Compare: Xiaomi S Mini 2025 vs TCL V6C

Xiaomi, well known as a giant in the smartphone market, has decided to fight for the attention of high-end technology enthusiasts by presenting a television with MiniLED backlighting. The S MiniLED 2025 model looks truly impressive on paper. The vast 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 excellently where smooth motion 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 such as ALLM and GameBar further enhances the gaming experience. Google TV on this television works as it should – quickly, smoothly, without unnecessary stutters, which we could not say about the model A Pro 2025. Additionally, with such an extensive application 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 drawbacks. The biggest problem is the algorithms managing the dimming zones, which can be quite irritating when watching films in the evening. The operation of individual zones is overly noticeable in dynamic scenes, which can effectively distract our attention from the image. Issues also arise in more demanding HDR scenes despite the truly impressive brightness. Small, bright elements often lose brightness, ruining the effect that a top-quality image should provide. The system is also not free from shortcomings – image enhancement features for lower-quality materials work unevenly, and some options in Google TV are poorly translated or even untranslated. The Xiaomi S MiniLED 2025 has huge potential, but in its current form, it seems underutilised. It is clear that Xiaomi wanted to create something truly good, but several significant shortcomings result in a mixed final effect. 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 local dimming issues 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.

The TCL V6C is a television whose essence lies primarily in three elements: the Google TV system, several features useful for gamers, and a very low price. It is the Google TV that is its greatest asset – providing access to a vast library of applications, from the most popular streaming services to lesser-known programmes, and it also allows for the use of AirPlay, screen mirroring, and voice search. For many users, this system alone may be a sufficient reason to consider purchasing it. Adding to this are simple yet practical features for gamers, such as ALLM mode, low input lag, or the Game Bar with parameter overview, which make occasional gaming on a console more convenient. The third argument, and perhaps the most important, is the price – in this class, it's hard to find another model with Google TV that offers such broad access to smart functions. However, when we turn to picture quality, it becomes clear how many compromises we are dealing with. The V6C is a very dark television. Colours remain lacking, and in more demanding scenes, the image can appear flattened and devoid of detail. The contrast provided by the VA panel can be considered decent, but it comes at the cost of poor viewing angles. Additionally, there is motion blur in dynamic sports scenes, as well as an unnatural upscaling effect that, instead of improving details, often artificially sharpens them. So who is this model for? The V6C is a television that will work well as a simple device for everyday watching of TV or YouTube, and its greatest strength is its operating system and low price. However, if we're hoping for cheap cinematic experiences or comfortable gaming on modern titles, this model will quickly show its limitations. When purchasing it, one must clearly understand what they are deciding upon – this is a television for simple tasks, not a piece of equipment that is meant to impress with its picture quality.

Xiaomi S MiniLED is one of the most affordable MiniLED technology televisions available on the market. The model we tested, with a size of 55 inches, features as many as 308 local dimming zones, which is impressive for this price. Additionally, it uses a VA panel, which naturally offers significantly better contrast than IPS panels. On static test images, the television performed excellently, achieving an impressive contrast ratio of 182,000:1 in the film Oblivion. The blacks were deep, and the details in the light and dark areas of the image were clearly separated. However, in more demanding scenes where the image is dynamic, the situation becomes complicated.

Where lies the problem? The main cause is the local dimming algorithms. Although their work shows promising results on static images, during film playback – that is, in the natural working conditions of the television – they operate too aggressively. In dynamic scenes, such as those from the tested film, you 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 excellent contrast on paper, in practice the effect is less satisfying. The aggressive operation of the algorithms spoils the perception of dynamic scenes, making the television average in this category. It's a good example of how MiniLED technology requires not only good specifications but also proper optimisation.

The TCK V6C uses a VA matrix, which is a solution that is considered quite a reasonable choice in budget televisions. This type of panel offers high contrast and can provide pleasant experiences, particularly during evening film screenings. Of course, in this price range, it is difficult to expect local dimming – that technology simply isn't present here. The effect is that black will not be as deep and inky as in more expensive models, and at times it may resemble more of a shade of navy. Fortunately, this can be easily mitigated – just turn on a soft light behind the television or place a small lamp in the corner of the room, allowing the eyes to "trick" themselves and making blacks appear significantly better. For equipment in this category, the contrast can therefore be regarded as decent and sufficient for daily viewing.

