XIAOMI A PRO 2025 vs Blaupunkt UGC5500S

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.

We won’t beat around the bush here – if you’re looking for a TV strictly for cinematic HDR experiences, then you’ve come to the wrong place. Unfortunately, the Blaupunkt UGC5500S is not a machine built for such challenges. This is primarily due to its very low brightness, which we measured during our tests. A result of around 250 nits on movie screens speaks for itself. It’s simply too little to even consider any real HDR effect. To be honest, everything displayed in this format can confidently be seen as a somewhat “enhanced” SDR mode. We expected this, as practically every device in this price range falls short in this area, but we feel it’s our duty to warn you. Manufacturers love to brag about HDR compatibility on the boxes, but in reality, this format simply doesn’t exist here – it lacks the “fuel” in the form of brightness.

The situation is further complicated for Blaupunkt, as we’re dealing with a panel that has very basic coverage of the DCI-P3 colour gamut, reaching only about 80%. You won’t find any advanced coatings to expand these capabilities (like quantum dots), which means scenes that are supposed to burst with richly saturated colours appear simply underwhelming on this screen. Therefore, we have a particular piece of advice for you: don’t force HDR mode on this model. If you have the option in the streaming app settings – just turn it off. By sticking to the classic SDR mode, you’ll be sure that the TV won’t try to “enhance” something that it can’t handle hardware-wise.

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.

We also took a close look at how Blaupunkt handles colours in movie mode, and here the matter is, to put it simply, twofold. We must once again clearly separate what we see in the standard SDR format from what happens when HDR is switched on, as they are two completely different worlds. Let's start with the better side of the coin. If you're planning to watch traditional TV, YouTube, or older films on this television, you can count on really well-tuned colours. In our test sample, the white balance in movie mode performed exceptionally well, which honestly surprised us. Of course, to avoid being too rosy, we noticed some drawbacks. Looking at the gamma charts, we observed that the processor struggles with properly dimming the image in its brightest areas. Additionally, there is quite a strong, at times overly aggressive, red saturation, which resulted in visible errors in reproducing certain shades. Despite this, overall, the image in SDR is simply solid and watchable without a grimace on your face. Unfortunately, the magic fades when we re-enter the world of HDR. Here, Blaupunkt behaves as if we suddenly switched it to store mode, and in its worst rendition. The excess blue in the white balance is so significant that it’s glaring, ruining any realism in the scene. Furthermore, the television interprets brightness very loosely, which, upon analysing the EOTF curve, clearly showed that for most of the time, colours simply appear washed out and lacking depth. This is also perfectly evident in the colour errors that become apparent in this mode. Once again, we are left with the same conclusion: Blaupunkt in SDR mode looks significantly better and more natural than in HDR, which seems to be forcefully added without proper refinement.

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.

It may sound like a joke – pulling out professional measuring equipment for a TV that costs around a thousand złoty / 250 dollars, but we wouldn’t be ourselves if we didn’t check it. The question is: does such cheap gear give us any leeway in terms of calibration? To your surprise, the answer is: yes, absolutely. In the Blaupunkt UGC5500S menu, we found surprisingly many options that allowed us to effectively work on the picture. These aren't just empty sliders; these are concrete tools that enabled us to make use of our measurement sensors and software. In SDR mode, the effects were visible to the naked eye. We successfully eliminated the problem we mentioned earlier – that excessive, almost artificial saturation of reds. We also fixed the issue with the incorrect dimming of the brightest parts of the image. After calibration, the picture in standard format became significantly more balanced and simply correct. When it comes to HDR, the situation was more complicated again. While we managed to “tame” that aggressive blue tint in the white balance, it was clear that we were fighting a bit of a losing battle. Even after changing the settings, the TV still tried to interfere with the picture in its own way, as if the electronics knew better than we did how the scene should look. To top it off, there's the hardware barrier that no slider can overcome – colours in HDR still remain undersaturated. This simply results from the quality of the panel itself; it physically cannot produce the most vivid colours. To summarise this point: if any of you ask whether it’s possible to calibrate a TV for “a grand”, we respond with complete conviction: it is possible.

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.

If you're hoping that the processor in this model will magically "fix" the poor quality signal from your cable TV or old movies from YouTube, we must disappoint you. The capabilities of this television end at absolutely basic upscaling, which is simply stretching the image to a higher resolution. It does this correctly in that the image is not blurry, but there is no mention of any intelligent sharpening or adding details. Worse still, Blaupunkt is completely devoid of any functions to reduce unwanted tonal transitions. If the material being viewed shows what is known as banding (ugly "steps" instead of a smooth transition of colours, e.g., in the sky), this television will display them in all their glory. Additionally, the television has a tendency to slightly crop the edges of the image. Instead of displaying 100% of what the source sends, Blaupunkt slightly zooms in on the frame, causing us to lose details that are at the very edges of the screen. In summary: in the category of digital "enhancement" of the image, Blaupunkt simply performs poorly. We receive a raw, unprocessed signal, with all its flaws.

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.

When it comes to motion fluidity, Blaupunkt has nothing to defend itself with. A 60 Hz panel at this price is standard, so none of us expected a perfectly sharp image in fast action scenes or during a match. However, the biggest drawback of this model is that you won’t find any digital motion smoothers in the menu. The manufacturer hasn’t given us any room for manoeuvre – nothing can be smoothed out or the image adjusted to our personal preferences. The picture is always "raw" and we receive it exactly as it is transmitted by the source. For fans of cinematic "jumping" images, this might be good, but the rest simply has to get used to the lack of any motion enhancement.

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.

When it comes to gaming on the Blaupunkt, we weren’t expecting miracles and indeed – the list of features isn’t very long. However, there are two interesting points worth mentioning, as they might be significant for some of you at this price. The first advantage is that the TV quite smoothly detects the connected console. Thanks to the ALLM (Auto Low Latency Mode) feature, the device knows when you start gaming and automatically switches to low latency mode. This is convenient because you don’t have to fiddle with settings every time to ensure input lag doesn’t spoil the fun. The second point is a real curiosity that surprised us. Despite it being a 60 Hz panel, the Blaupunkt can display a 120 Hz image at Full HD resolution. Sure, we lose 4K details, but for those playing more dynamic, online shooters where smoothness is more important than resolution, this is a really nice and unexpected addition in such an affordable device. Other than these two points, you won’t find anything more here. There are no advanced smoothness enhancement systems for gamers or extensive gaming menu bars. It’s a simple screen for occasional gaming.