- Matching (Score) |
- Our verdict |
- Competing TVs |
- 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 |
- Daytime performance |
- TV features |
- Apps |
- Playing files from USB |
- Sound |
- Panel details
XIAOMI S Mini 2026 (85"-98") 144Hz Review
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Panel type: LCD VA Refresh rate: 144Hz Brand: XIAOMI Resolution: 3840x2160 System: Google TV Model year: 2026
The 85- and 98-inch versions are more than just larger variants of the Xiaomi S Mini 2026. Unlike the 55-, 65- and 75-inch models, they use a 144 Hz panel, giving them far greater capabilities, especially for gaming and sports. For that reason we've prepared a separate review for them. In it we check whether the larger variant really deserves a higher place in the lineup and how it compares to the smaller 60 Hz version.
XIAOMI S Mini 2026 144Hz - Our verdict
7.1
Overall rating
In the 85- and 98-inch sizes the Xiaomi S Mini 2026 is a TV you can recommend with much more confidence than its smaller variants. Very good contrast, around 1,000 nits of brightness and Dolby Vision support make HDR movies look really good, and the 144 Hz panel gives it completely different capabilities for sport and gaming. If you're looking for a large Mini LED and don't want to pay top-tier prices, this variant simply makes a lot of sense. It's not without flaws. Processing of lower-quality source material could do with a bit more polish, which is noticeable on such a large screen. You have to remember the price, though; at this budget most competitors also demand compromises, often even bigger ones. That's why the 85- and 98-inch versions stand as a much more complete offering and, with good pricing, are simply good value. The hardest thing to understand is Xiaomi's decision to lump all sizes into a single line-up. Buying the 85- or 98-inch model gets you not only more inches but also native 144 Hz, Dolby Vision, a more responsive system and a better processor. That alone would have been enough to create a separate series. It would be clearer for the customer, who would immediately know that the smaller and larger S Mini 2026 are actually two different TVs. Ultimately it is in these largest screen sizes that the Xiaomi S Mini 2026 performs best. It's a genuinely successful TV that offers a huge screen and great specs at a very attractive price.
Advantages
120/144 Hz panel
Very good contrast: MiniLED + VA
High brightness of around 1,000 nits
Dolby Vision support
Advanced gaming features
Low input lag
Google TV with a wide range of apps
Disadvantages
Poor image processing
Average anti-reflective performance
Poor viewing angles, typical for VA panels
Flat sound, little bass
Movies and series in UHD quality7.1
Classic TV, YouTube6.6
Sports broadcasts (TV and apps)6.4
Gaming on console8.3
TV as a computer monitor7.0
Watching in bright light7.5
Utility functions7.0
Apps9.6
Sound quality5.0
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XIAOMI S Mini 2026 144Hz - Competing TVs in this price range
XIAOMI S Mini 2026 144Hz - TV appearance
HDMI inputs: 1 x HDMI 2.0, 2 x HDMI 2.1 (48Gbps) Outputs: Toslink (Optical audio), eARC (HDMI), ARC (HDMI), Mini-Jack (Headphones) Network Interfaces: Wi-Fi 2.4GHz, Wi-Fi 5GHz, Ethernet (LAN) 100Mbps
Build quality: Average
Stand type: Legs
Bezel color: Graphite
Stand: Base adjustment
Flat design: No
Accessories: Stand
The larger versions of the Xiaomi S Mini 2026 retain the same overall style as the smaller models. From the front the TV looks modern thanks to slim bezels, although a wider silver strip along the bottom is clearly visible. The cabinet itself is fairly thick, so it’s not the best choice for those who want the flattest possible wall mount. The back is metal and feels solid, but its design is rather plain. It’s still a mid-range TV and the build quality reflects that. A plus are the adjustable feet. You can position them closer to the centre or further apart, which makes it easier to fit the TV to your existing furniture.
