Compare: TCL C75B vs Xiaomi S Pro 2026

The mid-range TV segment is expanding rapidly, and the TCL C75B demonstrates that you can get really solid equipment in this price range. This model has been clearly designed with gamers in mind – the HDMI 2.1 port offers ample scope, providing VRR, ALLM, as well as impressive 144 Hz refresh rates in 4K (or 240 Hz in Full HD), which will surely satisfy both gaming and sports fans. Operating the TV is enjoyable and intuitive, mainly thanks to the Google TV system. Although you may encounter slight stutters, the wealth of available applications and features compensates for that – practically everything we need is at our fingertips or even accessible by voice if we wish to converse with the remote in Polish. As for picture quality, the TCL C75B also performs well. Thanks to its VA panel, it boasts quite good contrast, and the presence of Dolby Vision allows for enjoyable HDR effects, even if the brightness isn't groundbreaking. Of course, it is not equipment without flaws – despite the fast panel, there is some motion blur, and the lack of traditional features (like USB recording) may disappoint some users. Nevertheless, in its price category, the C75B is a very attractive option, especially for those looking for a screen designed for high-level gaming.

Is it worth buying the Xiaomi S Pro 2026? The answer to this question is quite complicated. Let's start with what is really great about this television. First of all, the Xiaomi S Pro 2026 has an excellent price-to-specification ratio. We get a Mini LED panel with very high brightness that performs exceptionally well in a sunlit living room. Additionally, it has a fast refresh rate of 144 Hz (and even 288 Hz) and a full package for gamers: two HDMI 2.1 ports, support for VRR, and remarkably low input lag (below 10 ms). If we mainly watch "regular" content and play games, this is truly a fantastic screen. Even the built-in 30W speakers are surprisingly good and support Dolby Atmos. Unfortunately, there is also a second, very problematic side to this model. In short: the software. We have the impression that Xiaomi has provided us with excellent "parts," but could not make them work together correctly. The biggest issue is the HDR mode – the primary reason for buying a television today. For unknown reasons, the television in HDR mode (HDR10, Dolby Vision) does not manage its dimming zones well. As a result, the black that should be deep becomes gray or navy blue, like in a standard LCD television. There are also other software faults such as the terrible implementation of HGiG or the fact that the Dolby Vision mode for gamers is useless due to the enormous input lag (100 ms). Additionally, the television has very poor capabilities for digital image processing. So how can this be summarised in terms of price? In its price range, the Xiaomi S Pro 2026 crushes the competition in terms of specifications. Other televisions at this price point are usually basic LCD models without dimming and often only with a 60 Hz panel. The question is therefore: what is more important to you? If you are simply looking for a very bright and inexpensive television for watching TV during the day and gaming, and you are willing to calibrate it – you will be very satisfied with it. However, if you are looking for a television to enjoy stunning HDR in films and games right out of the box, you will be terribly disappointed with this model. In that case, in our opinion, it is better to pay a bit extra for a basic OLED television or a more refined Mini-LED model from the competition.

The TCL C75B television tested by us in size X" is equipped with a VA panel, which naturally provides quite decent contrast results – and this was also observed during our tests. On each test pattern, the television achieved a contrast ratio of around 5500:1. This is a result that can be considered very good in this price range. The black levels on this model perform really well, although of course, they are far from perfect.

Due to the C75B's belonging to the mid-range segment, we do not find local dimming technology here. This is particularly noticeable in more demanding scenes, such as those from the film Sicario 2, where we observed that the black takes on a navy shade instead of a deep black. This limitation of panels without local dimming can be especially visible in evening screenings with the lights off, when the dark elements of the image are more prominent. It is worth remembering this when choosing a television in this category, especially if we care about the best quality of black while watching films at night.

Let's get to the point, which is what is most important in the Mini LED panel: black levels and contrast. The Xiaomi S Pro 2026 is built on a VA matrix, which already promises deep blacks from the start. Adding to that is the Mini LED backlighting with a very large number of local dimming zones. In the 65-inch variant we tested, we counted as many as 532. This is a solid number that should provide precise control over the backlighting. It should be noted that this number is proportional to the size – by choosing the smaller 55-inch variant, there will be correspondingly fewer zones, and in larger models, more.

