I was originally planning to buy the Mini LED version, but I got a great deal on this model, so I decided to go with it instead.
For context, I was previously using a Sony 4K LED TV (2023 base model). Unfortunately, my child accidentally damaged the display by throwing a ball at it, so most of my comparisons are based on my experience with that TV.
Display Panel – 4.25/5
Despite using a VA panel, the viewing angles are surprisingly good, and the brightness is more than sufficient for normal viewing. Thanks to the QLED panel, colors are vibrant and rich, while black levels are noticeably better than what I experienced on my previous Sony (which had an IPS panel).
Personally, I'm more accustomed to Sony's natural color tuning, so Xiaomi's color grading took a little time to get used to. That said, the overall picture quality is impressive for the price.
There is some minor halo/blooming around very bright objects, along with slight backlight bleed and brighter patches near the corners. However, these are common in this price range and don't affect the viewing experience. Even my Sony had similar minor panel imperfections.
Sony's upscaling is still slightly better, especially with lower-resolution content, but Xiaomi isn't far behind and does a respectable job. Where Xiaomi clearly wins is in dark scenes. Blacks are deeper, and I can see noticeably more shadow detail during night scenes compared to my previous Sony.
Remote Control – 3/5
The remote was a bit disappointing. From the Flipkart images, I expected something closer to Sony's premium remote, but it feels lighter and less premium in hand.
Many of the dedicated buttons don't seem very useful. There are six shortcut buttons, but I realistically use only two or three. I don't understand the need for dedicated buttons for Internet, Live TV, Amazon Music, or Apps.
The biggest annoyance is the absence of a dedicated Settings button. To access Quick Settings, you have to press and hold the Home button, and it often takes 5–6 seconds to respond, which feels unnecessarily slow.
Settings & Picture Modes – 4/5
The TV offers plenty of customization options. One interesting feature is that picture settings are maintained separately for SDR/FHD content and HDR/4K content, although this can be confusing at first.
In my opinion, many of the enhancement features such as Dynamic Contrast, Dynamic Backlight, Super Resolution, and HDR Enhancer often make the picture look artificial. I recommend keeping them Off or Low.
My personal recommendations:
Movie Mode – Best for most movies and TV shows.
FILMMAKER Mode – Excellent for newer movies. You can also enable Auto FILMMAKER Mode.
Standard or Natural – Great for sports, news, and reality shows.
Avoid Dynamic Mode for regular use. It's mainly designed for showroom displays. It consumes more power, may accelerate panel wear over time, and can be harsh on the eyes during long viewing sessions.
Sound – 4.5/5
I'm quite satisfied with the audio quality. While I still feel Sony's 20W speakers deliver slightly cleaner and more refined sound with minimal tweaking, Xiaomi's 30W speakers are loud, clear, and come with plenty of sound customization options.
Design & Build – 5/5
This is one of the TV's strongest points. The slim profile and metal back panel give it a premium look. Coming from my older Sony, which was thicker, heavier, and had more noticeable bezels, this TV feels much more modern and futuristic.
FireOS (4 out of 5) – I'm previous user of fire TV stick till 2021 so a bit familiar with it, although last 5 years there are some changes in it but it feels light and fast than Google TV although there has some limitations of it which I didn't like- you can't use voice command in YouTube which is frustrating, no seprate app for YouTube music to which I'm a regular user in my phone and last Sony tv, Alexa feels better than OK Google most of area though, despite some lags and hiccups here and there Google TV in Sony feels good due to Sony's optimization but I guess FireOS would feel OK after some time.
Side note: No one calledor came for installation but not an issue for me since I've done it myself.
Ports are same as Sony TV, power cable placement is very bad and you have to suffer due to it if installing on wall!
Final Verdict
Overall, I'm very happy with the purchase. It may not outperform Sony in every area, especially in color tuning and upscaling, but considering the price, Xiaomi delivers excellent value. The display quality, contrast, sound, and premium design make it an easy recommendation for anyone looking for a feature-rich QLED TV in this budget segment.
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