Compare: Xiaomi S Mini 2025 vs Hisense U6NQ

Xiaomi, well-known as a giant in the smartphone market, has decided to compete for the attention of high-end tech enthusiasts by presenting a MiniLED backlit television. The S MiniLED 2025 model looks truly impressive on paper. An enormous number of dimming zones provides excellent contrast, and the brightness, reaching impressive levels, can impress both in high-quality HDR materials and in older SDR. The television performs exceptionally well where motion smoothness is key. The high refresh rate panel and low input lag make it a good choice not only for sports fans but also for gamers. Support for features like ALLM and GameBar further enhances the gaming experience. Google TV on this television works as it should – quickly, smoothly, without unnecessary stutters, which we couldn't say about the model A Pro 2025. Additionally, with such an extensive app library, it will satisfy even the most demanding user. However, not everything looks so good in practice. Despite solid hardware specifications, the television has its quirks. The biggest issue is the algorithms managing the dimming zones, which can be quite irritating when watching movies in the evening. The performance of individual zones is overly noticeable in dynamic scenes, which can effectively distract our attention from the image. Problems also arise in more demanding HDR scenes despite the truly impressive brightness. Small bright elements often lose brightness, which spoils the effect that high-quality imagery should provide. The system is also not without its shortcomings – features that enhance images in lower-quality materials work unevenly, and some options in Google TV are poorly translated or even untranslated. Xiaomi S MiniLED 2025 has enormous potential, but in its current form, it seems underutilised. It is clear that Xiaomi wanted to do something really good, but a few significant shortcomings lead to a mixed final outcome. A device with high aspirations that needs better software to truly shine. It is an ideal television for brighter rooms, where high screen brightness plays a key role, and issues with local dimming become less noticeable. It will also perform excellently as a screen for gamers and for those who value the versatility and functionality of the Google TV system.

Hisense U6NQ is a really interesting model from the Chinese manufacturer. It is the first MiniLED from the 2024 series and the only one with a 60 Hz refresh rate. Starting with picture quality, the MiniLED backlighting combined with a VA panel does its job – the contrast is good, and evening movie watching is a pleasure. The stable HDR effect, support for Dolby Vision and HDR10+, and solid colours make it handle most everyday tasks well. The Vidaa system operates smoothly – it's fast and intuitive, without any annoying stutters. It lacks a few popular apps like Spotify or Tidal, but most users will find what they need here, including the ability to record programs to a USB stick or external drive. And what about motion fluidity? It's quite decent. The option to choose between 4K at 60 Hz and Full HD at 120 Hz is a nice addition, especially if we're gaming on consoles that often don’t offer perfect 4K at 120 frames. Features such as VRR and ALLM further enhance the comfort of occasional gaming. However, there are some drawbacks. Motion blur issues are noticeable in dynamic scenes, and the absence of any function to reduce this effect doesn't help. In terms of picture quality, this TV places a very strong emphasis on brightness, which sometimes leads to situations where black takes on a slight blue tint in more challenging conditions. In short: Hisense U6NQ is a good choice for those looking for a TV that offers good picture quality and a user-friendly operating system. It's not without compromises, but for its price, it performs really solidly.

Xiaomi S MiniLED is one of the most affordable televisions with MiniLED technology available on the market. The model we tested, sized at 55 inches, is equipped with as many as 308 local dimming zones, which is impressive for such a price. Additionally, it features a VA panel, which inherently offers significantly better contrast than IPS panels. On static test screens, the television performed excellently, achieving an impressive contrast ratio of 182,000:1 in the film Oblivion. Blacks were deep, and details in both bright and dark areas of the image were clearly separated. However, in more demanding scenes where the image is dynamic, the situation begins to complicate.

Where lies the problem? The main cause is the local dimming algorithms. Although on static images, their effects are promising, during movie playback – which reflects the television's natural working conditions – they operate too aggressively. In dynamic scenes, like those from the tested film, one can see how the individual dimming zones "work and flicker," which detracts from the viewer's sense of image coherence. This effect is particularly noticeable in motion, when bright objects move against a dark screen. As a result, although Xiaomi S MiniLED offers fantastic contrast on paper, in practice, the effect is less satisfying. The aggressive operation of the algorithms ruins the perception of dynamic scenes, making the television perform average in this category. This is a good example of how MiniLED technology requires not only a good specification but also adequate optimisation.

