 6.36").
Build & durability
iPhone Air has a titanium frame. iPhone Air is 26 g lighter.
Updates
iPhone Air should get OS updates for longer (6 vs 3 years, per the maker's policy at launch).
Specifications
| iPhone Air | Xiaomi 15 | |
|---|---|---|
| Apple A19 Pro | Chipset | Snapdragon 8 Elite |
| 12 GB | RAM | 12 GB / 16 GB |
| 256 GB / 512 GB / 1 TB | Storage | 256 GB / 512 GB |
| 6.5" LTPO OLED | Display | 6.36" LTPO AMOLED |
| 120 Hz | Refresh rate | 120 Hz |
| 2736×1260 (463 ppi) | Resolution | 2670×1200 (460 ppi) |
| 3,000 nits | Peak brightness | 3,200 nits |
| 48 MP | Main camera | 50 MP |
| None | Ultrawide | 50 MP |
| None | Telephoto | 50 MP · 2.6× |
| 18 MP | Front camera | 32 MP |
| 3,149 mAh | Battery | 5,240 mAh |
| 20 W | Wired charging | 90 W |
| 20 W | Wireless charging | 50 W |
| IP68 | Water & dust rating | IP68 |
| titanium | Frame | aluminium |
| 165 g | Weight | 191 g |
| 6 years | OS updates (estimated) | 3 years |
| $999 | Launch price | EUR 999 (≈ $1,079) |
| 2025-09 | Released | 2024-10 |
iPhone Air
Pros
- Titanium frame
- Light at 165 g
- 6 years of updates
Cons
- No optical telephoto
- No ultrawide lens
- Smaller battery
- Slower charging (20W)
Xiaomi 15
Pros
- 16 GB RAM
- 2.6× optical zoom
- 5,240 mAh battery
- 90W charging
Cons
- Heavier (191 g)
- Shorter update window
How is the score calculated?
Each phone gets 0–100 points in seven categories (performance, camera, battery, charging, display, build, updates), computed only from its published specs, then combined with fixed, published weights. A gap under 2.5 points counts as a tie. The performance index is an estimate based on benchmark results published at launch.
Figures come from the manufacturers’ official pages. Some specs vary by market. We do not sell devices or earn commissions.