Vivo iQOO 15 Ultra vs Xiaomi Mi 9 Explorer

The Vivo iQOO 15 Ultra (2026) runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, while the Xiaomi Mi 9 Explorer (2019) runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 855. By overall MobileRank rating, the Vivo iQOO 15 Ultra leads — 84/100 vs 12/100 (a 72-point difference). Key differences: the Vivo iQOO 15 Ultra has the bigger battery (7400 mAh vs 3300); the Vivo iQOO 15 Ultra is faster in AnTuTu (4,602,290 vs 824,513); the Xiaomi Mi 9 Explorer is noticeably lighter (173g vs 227g).

The Vivo iQOO 15 Ultra significantly outperforms the Xiaomi Mi 9 Explorer by 72 points (84/100 vs 12/100).
Profile comparison
Category scores
Vivo iQOO 15 Ultra
Performance 97
Display 100
Camera 74
Battery 86
Design 16
Value for money 55
Xiaomi Mi 9 Explorer
Performance 1
Display 0
Camera 23
Battery 1
Design 83
Value for money 55
What makes Vivo iQOO 15 Ultra better?
  • Higher AnTuTu: 4602290 vs 824513
  • Better Geekbench Single: 3640 vs 968
  • Better Geekbench Multi: 11033 vs 2731
  • Bigger battery: 7400 vs 3300 mAh
  • Faster charging: 120W vs 27W

  • Higher performance (97/100 vs 1/100)
  • Better camera (74/100 vs 23/100)
  • Longer battery life (86/100 vs 1/100)
  • Better display (100/100 vs 0/100)
What makes Xiaomi Mi 9 Explorer better?
  • Lighter: 173g vs 227g

  • Better design/ergonomics (83/100 vs 16/100)
Comparison verdict

Comparing the Vivo iQOO 15 Ultra vs the Xiaomi Mi 9 Explorer, the Vivo iQOO 15 Ultra scores 72 points higher (84/100 vs 12/100). In the "performance" category, the Vivo iQOO 15 Ultra leads (97/100 vs 1/100). In the "camera" category, the Vivo iQOO 15 Ultra leads (74/100 vs 23/100). In the "battery" category, the Vivo iQOO 15 Ultra leads (86/100 vs 1/100). In the "performance" category, the Vivo iQOO 15 Ultra significantly outperforms the Xiaomi Mi 9 Explorer (97/100 vs 1/100). In the "display" category, the Vivo iQOO 15 Ultra significantly outperforms the Xiaomi Mi 9 Explorer (100/100 vs 0/100). In the "camera" category, the Vivo iQOO 15 Ultra significantly outperforms the Xiaomi Mi 9 Explorer (74/100 vs 23/100). In the "battery" category, the Vivo iQOO 15 Ultra significantly outperforms the Xiaomi Mi 9 Explorer (86/100 vs 1/100). In the "design" category, the Xiaomi Mi 9 Explorer significantly outperforms the Vivo iQOO 15 Ultra (83/100 vs 16/100). In the "value for money" category, both devices are on the same level — 55/100.

