Xiaomi 15 vs iQOO 13: Which Is the Best Flagship Under Rs 70,000?

Xiaomi has brought its latest Snapdragon 8 Elite-powered flagship, the Xiaomi 15, to Indian shores at under Rs 70,000. The phone acts as a direct competitor to the iQOO 13, arguably one of the cheapest 8 Elite-powered phones right now. So, which one offers more value and is a better pick? We have compared both phones’ prices and features to find an answer.

Xiaomi 15 vs iQOO 13: Specifications at a Glance

		4.4 ★
	Xiaomi 15	iQOO 13 5G
	₹ 64,999	₹ 54,998
Expert Score	8.6/10 by Expert	8.4/10 by Expert
Processor	Snapdragon 8 Elite	Snapdragon 8 Elite
Display	6.36″ (16.15 cm) 120Hz Display	6.82″ (17.32 cm) 144Hz Display
Rear Camera	50+50+50 MP Rear	50+50+50 MP Rear
Front Camera	32 MP Front	32 MP Front
RAM & Storage	12 GB RAM 512 GB Storage	12 GB RAM 256 GB Storage
Battery	5240 mAh 90W Charging	6000 mAh 120W Charging
OS	Android v15	Android v15

Xiaomi 15 vs iQOO 13: Price and Availability

The iQOO 13 is a hands-down winner here as it is available at under Rs 55,000 and comes in two RAM+Storage options. You can also buy the iQOO 13 now, but the Xiaomi 15 will be available starting April 3.

Xiaomi 15 vs iQOO 13: Design

• The Xiaomi 15 opts for a minimalist design and has a square-shaped rear camera bump. It comes in White, Black, and Green colours and weighs 191 grams. It offers an 8.08mm thickness and features an IP68 rating.
• The iQOO 13 has a similar minimal design with a squarish rear camera module. It comes in Nardo Grey and BMW Motorsport-inspired Legend colours. It weighs 213 grams, is 8.13mm thick, and has a dual IP68+IP69 rating.

Both phones take a simple design approach, so choosing either would be fine. However, if you like the BMW-inspired design, you will find the iQOO 13’s Legend variant more attractive. The iQOO 13 also offers a dual IP rating.

Both offer an ultrasonic in-screen fingerprint sensor.

Xiaomi 15 vs iQOO 13: Display

• The Xiaomi 15 sports a compact 6.36-inch AMOLED display with a resolution of 2670 x 1200 pixels, a 120Hz variable refresh rate, 3200 nits of peak brightness, HDR10+, and Dolby Vision. It also has the TÜV Rheinland Low Blue Light, Flicker Free, and Circadian Friendly certifications for eye protection.
• The iQOO 13 has a bigger 6.82-inch LTPO AMOLED screen with a resolution of 3168×1440 pixels, a 144Hz refresh rate, and 1800 nits of high-brightness mode (HBM). The device has the TÜV Rheinland Circular Polarisation and Full Care Display certifications.

Both phones have a competent display, which makes both a great choice. However, a few things set them apart; the iQOO 13 has an LTPO screen, which will save battery consumption while providing up to a 144Hz high refresh rate. The Xiaomi 15, on the other hand, has a smaller screen for comfort and a high peak brightness. In the end, it boils down to your requirements.

Xiaomi 15 vs iQOO 13: Performance

• The Xiaomi has the octa-core Snapdragon 8 Elite mobile platform based on the 3nm process. It supports 12GB of LPDDR5X RAM and 512GB of UFS 4.0 storage. There’s support for the Xiaomi IceLoop system.
• The iQOO 13 also includes the 3nm Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset, along with up to 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage. The phone also has the Supercomputing Chip Q2 for enhanced performance and lower power consumption during intensive tasks like gaming. There’s support for a 7000 mm² vapor chamber cooling system.

The iQOO 13 and the Xiaomi 15 have the same chipset, and we expect both to perform exceptionally. However, the iQOO 13’s dedicated Q2 chip can offer better gaming performance. It also includes a larger heat dissipation area, which can be helpful in workloads. We will revisit this soon and compare their benchmark and day-to-day performance.

Xiaomi 15 vs iQOO 13: Software

• The Xiaomi 15 runs HyperOS 2.0 based on Android 15 and offers several AI features like Circle to Search, AI Writing tools, AI Interpreter, and more.
• The iQOO 13 has FunTouch 15 on top of Android 15 and includes AI features like Circle to Search, AI Erase, AI Photo Enhance, and more.

Both phones have the latest Android versions and bring tons of AI features. Therefore, it is all about personal preference.

Xiaomi 15 vs iQOO 13: Cameras

• The Xiaomi 15 brings Leica cameras, including a 50MP Light Fusion 900 primary sensor, a 50MP 60mm floating telephoto lens, and a 50MP ultra-wide lens. Up front, there’s a 32MP in-display selfie camera. It supports up to 5 focal lengths in portrait shots, 8K video recording, Movie mode, and much more.
• The iQOO 13 is home to a 50MP Sony IMX921 VCS main snapper, a 50MP telephoto lens, and a 50MP ultra-wide lens. There’s a 32MP selfie shooter. The phone has NICE 2.0 tech for improved low-light photos and support for four focal lengths in portrait shots.

The Xiaomi 15 and the iQOO 13 have a similar camera setup, except the Xiaomi 15 has the Leica branding, which brings several Leica filters and colour science to the table. While both phones appear promising, we will have to put them to the test to see which one offers the best camera experience.

Xiaomi 15 vs iQOO 13: Battery and Charging

• The Xiaomi 15 is backed by a 5,240mAh battery with 90W HyperCharge wired fast charging and 50W wireless charging. The phone includes an in-box charger.
• The iQOO 13 has a bigger 6,000mAh battery with 120W FlashCharge fast charging. It also includes a charger in the box.

The iQOO 13 is a winner for its bigger battery and faster charging speeds.

Xiaomi 15 vs iQOO 13: Verdict

The Xiaomi 15 and the iQOO 13 are both great phones with all the premium bells and whistles: a Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset, capable cameras, dependable battery capacity, and the latest software. However, the iQOO 13 takes the lead with a much lower price tag, a 144Hz display, a bigger battery, and faster charging.

That said, the Xiaomi 15 is for those who like the idea of a compact screen size and the Leica colour science.