TCL C655 / C69B (43" - 50") vs XIAOMI A PRO 2025

The quality of the HDR effect on the TCL C69B / C655 television is quite average. A brightness level of 350 nits, while not the worst, still does not allow for a full enjoyment of the HDR effects that require higher luminance to showcase their power. Additionally, the television, despite using a quantum dot coating (QLED), offers average coverage of the wide DCI-P3 colour gamut at 91%, which may limit its colour richness in HDR content.

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.

Tested in film mode, the television TCL C69B / C655 unfortunately does not meet expectations regarding colour accuracy. Although the film mode suggests better representation, it has as much in common with film as nothing at all. There are numerous errors, particularly in the white balance – for both HD and 4K HDR content – where the dominance of blue is very apparent. For the viewer, this means that the image becomes unnaturally cool, affecting the overall perception of colours and the visual impression. The colour checker confirms these errors, showing that colours shift towards cooler shades.

When it comes to brightness characteristics and related contrast, gamma is very unstable for the material, making the image potentially slightly darker. The EOTF curve for the 4K material shows some errors, with significant deviations towards the end of the graph, which negatively affects the perception of darker parts of the image.

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.

After calibration, the movie mode on the TCL C69B / C655 television improves in quality. The most significant enhancement can be seen in tonal reproduction, and the white balance presents itself much better – without major errors. We will no longer see the excessive dominance of cool shades. The gamma has also been improved, resulting in a more stable representation of brightness and contrast. However, due to limitations in the average colour palette of the television, Colour Checker tests for 4K materials did not achieve outstanding results. Despite these technological limitations, the image became more authentic, positively impacting the reception of film content.

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.

The "Gradual Smoothing" feature works very well on the TCL C69B TV and, surprisingly, does not remove desirable effects like film grain – unlike some solutions from other manufacturers. Unfortunately, when it comes to image scaling, it looks poor. The TV artificially sharpens the image, causing the edges of objects to appear quite jagged. This situation may appeal to some users who prefer a more "hard" look to the image, but it is not an ideal solution for those who value naturalness and fluidity of details.

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.

Television TCL C69B / C655 in its smallest variants offers decent, though not perfect, results in terms of motion smoothness. For movies, the television features a "Flicker Reduction" function, which allows for adjustment of motion smoothness on a scale from 1 to 10. Thanks to this option, we can tailor the image appearance to either a cinematic or more theatrical preference (with less or greater speed).

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.

The TCL C69B / C655 TV in its smallest variants offers a range of features dedicated to gamers, such as ALLM (Automatic Low Latency Mode), VRR (Variable Refresh Rate), Dolby Vision for gamers, and Game Bar. ALLM automatically switches the TV to low latency mode, improving responsiveness and minimising delays in control. VRR allows for synchronising the screen refresh rate with the frame rate generated by the console, eliminating screen tearing and providing smoother gameplay. Dolby Vision for gamers ensures better colour and contrast representation in games that support this format, resulting in better image quality. Meanwhile, the Game Bar provides quick access to game settings and monitors key parameters such as input lag.

However, the TV has certain limitations that may affect gaming comfort. The 60 Hz panel does not allow for displaying signals with a higher refresh rate, which can impact image smoothness in dynamic games. The lack of support for G-Sync technology for PCs can also be noticeable when gaming on a computer, especially in demanding, fast-paced titles.

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.