The tested 55-inch model is equipped with a VA panel, which provides deeper blacks compared to IPS/ADS panels. The use of this technology alone ensures that the contrast reaches a quite decent level. It’s also worth noting that the Hisense U6NQ, as a MiniLED television, features 160 local dimming zones in this version, which significantly improves the picture quality in many scenes. During tests, for instance in the film Oblivion, the television demonstrated good separation of the hologram lights, while the contrast remained at a satisfactory level. Unfortunately, in more demanding material, such as the Pioneer Kuro test pattern, a noticeable drop in quality was observed. In such scenes, the dimming zones did not function correctly, leading to a significant reduction in contrast. Similar issues occurred in scenes from the film Sicario 2, where the blooming effect was clearly visible, suggesting the television's difficulties with precise management of the backlight zones. Despite these drawbacks, the overall contrast level of the U6NQ can be considered solid, particularly in this price category. The television performs well in most standard scenes, and its capabilities in displaying blacks are better than those of models with other types of panels.

Since Xiaomi S MiniLED boasts an impressive 308 zones of dimming, it's time to see how it performs in HDR tests. Starting with luminance, or the ability to display bright scenes, the television achieved nearly 1000 nits of brightness – a result that can be considered outstanding in this class. But do these numbers translate to real-life experiences in film scenes? In the case of less demanding shots, such as those from the film The Meg, the television indeed delivered excellent results, reaching up to 900 nits. Such values are impressive and can truly convey the strength of HDR effects.

Unfortunately, just like with contrast, there were some issues. When smaller, brighter elements appear on the screen – as in challenging scenes from Sicario 2 – the aggressive action of the dimming zones ruins the entire effect. Brightness in these moments drops to just 100 nits. That is definitely too little to convey the full magic of HDR. Instead of a dynamic and detailed image, the viewer gets a muted, almost flat impression, which takes away all the enjoyment of the viewing experience.

In summary, if we're looking for a television with high brightness for watching movies during the day, the Xiaomi S MiniLED will easily fulfill that task. However, its inability to precisely manage the dimming zones makes watching movies in the evening, especially during demanding HDR scenes, potentially more frustrating than satisfying.

Hisense U6NQ offers a stable HDR effect, which is a rarity in TVs with local dimming. On most streaming platforms, in films and series recorded in 4K, the TV delivers consistent performance – in every tested scene, regardless of difficulty level, brightness is around 450 nits. This is a pleasant surprise, as many models in this class exhibit distinct differences – some scenes are well-lit, while others are heavily dimmed by dimming algorithms. However, the Hisense U6NQ prioritises maintaining higher brightness, which comes at the cost of blacks, as noted in the paragraph about the contrast test.

The HDR effect on the U6NQ is satisfying, offering a noticeable 'punch' of light in bright moments, although it's worth remembering the aforementioned blooming, which can be visible in challenging scenes. In terms of colour, the TV also performs adequately – the coverage of the DCI-P3 colour gamut is 89%, while BT.2020 is 71%. While these are not results that would impress more demanding users, for beginners in the world of high-quality materials, the U6NQ is a solid choice. As such, it presents an interesting option as an 'entry-level' TV for home cinema.

Xiaomi, like many manufacturers, offers a wide range of picture modes. On the S MiniLED, we can find both IMAX Enhanced and Filmmaker. Our tests were conducted in Filmmaker mode, which theoretically aims to reference the image, but the reality turned out to be somewhat different.

Let’s start with the SDR material tests. Here the TV had quite a few problems, especially with white balance. The noticeable dominance of red made the image appear too warm, and all colours gained a reddish hue. This was particularly evident in the comparative scene from the film Star Wars. The brightness characteristic (gamma) also left much to be desired – instead of a smooth transition, we had a real "rollercoaster," with visible excessive brightening of the screen.

