Hisense U7KQ vs XIAOMI S Mini 2026 (85"-98") 144Hz

Describing the HDR effect in the hundred-inch model Hisense U7KQ is not straightforward and requires broader context. As can be observed, the results are highly varied, depending on the type of scene and the intensity of the bright effects the television is meant to reproduce. In bright scenes, the device achieves over a thousand nits of brightness, which translates to vivid and realistic images – these are exactly the effects we expect from equipment of this class. Unfortunately, the situation deteriorates in darker scenes. In mixed shots, such as those in the film "Gemini Man," the television still offers good brightness at a level of 700 nits, allowing for enjoyment of high-quality content. However, problems arise in very dark scenes, where small light sources play a central role. The television does not fully utilise its capabilities here to avoid degrading the black level in adjacent areas. As a result, there is no spectacular "WOW" effect, and such frames often do not seem as if they are being produced in HDR technology.

The larger versions of the Xiaomi S Mini 2026 offer very similar HDR capabilities. Peak brightness reaches around 1000 nits, which for a TV in this price bracket is a very solid result. This is most apparent in bright scenes, where large, strongly lit parts of the picture can look truly impressive. The TV has enough brightness headroom that HDR does not amount to merely a slightly brighter image. Very small points of light appearing on an almost completely black background fare worse. In such cases the local dimming system significantly limits their brightness so as not to illuminate neighbouring parts of the picture and to preserve deep blacks. As a result, small highlights or single lamps do not have the same intensity as in much more expensive models. This, however, is typical behaviour for Mini LED TVs and hard to treat as something unique to Xiaomi.

HDR colours

The issue of colours is similarly close. Although the manufacturer uses the term QLED, the expansion of the colour gamut here is achieved by a PFS phosphor. In our measurements the TV covered around 94% of the DCI-P3 colour space and about 74% of the much more demanding BT.2020. In practice this delivers well-saturated colours in most HDR material and it is hard to point to any obvious shortcomings. Limitations appear mainly with the most saturated shades of green, which the TV is no longer able to reproduce in full.

The best factory mode we measured was 'Filmmaker'. Despite this, its characteristics left a wide scope for comment. Let us take a look at the gamma chart, which is responsible for the depth and contrast of the image. First, we will pay attention to the orange line running through the middle of the chart, starting at point 2.4. This is the reference value of the REC.709 standard. Now, let us look at the measured value, which is marked by a white, connected multi-point. Such a significant drop in gamma to a value of 2.0 indicates a considerable decrease in contrast, resulting in an image lacking proper depth, and one could observe the so-called 'milk' effect. The next thing we tested was the white balance. Though unassuming, if poorly configured, it can alter the entire character of the image. At the beginning, the chart was progressing quite well, but as we went further, it began to be dominated by two colours: red and blue. Due to the current state of affairs, all the materials we used for testing had an unpleasant tint in those colours. However, thanks to rich calibration tools, such as an advanced colour management system (CMS) and 2- and 20-point grey scale adjustment, we were able to significantly improve the display's performance in SDR materials, as evidenced by low deltaE errors and very well-rendered gamma and white balance.

In the larger versions of the Xiaomi S Mini 2026 Film mode performs best, although the factory settings here are not without faults. In SDR the white balance was noticeably warm due to an excess of red. In HDR it was the opposite: there was too much blue and not enough red, which made the image cooler. Moreover, both the gamma response in SDR and the EOTF curve in HDR were slightly above the reference values. In practice this produced a slightly brighter image, particularly in the mid-tones. It was not a major fault, but with more demanding material you could notice that the image was not reproduced entirely as the creators intended.

In SDR mode, after calibration, the television Hisense 100U7KQ looks excellent. There is nothing to fault in terms of colour reproduction - both pastel and strongly saturated hues are displayed according to the Rec. 709 standard. This ensures that the image looks natural and in line with the director's vision. As a result, viewers can enjoy an authentic visual experience, with colours and tonal subtleties faithfully rendered.

In HDR mode, however, there is a noticeable boost in bright tones. The television attempts to beautify the picture, which can lead to an artificial brightening. This phenomenon becomes even more evident in real scenes, where bright parts of the image may be excessively enhanced. Although the colours in HDR are generally good, they are intentionally boosted too much by the manufacturer, which can affect their naturalness.

This approach by the manufacturer to displaying images in HDR mode may not appeal to everyone, especially those who value authenticity and fidelity to original colours. However, for those who prefer more dynamic and vivid images, such an emphasis on bright tones can be an attractive solution, adding extra sparkle and impact to the scenes.

