When choosing a modern TV, especially from the popular Xiaomi brand, shoppers often face terminology confusion: store shelves flaunt the names of technologies like QLED, LED or OLED, but few people wonder what exactly lies behind these acronyms in the context of the type of matrix itself, because it is the technology of production of the panel that determines the contrast, viewing angles and response speed of your future screen.
Xiaomi uses different types of panels in its models, and often the same TV model can come to market with a matrix from different suppliers. This can be an IPS panel with excellent viewing angles or a VA matrix with deep black color. Understanding these differences is critical if you plan to use the TV for games on the console or watching movies in the dark.
In this article, we will look at what kind of matrices the Chinese giant uses, how to know the screen manufacturer without opening the case and what to look for when buying.
The main types of matrixes in Xiaomi TVs
At the moment, in Xiaomi TVs and the sub-brand Redmi, you can find two main types of liquid crystal matrixes: IPS and VA. Third type, OLED, It is found in flagship models, but so far it remains a rarity in the budget and middle segment, where the ball rules precisely. LCD-technology.
IPS (In-Plane Switching) is a technology that is often praised for its color rendering stability. If you look at the screen of such a TV from the side, the colors will not be distorted or inverted. However, IPS has an Achilles heel — low native contrast. Black in a dark room can give a gray hue, which is noticeable when watching movies with dark scenes.
On the other hand, VA (Vertical Alignment) arrays provide a much deeper black color, and the contrast of such panels can reach values of 3000:1 and even 5000:1, which is comparable to plasma TVs of the past. But this comes at a cost with viewing angles: when viewed from the side, the picture can fade. In recent Xiaomi models, hybrid solutions or improved versions of the VA are often found that minimize this disadvantage.
We should also mention the Mini-LED technology, which began to appear in the top models of the brand. This is not a separate type of matrix, but an improved lighting system, which is most often combined with a different type of lighting. VA-panels to achieve incredible brightness and local dimming.
How to determine the type of matrix and screen manufacturer
TV makers, including Xiaomi, rarely list a specific matrix vendor in the box specifications. TVs with screens from CSOT (TCL), BOE or HKC can come in one batch.
The most reliable way is to use special software: On TVs with Android TV or Google TV, which are installed on most Xiaomi models, you can install diagnostic applications. They read the EDID data and can show the panel vendor.
- 📺 Download the app AIDA64 or Device Info HW from the Google Play Store on TV.
- 📺 Launch the app and go to the Display or Display section.
- 📺 Look for Panel Vendor or Monitor Name, and the manufacturer code will be listed there.
- 📺 For visual verification, turn on the all-black image and look at the screen from an angle: if black turns gray, it’s a black image. IPS, if it stays dark — VA.
Matrice producer codes
You can also use the engineering menu, although it is often closed on Xiaomi’s global firmware. If you have access to ADB, you can type in the getprop | grep panel command, which sometimes gives information about the connected display.
⚠️ Warning: Do not attempt to disassemble the TV or remove the back cover to look for markings on the matrix itself if the device is warranted.
Technology Comparison: IPS vs. VA in Xiaomi models
To make a final decision, you need to compare the key metrics of the two main types of matrix used in Xiaomi Mi TV and Redmi TV. The choice depends solely on the scenarios of using the device in your living room.
For gamers, especially owners of PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X consoles, response speed is critical. Here, IPS traditionally benefits by offering response times of about 1-5 ms, which minimizes plumes in dynamic scenes. VA matrixes are slower in this regard (8-12 ms), but modern models with Game Mode game mode have learned to compensate for this delay.
| Characteristics | IPS Matrix | VA Matrix |
|---|---|---|
| Contrast | Low (1000:1) | High (3000:1 - 5000:1) |
| Viewing angles | Excellent (up to 178°) | Medium (colors fade from the side) |
| Black. | Grey in the dark | Deep and intense |
| Response time | Fast (1-5 ms) | Mean (8-12 ms) |
| Brightness | Tall. | Medium/High (in Mini-LED) |
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For watching TV in the afternoon in a large living room with guests, IPS is better. For home theater and watching movies in the evening - definitely VA.
Brightness also plays a role. IPS panels often boast higher peak brightness, which is important for HDR content, but VA local dimming arrays win in the transmission of shadows and details in dark areas of the frame.
Impact of lighting on picture quality
The matrix type is only half the equation. The second half is the backlight system. The most common feature of Xiaomi TVs is Edge-LED and Direct LED.
Budget models like the Redmi TV A Pro or the basic Mi TV P1 are often equipped with Edge-LED. LEDs are located around the perimeter of the screen and light is scattered through a special film. This allows you to make the TVs very thin, but the uniformity of the backlights suffers: there can be lights on the edges, and black cannot be perfectly black due to the inability to locally turn off the diodes.
Mid- and high-end models, like the Xiaomi TV Q2 or Master Series, use Direct LEDs. LEDs are evenly spaced across the entire array, allowing Local Dimming technology, where individual areas of the screen can be dimmed independently, and combined with the VA array, this gives a picture close to OLED.
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When buying a TV in a store, ask for a test image with a gradient or a completely black frame, which will immediately show the presence of strong lights around the edges, characteristic of cheap Edge-LED panels.
Update frequency and gaming capabilities
Another important parameter that is often confused with the type of matrix is the refresh rate. Xiaomi standard TVs run at 60 Hz. This means that the picture is updated 60 times per second. This is more than enough for watching TV and movies.
However, modern games are important to support 120Hz. Xiaomi’s lineup includes models with a native 120Hz matrix, and there are models with DLG (Dual Line Gate) or HSR (High Speed Response) technology, a software method that sacrifices resolution (picture becomes 1080p) to produce 120 frames per second on a 60-hertz matrix.
- 🎮 Native 120Hz: Real Fluidity, Support VRR (variable refresh rate, ideal for shooters and racing.
- 🎮 DLG / HSR High frequency emulation, picture may be less clear, but movements are smoother than 60 Hz.
- 🎮 ALLM (Auto Low Latency Mode: Automatically switches the TV to game mode when you start a game on consoles, reducing input latency.
☑️ Checking the gaming functions
It’s important to understand that even on a 60Hz matrix, a quality Xiaomi image processor can smooth out jerks, but the physical limit of the panel is impossible to get around. If you’re a hardcore gamer, look for the phrase “Native 120Hz” in the specs.
Common problems and defects of matrices
Like any electronics, Xiaomi TVs can have manufacturing defects, with users most often experiencing broken pixels and uneven backlights.
Broken pixels are dots that burn in the same color (green, red, blue) or remain black. The standard allows for several broken pixels, but if there are many, the TV can be checked by guarantee. You can check for defects using online tests or download videos with monochromatic colors (white, black, red, green, blue).
⚠️ Note: If you find broken pixels immediately after purchase, do not try to "massage" the screen or use recovery software. it is better to immediately arrange a return or exchange in the store before the time for returning the goods of good quality has expired.
Another problem is cloudiness, or the flashlight effect, which is when you see light spots on a black background in the corners of the screen, and this is a characteristic of the VA arrays with the Direct LED and Edge LED panels of poor quality, which is less noticeable in normal scenes, but can be annoying in the dark.