REVIEW: Redmi Note 15 5G (2026 Smartphone)

Photo courtesy of Xiaomi 

Review by Jon Donnis

The Redmi Note 15 5G arrives as a confident mid range smartphone that feels far more considered than its price suggests. Xiaomi has spent years refining the Note series and this model shows a brand comfortable with its strengths. It is not chasing gimmicks or headline grabbing specs for the sake of it. Instead, it focuses on balance, practicality, and day to day usability.

The first thing that strikes you is how slim and light the phone feels. At just 7.35mm thick, it slips easily into a pocket and never feels cumbersome in the hand. Even with the supplied protective case fitted, it remains impressively manageable. The dual curved front and back help here, creating a shape that feels smooth and natural to hold over long periods. It looks smart too. The camera housing is familiar territory for recent Redmi devices and while it does protrude slightly, it never became uncomfortable or distracting during use.

Photo taken with the Redmi Note 15 5G

Battery life is one of the Note 15 5G's strongest selling points. The 5520mAh silicon carbon battery comfortably lasts through heavy daily use, often pushing into a second day without anxiety. Xiaomi claims up to 1.58 days of endurance and that feels realistic rather than optimistic. Video playback figures of around 21 hours stack up well in real world testing. When it does need topping up, 45W turbo charging gets you back on your feet quickly. The inclusion of 18W reverse charging is a genuinely useful extra, especially if you ever find yourself rescuing a friend's dying phone.

Durability is another quiet strength. The display glass is rated to survive face down drops from 1.7 metres, and the aluminium alloy mid frame gives the whole device a reassuring rigidity. Add IP65 dust and water resistance and this is a phone that feels built for everyday life rather than careful handling. Wet Touch Technology 2.0 works exactly as advertised, keeping the screen responsive even with damp fingers or in light rain.

The 6.77 inch AMOLED display is a highlight. Full HD plus resolution keeps everything sharp, while peak brightness of up to 3200 nits makes outdoor use a non issue. PWM dimming at 3840Hz helps reduce eye strain during long viewing sessions, which is easy to appreciate after an evening of scrolling or streaming. Dual speakers with 300 percent volume boost give audio real presence, making this a solid device for video and casual gaming.

Photo taken with the Redmi Note 15 5G

Performance is handled by the Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 chipset, which keeps the phone feeling brisk and responsive. Apps open quickly, multitasking is smooth, and everyday navigation never feels laboured. It is not aimed at power users chasing flagship benchmarks, but for a mid range device it strikes the right balance between speed and efficiency.

Photography is where the Redmi Note 15 5G really separates itself from cheaper models. The 108MP main camera now includes optical image stabilisation, which makes a noticeable difference in low light shots and video. Detail is excellent, though the large file sizes mean you may want to drop the resolution for everyday snaps. This is the first model in the standard lineup to add an ultra wide camera, giving genuine versatility without stepping up to a Pro device. The 20MP front camera performs well for video calls and selfies, while AI features such as reflection removal and object erasing are useful without feeling overbearing.

Photo courtesy of Xiaomi 

There are compromises, and they are worth acknowledging. The lack of a 3.5mm headphone socket will disappoint anyone who still prefers wired audio, particularly when connecting to older non Bluetooth equipment. Storage expansion is also a familiar frustration. You can use a second SIM or a memory card, but not both at the same time. These are not deal breakers, but they are worth bearing in mind depending on how you use your phone.

Taken as a whole, the Redmi Note 15 5G feels like a well judged mid range smartphone rather than a flashy one. At around £199, it delivers strong battery life, a capable camera system, solid performance, and a design that feels more premium than expected. Xiaomi continues to cement its reputation for offering good quality phones across every price bracket, and this model sits comfortably among its best value efforts.

If you are shopping for a reliable, modern replacement without paying flagship money, the Redmi Note 15 5G deserves a serious look. It does exactly what you expect, and in a few areas, it does rather more.

I score the Redmi Note 15 5G a solid 8.5 out of 10.

Pre-orders will be available on mi.com/uk from 5 January 2026 

Thank you to Xiaomi for providing the phone for review.