In 4K materials, the situation looked considerably better. The white balance, though still not perfect, was much more balanced, with a slight dominance of red and blue, but no excessive impact on the overall perception. The EOTF curve (responsible for brightness in HDR) showed some brightening in the brightest parts of the image, which was noticeable in the test scene from the film Pan that we described above. These brightening effects may disturb the precision of the image, but in 4K, the overall effect was far more acceptable than in SDR.

Although Xiaomi S MiniLED can pleasantly surprise in 4K materials, its factory settings in SDR require significant corrections, especially regarding white balance and brightness. It's definitely a TV that would benefit from calibration.

Hisense U6NQ in Filmmaker mode offers really decent colour reproduction, although it's worth remembering that differences between individual units can be noticeable. The model we tested was pleasantly surprising, especially with HD content in SDR quality. The white balance was correct here, and errors in the range of 3–4 ΔE should be acceptable for the average viewer. The television performed slightly worse in reproducing colours with 4K HDR material. The dominance of blue tones led to unnatural cool shades on the Colour Checker chart, giving the image a "store" character. Combined with issues in brightness characteristics – gamma and EOTF curve caused some parts of the image to be too dark – the Filmmaker mode in this case loses some of its credibility. Although the factory settings of the tested unit deserve praise, particularly in SDR, there were still minor shortcomings that would require adjustments to fully utilise the television's capabilities.

Xiaomi S MiniLED 2025 is a television that gains a whole new life after calibration. The results are truly impressive and show how much potential this model has.

In SDR mode, the white balance is almost perfectly aligned. The errors are so minimal that in many cases they can be considered negligible. This is confirmed by the Colour Checker palette results, where errors did not exceed 2 ΔE – a truly rare outcome. Gamma also performs very well, although there are slight brightening effects in the darkest elements at the beginning of the graph. However, this is a minor exception that does not significantly affect the viewing experience.

In 4K HDR material, calibration also brought visible improvements, particularly in white balance. The image looks natural and consistent. However, the characteristic of brightness remains an issue. EOTF analysis in film materials shows that the television tends to overly brighten or darken the smallest elements on the screen. This is the effect of limitations in the dimming algorithms that we previously discussed regarding HDR and contrast testing. Unfortunately, this is a technical feature of this model that cannot be completely eliminated.

Despite this minor flaw, calibration has allowed us to extract the maximum capabilities from this television. The image now looks phenomenal, and its quality impresses in every type of material. Xiaomi S MiniLED 2025 demonstrates that with the right settings, it can compete with more expensive models.

Although the factory settings of the Filmmaker mode on Hisense U6NQ were quite good, we decided to undertake calibration to fully assess the capabilities of this model. Only after such a procedure can one see how the television performs under ideal conditions. In the case of SDR content, which was already at a high level, we managed to further improve the white balance. However, the biggest change came from adjusting the brightness characteristics – gamma was optimised and no longer causes excessive darkening of the image, which improves its naturalness.

For 4K HDR content, calibration also yielded positive results. We eliminated the issue of blue dominance, which resulted in a more balanced and natural image. However, managing brightness in HDR materials remains a more complicated issue. The EOTF curve, although it had problems with image darkening in the 10–30% brightness range under laboratory conditions, reveals other shortcomings in real scenes. The television tends to overly brighten the smallest elements on the screen. As a result, this leads to noticeable halo effects around bright objects. This phenomenon, which we mentioned earlier in the context of contrast and HDR, arises from the technological limitations of the model and is often difficult to eliminate.

In short: although the Filmmaker mode with factory settings performed decently, calibration allowed us to achieve an even better effect – minor adjustments resulted in a more balanced image, particularly in HDR content. For users seeking the highest quality picture, calibration will be a beneficial step.

The fluidity of tonal transitions in Xiaomi S MiniLED 2025 looks very good. Even in the theoretically most challenging scene with red water, the television performs excellently – we did not notice any major issues. Minor imperfections occur in scenes like Kingsman or The Martian, where you can see subtle colour blending. Nevertheless, Xiaomi stands out in this category, offering one of the best qualities of tonal transitions in its price range. This is definitely a strong point of this television.