So, how does the black level perform on the S Pro 2026? The answer is complex.

Overall, it is really quite good, and we see a clear improvement compared to the problematic model from 2025. As you can see from our measurement charts, the results are sometimes spectacular. In most of the film scenes we measured in SDR (standard dynamic range), the contrast could be confidently described as very good and even comparable to designs three times as expensive. Well, it could be... and here we come to the paradox of this model. The issue is how the television manages the zones in scenarios other than SDR. As soon as we feed the television a higher-quality signal, such as an HDR series or Dolby Vision from streaming platforms (Netflix, HBO Max or Disney+), something strange happens. We have the undeniable impression that the television suddenly... forgets that it has been equipped with local dimming zones at all. As can be seen in our video below, the black levels in such scenes resemble more shades of dark grey or navy blue. Additionally, there is a subtle flickering of the entire screen. This is a level we would expect from televisions entirely devoid of a local dimming system. It seems that Xiaomi decided to fix one, but key, flaw of last year's 2025 model over the course of a year. And they succeeded – we no longer have the annoying "zone disco", the image is stable. It's just a shame that when consuming content of the highest quality (HDR), this entire advanced system becomes completely useless.

During our test, the TCL C75B "spat out" around 380 nits of brightness. We recorded similar results while watching most of the films we tested. They can be considered average – the television does not perform poorly in this segment, but around 400 nits is definitely too low to fully experience the magic of HDR effects. Of course, these results are better than those of budget models, which can achieve almost half the brightness values. However, for HDR enthusiasts seeking stronger lighting effects and greater realism, the C75B may prove insufficient. On the positive side, it's worth mentioning the DCI-P3 colour gamut coverage of 95%. This is a very good result that easily suffices to enjoy a wide range of colours in content available on popular streaming platforms. Vivid and rich colours are definitely a strong point of this model.

When it comes to HDR quality, the Xiaomi S Pro 2026 is undoubtedly a very bright television. On our synthetic measurement patterns, we were able to generate peak brightness of around 1400 nits. This result is not only very good but truly spectacular, considering the price of this model. However, as we always emphasise, for our editorial team, measurements and the experiences from the content viewed on a daily basis - from films and series - are more important. So let's analyse how the Xiaomi performs with film material. The result is, unfortunately, quite mixed. When very bright scenes appear on screen, the S Pro 2026 really shows its full potential and can achieve a real 800-1000 nits in bright elements. Moreover, even smaller objects can "burn" the eyes - in scenes from the film Sicario 2, small metal elements of the helicopter were truly vivid. The problem is that - and here the story comes full circle back to our contrast assessment - in such scenes we cannot count on absolutely cinematic black. In our opinion, this compromise is too great; high visibility of details in bright areas should not come at the cost of such a significant boost to black levels. And although the HDR effect itself can make a stunning impression here, it is essential to remember that when very challenging, mixed scenes appear on screen, we might feel a slight disappointment. Exactly the one we mentioned in the previous paragraph regarding issues with dimming in HDR mode. As a consolation, it is worth adding that the S Pro 2026 has been equipped with an additional PFS filter (similar in function to a QLED layer), which effectively broadens the colour gamut coverage. As a result, measurements showed DCI-P3 coverage reaching up to 94%. This gives us confidence that in most colourful scenes, the image will appear rich and appropriately saturated.

TCL C75B offers several picture modes, but in our opinion, the best choice is the “Film” mode. Although its settings are quite decent, the television struggles with some colour reproduction issues. In our tests, we noticed that the image had a noticeably pinkish tint compared to what could be considered accurate. This effect was particularly evident in skin tones, which appeared unnaturally flushed. The main culprit for this phenomenon turned out to be the white balance, characterised by an excessive amount of blue and red in both HD and 4K HDR materials.

An additional problem was the way brightness was rendered. The gamma, which is responsible for the visibility of details in darker materials, was definitely boosted, causing details in the darkest parts of the screen to be invisible, disappearing into complete blackness (e.g., the lower part of the screen in the comparison photo - around the actress's ear). Similarly, the situation was reflected in the EOTF curve, which was below the correct value, suggesting that we might encounter a similar problem in 4K HDR content.

