Hisense U8NQ vs XIAOMI A PRO 2025

Hisense U8NQ demonstrates its capabilities in HDR, achieving a luminance score on the chart exceeding 2000 nits. In the first, third, and fifth scenes where the screen is covered in light, the television showcased very high brightness, which is impressive and allows you to enjoy the full effect of HDR. Unfortunately, in the second and fourth scenes, such as those from the film "Sicario 2," the television encounters issues maintaining brightness, resulting in disappointing scores around 250 nits. Although the large number of dimming zones should theoretically help, the algorithm responsible for their control does not always work perfectly—bright, small elements like the moon or helicopter lights are too dimmed, which takes away from the typical HDR effect. Instead of blinding brilliance, we receive a more subdued light that does not convey the full potential of HDR. Nevertheless, the television deserves commendation for its very good coverage of the DCI-P3 colour gamut at 97%. This makes colours vibrant, and most movie scenes look really good, significantly enhancing the viewing quality.

In the HDR category, the television Xiaomi A Pro performs, to be blunt – poorly. In ideal conditions, it offers brightness at around 250 nits. This is a weak result; however, in this price range, many competing models offer similar or lower values. Such brightness is too low to fully capture the potential of HDR content. In practice, this means that the image lacks the proper depth and intensity expected from high-quality HDR. These values are more characteristic of Standard Dynamic Range (SDR), which means the true HDR effect remains out of reach for this model, and scenes that should stand out with spectacular brightness and contrast seem flat and lacking in vibrancy. However, for its price, the television offers good coverage of the DCI-P3 colour palette at 92%, thanks to quantum dot technology (specifically PFS LED). This results in vibrant and saturated colours, which will appeal particularly to gamers and movie enthusiasts who appreciate richer hues and better colour reproduction compared to traditional televisions without this technology.

The Filmmaker mode on the Hisense U8NQ television can be described as the most accurate mode present in this model. Despite its accuracy, it has significant errors in reproducing the reference image, which we will describe now. In the case of HD content, the white balance shows a distinct dominance of red, causing the image to appear overly pinkish and warm. In the comparison photo below, you can see how this effect impacts the presentation of content. The brightness characteristic also leaves much to be desired—a too low gamma causes the screen to be excessively brightened, and blacks appear washed out, making the overall image seem cooler than it should be.

For 4K HDR content, the problem is the opposite—the white balance shows too much dominance of blue, making the image take on an artificial quality and seem unnaturally sharp. All these deviations for both HD and 4K HDR content can be confirmed using the Colour Checker test, which clearly shows how the colours deviate from the correct patterns.

The Xiaomi A Pro 2025 TV has been tested in movie mode, which offers the best colour reproduction straight out of the box. However, it’s worth noting that it is not without flaws. Analysing the white balance, one can see that the green values are in the negative. This phenomenon leads to some distortions in the shades of white, and at full white, the graph shows clear deviations. The high-contrast image results in inadequate tonal transitions in red, which negatively affects the quality of colour display. Generally, in the image below, it can be seen that the entire scenery before calibration takes on pink hues. Additionally, when analysing the gamma contrast, the graph is significantly below the value of 2.4, suggesting that the TV overly emphasises dark tones, while the brighter areas of the image may appear less pronounced. Furthermore, the EOTF curve shows a strong spike at the start, which can lead to a loss of detail in bright scenes and an unpleasant feeling of over-exaggeration. These aspects indicate the need for further calibration to achieve a more balanced colour reproduction and improve overall picture quality. Users who expect precise colour reproduction may need to take action to adjust the TV settings to achieve more realistic and natural visual results. In xiaomi tv a pro 2025, the factory colour settings in Xiaomi are average and may require calibration. After appropriate colour adjustment, the image gains a natural and vibrant colour palette, significantly closer to cinematic standards. It’s worth adding that the issue of inaccurate colour reproduction is typical for many TVs of this class, meaning it’s not a fault unique to the Xiaomi A Pro 2025 TV. For those who value perfect colour reproduction, professional calibration will be a key element that enhances overall picture quality.

The white balance for both 4K and HD content has been heavily adjusted, significantly improving the image quality. While some errors are still visible, they are not large enough to greatly affect the perception of the image. A notable improvement can also be seen in the gamma brightness characteristic — the image is no longer excessively bright, resulting in more natural blacks and better contrast.

However, like with many other Hisense models, there are noticeable issues with the EOTF curve, which is responsible for managing brightness in high-quality materials. Although it may seem correct at first glance, when the filter is applied to the "EOTF in films" chart, it is evident that the TV is somewhat "playing around" with 4K content. It is clear that the EOTF curve is significantly below the reference level, leading to an overall dimming of the image compared to the reference. We noticed this effect in previously tested scenes from the films "Pan" and "Billy Lynn." While it is not a serious issue, it is worth paying attention to. It could be significant for those seeking a display with the most faithful image reproduction. Despite this error, the image will be more enjoyable for most. Colours are represented better, and the overall image quality is significantly improved.