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XIAOMI S Mini 2026 144Hz - Contrast and black detail
8/10
Local dimming function: Yes, number of zones: 640 (20 x 32)
Result
427,700:1
Result
49,650:1
Result
29,350:1
Result
13,500:1
Result
8,400:1
Larger screen sizes of the Xiaomi S Mini 2026 also use a VA panel and Mini LED backlighting, but the manufacturer has applied significantly more local dimming zones here. In the 85‑inch model we tested we counted 640 zones, more than twice as many as in the 55‑inch version. Even so, the differences in measurements proved surprisingly small. Contrast remains very high, and in many scenes flooded with black the TV can produce blacks that feel very close to OLED. The additional zones mainly help to better control the backlight in more demanding shots, though they do not completely eliminate the typical limits of this technology. In scenes with many bright objects on a dark background you can still see a halo effect, but its level remains typical for Mini LED TVs. As with the smaller variants, Xiaomi has also improved the local dimming algorithm. The zones operate stably and do not cause visible flicker or the brightness "pumping" that could be seen in last year’s model.
Halo effect and black detail visibility:
XIAOMI S Mini 2026 144Hz - HDR effect quality
5.7/10
Supported formats: HDR10, HDR10+, Dolby Vision, HLG
Luminance measurements in HDR:
Result
1079 nit
Result
224 nit
Result
710 nit
Result
244 nit
Result
900 nit
The larger versions of the Xiaomi S Mini 2026 offer very similar HDR performance. Peak brightness reaches around 1,000 nits, which is a very solid result for a TV in this price bracket. It's most noticeable in bright scenes, where large, heavily lit areas of the picture can look really impressive. The TV has enough brightness headroom that HDR isn't limited to just a slightly brighter image. However, very small pinpoint highlights on an almost completely black background fare worse. In such cases the local dimming system significantly reduces their brightness to avoid lighting adjacent parts of the image and to preserve good blacks. As a result, small reflections or single lamps don't have the same intensity as in much more expensive models. This is typical behaviour for Mini LED TVs and it's hard to treat it as something unique to Xiaomi.
HDR colours
The colour performance is similarly comparable. Although the manufacturer uses the term QLED, the expanded colour gamut here comes from the PFS phosphor. In our measurements the TV covered about 94% of the DCI-P3 space and about 74% of the much more demanding BT.2020. In practice this yields well-saturated colours in most HDR material and it's hard to point to obvious gaps. Limitations appear mainly with the most saturated shades of green, which the TV can no longer reproduce fully.
BT.2020 color gamut coverage and primary color luminance
| Data set | BT.2020 | P3 | R | G | B |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Synthetic patterns | 73.2% | 93.9% | 71% | 77% | 73% |
| Film measurements | 73.3% | 94.0% | 70% | 76% | 76% |
BT.2020
BT.2020 and P3 – average color gamut coverage (percent of the target gamut).
R, G, B – average primary color luminance relative to target (percent).
Scene from the movie “Pan” (about 2800 nits)
Scene from the movie “Billy Lynn” (about 1100 nits)
The capabilities of a TV are not decided solely by its peak brightness. Equally important is how the manufacturer has used the available potential when displaying real HDR content. The Xiaomi S Mini 2026 handles films graded to around 1000 nits best. In such productions the TV rarely has to limit brightness or process the image more aggressively, so it retains a lot of detail and delivers a natural HDR effect. Only occasionally is there a loss of detail in the darkest parts of the picture.
More problems appear with material mastered to much higher brightness. In HDR10 mode the TV applies fairly aggressive tone mapping, which can cause the brightest elements to lose detail. In the sun scene from the film Pan it was clearly visible that bright areas blended into the clouds instead of keeping visible structure.
HDR luminance chart:
The issue with weak tone mapping improves when you play Dolby Vision content, which is available in 85 and 98-inch versions. Dynamic metadata lets the TV adjust how each scene is displayed individually, so the limitations caused by its peak brightness are much less noticeable. That translates into better preserved detail in the brightest parts of the picture. It’s still not on the level of the best premium TVs, but the difference compared with the same content played in HDR10 is clearly noticeable. Dolby Vision support on the Xiaomi S Mini 2026 simply makes watching demanding HDR content more enjoyable.