Thanks to our experience and the right tools, we decided to take matters into our own hands and see how much we could extract from this model after professional calibration. We describe the details in the next section.

Of course, all our measurements were carried out in "Film" mode, which is typically the best and most accurate choice we get straight out of the box. It needs to be said plainly: although it is the best mode, it is still very far from ideal. Firstly, the television has a clear tendency to impart a cool, bluish tint to the image – this is due to a poorly set white balance. Additionally, there is the issue of how the S Pro 2026 manages its brightness straight out of the box, which results in an overly vivid image. These two flaws contribute to truly significant colourimetric errors (Delta E). In HDR content, they were able to exceed our anticipated error scale of "10" by twofold (meaning values close to 20). As a reminder – the threshold for perceivable error by the human eye is a Delta E value of around 3. Results at the level of 20 indicate that the image significantly deviates from what the director intended.

After calibrating the TCL C75B, it has clearly improved in terms of colour reproduction. Although the television does not offer many options for adjusting the white balance, we managed to enhance its settings quite significantly. As a result, the image is no longer excessively pink, and the colours now look much more natural and harmonious.

The gamma jump, which was previously an issue, has not completely disappeared, but we have managed to reduce it considerably. This has made details in dark scenes more visible – both in HD and 4K HDR materials.

Unfortunately, the lack of local dimming is still noticeable. The "blooming black" effect remains, but that is a limitation of the display itself. Nevertheless, the colours after calibration look far better, and the image is much more enjoyable to watch.

So how does the S Pro 2026 perform after our calibration procedure? We have to admit that after calibration, the television becomes a really very pleasant device for watching everyday content. As you can see in the graphs, in HD (SDR) materials, both white balance and gamma values have been brought to nearly perfection. Most importantly, colourimetric errors have become practically unnoticeable to the human eye. In this scenario, the S Pro 2026 is simply an excellent television that, after professional calibration, can provide a lot of enjoyment from watching. However, it is worth clearly noting – our efforts have not helped much in 4K HDR mode. Despite the calibration, the television still interprets the image quite strongly "in its own way," which is clearly visible in the measurement of the EOTF curve (brightness tracking). It’s a bit of a shame, as it shows that the problem lies not in the panel itself, but in the software. Underdeveloped image management algorithms in HDR content can, unfortunately, rule out this television for many more discerning users.

In terms of the smoothness of tonal transitions, the TCL C75B performs really well. The gradation of the darkest colours is particularly impressive – here the television does not disappoint and presents a high-quality image.

Some imperfections can be seen in the brightest areas of the screen, such as in a scene from the film Kingsman (the sun in the blue sky). Nevertheless, the final effect should satisfy the vast majority of users.

Let us now turn to the analysis of tonal transitions, that is, the fluidity with which the television can render transitions between closely related shades. In the case of the Xiaomi S Pro 2026, the image that emerges from this is distinctly ambivalent. On the one hand, we have bright gradations. When scenes with a blue sky or other smooth transitions in the light areas of the image appear on the screen, the S Pro 2026 handles them exemplary. They look perfectly smooth, with no visible artefacts.

Unfortunately, the situation changes dramatically as soon as dark scenes take the stage on the screen. Frankly speaking – they look really poor. Instead of a smooth tonal transition in the darkness, the screen very clearly shows the joins of colours and unappealing "stepping" of the gradients. This is very noticeable in darker films or games and can effectively ruin the viewing experience.

TCL C75B has a tone transition smoothing function, but unfortunately, we cannot commend it. Regardless of the selected level – low or high – tone transitions in older materials remained visible, as if the function wasn't working at all. It's hard to say anything positive about it, as in practice it seems completely useless.

The image scaling is better. The television performs quite decently, although on thinner elements, like branches in the background, you can notice slight jaggedness. However, this is not something that significantly interferes with daily viewing.

Unfortunately, a bigger problem turned out to be overscan, which is cutting off the edges of the image. In our tests, there were instances where news tickers or other elements near the edge of the screen were cut off. This is definitely something to pay attention to, especially if we use the television for watching news programmes or content with text on the screen.

