XIAOMI A PRO 2025 vs LG NANO81A / NANO80A

In the HDR category, the Xiaomi A Pro performs poorly overall. Under ideal conditions, it achieves a brightness level of around 250 nits, which is underwhelming. However, many competing models offer similar or even lower brightness levels. Such limited brightness is insufficient to fully showcase the potential of HDR content. In practical terms, the image lacks the depth and intensity expected from high-quality HDR. Instead, the visuals resemble standard dynamic range (SDR), with scenes that should display striking brightness and contrast appearing flat and uninspiring. That said, for its price, the television offers solid DCI-P3 colour gamut coverage at 92%, made possible by its quantum dot (QLED) technology. This ensures vibrant and saturated colours, making it an appealing choice for gamers and movie enthusiasts seeking richer hues and improved colour reproduction compared to standard models.

If you're counting on HDR in the NANO81A to bring tears to your eyes, I have to disappoint you. This TV is simply too dark to show what this format is really about. With a brightness of just 250 nits, HDR here essentially exists only on paper. In practice, during a viewing session, it's very hard to distinguish whether we're watching high dynamic range content or regular SDR – it simply lacks that "punch" of light in bright areas of the image. But, to not have all criticism, we do have a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel – and it’s quite clear. It's about color gamut coverage. Here, the NanoCell filter shows that it's not just marketing nonsense. Our measurements indicated that the coverage of the DCI-P3 space is around 88%. This is really a solid result that positions this model significantly above typical budget models based on regular white LED lights without any filters. Of course, it's still a bit lacking compared to the level of quantum dot TVs (QLED) or advanced panels with PFS filtering, but for this price range, the colors are surprisingly saturated and vibrant. It's just a shame that this low brightness doesn’t allow them to fully "spread their wings" with the Nano filter.

The Xiaomi A Pro 2025 performs best in movie mode for colour reproduction straight out of the box, though it is not without its flaws. An analysis of the white balance shows negative green values, causing distortions in white tones. At full white, there are noticeable deviations, and the high-contrast image leads to poor tonal transitions in red, negatively impacting the overall colour quality. Before calibration, the image often displays a pink hue in its scenery.

The gamma contrast graph falls below the 2.4 mark, indicating an overemphasis on darker tones and a lack of prominence in lighter areas. Additionally, the EOTF curve shows a sharp rise early on, which can result in lost detail in bright scenes and an oversaturated appearance. These issues suggest that further calibration is needed to balance the colour reproduction and enhance the overall image.

Factory colour settings on the Xiaomi A Pro 2025 are average, and while this is common in televisions of its class, users seeking accurate colour representation may need to adjust the settings. After proper calibration, the TV delivers a more natural and vibrant palette, aligning better with cinematic standards. For those prioritising precise colour reproduction, professional calibration will significantly improve image quality.

For every movie fan, the natural choice in LG televisions is the Filmmaker Mode. This mode is designed to display the image as the director intended – without unnecessary "enhancements." Unfortunately, in the case of our test unit NANO81A, the factory settings left something to be desired. The main issue turned out to be white balance. Measurements showed a clear deficiency of blue color, which practically translated to many scenes having a slightly yellowish, almost "too yellow" tint. The white was not perfectly clean, which detracted from the freshness of the image. Additionally, brightness management was not ideal either – the factory-set gamma was too low. The image often appeared oversaturated, as if it had been pulled too much from the shadows, losing its naturalness and depth. Fortunately, LG, even in this relatively low price segment, does not block access to advanced settings. The calibration capabilities of this model are immense, which is a big plus for those who like to "dig around" in the menu. We decided to approach the topic in our own way and see how much we could extract from this panel with professional calibration.

After calibration, the Xiaomi A Pro 2025 TV shows significant improvement. The white balance is the most noticeable change, with previous errors corrected in HD and 4K content. Most deviations are now minimal, falling within an acceptable range, resulting in a more balanced and natural colour representation that enhances viewing comfort.

In terms of gamma, the drop has been largely addressed, leading to a more consistent rendering of tones across various scenes. However, the EOTF curve still hasn't seen substantial improvement, as there is limited control over dynamic tone mapping. This limitation means that some details may still be lost in bright scenes, affecting the perception of certain materials.

Despite these minor issues, the overall picture quality is improved after calibration. The enhanced white balance and reduced gamma issues provide a more realistic and enjoyable viewing experience. While further adjustments could enhance the image even more, the TV now showcases its potential, meeting the expectations of many users.