Static HDR10
Dynamic: Dolby Vision
Factory color reproduction
5.2/10
On the larger versions of the Xiaomi S Mini 2026, Film mode performs best, although even here the out-of-the-box settings are not without flaws. In SDR the white balance was noticeably warm due to an excess of red. In HDR the opposite was true, with too much blue and too little red, which made the image cooler. Additionally, both the gamma response in SDR and the EOTF curve in HDR sat slightly above the reference values. In practice this resulted in a slightly brightened image, particularly in the midtones. It wasn't a major fault, but with more demanding material you could see that the image wasn't reproduced entirely in line with the filmmakers' intent.
Color reproduction after calibration
7.7/10
After calibration we mainly managed to even out the white balance, so colours look much more natural in both SDR and HDR. We also improved the gamma response, so SDR content is no longer unnecessarily brightened and stays closer to reference values. The only larger issue remaining is in HDR. Xiaomi still controls brightness a little too aggressively and renders some scenes brighter than it should. This is less noticeable on the larger models than on the 55–75-inch versions, but the EOTF curve still runs slightly above the reference. In practice HDR is therefore slightly brightened, even though colour reproduction after calibration is already very good.
XIAOMI S Mini 2026 144Hz - Smoothness of tonal transitions
9/10
The smoothness of tonal transitions in the larger sizes of the Xiaomi S Mini 2026 is very good. In both bright and darker scenes, colours blend much more smoothly than in the smaller sizes. It's not perfect, and in the most demanding shots you can still spot slight banding, but it occurs far less often and is much less noticeable. That's a clear plus, especially since dark scenes in the 55 to 75-inch models could be noticeably worse in that regard.
Image scaling and smoothness of tonal transitions
3/10
Smooth transition function
Image without overscan on the SD signal
The larger variants of the Xiaomi S Mini 2026 also use the MT5896 processor and perform similarly in terms of digital image processing. Upscaling isn't a strong suit of this model. Low-resolution material is upscaled to 4K in a fairly basic way and it doesn't recover fine detail as well as more refined TVs. The 85- and 98-inch versions do include a feature intended to reduce posterisation, but it's barely effective. When it's switched on it's hard to notice any real improvement, so in scenes with visible colour banding the TV still does little to address it.
XIAOMI S Mini 2026 144Hz - Blur and motion smoothness
7.7/10
Maximum refresh rate of the panel: 144Hz
Film motion smoothing option: Yes
Blur reduction option: Yes
BFI function 60Hz: No
BFI function 120Hz: No
The biggest difference between the various sizes of the Xiaomi S Mini 2026 is the panel's refresh rate. The 55–75-inch variants use a 60 Hz panel, which in practice means noticeably less smooth motion than the larger versions. This is easiest to spot when watching sport, fast-moving scenes or gaming, where the picture isn't as smooth and clear in motion.
Blur (native resolution, maximum refresh rate):
Blur (4K@288Hz):
In terms of motion blur, the TV performs similarly to the larger variants. The VA panel used has the typical behaviour for this type of panel, with the most blur visible behind objects moving against a dark background. In brighter scenes the effect is much less noticeable.
XIAOMI S Mini 2026 144Hz - Console compatibility and gaming features
8.5/10
- ALLM:
Yes
- VRR:
Yes
- VRR range:
48 - 288Hz
- Dolby Vision Game Mode:
Yes
- Correct implementation of HGIG:
No
- 1080p@120Hz:
Yes
- 1440p@120Hz:
Yes
- 4K@120Hz:
Yes
- Game bar:
Yes
The smaller versions of the Xiaomi S Mini 2026 unfortunately have a big limitation for gamers — a 60 Hz panel. In 4K we’re therefore limited to 60 fps and can’t fully take advantage of the PS5 or Xbox Series X. You can run 120 Hz, but only after dropping the resolution to 1080p or 1440p. Other than that, it’s pretty reasonable. The TV supports ALLM and automatically switches to game mode when it detects a console. There’s also a Game Bar where you can quickly check the main gaming settings. Our biggest reservation is HGiG. The HDR calibration screens on the PS5 and Xbox don’t match the TV’s actual capabilities. If you set HDR exactly according to them, some of the brightest elements can simply be blown out.
