Xiaomi 15 UltravsGoogle Pixel 7a
SETTLEDUpdated September 8, 2026
Xiaomi 15 Ultra wins
Verdict
Xiaomi 15 Ultra wins 4 of 5 categories — our overall pick
Xiaomi 15 Ultra is the overall winner, 4 / 5 — performance is its standout. It costs USD 1,399 — USD 1,000 more than the Google Pixel 7a. Pay the premium if performance is your priority.
- Xiaomi 15 Ultra takes Performance — led by storage (512 GB).
- Xiaomi 15 Ultra takes Display — led by peak brightness (3,200 nits).
- Xiaomi 15 Ultra takes Camera — led by telephoto (Yes).
- Xiaomi 15 Ultra takes Battery — led by charging speed (90 W).
- Google Pixel 7a takes Price — led by price (399 USD).
Scores follow our published methodology · v2026.09
In plain English
Choose Xiaomi 15 Ultra if you want…
- Choose Xiaomi 15 Ultra if you want a faster phone for apps and games — 2,500,000 pts vs 850,000 pts.
- Choose Xiaomi 15 Ultra if you want more apps open at once — 16 GB vs 8 GB.
- Choose Xiaomi 15 Ultra if you want more room for photos and apps — 512 GB vs 128 GB.
- Choose Xiaomi 15 Ultra if you want a bigger screen — 6.73 in vs 6.1 in.
- Choose Xiaomi 15 Ultra if you want a sharper screen — 522 ppi vs 429 ppi.
- Choose Xiaomi 15 Ultra if you want smoother scrolling — 120 Hz vs 90 Hz.
- Choose Xiaomi 15 Ultra if you want a screen you can read in sunlight — 3,200 nits vs 1,000 nits.
- Choose Xiaomi 15 Ultra if you want sharper selfies — 32 MP vs 13 MP.
- Choose Xiaomi 15 Ultra if you want true optical zoom — Yes vs No.
- Choose Xiaomi 15 Ultra if you want better video quality — 96 pts vs 91 pts.
- Choose Xiaomi 15 Ultra if you want a better camera — 155 pts vs 137 pts.
- Choose Xiaomi 15 Ultra if you want longer battery life — 5,410 mAh vs 4,385 mAh.
- Choose Xiaomi 15 Ultra if you want faster charging — 90 W vs 18 W.
Choose Google Pixel 7a if you want…
- Choose Google Pixel 7a if you want a lower price — 399 USD vs 1,399 USD.
At a glance
- Xiaomi 15 Ultra
- Google Pixel 7a
Click a label to jump to that section ↓
Best price now
The cheap alternative
Full record
Every spec, side by side — winners get a check and a proportional bar. Ties share the badge.
Performance score
Approximate benchmark score of the chipset — higher is faster for apps, games and AI.
Chipset
The processor inside — shown for reference, never decides a winner.
RAM
More RAM keeps more apps alive in the background.
Storage
Base onboard storage for photos, apps and media.
Screen size
Diagonal screen size — bigger is better for media, smaller is easier to hold.
Pixel density
Sharpness of the screen — above ~400 ppi looks crisp.
Refresh rate
How smooth scrolling and motion feel. 120 Hz is the modern standard.
Peak brightness
Peak brightness in sunlight — higher stays readable outdoors.
Main camera
Resolution of the primary rear camera — photo quality is judged by the Camera quality score, not megapixels.
Selfie camera
Resolution of the front camera.
Telephoto
A dedicated zoom lens for distant subjects without quality loss.
Video score
Composite video rating — stabilisation, 4K/8K support and colour.
Camera score
Composite camera quality from independent testing — how good the photos actually are.
Battery
Battery capacity — higher generally lasts longer.
Charging speed
Wired charging speed — higher refills faster.
Wireless charging
Whether the phone charges wirelessly.
Price
Typical MSRP in US dollars — lower is better value.
Which one should you buy?
Xiaomi 15 Ultra
Choose Xiaomi 15 Ultra if performance matters most — it wins the most categories overall. It costs USD 1,399.
Google Pixel 7a
Choose Google Pixel 7a if price matters most. It costs USD 399, the lowest price in this group.
Pros & cons
Xiaomi 15 Ultra
- Best-in-class zoom
- Elite chipset
- 5,410 mAh + 90 W
- Very expensive
- Heavy
- Software bloat
Google Pixel 7a
- Great camera
- Wireless charging
- Clean Android
- 18 W charging
- Thick bezels
- Average battery