Since the Xiaomi S MiniLED boasts an impressive number of 308 dimming zones, it is time to test 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. Do these figures, however, translate to real experiences in film scenes? In the case of less demanding shots, such as those from the film The Meg, the television indeed showed excellent results, reaching up to 900 nits. Such values are impressive and can truly convey the power of HDR effects.

Unfortunately, much like with contrast, it wasn't without issues. When smaller, brighter elements appear on the screen – as in the challenging scenes from Sicario 2 – the aggressive operation of the dimming zones spoils the entire effect. Brightness in these moments drops to just 100 nits. This is definitely too little to capture the full magic of HDR. Instead of a dynamic and detailed image, the viewer receives a muted, almost flat impression, which takes away all the enjoyment from the viewing experience.

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

When it comes to HDR, the TCK V6C clearly shows that this is not its strong suit. A peak brightness of around 200 nits makes it difficult to speak of true HDR effects – the image simply remains too dark to extract details in bright scenes or convey the appropriate dynamics. Although the television formally supports many HDR formats, in practice it is not equipped for such demanding content. The lack of additional coatings that enhance colours, such as QLED or PFS LED, further limits the attractiveness of the image – in more spectacular productions, colours can appear washed out compared to more expensive models. Therefore, the V6C will primarily serve as a television for everyday viewing, YouTube or SDR content, rather than as equipment for cinematic experiences in high quality.

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 reflect a reference image, but the reality turned out to be somewhat different.

Let's start with the test of SDR content. Here, the television had quite a few issues, especially with white balance. The clearly visible dominance of red made the image look too warm, with all colours taking on a reddish hue. This was particularly noticeable in a comparative scene from the film Star Wars. The brightness characteristics (gamma) also left much to be desired – instead of a smooth transition, we had a real "rollercoaster," with a visible excessive brightening of the screen.

In 4K content, the situation improved significantly. The white balance, although still not perfect, was much more balanced, with a slight dominance of red and blue, but without 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, for example, in the test scene from the film Pan that we described earlier. These brightening effects may disturb the precision of the image, but in 4K, the overall effect was much more acceptable than in SDR.

Although Xiaomi S MiniLED can pleasantly surprise with 4K content, its factory settings in SDR require solid adjustments, especially regarding white balance and brightness. This is definitely a television that would benefit from calibration.

We started our colour reproduction tests with the Filmmaker mode, which in theory should be the best choice straight out of the box. It certainly performs better than the Eco or Dynamic modes, which significantly alter the image and spoil its natural character. As you can see from the graphs, the factory calibration of the V6C is not ideal, although it's not a complete disaster either. The biggest issue turned out to be a deficiency in red – the television clearly "cools" the image, which is particularly noticeable on human faces, giving a "corpse skin" effect. This issue was the most bothersome in everyday viewing. Looking at the colour palette in HDR content, the shortcomings in red are also noticeable, and their source is the relatively narrow coverage of the colour space. Of course, every television can be calibrated, so we decided to check how the V6C would perform after such an adjustment.

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

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

In 4K HDR materials, the calibration also brought visible improvements, particularly in the white balance. The image looks natural and cohesive. However, the characteristic of brightness remains a problem. EOTF analysis in film materials shows that the television tends to over-brighten or under-darken the smallest elements on the screen. This is a result of limitations in the dimming algorithms we discussed earlier with HDR and contrast testing. Unfortunately, this is a technical characteristic of this model that cannot be completely eliminated.

Despite this minor flaw, the calibration allowed for maximising the capabilities of this television. The image now looks phenomenal, and its quality impresses in every type of material. Xiaomi S MiniLED 2025 shows that with the right settings, it can compete with more expensive models.

My dear friends – we haven’t had such a difficult "calibration battle" in years. The V6C turned out to be one of the most stubborn televisions we have encountered in the editorial office. The calibration attempts alone took us several man-hours and required considerable patience. We finally managed to slightly warm the skin tones, which made faces stop looking like they were pulled straight from a horror film, a complaint regarding the factory settings. Unfortunately, that's not the end of it – the television reacted to our white balance corrections in a completely unpredictable manner. Where we expected stabilisation of the image in a certain area, new errors appeared, and the Color Checker measurements showed deviations that could not be rationally explained. It is hard to determine whether the issue lay with the software or the design itself, but one thing is certain – the V6C put up exceptionally strong resistance. Ultimately, the calibration brought improvement, especially in SDR content, where the image became more pleasant and natural. However, it must be clearly stated that the design limitations remain. The television still flattens the image in HDR materials and has noticeable deficiencies in colour reproduction. This device is rather intended for everyday television watching or SDR materials than for cinematic viewing in the highest quality.