Now it’s time to check how the Xiaomi A Pro 2025 TV performed after calibration. The biggest beneficiary of this process is white balance. After calibration, all previous errors were corrected in both HD and 4K content, and most errors no longer fell significantly outside the value of "2". This means a much more balanced and natural colour reproduction, which certainly affects the viewing comfort. In terms of gamma, the drop has been greatly mitigated, resulting in a more consistent tone reproduction across various scenes. However, the EOTF curve has not improved significantly due to a lack of effective control over dynamic tone mapping. This limitation means that there are still some issues with detail reproduction in bright scenes, which can affect the perception of certain materials. Nevertheless, despite these minor shortcomings, the overall shape of the picture is definitely better after calibration. The TV has gained quality, and the improved white balance along with reduced gamma issues means that users can enjoy a more realistic and pleasant visual experience. Further adjustments to the settings could improve the picture quality even more, but already the TV is demonstrating its capabilities, meeting the expectations of many users.

In the context of smoothing tonal transitions, the Hisense U8NQ unfortunately struggles. The "Smooth and Gradient Picture" feature does not yield noticeable effects — there is no improvement in any setting, which is disappointing, especially in demanding scenes with a lot of subtle tonal transitions.

As for the digital processing, or so-called upscaling, the scene with the model is rendered correctly — her outline is clear, without significant cropping. Similarly, thin lines, like tree branches, have slight jaggedness, but the overall image looks plastically and softly, providing a good impression. Unfortunately, there is also an issue with so-called overscan, which results in cropping of the image at the edges. This can be annoying when watching content such as news, where the bottom information bars may be partially invisible.

How does the Xiaomi A Pro 2025 handle tonal transitions, especially with lower quality materials? Thanks to advanced digital processing, the colour contour removal feature works surprisingly well. We recommend setting this option to "Medium" – this way, the television significantly improves the smoothness of tonal transitions while avoiding excessive smoothing of other image elements, such as film grain.

In the case of the test shot with the model and numerous branches in the background, the Xiaomi A Pro 2025 showcased its capabilities in the context of digital processing. Adding artificial sharpness to this scene made the details of the model clearer, and her hair appeared more detailed. However, delicate contours appeared around the branches in the background, which were a result of digital intervention. While this enhances the overall impression of details, excessive sharpness can make some elements of the image seem unnaturally emphasised.

Hisense U8NQ is equipped with a 144 Hz panel, making it an excellent choice for both sports and gaming. The TV will also satisfy movie fans, as it features a built-in "Ultra Motion Smoothness" enhancer that allows users to control the smoothness of the image — you can choose whether you prefer a more "framey" picture or a smoother, cinematic effect. This provides great flexibility in adjusting the motion quality to individual viewer preferences.

Xiaomi A Pro 2025 offers a motion smoothing feature called "Motion Smoothing," which primarily works for films. It can be customised to favour either a more cinematic, film-like effect with visible frames or a smoother, theatrical image. This feature should satisfy those who intend to watch mainly films on it. However, gamers and sports fans may feel disappointed. The panel with a refresh rate of 60 Hz, typical for this price range, does not impress. Our "Ufo" test revealed some blurring. Those expecting better clarity for moving objects may be slightly let down.

Hisense U8NQ offers everything a player might need for comfortable gameplay. The television supports a refresh rate of 144 Hz, ensuring an incredibly smooth image, especially in dynamic action games. The VRR (variable refresh rate) feature allows the image to adjust to variable frames per second, eliminating stuttering and tearing, translating to exceptionally smooth gaming. Additionally, the television is equipped with the ALLM (auto low latency mode) feature, which automatically switches the TV to game mode, minimising input lag. This means players can enjoy responsive gameplay without needing to manually adjust settings.

Hisense U8NQ also supports Dolby Vision, which is important for gamers who value high image quality, high contrast, and deep colours in games that support this format. The television also features a "Game Bar" — a function that allows quick access to essential settings during gameplay, significantly enhancing user convenience.

However, it is worth noting that despite its rich set of features, the Hisense U8NQ does not offer support for the HGiG standard, which is a popular HDR format in gaming. This may be disappointing for players expecting optimal detail reproduction in HDR scenes. Nonetheless, the other features of the television make the Hisense U8NQ a solid choice for console gaming enthusiasts, offering fluidity, high contrast, and user convenience.

Xiaomi A Pro 2025 offers several features useful for gamers, including Game Bar, which differs from the typical “dashboards” with interfaces found in other manufacturers. With this, users can quickly access game-related settings, which is convenient during intense gaming sessions. The TV also supports automatic low-latency mode (ALLM), meaning it automatically switches to a mode optimised for gaming, reducing signal delay. Unfortunately, it lacks support for HDMI 2.1, limiting the connection capabilities for the latest gaming consoles that may require higher bandwidth. Additionally, the TV does not support features such as VRR (variable refresh rate) or G-Sync, which are increasingly desired by gamers as they allow for smoother images and eliminate tearing. For these reasons, although Xiaomi A Pro 2025 has some features for gamers, in this price range, better options can be found that offer more advanced gaming solutions.