Xiaomi in 2026: which smartphone to choose for games, photos and long work?

Choosing a Xiaomi smartphone in 2026 has become more difficult than ever: the brand has released more than 20 models, from the ultra-budget Redmi A3x to the flagship Xiaomi 15 Ultra with an underwater camera. But not all innovations justify their price — some features remain “raw”, and old proven chipsets sometimes work more stable than new products. This article will help you understand which Xiaomi to buy in 2026 for specific tasks: from autonomy to mobile gaming.

We analyzed performance tests, first-time owners’ reviews and update support data (in 2026, Xiaomi promises 5 years of updates for flagships and 3 years for the mid-range segment).The ranking takes into account not only technical specifications, but also real-world use cases - for example, how fast the Poco F6 Pro warms up in Genshin Impact or how convenient the Xiaomi Civi 4 for low-light selfies.

Spoiler: if you need a smartphone "for everything" - look at the Xiaomi 15 with a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor and a 2K 144 Hz screen. To save without loss in performance, the Redmi Note 13 Pro + with a 200 MP camera is suitable.

1. Xiaomi 2026 flagships: should you overpay?

In 2026, Xiaomi divides the flagship segment into three lines: the classic Xiaomi 15/15 Pro/15 Ultra, premium experiments MIX Fold 4 and MIX Flip, as well as the gamer series Black Shark. The main innovation is the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor in all top models, but there are nuances:

• 🔥 Xiaomi 15 Ultra: The first camera with optical zoom 10× sensory 1/0.98" (bigger than the iPhone 15 Pro Max, but it weighs. 240 d - inconvenient for single use.
• 📱 Xiaomi 15 Pro: Screenplay LTPO 3.0 with an adaptive frequency of 1-144 Hz, but the battery is only 4800 mAh (versus 5000 mAh at 15 Ultra).
• 🎮 Black Shark 6 Pro 2026: physical triggers with tactile recoil and built-in fan. F6 Pro, at a similar price.

Key question: Do you need unique chips? For example, underwater photography at 15 Ultra only works with a branded case (costs 8000). ₽), foldable MIX The Fold 4 still has a noticeable gap on the hinge. If you want stability, you better take the Xiaomi 15 (the base model) and save 20,000. ₽.

⚠️ In the first batches of Xiaomi 15 Ultra detected bug with overheating when charging >67W Xiaomi promises to fix this in April 2026 update, but for now we recommend using 33W charging.

2.The best Xiaomi to play in 2026: Not just Black Shark

Xiaomi’s gaming smartphones in 2026 are represented by three models: Black Shark 6 Pro, Poco F6 Pro and Redmi K70 Pro. The main difference is the cooling system:

An important nuance: The Black Shark 6 Pro has physical trigger buttons with tactile recoil (configurable in Shark Space), but their sensitivity depends on the firmware. In tests, some users complained about false positives in Call of Duty Mobile. The Poco F6 Pro is free of this drawback, but its AMOLED 120Hz screen dims in the sun more than competitors.

💡

Before buying a Xiaomi gamer, check the Game Turbo support (Settings menu → Special features → Game Turbo). Some titles (such as Diablo Immortal) are optimized only for Black Shark.

If you want a balance between gaming and everyday tasks, look at the Xiaomi 15 — it holds 55 FPS in Genshin Impact at FHD+ resolution, but does not overheat thanks to the ceramic body. But the Redmi Note 13 Pro+ (despite marketing) is not suitable for gaming — its Mediatek Dimensity 7200 Ultra processor trottlits after 20 minutes of intense load.

3.Budget Xiaomi 2026: What to choose up to 25,000 ₽

In the segment up to 25,000 ₽ Xiaomi offers two key lineups: Redmi Note 13 and Poco X6. The difference between them is in the firmware and design:

• 💰 Redmi Note 13 Pro (22 990 ₽): 200 MP camera (but only 50 MP in good lighting is really useful), screen AMOLED 120 Hz, but the case is made of plastic.
• ⚡ Poco X6 Pro (24 990 ₽): Snapdragon processor 7s Gen 2 (better than the Note 13 Pro), but the camera is weaker (64 MP.
• 📏 Redmi 13C (14 990 ₽): the only one in the segment with a 3.5 mm connector and a slot under 2 SIM + But the screen is microSD. HD+ 90Hz disappointing.

Critical moment: In budget Xiaomi 2026, there is no support for 5G in the n28 (700 MHz) band, which is actively used by Russian operators. This means that in some regions (for example, in the suburbs) mobile Internet speed will be limited to 4G. Before buying, check the coverage of your operator on the website cart.gosuslugi.ru.

Does the model have support? 5G in your region|Compare real photos on 200 MP and 64 MP in reviews|Check availability NFC (absent from Redmi 13C)|Clarify the firmware version (in Poco) X6 There are problems with MIUI 15.0.1)-->

If you want the most durable budget, take the Redmi Note 13 Pro – it has a glass body (as opposed to the plastic Poco X6 Pro) and better autonomy (battery 5100 mAh vs 5000 mAh). But if the priority is performance, the Poco X6 Pro ahead of competitors by 15-20% in benchmarks (according to AnTuTu in March 2026).