The fluidity of tonal transitions in Xiaomi S MiniLED 2025 is impressive. Even in the theoretically most difficult scene with red water, the television performs excellently – we did not notice any major issues. Minor imperfections occur in scenes like The Kingsman or The Martian, where subtle colour blending can be observed. 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.

When it comes to the fluidity of tonal transitions, in everyday viewing it doesn't look too bad. In most scenes, the image appears smooth, and the colours blend without noticeable disturbances. Therefore, you can comfortably watch films or series without worrying about glaring artifacts. The problem only begins in more extreme moments – in very bright or exceptionally dark scenes, the V6C shows its limitations. At those times, you can see a slight "stepping" of colours, meaning a lack of perfectly smooth transitions. Fortunately, these situations are rather occasional.

When it comes to tonal transitions in lower quality materials, such as YouTube or television, the Xiaomi S MiniLED is equipped with a feature called "Colour Contour Removal." At the "low" setting, it performs quite well, although its effectiveness can be inconsistent. Sometimes it seems as though the television is struggling to smoothen, which creates a certain dissonance. On the positive side, we did not notice any visible side effects, although due to the instability of this feature, one could suspect that unexpected issues may arise in certain situations.

Image scaling also performs moderately. There is some slight jaggedness, particularly on thin elements like branches, and subtitles can appear slightly jagged. While this may not be very bothersome, a more discerning eye will certainly pick up on these shortcomings. Overall, most users should be satisfied with the quality of scaling and smoothing, but the television will not satisfy those who expect perfection in every frame of the image.

When it comes to upscaling, the V6C does not bring anything groundbreaking to the table. Lower quality content is heavily sharpened, making the image look very unnatural, at times even artificial. This can be somewhat mitigated by lowering the sharpness level in the settings, but the effect is not spectacular. The image still remains far from ideal. The digital processing itself performs better. The function responsible for smoothing tonal transitions works quite effectively, especially at the medium setting, where the image does indeed appear smoother. Unfortunately, its operation is rather aggressive – it heavily interferes with the overall scene, causing the actors in the foreground to start looking like characters from super smooth soap operas. Therefore, we would rather not recommend using this option if a natural viewing experience is important to us.

Xiaomi S MiniLED 2025 is equipped with a panel featuring a refresh rate of 4K@120Hz (1080p@240Hz), which provides sufficient smoothness for both watching dynamic sports broadcasts and playing the latest games. This level of refresh rate makes the image appear fluid, even in the most intense scenes. Additionally, the television offers a “Motion Smoothing” feature that allows you to adjust the way the image is displayed in films. You can choose a more frame-like effect, typical of the cinematic experience, or a smoother one, reminiscent of the so-called “theatrical effect.” This way, every user can tailor the settings to their preferences and enjoy smooth images in their favourite content.

Motion smoothing and fluidity are areas where the V6C quickly reveals its limitations. It's a 60 Hz television, so it was difficult to expect miracles here. During dynamic sports scenes, the image is rather average. This is most noticeable in darker scenes, where clear trails and blurred "glows" follow moving objects, which can be quite distracting. This is definitely a weaker point of this design. Fortunately, there is also a small plus. The V6C is equipped with a motion smoother that works while watching films. Thanks to it, productions recorded at 24 frames per second, which includes practically all cinematic titles and series, can look smoother than they were actually recorded. Importantly, the intensity of the effect can be adjusted to personal preferences – from a slight smoothing to a full "soap opera effect".

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 will appreciate during dynamic games without annoying lags. Regardless of what we connect, it functions smoothly, and the television handles various resolutions exceptionally well. There is also the GameBar, which may not look as impressive as the "bars" from the competition, but makes up for it with practicality. It is a simple settings panel that allows us to quickly change the most important options or check statistics – an ideal solution when time is of the essence.

