XIAOMI A PRO 2025 vs TCL C7L

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 TCL C7L is without doubt an extremely bright TV. In synthetic tests with static patterns it can reach peak brightness of around 2800 nits. That's a phenomenal result, given the price bracket it occupies. Unfortunately, tests with real film scenes aren't as spectacular as measurements using white squares. Brightness in real HDR shots falls in the C7L to around 1200 nits. That's still very good, because the vast majority of modern films are mastered to about that level. However, when small, pinpoint elements appear on screen, the brightness of those details drops drastically, even to roughly 400 nits, which somewhat weakens the HDR effect. The TV does this deliberately to preserve deeper black levels and to avoid a large halo of light. That's understandable to an extent, but it also shows that Mini LED technology is not without compromises in this area. As for the HDR experience itself, alongside brightness the key factor is of course colour. And thanks to the use of new 'super' quantum dots, the colours are simply outstanding and among the best on the market. The TV can achieve very wide coverage of the BT.2020 and DCI-P3 colour gamuts, matching the best RGB Mini-LED displays with ease. Best of all, the C7L can maintain such high colour saturation regardless of the scene shown, which is often a problem for competing RGB Mini-LED TVs.

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.

When it comes to out-of-the-box colours, a new feature in TCL TVs – including the C7L model – is the presence of a new picture mode called Filmmaker Mode. This is significant news, as such a mode was not previously available from this manufacturer. By design, as the name suggests, the picture in this setting is intended to be delivered with the full intent of the film's creator. After our tests, we can confirm that it is undeniably the best built-in mode in this TV if you value true-to-life colour reproduction straight out of the box. However, we certainly wouldn’t say it is perfect. Like most devices on the market, this C7L also had its factory faults. The white balance in Filmmaker Mode leaned towards a slightly greenish-yellow hue, mainly due to an excess of green component and a noticeable lack of blue. Of course, for the average viewer, this won’t be a drastic flaw, but if you value perfect whites, natural skin tones, and harnessing the full potential of these new "super" quantum dots from the structure, then the TV is begging for professional calibration.

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.

After a professional calibration we managed to greatly improve performance in the out-of-the-box Filmmaker Mode. After our adjustments the errors in the ColorChecker test and across the wide colour gamut dropped below the threshold of human perception, that is below a value of 3, which is a very good result. The TCL C7L clearly benefits from such treatment in terms of colour fidelity and it's hard to argue otherwise. A bit worse, however, is brightness management with HDR content after calibration. As I described earlier, even though we set this model up correctly, when you play real film scenes on the television it can handle its brightness in a rather peculiar way. It often brightens certain elements on screen contrary to the filmmaker's intent, which is clearly visible on the EOTF curves measured in specific films. Despite this defect, or rather a specific characteristic of this television, one thing is undeniable: after calibration the C7L was able to reproduce colours accurately.

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.

This could, in a sense, be called the Achilles' heel of the C7L. Unfortunately, this TV uses an older MediaTek chipset, the Pentonic 700, which has never been known for exceptional image processing. You can see that clearly in the operation of the progressive smoothing function, which is responsible for reducing jagged edges and removing digital noise. It simply performs very poorly — set to low, its effectiveness is practically nil. The only small plus is that the algorithm doesn't introduce extra artefacts or unnecessarily blur fine detail. Upscaling, that is scaling lower-resolution sources up to 4K, fares a little better. It's simply adequate and nothing special compared with the competition. It's hard to deny that the C7L would benefit greatly in this area if the manufacturer opted for the newer Pentonic 800 processor, which is now appearing in an increasing number of rival models.

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.

TCL C7L uses a native 4K panel with a 144 Hz refresh rate, which at lower resolutions when used with a PC can even reach 288 Hz. These are, of course, very high figures and look good on paper, but in everyday use it's worth remembering that almost all dynamic content you play on this TV will still run at around a maximum of 120 Hz. To tame that motion, the TV's menu includes a motion smoothing system called "Motion Clarity". It offers several preset modes, including a user mode that we strongly recommend you set manually using our tried-and-tested guides on our YouTube channel. You get two key sliders there. The first, "Blur Reduction", reduces smearing and improves sharpness in dynamic 60 fps material, such as live sports broadcasts. The second slider, "Flicker Reduction", lets you add artificial frames to films and series shot at cinematic 24 or 30 frames per second. That, of course, completely gets rid of the annoying judder during camera-move shots.

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, the TCL C7L is simply an outstanding TV for players. With two full‑bandwidth HDMI 2.1 ports at 48 Gbps, you get access to all the key features required by console owners and high‑end PCs. It offers a well‑working ALLM mode with very low input lag and VRR frame sync that operates across an impressive 48 to 288 Hz range. Importantly, unlike some rivals, TCL has implemented the console HDR10 HGIG profile correctly and supports Dolby Vision in games. The package is rounded off by a very well designed player panel, the Game Bar, which even lets you edit its appearance and change the theme so it perfectly matches the look of your console.

The only thing you can — and should — criticise is that the TV only provides two full HDMI 2.1 ports, while the other two are older HDMI 2.0. That creates quite a practical problem, because one of those fast ports also handles the eARC (enhanced Audio Return Channel). In practice, that means if you connect a soundbar or home theatre system to the TV, you’ll be left with only one free HDMI 2.1 input. If you have two consoles or a console and a powerful PC at home, you’ll unfortunately have to give something up or keep swapping cables at the back if you want convenient control of your audio system.