XIAOMI S Mini 2026 144Hz - Input lag
9.8/10
Input lag is low. At 120 Hz we measured about 10 ms, and at 60 Hz about 15 ms. In practice the TV responds quickly and you won't notice any significant delay while gaming.
| SDR | HDR | Dolby Vision |
|---|---|---|
| 1080p60: 17 ms | 2160p60: 16 ms | 2160p60 DV: 16 ms |
| 1080p120: 9 ms | 2160p120: 8 ms | 2160p120 DV: 8 ms |
| 2160p60: 17 ms | ||
| 2160p120: 9 ms |
XIAOMI S Mini 2026 144Hz - Compatibility with PC
7/10
Chroma 444 (max. resolution and refresh rate): No
Font clarity: Poor
Readability of dark text and shapes: Good
Input lag in PC mode (4K, max. refresh rate): 9ms
Matrix subpixel arrangement: BGR
Max refresh rate: 144Hz
G-Sync: Yes
The larger versions of the Xiaomi S Mini 2026 also aren’t an ideal choice for working on a computer. The issue remains the lack of proper chroma 4:4:4 reproduction. It’s most noticeable on fine coloured text, icons and other interface elements. Regular fonts are still mostly readable, but the image lacks the sharpness we’d expect from a TV meant to serve as a large monitor. The refresh-rate side looks much better. In 4K you can run up to 144 Hz, and lowering the resolution lets the TV go even higher. That makes the larger variants far more appealing for PC gaming than for pure text work.
XIAOMI S Mini 2026 144Hz - Viewing angles
3.4/10
Brightness drop at an angle of 45 degrees: 62%
The larger S Mini 2026 variants also use a VA panel, but their viewing angles are noticeably better. As you move off centre, colours still lose some saturation, but it happens more slowly than with the smaller versions. It's still not up to the level of IPS/ADS panels, and even less so with OLEDs, but for everyday viewing it's no longer as bad as with the smaller variants.
XIAOMI S Mini 2026 144Hz - Daytime performance
7.5/10
Panel finish: Satin
Reflection suppression: Decent
Black levels during daytime: Good
The larger versions of the Xiaomi S Mini 2026 perform even better in a bright room. Average SDR brightness reaches around 800 nits, so the TV can easily cut through the light coming into the lounge and keep the picture readable during the day. The weak point remains the screen coating. The satin finish doesn't handle direct reflections well, so with a window or a lamp opposite the screen you'll still see reflections. High brightness helps a lot, but the coating's effectiveness at suppressing reflections is rather average.