However, we must admit that operating the television itself – or rather finding the gaming features within it – posed a significant challenge for us. We approached the testing of the Xiaomi S MiniLED 2025 several times to locate all the necessary options. The hidden menu allowed us to discover the "GameBoost" feature, which enables switching the television to 240 Hz mode, activating VRR, and allows for enabling picture in HGIG mode.

In summary, the Xiaomi S MiniLED 2025 is a television that definitely deserves praise in the gaming hardware 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 may pose a challenge for the average user.

Although the V6C is not a television designed with avid gamers in mind, TCL has added a few features that might appeal to more casual users. It does not have a 120 Hz panel or HDMI 2.1 ports, but there is an ALLM mode that automatically switches the television to low-latency mode. Additionally, there is quite a practical Game Bar – a simple panel for previewing basic parameters, changing picture modes, or even activating a virtual crosshair on the screen. An interesting feature is the support for Dolby Vision Gaming, intended for Xbox Series S/X consoles – a nice addition, although in practice it does not offer as much as in more expensive models. However, the biggest issue remains the configuration of HDR. The HGiG function, responsible for adjusting the brightness and contrast of games to the capabilities of the panel, does not respond as we would expect – the image can be excessively dark or too flat. As a result, the better solution turns out to be simply playing in SDR mode, where the V6C performs stably and does not try to pretend to be a HDR television.

The input lag of the Xiaomi S MiniLED 2025 is one of its biggest advantages. 8 ms for 120 Hz content and 17 ms for 60 Hz is an absolutely remarkable performance that will satisfy even the most demanding gamers. Furthermore, 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 fans of high-quality HDR gaming experiences.

The measurement of input lag indicates values below 15 ms, which is a level that is practically difficult to detect with the naked eye. Even in dynamic games, the action remains responsive and the controls fluid. This is a result that can confidently be considered very good and sufficiently adequate for most players, even though the V6C is not strictly a gaming device.

Xiaomi S MiniLED 2025 is a good choice if we need a television for working with a computer. The fonts are very clear thanks to the support for chroma 4:4:4, making it perfect 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.

Collaboration with a PC is only partially satisfactory. The TV supports chroma 4:4:4, so at first glance, the fonts appear quite decent. The problem arises only when we look closely – under a microscope, it turns out that TCL has employed an unusual subpixel arrangement in the V6C. Instead of the classic vertical layout, we have a horizontal arrangement here, which in practice causes various artifacts and irregularities in the display of letters. Fonts can appear jagged, and after extended use, text can be straining on the eyes. Therefore, it is hard to consider the V6C as a sensible alternative to a monitor – it is suitable for occasional browsing or viewing content from a computer, but it completely fails as a primary work screen. There is also nothing to say about gaming features, as they simply do not exist.

In terms of viewing angles, Xiaomi S MiniLED 2025 does not impress. This is a typical problem with VA panels, which do not perform well without additional coatings that widen viewing angles. The image begins to lose quality when watching the television from the side – colours fade and contrast significantly drops. However, the advantage of VA panels is their considerably better contrast compared to IPS panels, which in turn win in terms of wider viewing angles. This is a classic compromise where one has to choose between better blacks and a more universal image seen from various places in the room.

The viewing angles on the V6C are a classic compromise that we know from VA panels. We gain solid blacks when watching directly in front, but simply shifting slightly to the side causes the picture to noticeably lose quality – colours fade, and contrast drops. This is a typical limitation of this technology and is unlikely to surprise anyone who has previously dealt with televisions. In practice, this means that the V6C performs best in a “one-sofa” setup – when we watch directly in front of the screen, the blacks appear decent, but a larger group of viewers spread around the entire living room will quickly notice differences in the displayed image.

Xiaomi S MiniLED 2025 is equipped with a satin finish on the panel, which performs fairly well in reducing reflections. On the screen surface, one can notice light reflections, which can be somewhat distracting in bright rooms. However, the key feature that saves this television in daytime use is its brightness. With a value of 841 cd/m², the screen performs effortlessly even in very sunny interiors. This is more than enough to comfortably watch television, films, 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 delivers.