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 the SDR picture is no longer unnecessarily brightened and holds closer to the reference values. The only major issue remaining is in HDR. Xiaomi still manages brightness a little too aggressively and renders some scenes brighter than it should. It looks better on larger sizes than on the 55–75 inch models, 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.

Although the television is equipped with a feature for reducing posterisation called "Smooth Gradation," we did not notice a significant effect of its operation. Materials subjected to heavy compression, such as YouTube videos, still exhibited choppy, distinct tonal transitions, which did not look particularly favourable. While this is due to the material itself rather than the television, it would be good if there were a feature to mask these problems, similar to those found in displays from competing brands.

The image scaling, which is crucial when playing lower resolution content, is rated as average. Details are not overly blurred, and the image is not "smudged"; however, there is visible jaggedness on the edges of objects, such as branches, and a halo effect around figures and text. Although the television performs quite well, there is still room for improvement, especially in the context of displaying lower quality materials.

The larger Xiaomi S Mini 2026 variants also use the MT5896 processor and perform similarly in terms of digital image processing. Upscaling is not one of this model's strengths. Low-resolution content is upscaled to 4K in a fairly basic way, and there is not as effective retrieval of fine detail as in more refined televisions. The 85 and 98 inch versions do include a feature intended to reduce posterisation, but its effectiveness is very limited. After switching it on it is hard to notice any real improvement, so the TV still does little to address visible banding between colours.

The television correctly accepts a 4K signal up to 144 Hz, allowing for very smooth images to be displayed in high resolution. When the resolution is limited to Full HD, the television is capable of handling even 240 Hz, but such a signal can only be obtained from a PC. Unfortunately, the use of this feature is limited by several factors.

First of all, the Full HD resolution on a large television screen may seem insufficient, which affects image quality. Furthermore, the response time of the panel in this model is not short enough to fully utilise the refresh rate of 240 Hz. As a result, at such a high refresh rate, significant overdrive occurs, causing noticeable smearing and so-called "ghosting" behind moving objects.

It is also worth noting the motion smoothing function in the television, which operates up to 120 Hz. This is especially useful when watching sports and films, where smooth motion is crucial. The television provides stable operation of this function, minimising the amount of generated artifacts. Motion smoothness can be adjusted using two sliders – one for film smoothness and the other for reducing smearing in sports content.

In summary, although the television Hisense U7KQ offers impressive capabilities in terms of image refresh rates, limitations related to the response time of the panel and appropriate resolution may impact the actual benefits of these features. Nevertheless, the motion smoothing function works very well, improving the experience of watching dynamic content.

The biggest difference between the various sizes of the Xiaomi S Mini 2026 concerns the panel's refresh rate. The 55 to 75-inch variants use a 60 Hz panel, which in practice results in noticeably less smooth motion than the larger versions. This is most apparent when watching sport, fast-paced scenes or gaming, where the picture is not as smooth and sharp in motion.

The Hisense U7KQ television supports all the key features for gamers that users of Xbox or PlayStation consoles may expect. These features include, among others, support for high refresh rates, low input lag, and a game bar. Generally speaking, most of these features work correctly, providing a satisfying gaming experience.

However, the VRR (Variable Refresh Rate) technology does not function optimally. When VRR is activated, the television disables the local dimming feature, which significantly reduces image quality. In VRR mode, there is a lack of good contrast and high brightness in HDR mode, resulting in unsatisfactory image quality. In practice, this means that the VRR mode may be rarely used by gamers due to these limitations.

Additionally, the television does not support the HGIG (HDR Gaming Interest Group) mode, which is designed to optimise HDR image quality in games. The absence of this mode leads to issues with double tone mapping – once in the television and once in the console. As a result, the quality of HDR games is lower, which may affect the overall gaming experience.

In summary, although the Hisense U7KQ offers many features for gamers, certain key aspects, such as the optimal functioning of VRR and support for HGIG, may not meet the expectations of more demanding users. Nonetheless, the television still provides good support for most standard gaming features, making it a suitable choice for a wide range of gamers.

Unfortunately, the smaller versions of the Xiaomi S Mini 2026 have a significant limitation for gamers: a 60 Hz panel. In 4K we are therefore limited to 60 fps and cannot fully take advantage of the PS5 or Xbox Series X. It is possible to run 120 Hz, but only after dropping the resolution to 1080p or 1440p. Apart from that, it’s all fairly sensible. The TV supports ALLM and automatically switches to game mode when it detects a console. There is also a Game Bar that lets you quickly check the most important gaming settings. Our biggest reservation concerns HGiG. The HDR calibration screens on the PS5 and Xbox do not match the TV’s actual capabilities. If you set HDR exactly according to them, some of the brightest elements may simply be blown out.