Redmi Note 15 Special vs Xiaomi 17 Ultra (China)
The Redmi Note 15 Special (2026) runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 6 Gen 3, while the Xiaomi 17 Ultra (China) (2025) runs on the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5. By overall MobileRank rating, the Xiaomi 17 Ultra (China) leads — 87/100 vs 54/100 (a 33-point difference). Key differences: the Xiaomi 17 Ultra (China) has the bigger battery (6800 mAh vs 5800); the Xiaomi 17 Ultra (China) is faster in AnTuTu (3,950,082 vs 840,353); the Xiaomi 17 Ultra (China) has NFC for contactless payments, the Redmi Note 15 Special doesn't; the Redmi Note 15 Special is noticeably lighter (178g vs 224g).
Profile comparison
Category scores
Redmi Note 15 Special
Xiaomi 17 Ultra (China)
What makes Redmi Note 15 Special better?
- Lighter: 178g vs 224g
- Better portability (79/100 vs 42/100)
What makes Xiaomi 17 Ultra (China) better?
- Higher AnTuTu: 3950082 vs 840353
- Better Geekbench Single: 3639 vs 1013
- Better Geekbench Multi: 11047 vs 3000
- Bigger battery: 6800 vs 5800 mAh
- Faster charging: 90W vs 45W
- Higher performance (98/100 vs 55/100)
- Better camera (87/100 vs 34/100)
- Longer battery life (83/100 vs 55/100)
- Better display (81/100 vs 79/100)
Comparison verdict
Comparing the Redmi Note 15 Special vs the Xiaomi 17 Ultra (China), the Xiaomi 17 Ultra (China) scores 33 points higher (87/100 vs 54/100). In the "performance" category, the Xiaomi 17 Ultra (China) leads (98/100 vs 55/100). In the "camera" category, the Xiaomi 17 Ultra (China) leads (87/100 vs 34/100). In the "battery" category, the Xiaomi 17 Ultra (China) leads (83/100 vs 55/100). In the "performance" category, the Xiaomi 17 Ultra (China) significantly outperforms the Redmi Note 15 Special (98/100 vs 55/100). In the "display" category, the Xiaomi 17 Ultra (China) and the Redmi Note 15 Special are nearly equal (81/100 vs 79/100). In the "camera" category, the Xiaomi 17 Ultra (China) significantly outperforms the Redmi Note 15 Special (87/100 vs 34/100). In the "battery" category, the Xiaomi 17 Ultra (China) notably outperforms the Redmi Note 15 Special (83/100 vs 55/100). In the "portability" category, the Redmi Note 15 Special significantly outperforms the Xiaomi 17 Ultra (China) (79/100 vs 42/100).
Specs comparison
| Specification | Redmi Note 15 Special | Xiaomi 17 Ultra (China) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 | Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 | |
| AnTuTu | 840353 | 3950082 | |
| Geekbench Single | 1013 | 3639 | |
| Geekbench Multi | 3000 | 11047 | |
| Display | 6.8" AMOLED | 6.9" LTPO AMOLED | |
| Resolution | 1080x2392 | 1200x2608 | |
| Refresh rate | 120 Hz | 120 Hz | |
| Battery | 5800 mAh | 6800 mAh | |
| Charging | 45W | 90W | |
| Wireless charging | 0W | 50W | |
| Main camera | 50 MP | 50 MP | |
| Ultrawide | 0 MP | 50 MP | |
| Telephoto | 0 MP | 200 MP | |
| Front camera | 20 MP | 50 MP | |
| RAM | 6GB / 8GB | 12GB / 16GB | |
| Storage | 128GB / 256GB | 512GB / 1TB | |
| OS | Android 15, up to 4 major Android upgrades, HyperOS 3 | Android 16 | |
| Brightness (peak) | 3200 nits | — | |
| NFC | no | yes | |
| Protection | IP66 | IP68/IP69 | |
| Dimensions | 164.0×75.4×7.4 mm | 162.9×77.6×8.3 mm | |
| Weight | 178 g | 224 g | |
| Launch price | — | $892 |
Camera comparison
Redmi Note 15 Special
- Main: 50MP f/1.8
- Front: 20MP
Xiaomi 17 Ultra (China)
- Main: 50MP f/1.7
- Ultrawide: 50MP
- Telephoto: 200MP
- Front: 50MP
Display comparison
Redmi Note 15 Special
- 6.8" AMOLED
- Resolution: 1080x2392
- Refresh rate: 120 Hz
Xiaomi 17 Ultra (China)
- 6.9" LTPO AMOLED
- Resolution: 1200x2608
- Refresh rate: 120 Hz
Battery and charging
Redmi Note 15 Special
- 5800 mAh
- Wired: 45W
- No wireless charging
Xiaomi 17 Ultra (China)
- 6800 mAh
- Wired: 90W
- Wireless: 50W
Overall performance score
We compared Redmi Note 15 Special and Xiaomi 17 Ultra (China), covering their specs and all relevant benchmarks.
Xiaomi 17 Ultra (China) leads Redmi Note 15 Special by 78.7% in our overall performance rating.
Benchmarks
Launch prices and where to check today's
Redmi Note 15 Special
Price unknownDetailed category analysis
performance
In the "performance" category, the Xiaomi 17 Ultra (China) significantly outperforms the Redmi Note 15 Special (98/100 vs 55/100).
display
In the "display" category, the Xiaomi 17 Ultra (China) and the Redmi Note 15 Special are nearly equal (81/100 vs 79/100).
camera
In the "camera" category, the Xiaomi 17 Ultra (China) significantly outperforms the Redmi Note 15 Special (87/100 vs 34/100).
battery
In the "battery" category, the Xiaomi 17 Ultra (China) notably outperforms the Redmi Note 15 Special (83/100 vs 55/100).
portability
In the "portability" category, the Redmi Note 15 Special significantly outperforms the Xiaomi 17 Ultra (China) (79/100 vs 42/100).
Frequently asked questions
Which is better: the Redmi Note 15 Special or the Xiaomi 17 Ultra (China)?
The Xiaomi 17 Ultra (China) significantly outperforms the Redmi Note 15 Special by 33 points (87/100 vs 54/100).
What is the rating of the Redmi Note 15 Special and the Xiaomi 17 Ultra (China)?
The Redmi Note 15 Special has a MobileRank rating of 54/100, the Xiaomi 17 Ultra (China) — 87/100.
Which has the better camera: the Redmi Note 15 Special or the Xiaomi 17 Ultra (China)?
The Xiaomi 17 Ultra (China) leads on camera score (87/100 vs 34/100).
Which is more powerful: the Redmi Note 15 Special or the Xiaomi 17 Ultra (China)?
The Xiaomi 17 Ultra (China) leads on performance (98/100 vs 55/100).
Should you choose the Redmi Note 15 Special over the Xiaomi 17 Ultra (China)?
The Xiaomi 17 Ultra (China) is a better fit for gamers and power users, mobile photography enthusiasts, those who care about battery life, budget-conscious buyers.