- 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 not just larger variants of the Xiaomi S Mini 2026. Unlike the 55-, 65- and 75-inch models, they feature a 144 Hz panel, giving them significantly greater capabilities, particularly in gaming and sport. For that reason we prepared a separate review for them. In it we check whether the larger variant really deserves a higher position in the range and how it compares with the smaller 60 Hz version.
XIAOMI S Mini 2026 144Hz - Our verdict
7.1
Overall rating
In its 85- and 98-inch sizes, the Xiaomi S Mini 2026 is a television that can be recommended with far more confidence than its smaller variants. Very good contrast, around 1000 nits of brightness and Dolby Vision support mean HDR films look really good, and the 144 Hz panel gives it a completely different set of possibilities for sport and gaming. If someone is looking for a large Mini LED and is not willing to pay top-tier prices, this variant simply makes a lot of sense. It is not a device without flaws. The processing of weaker material could use a little more refinement, which is often visible on a screen this large. However, you have to remember the price: in this budget most rivals also require compromises, often even greater ones. That's why the 85- and 98-inch versions hold up as a far more complete proposition and, with good pricing, are simply a cost-effective choice. The most puzzling decision is Xiaomi's choice to lump all sizes into a single category. When you buy the 85- or 98-inch model, you get not only more inches but also native 144 Hz, Dolby Vision, a more responsive system and a better processor. That alone would be enough to justify 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 televisions. Ultimately, it is in these largest screen sizes that the Xiaomi S Mini 2026 performs best. It's a genuinely successful television that offers a huge screen and excellent specifications at a very attractive price.
Advantages
120/144 Hz panel
Very good contrast: Mini LED + VA
High brightness of around 1000 nits
Supports Dolby Vision
Extensive gaming features
Low input lag
Google TV with a wide selection of apps
Disadvantages
Poor image processing
Average glare reduction
Poor viewing angles, typical of VA panels
Flat sound, limited 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 narrow bezels, although the wider silver strip along the bottom is clearly noticeable. The housing is quite thick, so it is not the best choice if you want the flattest possible wall mount. The rear is metal and feels solid, but its design is rather austere. This is still a mid-range TV and its build reflects that. One advantage is the adjustable feet. They can be set closer to the centre or wider apart, making it easier to match 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
The larger sizes of the Xiaomi S Mini 2026 also use a VA panel and a Mini LED backlight, but the manufacturer has implemented significantly more local dimming zones. In the 85-inch model we tested we counted 640 of them, more than twice as many as in the 55-inch version. Despite this, differences in our measurements proved surprisingly small. Contrast remains very high, and in many scenes dominated by black the TV can produce blacks that look very close to OLED. The extra zones mainly help to better control the backlight in more demanding shots, although they do not completely eliminate the typical limitations of this technology. In scenes with many bright objects on a dark background you can still notice haloing, 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 brightness 'pumping' that could be encountered 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 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.
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 determined solely by its peak brightness. Equally important is how the manufacturer has used the available potential when displaying actual HDR material. The Xiaomi S Mini 2026 performs best with films mastered for around 1000 nits. In such productions the TV very rarely has to clamp down on brightness or apply heavier processing to the image, which allows it to retain a lot of detail and deliver a natural HDR effect. Occasionally you may notice a loss of detail in the very darkest parts of the image.
More problems appear with material mastered to significantly higher brightness levels. In HDR10 mode the TV tone-maps quite aggressively, so the brightest elements of the image can lose detail. In the sun scene from the film Pan, it was clear that the bright areas bled into the clouds instead of retaining visible structure.
HDR luminance chart:
The issue of weak tone mapping improves once you play Dolby Vision content, which is available on the 85- and 98-inch models. Dynamic metadata allows the TV to adjust how it displays each scene individually, making the limitations imposed by its maximum brightness far less noticeable. That results in better-preserved detail in the brightest parts of the picture. It still isn't at the level of the best premium TVs, but the difference compared with the same material shown in HDR10 is clear. 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
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.
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 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.
XIAOMI S Mini 2026 144Hz - Smoothness of tonal transitions
9/10
The smoothness of tonal transitions in the larger variants of the Xiaomi S Mini 2026 is very good. In both bright and darker scenes the colours blend far more smoothly than on the smaller sizes. It's not perfect and in the most demanding shots you can still spot minor traces of posterisation, but they appear much less often and are far less noticeable. That's a clear plus, especially since dark scenes in the 55 to 75-inch models could look noticeably worse in this respect.
Image scaling and smoothness of tonal transitions
3/10
Smooth transition function
Image without overscan on the SD signal
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.
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 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.
Blur (native resolution, maximum refresh rate):
Blur (4K@288Hz):
As far as motion blur itself is concerned, the television performs similarly to the larger variants. The VA panel used exhibits the typical behaviour for this class of panel, with the most visible smearing occurring 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
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.
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 don't notice any significant delay when 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 are also not an ideal choice for working with a computer. The problem remains the lack of proper chroma 4:4:4 reproduction. It is most noticeable on fine colourful text, icons and other interface elements. Plain fonts are still mostly readable, but the image lacks the sharpness we would expect from a TV meant to serve as a large monitor. The refresh rate, however, looks much better. In 4K we can use up to 144 Hz, and lowering the resolution lets the TV go even higher. Thanks to this, the larger variants are decidedly more interesting for PC gaming than for text work alone.
XIAOMI S Mini 2026 144Hz - Viewing angles
3.4/10
Brightness drop at an angle of 45 degrees: 62%
The larger variants of the S Mini 2026 also use a VA panel, but viewing angles are noticeably better here. When you move away from the centre of the screen, colours still lose a little saturation, but this happens more slowly than in the smaller versions. It still doesn't reach the level of IPS/ADS panels, let alone OLEDs, but for everyday viewing it's not as bad as in 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. The average brightness in SDR reaches about 800 nits, so the TV can easily cut through the light coming into the living room and maintain good image clarity during the day.
The screen coating remains a weak point. The satin finish doesn't cope well with direct reflections, so reflections will still be visible when there's a window or a lamp opposite the screen. High brightness helps a lot here, but the coating's ability to suppress 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 little more RAM than the smaller versions, and you can actually feel the difference in everyday use. The menu responds faster, apps launch more smoothly and you much less often encounter moments when you have to wait for the system to react. Google TV itself provides access to pretty much everything you would expect from a Smart TV. You can easily find the most popular streaming apps, and you can also install additional apps from the Google Play Store. There is Chromecast, voice control and convenient searching for content across different services in one place. Feature-wise, there is little to fault Xiaomi here.
Practical features
If you use traditional broadcast TV, the Xiaomi S Mini 2026 offers a fairly basic set of features. There is a programme guide, teletext and a traditional remote with a numeric keypad. The latter is becoming increasingly rare today, but for regular channel switching it can still be simply convenient. A slightly more unusual feature is the 3.5 mm headphone jack. New TVs are increasingly doing away with it, so its presence here may 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 media player works quite well and handles most common formats without any problems. However, if you come across a file it doesn't support, Google TV makes it easy to install another player, for example VLC. Our main reservation concerns subtitles. The stock app does not handle some characters beyond the basic Latin alphabet correctly, so you may encounter issues with Polish letters. If you frequently watch films from USB, it's better to use an external 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 you can't expect much more from them. They are entirely sufficient for everyday viewing of the news, series or TV programmes. However, they lack low frequencies, which makes the sound fairly flat and doesn't deliver much emotion 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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