Vivo iQOO 15 Ultra: The Vivo iQOO 15 Ultra is a better fit for gamers and power users, those who care about battery life.
Xiaomi Mi 9 Explorer: The Xiaomi Mi 9 Explorer is a better fit for everyday use.
Specs comparison
Specification Vivo iQOO 15 Ultra Xiaomi Mi 9 Explorer
Processor Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 Qualcomm Snapdragon 855
AnTuTu 4602290 824513
Geekbench Single 3640 968
Geekbench Multi 11033 2731
Display 6.8" LTPO AMOLED 6.4" Super AMOLED
Resolution 1440x3168 1080x2340
Refresh rate 144 Hz
Battery 7400 mAh 3300 mAh
Charging 120W 27W
Wireless charging 50W 0W
Main camera 50 MP
Ultrawide 50 MP 48 MP
Telephoto 50 MP 0 MP
Front camera 32 MP 20 MP
RAM 12GB / 16GB / 24GB 12GB
Storage 256GB / 512GB / 1TB 256GB
OS Android 16 Android 9.0 (Pie); MIUI 10
Brightness (peak) 8000 nits
NFC yes yes
Protection IP68
Dimensions 163.7×76.8×8.7 mm 157.5×74.7×7.6 mm
Weight 227 g 173 g
Price $799
Camera comparison
Vivo iQOO 15 Ultra
  • Main: 50MP f/f/1.9
  • Ultrawide: 50MP
  • Telephoto: 50MP
  • Front: 32MP
74
camera
Xiaomi Mi 9 Explorer
  • Main: —
  • Ultrawide: 48MP
  • Front: 20MP
23
camera
Display comparison
Vivo iQOO 15 Ultra
  • 6.8" LTPO AMOLED
  • Resolution: 1440x3168
  • Refresh rate: 144 Hz
100
display
Xiaomi Mi 9 Explorer
  • 6.4" Super AMOLED
  • Resolution: 1080x2340
  • Refresh rate: —
0
display
Battery and charging
Vivo iQOO 15 Ultra
  • 7400 mAh
  • Wired: 120W
  • Wireless: 50W
86
battery
Xiaomi Mi 9 Explorer
  • 3300 mAh
  • Wired: 27W
  • No wireless charging
1
battery
Overall performance score

We compared Vivo iQOO 15 Ultra and Xiaomi Mi 9 Explorer, covering their specs and all relevant benchmarks.

Vivo iQOO 15 Ultra Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5
84/100
4602290 AnTuTu
Xiaomi Mi 9 Explorer Qualcomm Snapdragon 855
12/100 -458.2%
824513 AnTuTu

Vivo iQOO 15 Ultra leads Xiaomi Mi 9 Explorer by 458.2% in our overall performance rating.

Benchmarks
Price and availability
Vivo iQOO 15 Ultra
$799
Xiaomi Mi 9 Explorer
Price unknown
Detailed category analysis
performance

In the "performance" category, the Vivo iQOO 15 Ultra significantly outperforms the Xiaomi Mi 9 Explorer (97/100 vs 1/100).

display

In the "display" category, the Vivo iQOO 15 Ultra significantly outperforms the Xiaomi Mi 9 Explorer (100/100 vs 0/100).

camera

In the "camera" category, the Vivo iQOO 15 Ultra significantly outperforms the Xiaomi Mi 9 Explorer (74/100 vs 23/100).

battery

In the "battery" category, the Vivo iQOO 15 Ultra significantly outperforms the Xiaomi Mi 9 Explorer (86/100 vs 1/100).

design

In the "design" category, the Xiaomi Mi 9 Explorer significantly outperforms the Vivo iQOO 15 Ultra (83/100 vs 16/100).

value for money

In the "value for money" category, both devices are on the same level — 55/100.

Frequently asked questions
Which is better: the Vivo iQOO 15 Ultra or the Xiaomi Mi 9 Explorer?

The Vivo iQOO 15 Ultra significantly outperforms the Xiaomi Mi 9 Explorer by 72 points (84/100 vs 12/100).

What is the rating of the Vivo iQOO 15 Ultra and the Xiaomi Mi 9 Explorer?

The Vivo iQOO 15 Ultra has a MobileRank rating of 84/100, the Xiaomi Mi 9 Explorer — 12/100.

Which has the better camera: the Vivo iQOO 15 Ultra or the Xiaomi Mi 9 Explorer?

The Vivo iQOO 15 Ultra leads on camera score (74/100 vs 23/100).

Which is more powerful: the Vivo iQOO 15 Ultra or the Xiaomi Mi 9 Explorer?

The Vivo iQOO 15 Ultra leads on performance (97/100 vs 1/100).

Should you choose the Vivo iQOO 15 Ultra over the Xiaomi Mi 9 Explorer?

The Vivo iQOO 15 Ultra is a better fit for gamers and power users, those who care about battery life. The Xiaomi Mi 9 Explorer is a better fit for everyday use.