Let's start with the issue we raised in the previous paragraph: can the television actually fix the problem of dreadful tonal transitions in dark scenes? Theoretically, yes – in the menu, we find a feature with the promising name "Colour Contour Removal." Well, "theoretically." Unfortunately, in practice, this setting – regardless of which of the three power levels is chosen – yielded absolutely no real results. So we are dealing with a feature that, in practice, only exists in the menu. Moving on to the quality of upscaling (scaling the image from a lower resolution to 4K), unfortunately, we have more bad news for you. The S Pro 2026 performs very poorly at this task. Interestingly, the phenomenon of "overscan" (slight cropping of the image) is not a major issue here. The fact is that the television simply displays a very raw, unprocessed image. Its attempt to upscale the signal to a higher resolution looks simply lacklustre and lacks any form of "intelligent" improvement. There is no denying it – the entire digital image processing is the real Achilles' heel of this model.

The TCL C75B definitely has something to offer gamers. The television is equipped with a panel that can display images with a refresh rate of 144 Hz in 4K, and even 240 Hz in Full HD. These are really impressive results, especially for a model from the entry-level range.

In addition, there are features for improving fluidity and reducing motion blur in films. The "Motion" option allows precise adjustment of the effect on a 10-point scale, which offers great personalisation possibilities - everyone can set the fluidity as they like.

On paper, the S Pro 2026 specification looks impressive. The television is equipped with a native 144 Hz panel, with the ability to display images at up to 288 Hz in a dedicated gaming mode. These are amazing results, but what interested us most, in the context of everyday use, was how the television handles motion blur and how the image looks at 120 Hz. After all, this is the frequency used by consoles like the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S, and it is desired by sports fans. Generally, the panel "holds up". The matrix is sufficiently fast to meet these challenges, and objects displayed at native 120Hz fluidity are shown correctly. As for the software, the television is equipped with motion smoothing technology; however, with a key caveat – it works only for input signals up to 60 Hz. This means it is primarily suitable for traditional television, films, and series. Thanks to this, we can adjust the fluidity of the image to our own preferences – from a very smooth, "theatrical" approach to setting the slider to "zero" and maintaining a fully cinematic character.

The TCL C75B is undoubtedly a television designed with gamers in mind. It offers nearly everything that even the most demanding console users could need. With the implementation of fully capable HDMI 2.1, the television supports features like ALLM (Automatic Low Latency Mode) and VRR (Variable Refresh Rate) – operating within the full potential of the television, up to 240 Hz in Full HD resolution.

Additionally, the television supports advanced HDR technologies, including Dolby Vision and HGiG, allowing for even better detail reproduction in HDR-optimised games. The C75B is also equipped with a very convenient interface for gamers in the form of Game Bar, where all key parameters such as refresh rate, input lag, and image settings can be checked – all within a single click.

In a nutshell: the C75B is a great choice for gamers, offering a wide range of features that allow users to fully enjoy the capabilities of modern consoles and games.

For gamers, the Xiaomi S Pro 2026 is almost an ideal proposition on paper. It is equipped with two HDMI 2.1 ports, which allow us to unlock (although these options are somewhat hidden in the menu) the full package of features: ALLM, VRR and, crucially, the ability to work in 4K at 144 Hz. This last feature should particularly please the owners of powerful PCs. The television also has something resembling a gamer panel – and although it's hard to call it a fully-fledged "Gamebar", it serves its purpose by displaying key information. It’s just a shame that in its default form, it obscures a relatively large portion of the screen.

The biggest issue we have with this model, however, concerns how the S Pro 2026 handles games in HDR mode. To put it bluntly: it doesn’t handle it well at all. Due to the television having a poorly implemented HGiG feature (the HDR tone mapping standard for games), it is very easy to "overexpose" the image during initial HDR calibration on the console. If someone is unaware of this software flaw and follows the on-screen instructions, they will simply set the image incorrectly, resulting in burnt-out details in the bright areas. Another major problem is the Dolby Vision mode for games. While it does work, it generates such a high input lag that it becomes noticeable in dynamic titles. (You can check all our lag measurements in the paragraph below). In summary: Generally speaking, this is a really very good screen for gamers, but with one small caveat. We would rather avoid using HDR mode on it – unless we decide to manually set the brightness bar on the console "by eye", completely ignoring the instructions from the console’s pictogram.