The full range.
Redmi Note 15 Pro+ 5G

8+256: £429

12+512: £479

Redmi Note 15 Pro 5G

8+256: £349

8+512:  £379

12+512: £399

Redmi Note 15 Pro

Available in 8+256 and 12+512

Prices start from £249

Redmi Note 15 5G

Available in 6+128 and 8+256

Prices start from £199

Redmi Note 15

Available in 6+128 and 8+256

Prices start from £179

REVIEW: Xiaomi Smart Band 10 (2025 Release) - Smarter, Sharper, and Surprisingly Stylish

Images provided by Xiaomi Press

Review by Jon Donnis

With each new version, Xiaomi's smart bands edge closer to full smartwatch territory. The Smart Band 10 continues that trend. It's not just another fitness tracker. It's a polished, well-designed wearable that leans into style and customisation without ditching the fundamentals. Now that it's landed in the UK, it arrives with a sense of purpose and a price that undercuts most of the competition.

Right away, the 1.72-inch AMOLED display makes a strong impression. It's bigger than ever, but still sleek on the wrist. The 326 PPI resolution and 1500 nits brightness make everything pop. Texts are sharp, colours punch through, and the 60Hz refresh rate makes swiping feel fluid, not jittery. This display doesn't just look good in a shop window. It holds up in real life too, whether you're checking a notification in bright sunlight or skipping tracks mid-run. The 2mm bezels are barely noticeable. It's one of the rare bands that genuinely looks good worn every day.

There's some surprising versatility baked in too. The new Pearl White ceramic option feels premium. The band now supports four different wearing styles, including a pearl-chain pendant. That alone makes it stand out in a sea of plastic fitness trackers. With over 200 watch faces and even a few interactive mini-games, there's a definite sense that Xiaomi wants this to feel like more than a data collector.

As for performance, it holds its own. With 150+ workout modes, from running to rowing to things like zumba, it caters for casual users and data obsessives alike. Six of those modes are automatically detected, which removes the need for constant fiddling. The upgraded swim tracking is impressive, not just for the real-time heart rate monitoring, but for how reliably it counts laps. A 9-axis motion sensor helps here. The 5ATM rating means you can confidently take it into the pool without babying it.

Heart rate, stress, SpO₂, and sleep tracking are all here, and done well. What's new this time is a deeper dive into sleep quality. Xiaomi's added sleep efficiency and distribution metrics. These sound like minor tweaks, but they're useful if you're trying to spot patterns. It also kicks off a 21-day sleep improvement programme that ties in with guidance from sleep medicine experts. This might be one of the first smart bands to feel like it's genuinely trying to improve your habits, not just collect numbers.

Battery life continues to be one of Xiaomi's strongest cards. The 233mAh cell lasts up to three weeks in regular use. It still manages around nine days with the always-on display active. You only need an hour to fully charge it. That's rare for a device in this price range. It's the kind of battery performance that means you just stop thinking about it, which is how it should be.

Smart features are well integrated. It connects easily to Xiaomi HyperOS 2 devices. Even outside that ecosystem, syncing with a smartphone is straightforward. Notifications show up reliably. You can reply with short custom messages, and there's a precision linear motor inside that gives some surprisingly decent haptic feedback. It also supports silent mode toggles, calendar syncing, and real-time Bluetooth heart rate broadcasting to compatible devices. That opens up its usefulness beyond solo workouts.

Comfort is another strong point. Even with the bigger display, the band doesn't feel bulky or awkward. Whether you go for the TPU strap options in Black, Silver, or Rose, or the more premium Ceramic version with a Fluororubber strap, it sits snugly without digging in. At £39.99 for the standard model or £54.99 for the upgraded edition, the value is hard to argue with.

The Xiaomi Smart Band 10 doesn't just meet expectations. It quietly exceeds them. It connects without hassle, looks better than you'd expect, and delivers meaningful health and fitness insights without overcomplicating things. You'd be hard-pressed to find another band this complete at this price. If you're in the market for something that balances cost, features, and style, it's probably the easiest recommendation around.

Out Now at https://www.mi.com/uk/product/xiaomi-smart-band-10/

Thank you to Xiaomi for providing a review sample.