After calibrating the NANO81A, it's a completely different television. What LG offers in terms of image enhancement tools even in such an inexpensive model deserves a big plus. We were able to completely eliminate that annoying yellowing of whites and make the colors natural, juicy, and simply "true." In SDR content (such as regular TV, YouTube, or older films), the picture now looks infinitely better – it's clear, well-balanced, and no longer strains the eyes with strange hues. It's evident that this panel has considerable potential, which is simply wasted by poor presets out of the box. However, we have one serious reservation that calibration cannot fully overcome – it's about brightness management in HDR mode. The algorithm LG uses in this model is designed very conservatively. The television deliberately dims the image in HDR to avoid overexposing an already weak black from the IPS panel. The developers faced a choice: either provide more light and accept that black will turn light gray, or reduce the brightness to maintain any contrast. They chose the latter. Nevertheless, after our adjustments, watching anything on the NANO81 is significantly better.

The Xiaomi A Pro 2025 handles tonal transitions effectively, especially when dealing with lower-quality materials. Thanks to its advanced digital processing, the colour contour removal feature performs surprisingly well. Setting this option to "Medium" provides the best balance, enhancing the smoothness of tonal transitions while avoiding excessive smoothing of other image elements, like film grain.

In the case of a tested frame featuring a model with numerous branches in the background, the TV demonstrated its digital processing strengths. Adding artificial sharpness clarified the model’s details, particularly enhancing the hair's definition. However, around the branches, subtle contours emerged due to digital intervention. While this adds detail to the overall image, excessive sharpness can sometimes cause certain elements to appear unnaturally highlighted.

It often happens that cheap 4K panels mercilessly bring all the "dirt" and imperfections of lower resolution materials to light. However, in the case of the LG NANO81A, the situation is quite different. It’s a really solid performer when it comes to handling content that is far from ideal. The built-in processor does a great job with upscaling. Even older recordings look quite decent on this screen – the image is coherent, cleaned of digital noise, and simply pleasant to the eye. A big plus is the gradation reduction feature that you will find in the settings. It is exceptionally effective in combating color banding, which is a lifesaver when watching low bitrate materials, for example from some streaming services or older files from the internet. However, it is worth maintaining a certain vigilance. Since we are dealing with a less efficient chip than in LG's top models here, too aggressive an adjustment of this option can sometimes result in minor artifacts or a slight blurring of details. Despite this risk, I definitely encourage experimentation with this feature – in many cases, it can save the viewing experience and make low-quality material fully watchable.

The Xiaomi A Pro 2025 features a motion smoothing option known as "Motion Smoothing," which is designed mainly for film viewing. It allows users to adjust the effect to either a more cinematic, film-like appearance with visible frames or a smoother, theatrical image. This feature will likely satisfy movie lovers. However, gamers and sports enthusiasts might be disappointed. The TV uses a 60 Hz refresh rate panel, typical for this price range, which doesn’t offer exceptional motion handling. Our "Ufo" test revealed some motion blur, so those seeking sharper moving images may find it lacking in this regard.

In terms of motion fluidity, the NANO81A unfortunately has a few drawbacks. The TV is based on a panel with a refresh rate of 60 Hz. If you're looking for perfect sharpness in dynamic football matches or fast-paced action games, you might feel somewhat unsatisfied. With such a low native refresh rate, fast-moving objects on the screen will always be a bit blurry.

The Xiaomi A Pro 2025 includes several gamer-friendly features, such as the Game Bar, which sets itself apart from the typical dashboards seen in other brands. This feature allows quick access to game-related settings, making it convenient during intense gaming sessions. The TV also supports Automatic Low Latency Mode (ALLM), automatically switching to a game-optimised mode to reduce signal delays. However, it lacks HDMI 2.1 support, limiting compatibility with the latest gaming consoles that require higher bandwidth. Additionally, it does not support features like VRR (Variable Refresh Rate) or G-Sync, which are becoming essential for gamers seeking smoother visuals and reduced tearing. While the Xiaomi A Pro 2025 has some useful features, there are better options in this price range offering more advanced gaming solutions.

NANO81A is unfortunately not a device designed for e-sports. The lack of support for a 120 Hz signal is a fact that users planning to purchase this model must simply come to terms with. Nevertheless, LG engineers have worked hard to squeeze the maximum capabilities out of this 60 Hz panel, offering a set of features that genuinely enhance the gaming experience. Above all, the television supports VRR technology (in the range of 48–60 Hz) and ALLM. As a result, the image remains stable and does not "tear," and the device automatically switches to low-latency mode as soon as it detects a signal from the console. Managing these settings is incredibly simple thanks to a dedicated system overlay that allows for a quick overview of parameters without leaving the game. A significant advantage is the support for the HGiG format. This solution is crucial for owners of modern consoles, as it enables the TV to correctly "understand" the intentions of game developers regarding HDR tone mapping. In practice, this helps avoid the effect of "blown out" bright spots, such as clouds or light sources, which unfortunately is a common issue in budget LCD televisions.