[Review] The Phone Behind the Korea-China Leaders' Iconic Selfie... Xi Jinping's Gift, 'Xiaomi 15 Ultra'

Xiaomi Flagship with Leica Camera
Delivers Near-Professional Results in Everyday Photography

President Lee Jae-myung and his wife, along with President Xi Jinping and his wife, are taking a commemorative photo with a Xiaomi phone after the state banquet at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China, on January 5th. This Xiaomi phone was a gift from President Xi to President Lee during the Gyeongju summit. 2026.1.5 [Joint coverage provided. Resale and database prohibited] Yonhap News Agency

During his recent visit to China, President Lee Jae-myung once again drew attention on the diplomatic stage with a 'selfie' taken together with Chinese President Xi Jinping. On January 5th, the smartphone in President Lee's hand was the 'Xiaomi 15 Ultra,' which was personally gifted to him by President Xi.

President Lee Jae-myung and his wife, along with President Xi Jinping and his wife, are taking a commemorative photo with a Xiaomi phone after the state banquet at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China, on the 5th. President Lee Jae-myung's social media.

This device had already drawn public attention during the exchange of gifts between leaders at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Gyeongju last year. At that time, when President Lee asked, "Is the communication security all right?" President Xi jokingly replied, "Check if there's a backdoor," a moment that was widely reported by both domestic and international media. This selfie, as a continuation of that diplomatic episode, once again brought the smartphone into the international spotlight.

The actual 'Xiaomi 15 Ultra' smartphone, made famous as the gift given by Chinese President Xi Jinping to President Lee Jae-myung along with a calligraphy set last year. Photo by Park Yujin

At the time, the Xiaomi 15 Ultra was not the latest smartphone from Xiaomi. Nevertheless, there was a clear message behind President Xi's decision to choose this device as a diplomatic gift. Industry insiders noted that this product incorporates key components from Korean companies, such as a Korean-made display. By gifting a smartphone combining a Chinese brand and Korean parts, the intention was seen as emphasizing the possibility of cooperation even amid the ongoing technological hegemony competition.

Back then, the symbolism and diplomatic backstory drew the most attention, but there were few opportunities to closely examine the smartphone's actual performance. After personally using the device, the reporter found technical clues that help explain why it was chosen for such an occasion. Featured during a diplomatic schedule alongside a humorous exchange between the two leaders, this device serves not just as a gift, but as a showcase for the current technological level of flagship smartphones.

The Xiaomi 15 Ultra is equipped with a quad-camera system developed in collaboration with the German optics brand Leica, earning reviews that it is 'closer to a compact camera than a smartphone.' On the rear, it features a 1-inch main sensor, a 50MP ultra-wide lens, a 50MP telephoto lens, and even a 200MP periscope telephoto sensor, allowing it to cover a wide range of shooting scenarios.

This camera setup stands out for enabling the device to compete head-to-head with other flagship models in both image and video capture. In particular, its impressive zoom capabilities support up to 120x digital zoom. This allows users to capture distant subjects with remarkable clarity, providing a detailed shooting experience even from afar. The ability to look inside another building through a window from a distance can even feel somewhat unsettling.

This is the result of a reporter directly filming the Lotte Tower New Year's fireworks from a distance using the Xiaomi 15 Ultra on the 1st. Photo by Park Yujin

When the reporter used this device to photograph the Lotte Tower New Year's fireworks from a distance on January 1st, the resolution and clarity were impressive enough to evoke a professional compact camera. Even in the dark night sky, it captured the vivid trails of the fireworks with relative accuracy, and the dynamic range balancing the bright fireworks and dark background exceeded typical expectations for flagship smartphones. This level of image quality demonstrates that the phone can go beyond simple documentation to serve as a tool for creative photography.

The display and core performance are also worthy of a flagship device. The 6.73-inch WQHD+ LTPO OLED panel supports up to 3,200 nits of brightness, ensuring clear visibility even outdoors, while the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite processor delivers stable, lag-free performance in everyday tasks, high-resolution photography, and video editing, even under heavy workloads.

However, there are some limitations that prevent it from being a perfect flagship. The AI features provided by Xiaomi's latest HyperOS 2, such as photo editing, translation, and image search, offer sufficient convenience for everyday use. Scene recognition-based auto-correction and real-time translation functions are also practical. However, some users feel that these AI features do not provide a distinct 'wow factor' compared to competitors like Samsung Electronics or Apple.

Due to its weight and the size of the camera module, extended shooting sessions may cause fatigue, and some users point out shortcomings in user interface (UI) and operating system optimization compared to rival models. Additionally, with a price of about 1.5 million won, it must compete directly with the top-tier Galaxy and iPhone models. While the price may be justified for users focused on photography, those seeking a general-purpose smartphone may have reservations about their choices.