4. Xiaomi for Photography: Camera Phones 2026

In 2026, Xiaomi bet on computer photography: all flagships (except Black Shark) received a neural network Xiaomi AISP 3.0, which improves images in real time.

• 📸 Xiaomi 15 Ultra: 50 MP main module (Sony) IMX989) + telephoto 10×. But night photography is inferior to Huawei P70 Pro due to weak noise reduction algorithm.
• 🤳 Xiaomi Civi 4: front camera 50 MP with autofocus and LED-Perfect for selfies, but the main camera is only 50 MP (no telephoto).
• 🌃 Redmi Note 13 Pro+: 200 MP sensor (Samsung) HP3), but the real resolution of the photos is 12.5 MP (pixels are combined in 16: 1).

The most unexpected fact is that the Poco F6 Pro (Gamer smartphone!) proved to be the best in video tests thanks to the stabilization of HyperOIS. It shoots 8K@24fps without overheating, while the Xiaomi 15 Pro is limited to 4K@60fps due to trolling.

For professional shooting, consider Xiaomi 15 Ultra with manual Leica Authentic Look mode, but be prepared for problems with white balance in automatic mode (this is reported by 30% of owners in reviews on Yandex Market). F6 Pro for video.

5. Autonomy: Which Xiaomis hold the charge longer?

In 2026, Xiaomi finally solved the problem of quick discharge in the background: all smartphones on MIUI 15 received the Deep Sleep Optimization feature, which disables background processes for underutilized applications.

Lifehack: To extend battery life, turn off Adaptive refresh rate in screen settings (Settings → Display → Upgrade Frequency) and set a fixed 60Hz. This will increase battery life by 15-20%, but the screen will be less smooth. Also check which apps are using charge in the background through Settings → Battery → Battery Use.

💡

Smartphones with a battery >5000 mAh (for example, Poco M6 Pro) weigh 10-15% more, but their autonomy is 30-40% higher than that of compact models such as Xiaomi Civi 4 (4500 mAh).

If you need a two-day smartphone, take the Poco M6 Pro — its 6,000mAh battery paired with the Snapdragon 4 Gen 2 processor delivers a record 13 hours of screen life. But note: this model has no NFC and the camera is weaker than the Redmi Note 13 Pro+.

6. Xiaomi for the job: performance and multitasking

For office tasks (documents, calls, instant messengers) will suit any Xiaomi 2026 with 8 GB of RAM, but there are nuances:

• 📄 Xiaomi 15: Best Multitasking Choice with 16GB of RAM and Feature RAM Expansion (adds 8GB from memory) Supports DeX mode for connecting to the monitor.
• 📊 Redmi K70: Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 processor is powerful enough for tables and presentations, but weak enough for video rendering.
• 🖥️ Poco F6: The only one in the line with an HDMI-alt connector (you can connect to a projector without an adapter). FHD+.

Critical problem: MIUI 15 still doesn’t support Samsung’s DeX-like mode. Second Space is unstable, with some apps (like 1C) refusing to run in the second space. If you want a full-fledged computer on your phone, consider alternatives like the Samsung Galaxy S24+.

1. Activate Developer Mode (7 times click on the MIUI version in your phone settings).

2. Go to Settings → Additional → For developers.

3. Set Windows Animation, Transition Animation and Animator Duration on Off or 0.5×.-->

For remote work with documents, the Xiaomi 15 is optimal – it supports Wi-Fi 7 (speeds up to 5 Gbps) and has stereo speakers with Dolby Atmos support for calls. If the budget is limited, the Redmi K70 will cope with tasks just as well, but its AMOLED screen flickers at low brightness (can cause eye fatigue).

7.Alternatives: When Xiaomi is Not Suitable

Despite the wide range, Xiaomi in 2026 has several critical flaws, which are worth considering other brands:

• 🚫 Weak water protection: even flagships have a certificate IP68 In salt water or chlorinated (pool) the guarantee does not apply.
• 🔄 Update issues: budget models (e.g. Redmi) 13C) Only receive 1 major update MIUI.
• 📡 ESIM support: Xiaomi 15 and Xiaomi MIX Fold 4 supports virtualization SIM-Cards (important for travel).

If you want maximum reliability, pay attention to:

• Samsung Galaxy S24+ is the best software optimization and 4 years of updates.
• Google Pixel 8 is the perfect camera and pure Android.
• OnePlus 12 – fast charging 100 watts and impeccable smoothness of the screen.

But if you do decide to go with Xiaomi, check the model for global firmware (the Global designation in the title). Chinese versions (CN) do not have Google Services, and European (EEA) can block some features (for example, Face Unlock) due to GDPR.

⚠️ Note: In the first batches of Xiaomi 15 Ultra and MIX Fold 4 found a bug with work NFC Google Pay.Bank cards are added, but payments only go through on the third try. Xiaomi promises to fix this in April patch.

FAQ: Frequent questions about choosing Xiaomi in 2026