In the smart TV market, it’s difficult to beat Xiaomi when it comes to value. Like its smartphones, Xiaomi has also been aggressive with pricing for its smart TVs. This has helped the brand climb the smart TV ladder since its launch in India. Xiaomi has now introduced some iterative updates to its X Pro QLED series, which was launched last year. With its 2025 models, the brand now aims to democratise yet another feature. I got a chance to try out the new TVs for a short while, and here are my first impressions.
During the briefing, I got a chance to check out the 65-inch variant of the X Pro QLED TV. Its design remains the same as before. It still features the same skinny metal bezel that surrounds the massive display. Apart from the 43-inch and 55-inch options, I was told that the TV will also be launched in a smaller 32-inch variant. The smaller display means that it will be offered at an even lower price point, which will make the QLED TV more accessible than it already is.
The design of the 2025 models are similar to the previous one
Photo Credit: Xiaomi
There’s a new remote. It has rounded sides, which makes it more comfortable to hold. It is also a lot taller than the previous one. Xiaomi has added a number pad to it and gets new RGYB buttons at the bottom.
The TV’s slim design is now accompanied by better-sounding, built-in box speakers. Xiaomi has considered feedback on the previous series and enhanced the TV’s audio delivery. The brand claims that these deliver better sound compared to the previous models, but in terms of wattage, the 43-inch model remains the same as before, which is 30W on paper. The 55-inch and 65-inch models get a slight boost at 34W.
The audio quality was sufficiently loud, clear, and immersive during my short experiential session. Indeed, it seemed as if it did not need an optional sound bar. But again, I was listening to and viewing a movie in a very controlled, studio-like environment.
The panels have changed… well, kind of. The displays that generally operate at 60Hz can now, thanks to DLG technology (Dual line gate), double their refresh rate when required. Xiaomi claims it is useful when watching sports (with enhanced motion) or when connected to a console to play games that support high refresh rates. Xiaomi offers 4K 120Hz panels on all three models. However, do keep in mind that DLG does reduce the resolution of the panel when aiming to deliver a faster frame-rate.
The new remote gets a number pad among other add-ons
Photo Credit: Xiaomi
The main attraction of Xiaomi’s X Pro QLED series this year is the Filmmaker Mode or FMM. Xiaomi claims that it is supposed to show any content (except for gaming content) from any source (Blu-ray discs, streaming, or broadcast) the way it was intended by the filmmaker. FMM also corrects the aspect ratios and frame rates, preventing any artificial enhancements from ruining the movie.
While it sounds fancy, it is basically a picture mode which turns off all the unnecessary alterations like frame insertion (motion-enhancing MEMC), sharpening or colour boosting that happens in the standard or other picture modes provided by the TV. The result is content that appears natural and untouched, as it was intended to appear whether you are watching standard definition content or HDR content. The mode can be activated either manually (in picture settings) or is automatically triggered by the metadata in the content being viewed.
During my short demo, the Dolby Vision Filmmaker mode in the new X Pro series did make the colours appear natural in this mode, with lesser sharpening and the motion enhancing (or motion interpolation) turned off.
In terms of software, Xiaomi’s PatchWall continues to exist. PatchWall and the underlying Android TV worked as intended during the demo. However, smart TVs (especially the affordable ones) are known to lag once they begin to age. With no hardware upgrades compared to the previous models, I am a bit sceptical about how well the new X Pro will age.
The port selection too remains the same as on previous models
Photo Credit: Xiaomi
The Smart TV experience is powered by a quad-core Cortex A55 CPU and a Mali G52 GPU. There’s 2GB of RAM and 32GB of storage, all of which is identical to what you get on the previous model. The port selection also remains the same as before. There are two USB 2.0 ports, one ethernet port, an AV port, three HDMI ports (one with eARC), an earphone jack and a port for the antenna.
We will be testing out the Xiaomi X Pro QLED series thoroughly in our review. With price tags starting from as low as Rs. 31,999 these TVs, given their QLED panels, do seem feature-packed but do check out our detailed review before you take the leap.