The performance of the V6C during the day is not one of its strong points. It is a relatively dim television, which is why it simply struggles in brightly lit rooms. The satin coating of the panel somewhat dampens reflections and indeed reduces bothersome glare, but it is not enough to speak of full viewing comfort. When a lot of natural light floods into the room, the screen cannot 'break through' it, causing the image to become dimmed and barely readable. The V6C is definitely a piece of equipment that feels much better during an evening viewing than in the sunny afternoon.

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 the everyday experience of using the television. 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 television but also ask about the weather forecast or set a reminder for the next day. Unfortunately, we noticed during testing that some features have difficulty translating into Polish, which can be frustrating, especially for those less adept at navigating the settings. Despite this, the overall impression is very good, and minor shortcomings can be corrected in future updates.

The device manages connectivity well. Wireless connections to Windows computers or Apple devices proceed smoothly, and thanks to Bluetooth, we can easily connect headphones, keyboards, or other accessories. The remote control 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 may feel the lack of recording features from tuners or the PiP (picture in picture) option. This somewhat limits capabilities, but for those focusing on streaming and modern functionalities, it shouldn't be a significant issue.

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

SmartTV: GoogleTV

The greatest asset of the V6C is the Google TV operating system. This is an extensive platform that provides access to a huge database of applications – from YouTube, Netflix, Disney+, and HBO Max, to less popular programmes that can be easily downloaded from the Google store. In addition, there are useful features such as AirPlay, screen mirroring, and voice search. However, it is important to remember that Google TV is not one of the lightest systems. In the case of the V6C, which is a budget television, there are sometimes noticeable lags and slower interface responses. This does not spoil everyday usage, but it can be felt, especially in comparison to more expensive TCL models or competitors.

Classic Features

The V6C also does not forget about solutions for those who use traditional television. Included in the package is a classic remote control with a large number of buttons, including a full numerical keypad. This is practical for those watching terrestrial or cable television. The television also offers teletext and a clear interface for navigating channels. The seamless Bluetooth operation is a plus – we can easily pair headphones or speakers. Thus, the V6C performs solidly as an everyday television, although certain shortcomings should be kept in mind. We will not find USB recording or picture-in-picture (PiP) mode here, which are features that may mainly be needed by older users. (Though not exclusively 😉).

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

Fortunately, the presence of the Google TV system allows for an easy workaround of this limitation. Thanks to it, alternative file playback applications can be installed, which handle Polish characters and offer much more extensive options. As a result, the limitations of the built-in player are not as burdensome as one might think.

Playing files from USB on the V6C is quite impressive. The built-in player handles most popular video and audio formats well, and during testing, we did not encounter major difficulties when launching typical files. The biggest issue arose with images in very high resolution – above 20 Mpix the television often refused to cooperate. We also noticed minor gaps in functionality regarding video playback. The video player does not have the option to change the font colours, which had previously worked without issue in other TCL models. Fortunately, these inconveniences are easy to work around. Thanks to Google TV, one can install external applications such as VLC or KODI, which solve most problems and offer much broader file handling capabilities.

Xiaomi S MiniLED 2025 plays really nicely and even offers a light bass, reminiscent of the sound known from the lower model, namely A Pro 2025. The sound is well balanced, making watching films or listening to music comfortable, even without additional audio equipment. Interestingly, the television effortlessly supports audio formats such as Dolby Atmos and the less common DTS:X. This means you can connect a home cinema system or soundbar and enjoy spatial sound without any difficulties. A nice addition is also the presence of a standard speaker jack.

The sound in the V6C does not stand out in any particular way compared to competitors in the same price range. The audio is quite flat, and there is simply a lack of bass. Fortunately, the television can play loudly – a measured 83 decibels is a fairly decent result, and importantly, even at maximum volume there is no unpleasant crackling that often plagues cheaper models. However, it’s worth noting not just the quality of the built-in audio, but also the support for advanced spatial audio formats. The V6C handles Dolby Atmos and DTS:X, so connecting a soundbar or another external audio system will not be a problem and will allow users to fully utilise these codecs. This is a good signal for those who plan to upgrade their setup with additional sound equipment.

Xiaomi S Mini 2025 vs TCL V6C

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:

Sound connection options

Supported audio formats (external HDMI eARC audio):

Senior accessibility

SmartTV: GoogleTV

Classic Features

Apps

Playing files from USB

Sound

Sound Quality Test

Acoustic Measurements