The fluidity of tonal transitions in Hisense U6NQ is at a very good level. In most scenes, there are no obvious issues with colour blending, which provides a pleasant and cohesive visual experience. However, a more discerning eye may notice minor imperfections in specific cases, such as the scene with the blue sky in Kingsman or the final scene with the red background. These subtle shortcomings are, however, so minor that they shouldn't affect the image perception for most users. Overall, the television performs very well in this category.

When it comes to tonal transitions in lower-quality materials, such as YouTube or television, the Xiaomi S MiniLED comes with a feature called “Colour Contour Removal.” In the "low" setting, it works quite well, but its effectiveness can be uneven. Sometimes it appears as if the TV struggles to smooth things out, which creates a bit of dissonance. On the plus side, we didn’t notice any visible side effects, although given the instability of this feature, one might suspect that unexpected issues could arise in certain situations.

Image scaling also comes across as average. There’s slight jaggedness, especially on thin elements like branches, and text can be a bit ragged. It may not be overly bothersome, but a more discerning eye will certainly catch these imperfections. Overall, most users should be satisfied with the scaling and smoothing quality, but the TV may not satisfy those who expect perfection in every frame.

With high-quality materials like 4K, tonal transitions on U6NQ look really good – colours blend nicely and the image is consistent. Unfortunately, when we switch to lower resolution content, the television doesn’t offer any extra features that could improve this aspect. An example is the test with the light bulb, where it’s clearly visible that the television struggles with reproducing subtle tonal transitions.

On the other hand, digital processing performs quite well. The image looks lively, is pleasantly soft, and free from excessive artifacts. Moreover, thanks to the sharpness settings, it can be tailored to individual preferences – whether towards a softer or sharper image. Overall, while upscaling lower quality materials could be better, the television handles image processing well.

Xiaomi S MiniLED 2025 is equipped with a 4K@120Hz (1080p@240Hz) refresh rate panel, providing sufficient smoothness for both watching dynamic sports broadcasts and playing the latest games. This level of refresh rate makes the image look fluid, even in the most intense scenes. Additionally, the television offers a "Motion Smoothing" feature that allows users to adjust the way the image is displayed in films. We can choose a more choppy effect, typical for cinematic experiences, or a smoother one, resembling the so-called "theatrical effect". As a result, every user can tailor the settings to their preferences and enjoy smooth images in their favourite content.

Hisense U6NQ offers native refresh rates of 60 Hz at a 4K resolution, but the manufacturer has added a feature that allows for an increase in refresh rate to 120 Hz, at the cost of reducing the resolution to Full HD. This is a solution we have previously seen in TCL televisions, such as C655 or C655 PRO. This gives the user the option – higher motion fluidity or full resolution. This makes sense, especially considering that many new generation console games do not achieve full performance in 4K at 120 Hz.

When it comes to movies, the television is equipped with a motion smoother feature, which allows you to adjust the motion characteristics to your own preferences. This enables a more cinematic effect or increases fluidity in dynamic scenes. Overall, Hisense U6NQ offers sensible solutions in terms of motion fluidity that should satisfy both gamers and movie enthusiasts.

Xiaomi S MiniLED 2025 is a television that has a lot to offer gamers. With two HDMI ports boasting 48 Gbps bandwidth, we can easily connect modern consoles or PCs, utilising their full potential. Additionally, the ALLM feature automatically switches the TV to low latency mode – something we appreciate during fast-paced gaming without annoying lags. No matter what we connect, it runs smoothly, and the TV handles various resolutions exceptionally well. There’s also the GameBar, which may not look as flashy as the "bars" on competing models, but makes up for it in practicality. It’s a straightforward settings panel that allows us to quickly change the most important options or check stats – a perfect solution when time is of the essence.

However, we must admit that navigating the TV itself – or rather, finding gaming features – was quite a challenge for us. We approached the Xiaomi S MiniLED 2025 test several times to locate all the necessary options. The hidden menu allowed us to discover the "GameBoost" feature, which enables switching the TV to 240 Hz mode, activating VRR, and allows for enabling the image in HGIG mode.

