Xiaomi TV S Mini LED 2026 – Is it worth buying? We take a look at the new television from Xiaomi.

Xiaomi has been consistently changing its image in the TV market for several seasons, focusing on Mini-LED technology. The brand's strategy remains unchanged: to offer parameters reserved for flagships at a significantly lower price. The latest S Mini LED series for the 2026 model year, already available for sale, is a direct continuation of the line that gained popularity in previous years due to its high brightness and dense dimming grid. In the new generation, the manufacturer claims even higher backlighting performance and better black control. However, with such aggressive pricing and adjustments to the specifications, compromises are inevitable. The question is: if so, where this time have cost savings been sought?

Specifications of Xiaomi S Mini-LED 2026. Brightness, backlighting, and colours

As the name suggests, the heart of the new series from Xiaomi is the Mini-LED backlighting. However, it is important to remember that in this technology, the key factor is the number of local dimming zones, which in the S Mini-LED 2026 model varies depending on the chosen diagonal. Naturally, larger screens have received a proportionally denser grid of diodes, yet their arrangement in each variant seems to be thought out enough that it should not negatively impact the quality of blacks compared to other sizes. A technical curiosity is the fact that Xiaomi boasts this year of a redesigned Mini-LED diode module. The new shape of the lenses is intended to disperse light even more precisely, which in theory should reduce the blooming effect around bright objects on a dark background. You can find the exact number of zones for individual sizes in the table below

Peak Brightness: Is Xiaomi Telling the Truth?

The manufacturer claims a brightness level of 1200 nits in this model. Looking at last year's trends and marketing data for models such as Xiaomi S Mini-LED 2025 and Xiaomi S Pro Mini-LED 2026, it must be acknowledged that the Chinese company's claims have typically aligned with the actual capabilities of the hardware. This conclusion comes from all our tests. If Xiaomi maintains this reliability in the 2026 model year, we will have a very bright television that can easily handle HDR effects and viewing content in a sunlit living room. However, it is worth remembering that this brightness is not consistent and will likely only be applicable to full-screen bright scenes.

Colours. QLED technology under question

The promotional brochures could not lack loud slogans about "vivid and saturated colours". Xiaomi states here that the colour gamut coverage is DCI-P3 at 94%. This result sounds very credible, especially since the promotional materials use the term "QLED", suggesting the use of a quantum dot layer. However, in our opinion, it is worth maintaining a certain distance from this terminology. There is a high probability that instead of classic quantum dots, Xiaomi used a cheaper but equally effective phosphor-based filter (PFS). This happened a year or two ago. Although for the end user, the difference in colour saturation may be difficult to catch with the naked eye, technically they are two different approaches. The final verification of these claims will be conducted in our full laboratory test, which will soon appear on the website.

Refresh Rate and Gaming. Watch Out for the Size of the Screen!

In the case of the Xiaomi TV S Mini LED 2026 series, the issue of smoothness of the image is complex and depends on which diagonal you choose. This is where the biggest "catch" of this offer lies, which is worth knowing before making a purchase.

55-75 inches: Native 60 Hz and DLG technology

Analysing the table below, it is easy to notice that Xiaomi has implemented quite a specific strategy this year. Models in the most popular sizes, namely 55, 65 and 75 inches, have been equipped with panels featuring a native refresh rate of 60 Hz. This is quite a downgrade compared to the S Mini LED 2025 model. For sports fans, this is crucial information and, unfortunately, not very optimistic. With native 60 Hz, motion smoothing systems have very limited manoeuvrability, which can be noticeable during fast camera movements in matches. However, the manufacturer has implemented DLG (Dual Line Gate) technology, which allows the panel to "trick" and achieve 120 Hz, but only by reducing the resolution to Full HD or 1440p. From the perspective of a console gamer (PS5 / Xbox Series X), the situation is not so bad, however. Most demanding games in "Performance" mode (120 FPS) are rendered in lower resolutions anyway, so the DLG mode in the smaller models will still be useful.

85-98 inches: True 144 Hz and HDMI 2.1

However, if you are aiming for native 4K at 120 frames, your gaze must shift towards the 85 and 98 inch models. There, Xiaomi does not compromise, as we get true 144 Hz panels and full-fledged HDMI 2.1 ports that will handle the 4K/144Hz signal without any fuss about resolution.

Google TV system and format support. Where has Dolby Vision gone?

Televisions from the S Mini LED 2026 series still rely on the Google TV operating system. This is good news for users – we get access to a massive library of applications, a familiar interface, and support for a voice assistant (now enhanced by the Gemini model). Regarding sound, the manufacturer claims support for Dolby Atmos, which, combined with 30W speakers, provides a solid audio foundation.

However, the real problems arise when we delve deeper into the technical specifications. It turns out that depending on the chosen size, we will find entirely different components under the hood.

Processor: Two Different Worlds

In the 55, 65, and 75-inch variants, Xiaomi has opted for a fairly basic layout based on the processor: Cortex-A55 along with GPU Mali-G52 (2EE) MC1 and 2 GB of RAM. This is a set that will ensure stable system performance, but may struggle with more demanding tasks. The situation is quite different in the 85 and 98-inch models. There, we find a more powerful processor with Cortex-A73 cores and an increased amount of RAM (3 GB). This difference in computing power is significant, as the larger models must support HDMI 2.1 connections. However, this also means that the interface on the television will not only operate more quickly but will likely handle image processing better.

Absence of Dolby Vision in Smaller Models

While the smaller sizes support HDR10 and HDR10+, they have been deprived of support for the Dolby Vision standard. This format only appears in models with 85 and 98-inch diagonals.

Taking into account these fluctuations in specifications: from native refresh rate to processor performance, as well as supported HDR formats – in our opinion, it would be fairer if these televisions were separate products. Undoubtedly, it is an interesting product and, above all, very affordable given the offered specifications. However, it's worth being aware that what seems to be the same screen can differ significantly depending on the chosen size.