Panel brightness
XIAOMI S Mini 2026 (85"-98") 144Hz : 805 cd/m2
XIAOMI S Mini 2026 144Hz - TV features
7/10
System: Google TV
System performance: Average
- HDMI inputs: 1 x HDMI 2.0, 2 x HDMI 2.1 48Gbps
- Outputs: Toslink (Optical audio), eARC (HDMI), ARC (HDMI), Mini-Jack (Headphones)
- Network Interfaces: Wi-Fi 2.4GHz, Wi-Fi 5GHz, Ethernet (LAN) 100Mbps
- TV reception: DVB-T, DVB-T2, DVB-S, DVB-S2, DVB-C
Classic features:
- Recording to USB (terrestrial TV): No
- Recording programming: No
- Picture in Picture (PiP): No
- RF remote control (no need to aim): RF
- Backlit remote control: No
- Teletext: Yes
- Audio only mode: Yes
- Bluetooth headphones support: Yes
- Simultaneous Bluetooth headphones & TV audio: No
Smart features:
- AirPlay: Yes
- Screen mirroring (Windows Miracast): Yes
- Voice search: Yes
- Voice search in native language: Yes
- Ability to connect a keyboard and mouse: Yes
Google TV
On the larger variants of the Xiaomi S Mini 2026, Google TV runs quite smoothly. These models have a bit more RAM than the smaller versions, and you can really notice the difference in everyday use. Menus respond faster, apps launch more smoothly, and you much less often encounter moments where you have to wait for the system to react. Google TV itself provides access to pretty much everything you’d expect from a Smart TV. You can easily find the most popular streaming apps, and you can install additional apps from the Google Play store. There’s Chromecast, voice control and convenient unified search for content across services in one place. In terms of features, there’s little to fault Xiaomi on.
Practical features
If you use traditional TV, the Xiaomi S Mini 2026 offers a fairly basic set of features. There’s a programme guide, teletext and a traditional remote control with a numeric keypad. The latter is becoming less common these days, but it can still be convenient for regular channel switching. A slightly more unusual feature is the 3.5mm headphone jack. New TVs increasingly omit it, so its presence here could be useful if someone still uses wired headphones or older audio equipment.
Sound connection options
HDMI audio:
Other audio outputs:
- Toslink: Yes
- Stereo (Mini-Jack): Yes
Wireless audio:
- Bluetooth: Yes
Supported audio formats (external HDMI eARC audio):
- Dolby Digital Plus 7.1: Yes
- Dolby True HD 7.1: Yes
- Dolby Atmos in Dolby Digital Plus (JOC): Yes
- Dolby Atmos in Dolby True HD: Yes
- DTS:X in DTS-HD MA: Yes
- DTS-HD Master Audio: Yes
Senior accessibility
- Numeric keyboard on TV: Yes
- Font size adjustment: Yes
- Audio description: Yes
XIAOMI S Mini 2026 144Hz - Apps
9.6/10
XIAOMI S Mini 2026 144Hz - Playing files from USB
6.8/10
| Maximum photo resolution: | Supported photo formats: |
|---|---|
| 4 Mpix | JPEG |
| 6 Mpix | HEIC |
| 8 Mpix | PNG |
| 10 Mpix | GIF |
| 12 Mpix | WebP |
| 16 Mpix | TIFF |
| 20 Mpix | BMP |
| 24 Mpix | SVG |
| 28 Mpix | |
| 32 Mpix |
The built-in USB file player does a pretty good job and opens most common formats without any issues. If you come across a file it doesn’t support, Google TV makes it easy to install another player, e.g. VLC. Our main complaint is with subtitles. The stock app doesn’t handle certain characters outside the basic alphabet correctly, which can cause problems with Polish characters. If you frequently watch videos from USB, it’s better to use a third-party app.
XIAOMI S Mini 2026 144Hz - Sound
5/10
89dB
Maximum volume
Supported codecs (TV speakers)
Dolby Digital Plus 7.1
Dolby True HD 7.1
Dolby Atmos in Dolby Digital Plus (JOC)
Dolby Atmos in Dolby True HD
DTS:X in DTS-HD MA
DTS-HD Master Audio
Built-in speakers perform adequately, but it's hard to expect much more from them. They're fine for everyday viewing of the news, series or TV programmes. However, they lack low end, so the sound is fairly flat and doesn't deliver much excitement when watching films.
Sound Quality Test:
Acoustic Measurements
No acoustic data
XIAOMI S Mini 2026 144Hz - Panel details
Software version during testing: UKN1.240806.017.V816.0.25.11.26.02.ULBMIXM
Image processor: mt5896 2,5gb ram
Panel uniformity and thermal imaging:
Backlight Type: Mini-LED PFS LED
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Journalist, reviewer, and columnist for the "ChooseTV" portal
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