In summary, the Xiaomi S MiniLED 2025 is a TV that definitely deserves praise in the gaming equipment category. Its rich set of features – 240 Hz mode, VRR, HGIG, and "GameBoost" – provides an exceptional gaming experience. Unfortunately, the intuitiveness of the menu itself leaves much to be desired and can pose some challenges for the average user.

Hisense U6NQ gives the option to choose between 4K at 60 Hz and Full HD with 120 Hz refresh rate. This solution may appeal to gamers who want to decide what is more important to them – higher resolution or smoothness. The TV supports features like ALLM and VRR, which help in providing smoother gameplay. A nice addition is the GameBar – an easy-to-use panel that allows quick adjustments to picture settings and checking statistics. We also find the Dolby Vision Game mode here, which operates with low input lag, a big plus for console enthusiasts. Unfortunately, it lacks HGiG, which could further improve HDR quality in games. Nevertheless, the Hisense U6NQ performs quite well as a gaming TV, especially for those who play occasionally and do not require the highest refresh rate in 4K. It is a solid choice for less demanding users.

Input lag in Xiaomi S MiniLED 2025 is one of its biggest advantages. 8 ms for 120 Hz content and 17 ms for 60 Hz are simply outstanding results that will satisfy even the most demanding gamers. Moreover, the Dolby Vision mode in games deserves praise. Unlike many competing models, Xiaomi maintains a low input lag even in this mode, making it an excellent choice for lovers of high-quality HDR gaming experiences.

The Hisense U6NQ TV offers a very low input lag of 14 ms, making it a good choice for gamers, especially those who prefer dynamic titles. It's also worth noting that the Dolby Vision mode in games works really well here. This is a pleasant surprise, as on many other TVs, this HDR mode performs only mediocrely.

Xiaomi S MiniLED 2025 is a good choice if you need a TV for computer work. The fonts are very clear thanks to 4:4:4 chroma support, making it ideal for office work or browsing documents. It also performs excellently in gaming – high refresh rates, G-SYNC, and low input lag ensure smooth gameplay, which will satisfy most gamers.

As a screen for working with a computer, Hisense U6NQ performs quite decently. The fonts are readable enough, so it's perfectly adequate for everyday writing or browsing the internet.

When it comes to gaming, the TV supports G-Sync, but only at 4K resolution at 60 Hz. Unfortunately, if someone was hoping for 120 Hz smoothness in 1080p with G-Sync enabled, they might be disappointed – this TV does not offer that. It's a bit of a shame, as it could have been a good option for gamers who prefer smoothness over resolution.

In terms of viewing angles, Xiaomi S MiniLED 2025 is not impressive. This is a typical problem with VA panels, which struggle without additional coatings to widen viewing angles. The image begins to lose quality when watching the TV from the side – colours fade, and contrast significantly drops. However, the advantage of VA panels is their much better contrast compared to IPS panels, which in turn win when it comes to wider viewing angles. This is a classic compromise where one has to choose between better blacks and a more universal image seen from different spots in the room.

The viewing angles on the Hisense U6NQ are average, which is typical for VA panels. Thanks to this technology, we gain better contrast and deeper blacks, but at the expense of image visibility at wider angles. It’s a classic compromise – in TVs with IPS panels, the situation is reversed, where the viewing angles are wider, but the contrast and blacks suffer in quality.

Xiaomi S MiniLED 2025 is equipped with a satin finish on the display, which moderately handles glare reduction. On the screen's surface, you can see light reflections, which may be somewhat distracting in bright rooms. However, the key element that saves this television in daytime use is its brightness. With a value of 841 cd/m², the screen performs flawlessly even in very sunlit interiors. This is more than enough to comfortably watch television, movies, or sporting events. Importantly, the television also handles more demanding content, such as winter sports, where the dominant white can pose a significant challenge for other televisions. Here, Xiaomi definitely excels.

Hisense U6NQ performs well in bright rooms thanks to the satin finish on the panel, which effectively reduces reflections. The average brightness on SDR content, such as standard television, is 488 cd/m², which is more than sufficient for comfortable viewing even in slightly challenging lighting conditions.

