Xiaomi’s 2025 was filled with great products across a wide range of categories. Gone are the days when the brand was playing catch-up to the likes of Apple and Samsung, as Xiaomi proved it is forging its own path across more than just smartphones.
Xiaomi is one of the fastest-growing EV brands in China, and the success of its very first vehicle – the SU7 is shaping up to be an even bigger hit. But smartphones are still Xiaomi’s bread and butter, so let’s kick off the list with one of our favourite devices of the year.
Winner: Xiaomi 15 Ultra
While the Xiaomi 15 Ultra wasn’t a revolutionary device per se, it brought enough refinements over its predecessor that make it a winner. The Ultra series always brings out the best of Xiaomi’s imaging division and that was on full display with the Xiaomi 15 Ultra.
You’re getting the rare combination of a 1-inch type main camera and a 200MP telephoto periscope (100mm equivalent) with 4.3x optical zoom while still retaining a second 70mm telephoto module. The 50MP ultrawide lens is also on deck, which combined makes the 15 Ultra arguably the most versatile camera phone of the year.
But the 15 Ultra did more than just upgrade the camera experience, it also added a vastly improved battery endurance and a memorable design, which is only further complemented by the optional photography kit.
Xiaomi 15 Ultra
Winner: Poco F7
But you don’t need to spend Ultra money to get a great smartphone in 2025 and the Poco F7 is a prime example. From its bright and punchy 12-bit AMOLED display to the powerful Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 chipset and impressive battery endurance, the F7 proved to be an easy recommendation in the €330/£300/INR 30,000 range.
The F7 blends a premium aluminum and glass build with excellent performance, IP68 ingress protection and is still an easy-to-recommend device. We would have loved to see some camera upgrades since the F7 is basically reusing the F6’s shooters, and we hoped the now ancient USB 2.0 connector would be replaced, but despite these shortcomings, the Poco F7 is one of the best all-rounders in its class.
Xiaomi Poco F7 5G
Winner and loser: Xiaomi 17 Pro Max
There are plenty of phones pushing top-tier specs in 2025, but the Xiaomi 17 Pro Max stood out in more ways than one. Adding a rear display inside the camera island is not revolutionary as Xiaomi did it before with the Mi 11 Ultra but the implementation on the 17 Pro Max stands out with its sheer size and it unlocks multiple use cases.
Xiaomi 17 Pro Max secondary display
From answering calls to checking notifications and, more importantly, having a viewfinder that unlocks higher quality selfies and vlogging capabilities, the secondary screen on the Xiaomi 17 Pro Max is not just a gimmick but a key selling point. The flagship main display, Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chip, outstanding battery life and 100W charging were other strong points that we liked.
Sadly, Xiami hasn’t revealed any plans to bring the 17 Pro Max globally. And while we’re certainly fans of the 17 Pro Max as an overall package, we can’t help but call out Xiaomi’s naming choice. It’s far from the first time Xiaomi has taken inspiration from Apple, but skipping a whole generation on purpose just so you can “go head-to-head with Apple” is just a corny move in our opinion and a clear example of marketing over substance.
Loser: Redmi Note 14 5G (global)
We’ve been frustrated with the Redmi Note series’ naming scheme for a few years now, and it did not get any better with the Note 14 series. This year we got the ten devices in the Note 14 series and the Redmi Note 14 5G is not one but three phones depending on where you’re located in the world.
We understand that Xiaomi has to tailor its devices to consumer needs in respective markets but the global Note 14 5G, which we got the chance to review fell short of expectations. It falls behind competitors in key departments like performance and cameras and did not impress with its battery endurance.
Winner: Xiaomi YU7
Xiaomi’s EV division emerged as a clear winner last year, following the commercial success of its SU7 sedan and the brand’s first electric SUV – the YU7 is on pace to carry the momentum into 2026. From record-breaking demand in China to its stylish design and rich feature set, the YU7 seems like the perfect follow-up to complement Xiaomi’s rise in the auto industry.
As we saw for ourselves in our brief time with the YU7 Max, it gives you everything the SU7 does but in a more spacious SUV-style body, with a higher seating position and softer ride. And if we were to follow car sales trends over the last few years, the YU7 should be a key growth driver for Xiaomi.
Loser: Xiaomi Mix Fold 4 successor
The Mix Fold 4 was a big leap over its predecessor but its non-existent availability outside of China made it a rare sight. But 2025 proved to be even worse as we did not get a proper Mix 4 successor.
Xiaomi delivered only one new foldable this year with the Mix Flip 2 but that doesn’t justify neglecting the book-style form-factor. Some rumors suggest that we’ll be getting a Xiaomi 17 Fold sometime in 2026, but we believe skipping a generation, just as foldables are slowly expanding their market share is a questionable move.
Loser: Redmi Note 15 series
The Redmi Note series has been confusing for a few generations now, but we feel like the Note 15 series needs its own introductory class just to tell the devices apart. There are two base models, which are virtually identical apart from their chipset battery capacities. The two Pro models are even closer to each other when you take away their chipsets.
Add to the fact that the entire Note 15 series launched with Android 15 in late 2025 and the 4G models still can’t record 4K video, which at this point in time should be considered a crime. We’ve grown tired of Xiaomi’s confusing naming scheme, and we hope that things will turn around for the better with future Redmi releases.
