Xiaomi S 65-inch Mini-LED TV review – Cinematic visuals meet potent performance
After testing the Xiaomi S 65-inch Mini-LED 4K Smart TV, it’s clear that it’s not just a great display – it is a complete home entertainment upgrade.
Whether I was gaming on a console, streaming action-packed movies, or casually watching YouTube videos, the QD-Mini LED display delivered sharp, vibrant, and cinematic visuals.
This experience was completed by a smooth user interface thanks to Google OS, and room-filling audio delivered by four drivers.
These were our thoughts after we spent a few days testing the Xiaomi S 65-inch Mini-LED 4K Smart TV.
Watch our review of the Xiaomi S 65-inch Mini-LED 4K Smart TV below.
QD-Mini LED
The Xiaomi S 65-inch Mini-LED 4K Smart TV centres around one key display technology – QD-Mini LED.
This blends two powerful display innovations – Mini LED backlighting and a Quantum Dot colour layer – resulting in a sharp, bright, and colour-rich viewing experience.
Here’s how it works:
The Xiaomi S 65-inch Mini-LED 4K Smart TV uses a densely packed Mini LED backlight system comprising thousands of tiny LEDs spread across 392 individually-controlled zones.
This allows for a potent 1,200 nit brightness and extremely precise contrast control, especially in darker scenes.
A high-resolution LCD panel sits in front of this and shapes the picture you see.
Finally, Xiaomi added a Quantum Dot layer to supercharge the colour reproduction – delivering more vibrant, accurate tones than standard panels.
The result was an OLED-rivalling picture that looked punchy, crisp, and incredibly detailed across every high-octane action flick or colour-rich nature documentary.
IMAX Enhanced, Filmmaker Mode, and high-end HDR certifications like Dolby Vision, HLG, and HDR10+ further amplify these appealing visuals.
These technologies made a big difference. From the glow of neon lights in a sci-fi thriller to the vivid explosions and sweeping landscapes of an epic war film, the Xiaomi S 65-inch Mini-LED 4K Smart TV delivered a consistently cinematic experience.
Smooth visuals
The panel’s 144Hz refresh rate enhances this experience, ensuring the colourful visuals are smooth and crisp.
This meant that the Xiaomi S 65-inch Mini-LED 4K Smart TV thoroughly delivered during high-octane action scenes and when watching sports.
Gamers will also enjoy these smooth visuals a lot.
We could connect a console like a PlayStation 5 or Xbox through the TV’s dual HDMI 2.1 ports, while Wi-Fi 6 offered lag-free connectivity too.
The 144Hz refresh rate could then be boosted to 240Hz using the built-in Game Boost Mode, which, when combined with AMD FreeSync Premium, produced an incredibly smooth gaming experience.
Throw in a 4ms response time and 120Hz Motion Estimate Motion Compensation, and the result was stunning. No screen tearing, input lag, or blur – just performance.
These benefits extended to any fast-moving on-screen content, such as Formula 1, ensuring every turn and blur of speed came through cleanly with no ghosting.
This visual experience is then complemented by immersive, room-filling audio.
Four drivers, including two 12.5W speakers, delivered depth and clarity during everything from dramatic film scores to deep, rumbling bass.
Intuitive interface
Performance was also supported by a Quad Cortex A73 AI processor, which kept navigation smooth and scenery perfectly enhanced.
This powerful processor is combined with an impressive 3GB of RAM and 32GB of storage.
Thanks to this and the notoriously well-optimised Google OS, navigation is smooth and finding something to watch on the Xiaomi S 65-inch Mini-LED 4K Smart TV is easy.
Google OS makes navigating to your favourite apps a breeze, while Chromecast and Apple AirPlay ensure you can integrate your TV into almost any technology system.
Furthermore, with access to over 10,000 apps, you can stream content from your favourite providers – like Netflix and Prime Video – and even play a wide range of games.
The verdict
The Xiaomi S 65-inch Mini LED 4K Smart TV exceeded our expectations, from its exceptional colour accuracy to its incredible contrasts.
It’s a complete entertainment hub, and whether you’re watching Netflix, gaming at 240Hz, or enjoying a late-night movie marathon, this TV delivers.
What makes this TV even more appealing is what you get for the price – it is listed at R14,999 on Takealot and currently marked down to only R13,999.
Even at this affordable price tag, there’s no denying it is a premium TV – with everything from market-leading QD-Mini LED display technology with full HDR support, to 144Hz refresh rates and Google OS.
Click here to get the Xiaomi S 65-inch Mini LED 4K Smart TV.
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