Xiaomi S MiniLED 2025 is a television that stands out thanks to the Google TV system. It offers access to the most popular streaming services, music apps, and various useful features that significantly enhance everyday use of the TV. For those who enjoy personalisation, the system also provides plenty of configuration options.

The built-in voice assistant operates smoothly – we can not only control the TV but also ask for the weather forecast or set a reminder for the next day. Unfortunately, we noticed during testing that some functions have trouble translating into Polish, which can be annoying, especially for those less proficient in navigating the settings. Despite this, the overall impression is very good, and minor shortcomings can be improved in updates.

The device handles connectivity well. Wireless connections with Windows computers or Apple devices run smoothly, and thanks to Bluetooth, we can easily connect headphones, keyboards, or other accessories. The remote is simple and convenient – it works from any position, so aiming at the screen is not necessary. However, there are some shortcomings. If someone frequently uses traditional television, they might miss the recording functions from tuners or the PiP (picture in picture) option. This somewhat limits the possibilities, but for those focusing on streaming and modern features, it won’t be a major issue.

Xiaomi compensates for these shortcomings with an excellent operating system. Google TV is one of the most advanced and intuitive systems available on the market, which makes the television perform really well in daily use.

The Vidaa system that powers the Hisense U6NQ is undoubtedly one of its stronger features. It’s quick, operates smoothly, and most importantly – it doesn't suffer from annoying stutters that can be frustrating in other TVs. It’s great that you can use voice search in Polish, which significantly eases operation. There are plenty of apps available, but unfortunately, there’s a lack of music apps like Spotify or Tidal. It’s a shame because a TV is not just for movies and series – some people would probably love to use it for listening to music too.

Additional features include the ability to record TV programs onto a USB drive or external hard drive. There's also AirPlay and Miracast, so it’s easy to stream content from a smartphone. The built-in Bluetooth is handy too, allowing you to connect headphones, a mouse, or a keyboard. The only thing that's really missing here is the PiP (picture-in-picture) feature. If it were added, the TV would be complete in terms of functions. Nevertheless, the Hisense U6NQ offers plenty and will comfortably satisfy most users.

The basic file player in Xiaomi S MiniLED 2025 performs its task for simple video materials. However, a noticeable drawback is the lack of support for Polish characters, which can be problematic for individuals using subtitles.

Fortunately, the presence of the Google TV system provides a way to easily work around this limitation. It allows for the installation of alternative file playback applications that handle Polish characters and offer significantly more advanced options. As a result, the limitations of the built-in player are not as burdensome as they may seem.

The built-in file player in Hisense U6NQ should satisfy most users. It supports Polish characters and allows for easy editing of displayed subtitles, which is a big plus. Unfortunately, it lacks support for the AV1 codec, which may be an issue for those wanting to play newer video formats. However, for less demanding users, the player's features will be fully adequate.

Xiaomi S MiniLED 2025 sounds really pleasant, and even offers a light bass, reminiscent of the sound known from the lower model, the A Pro 2025. The sound is well balanced, making watching movies or listening to music comfortable, even without additional audio equipment. Interestingly, the television seamlessly supports audio formats like Dolby Atmos and the less common DTS:X. This allows you to connect a home theatre system or soundbar and enjoy spatial sound without any difficulties. A nice addition is also the presence of a standard speaker jack connection.

Hisense U6NQ is equipped with a standard set of speakers rated at 20 W, which is typical for this class of televisions. The sound is decent, but nothing stands out particularly. However, it is a plus that it supports all popular audio codecs, including DTS and Dolby Atmos. This way, we can easily connect a home theatre or soundbar, achieving significantly better audio experiences than from the built-in speakers.

Xiaomi S Mini 2025 vs Hisense U6NQ

Advantages

Disadvantages

Our verdict

TV appearance

Where to buy

Contrast and black detail

HDR effect quality

Factory color reproduction

Color reproduction after calibration

Smoothness of tonal transitions

Image scaling and smoothness of tonal transitions

Blur and motion smoothness

Console compatibility and gaming features

Input lag

Compatibility with PC

Viewing angles

TV efficiency during daytime

Details about the matrix

TV features

Playing files from USB

Apps

Sound