Input lag in the TCL C75B is something that really impresses. At a refresh rate of 144 Hz, the lag is only 9 ms, which makes the TV's response to our actions on the pad or keyboard practically instantaneous. For 60 Hz, the result is 19 ms – while not record-breakingly low, it still falls within the range where delays are practically unnoticeable during gaming. One could say that the difference would not be felt anyway, which makes this TV a good choice even for more demanding gamers.

We move on to one of the most important measurements for gamers, namely signal delay (input lag). Overall, the Xiaomi S Pro 2026 performs excellently here. Generally, in game mode, the lag is very low. With 120 Hz content (from consoles or PCs), we easily achieved results below 10 ms. These are truly outstanding results and, in practice, completely imperceptible for most people, even those very sensitive to lag. Unfortunately, there is one "but" that constitutes the biggest flaw of this model in gaming. This is concerning the Dolby Vision Gaming mode. When this mode is activated, input lag rises to an astronomical level of around 100 ms. At this value, the delay between our movements on the controller (we tested on an Xbox console) and what is displayed on the screen becomes really significant and irritating. Therefore, our recommendation is simple: we absolutely do not recommend using the Dolby Vision Gaming mode on this television.

TCL C75B is quite a good choice for connecting to a computer. With high refresh rates, low input lag, and support for G-Sync, the television performs excellently in games – both dynamic ones and more demanding titles. The image is smooth, and the response to our actions is quick, which gamers will surely appreciate.

For office work, the television also does well. Text is readable, although on a dark background some imperfections can be noticed – certain fonts look as if there are missing pieces of vertical lines. This may be distracting if we work a lot with documents or text editing. However, if the computer is mainly used for gaming or watching films, the TCL C75B will easily fulfill its role as a monitor. It is a versatile piece of equipment that can handle most applications.

Generally, when it comes to gaming, the S Pro 2026 is a fantastic screen for PC owners. It offers a refresh rate of up to 288 Hz at Full HD resolution or a full 144 Hz at 4K. All of this, supported by technologies such as AMD FreeSync or G-Sync, really caters to very demanding gamers. And what about "desktop" work? Here we have good news. Although the displayed font may not be perfectly sharp (like on a dedicated PC monitor with an IPS panel), it is presented in a really pleasant and readable manner. This is due to the proper implementation of Chroma 4:4:4 sampling, which ensures that text is clear and there are no issues with coloured fringes.

The viewing angles on the TCL C75B are, unfortunately, very poor. This is a typical compromise with VA panels – better blacks at the cost of side viewing visibility. The image quickly loses quality when viewed from an angle, which is the complete opposite of what IPS panel televisions offer. If we plan to watch the television mainly straight on, this won't be a major issue. However, with a larger number of viewers sitting at different angles, the image quality may disappoint.

As for a television equipped with a VA panel, we must admit that the decrease in brightness when deviating from the screen's axis is relatively small in the Xiaomi S Pro 2026. However, one must remember the second, crucial aspect – colour saturation significantly degrades at angles. This is typical behaviour for televisions with VA panels that do not have additional coatings to widen viewing angles. Is this a downside of this television? Probably not. It's simply a characteristic, the price we have to pay for the key qualities of a VA panel in the form of its high native contrast.

The TCL C75B performs moderately during the day. The satin screen somewhat limits reflections, but it's not an ideal solution. The brightness is also an issue – 350 cd/m² is simply too low for comfortable viewing in a brightly lit room.

In less extreme conditions, such as in a moderately lit room, the television manages well. However, if the sun beams directly onto the screen in summer, watching may become tiring. It's worth keeping this in mind when choosing this model.

Due to its very high peak brightness, the Xiaomi S Pro 2026 performs exceptionally well in brightly lit rooms. In most scenarios, it is capable of "cutting through" even very strong room lighting. However, it should be noted that the matrix used here averages out in terms of reflecting light. This means that in darker areas of the image, or when the television is displaying a dark scene, direct reflections (e.g. the reflection of a window or lamp) may be annoying. Nevertheless, the S Pro 2026, as a television for a bright living room, will perform very well indeed, thanks to its tremendous brightness.

