Xiaomi TV X Pro QLED Series (2024) Review: Old Skin, Quantum Soul

We all love seeing big, groundbreaking innovations. But we truly cherish them when they finally come down to reasonable prices – that’s just how Indians typically perceive value. Xiaomi, back in 2018, played a significant role in democratising smart LED TVs with the Mi TV 4a. It was a time marked by record 4G adoption, and aspirational Indians loved the product. Their latest offering, the Xiaomi TV X Pro QLED series, has a slightly different goal. It aims to bring the QLED experience at a competitive price point. In a market saturated with QLED televisions, can Xiaomi’s latest TV stand out? Let’s explore its unique features and capabilities.

Xiaomi TV X Pro QLED Series

Rs 28,999
8.3

DESIGN & BUILD

8.0/10

DISPLAY

8.5/10

PERFORMANCE

8.0/10

AUDIO

7.5/10

UI EXPERIENCE

8.0/10

CONNECTIVITY OPTIONS

9.0/10

VALUE FOR MONEY

9.0/10

What Is Good?

  • Good display for the price
  • Slim bezels
  • Premium build
  • Xiaomi TV+ is a good freebie to have
  • Good I/O options

What Is Bad?

  • Speakers could have been better
  • UI could be faster

Pricing and competition analysis

The Xiaomi TV X Pro QLED series is available in three sizes: 43-inch, 55-inch, and 65-inch, and here’s how they are priced:

Size Price
43-inch Rs 28,999
55-inch Rs 35,999
65-inch Rs 39,999

During the introductory period, buyers can avail an instant discount of Rs 4,000 on all three variants. We received the 55-inch variant for review.

In the affordable QLED segment, you can find brands with panels powered by SPPL (Super Plastronics Pvt Ltd), such as Thomson, Kodak and Blaupunkt, starting at nearly 22 grand. Then, you have TCL’s C69B series which is priced at Rs 29,990 for the 43-inch variant, and Motorola’s Envision X series, which starts at Rs 30,999. There’s also the Infinix Zero QLED TV powered by LG’s webOS, which starts at Rs 34,999.

Clearly, Xiaomi has priced its QLED series at a sweet spot, undercutting most of its competitors.

Design and build quality

The Xiaomi QLED TV X Pro QLED Series 2024 boasts a sleek and contemporary design featuring thin bezels that create an immersive viewing experience. Even the chin of the TV is relatively narrow, contributing to the overall minimalist aesthetic. This design seamlessly integrates into any home decor, while the premium-quality plastic construction adds a touch of sophistication. Although similar to its predecessor, the 2024 model distinguishes itself by eliminating the far-field microphone notification LEDs on the bottom bezel, maintaining a cleaner and more streamlined appearance.

The ports on the rear hump of the TV are easily accessible and are neatly arranged to the left of the display. Here’s a quick rundown of the I/O options

Type of I/O Units
Optical port 1
Earphone 1
AV Mini in 1
HDMI 3, one eARC port
USB 2.0 2
Ethernet 1
Antenna 1

The remote is as minimalist as before, except that it now has a new button for Sony Liv. Why Liv? Because it has access to most football livestreams.

Display performance

This isn’t Xiaomi’s first QLED TV, but it’s the first one in the X series. While Xiaomi hasn’t shared the exact brightness of the TV, on our lux meter, we registered a reading of 380 nits at 55% brightness when running a plain white matte on the display, which isn’t too bad. We compared this with the offerings from Infinix and Kodak, and this TV from Xiaomi had slightly better brightness figures.

Refresh rate 60Hz
Resolution 4K
Peak brightness 380 nits
Colour depth 1.07 billion colours, 10-bit
Colour gamut 94% DCI-P3 gamut
Other display features HDR10 & Dolby Vision compliant

I was pleasantly surprised to see that the contrast of the TV X Pro QLED series is far superior to the Infinix and Kodak offerings. While a little bit of light bleed around the corners is present, it’s not so bad that it spoils dark scenes.

Xiaomi’s Vivid Picture Engine 2 is responsible for processing the images, and if you ask me, the colours appear to be slightly punchier than the Kodak QLED TV.

The viewing angles are wide, but you can expect the image quality to deteriorate if you go beyond 60 degrees to the side.

When compared to Xiaomi’s previous X Pro series TVs, this is miles ahead in terms of picture quality.

The TV supports HDR10+ and Dolby Vision, so you can view content on streaming platforms that conform to these standards.

However, I’m a little bummed by the audio. It has a 30W output, which is lower than the 40W offered by its predecessor. Apart from this, there are no other corners cut over the previous generation.

Most competitors offer anywhere between 35 and 40W, so this is definitely lagging behind a bit. There’s support for DTS, DTS visual and Dolby Audio. Remember, it’s not Dolby Atmos – it’s Dolby Audio. Atmos is capable of a 3D object-based audio experience, which you don’t get here.

So, if you’re planning to binge a ton of content, pairing the TV with a soundbar or external speakers is recommended.

Smart Features and Interface

The Xiaomi QLED TV X Pro 2024 runs on Google TV (Android 14), providing access to a vast library of apps and games. As usual, it’s side-loaded with Xiaomi’s proprietary PatchWall interface, which offers personalised recommendations based on your viewing habits. It’s a bit more organised and faster than Google TV at times, and it integrates seamlessly with Google Assistant. It also lets you easily search for movies, TV shows, and apps across multiple platforms, streamlining your content discovery process.

Xiaomi TV+ is the novelty here. It claims to give you access to more than 200 free live TV channels across different genres (news, sports, movies, TV series and music). Xiaomi says this service is free of cost, without any subscriptions.

I’m not convinced by the speed of the UI, however. I think a bit of a course correction is required for most budget Android-powered TVs, and I say this after having used LG’s webOS, which is intuitive and buttery smooth.

Verdict

Xiaomi’s TV X Pro QLED Series is a compelling offering that delivers exceptional value for money. By combining a stunning QLED display, a tried and tested design and the latest Google TV interface, Xiaomi seems to have created a product that’s easy to recommend.

While the audio and speed of the UI could be improved, the X Pro’s strengths in picture quality, smart features, and competitive pricing make it a highly recommended choice for budget-conscious consumers seeking a premium viewing experience.

When compared to the competition in the same price, the TV X Pro QLED Series has a better display, no doubt. But if you want louder speakers, you may consider the SPPL-powered QLED TV brands. If a smooth UI is your top priority, there’s nothing better than Infinix’s W1 QLED series.