TCL C75B is a television that is primarily based on the Google TV system. The platform offers access to most popular applications, such as Netflix, YouTube, and Prime Video, which makes it great for watching content from the internet. However, it should be mentioned that the system can sometimes be slightly laggy, which may be noticeable during everyday use.

In terms of smart features, the C75B performs well. Voice control with the help of the built-in assistant works efficiently, and thanks to AirPlay and Miracast, it is easy to stream content from your phone or laptop. Bluetooth allows you to connect headphones, controllers, or other devices without any major issues.

However, if someone is counting on traditional television features, they may be disappointed. There is no option to record programmes onto a USB drive, nor is there a picture-in-picture (PiP) feature. TCL has been omitting such features for some time, which may not appeal to users who primarily use traditional television.

Operating System (Google TV)

The enormous advantage of the Xiaomi S Pro 2026 is undoubtedly the presence of the Google TV system. This gives us access to a gigantic library of applications – we can find literally everything here, from leading VOD platforms to niche players. The system also offers a plethora of useful features, such as a built-in Chromecast, support for AirPlay and Screen Mirroring, as well as an efficiently functioning voice search. The Google TV system itself is great, but one must take a slight grain of salt with its implementation by Xiaomi. During our tests, it occasionally exhibited what could be described as a "breathlessness." Animations could stutter slightly, and the response to commands was not immediate. This is certainly not the level of fluidity that we are accustomed to with top-tier, significantly more expensive models equipped with more powerful processors.

Television Features and Connectivity

How does the S Pro 2026 perform as a "regular" television? Unfortunately, here we have less good news. In terms of traditional television viewing, we can only commend this model mainly for having a convenient remote control with a numeric keypad – which (surprisingly) is not a standard today. However, this is where the conveniences end. We will not find either USB recording functionality (PVR) or a PiP (Picture-in-Picture) option. On the plus side, we appreciate the extensive Bluetooth connectivity options. We were able to connect external devices to the television, such as wireless headphones, a keyboard, or a mouse, without any issues, which significantly simplifies operation.

The built-in media player in the TCL C75B works really well. It handles most popular photo and audio formats without any issues. Although there are some shortcomings in supporting certain formats, thanks to Google TV, you can easily install an alternative player that will resolve this issue.

The built-in, default media player in the Xiaomi S Pro 2026 is – given the capabilities of the Google TV system – simply weak. Its biggest drawback is the fact that it does not support characters other than those from the standard alphabet. As a result, it does not display, among others, Polish fonts in subtitles or file names. Fortunately, as we have already mentioned, the heart of the television is Google TV. This system allows for the quick installation of an external, significantly better player, such as VLC or Kodi. For this television, we recommend installing an alternative player immediately after the first start-up.

The sound on the TCL C75B is really pleasant, especially at lower volume levels. The bass is noticeable and enhances the sound nicely, but only up to about 40% volume. At higher settings, problems start to arise – the bass causes unpleasant vibrations, and the speakers begin to crackle. If we plan to frequently use higher volume levels, it is worth considering purchasing a soundbar, as the built-in speakers may not cope with more demanding situations.

We have to admit that the S Pro 2026 has pleasantly surprised us. The television is equipped with a 30W speaker system, which, for its class, sounds really very good. There is even a noticeable hint of bass, and the mid and high tones are quite well balanced. Of course, all of this is within the capabilities of what the television's speakers can deliver, yet it is a level we did not expect from such a relatively inexpensive model. A huge plus is also the support for top audio technologies. The television is capable of decoding not only the very popular Dolby Atmos format but also the recently quite rarely seen DTS:X, which we mainly find on Blu-ray discs.

TCL C75B vs Xiaomi S Pro 2026

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

Daytime performance

Panel details

TV features

Classic features:

Smart features:

Operating System (Google TV)

Television Features and Connectivity

Apps

Playing files from USB

Sound

Sound Quality Test

Acoustic Measurements