Xiaomi X Series (2023) 65-inch Ultra-HD Smart TV (L65M8-A2IN) Review: Big Size, Not So Big Price

TVs can be expensive or affordable, and if you’re shopping in the latter category, you’ll likely give Xiaomi a look. Of course, it might sound a bit strange to call a television that costs over Rs. 60,000 ‘affordable’, but everything is relative, and there’s a huge market for big-screen, feature-rich televisions that don’t cost too much. The latest in that list is the Xiaomi X Series (2023) television range, which now comes in a 65-inch size option, which is priced at Rs. 61,999 in India.

With a 65-inch Ultra-HD (3840×2160-pixel) screen, support for Dolby Vision HDR, 30W speakers, and the Google TV user interface alongside Xiaomi’s Patchwall on top of Android TV OS, this is a well-equipped big screen television that costs less that Rs. 1,000 per diagonal inch of screen size. Is this the best reasonably-priced 65-inch TV you can buy right now? Find out in this review.

The X Series (2023) isn’t quite as feature-filled as the X Pro series, but gets the core experience on point

 

Xiaomi X Series (2023) 65-inch Ultra-HD Smart TV design and specifications

Xiaomi’s older X series televisions have been available in sizes ranging from 43 inches to 55 inches, all of which are Ultra-HD (3840×2160-pixel) televisions. The 2023 series adds a 65-inch option as well, although it’s worth pointing out here that this isn’t the first 65-inch TV from the company, but it’s new for this series. The TV I’ve received for review is the 65-inch option, which is priced at Rs. 61,999 in India.

Expectedly, the design is largely along the lines of earlier X series models, and is available in a single black colour option. The borders around the screen are slim and largely out of sight much of the time when the TV is in operation, while the bottom has a slightly thicker and more prominent border. The Xiaomi logo is at the centre, just above the module which has the indicator light and power button.

It isn’t a very slim TV, but it isn’t too thick either, and will look reasonably good when wall-mounted using a low-profile mounting kit. Unlike the X Pro series which was launched earlier this year, there is no hands-free voice assistant functionality, and so no microphone built into the TV itself. You can, of course, access Google Assistant through the remote, which has a microphone to accept voice commands.

You get three HDMI 2.1 ports (one supports eARC), two USB type-A ports, an Ethernet port, an Optical audio port, and sockets for AV, 3.5mm audio, and antenna on the Xiaomi X Series (2023) TV – all fairly standard for a TV in this price segment. The fact that this is a large television with the ports close to the centre at the back makes access to them a bit difficult when the TV is wall-mounted, so you’ll need to ensure you set everything up before putting it on the wall.

Stands for the TV are included in the sales package, but not a wall-mount kit. Xiaomi’s installation team can take care of assembly and installation regardless of which mode of installation you opt for, but you’ll need to confirm with the technician about which wall-mount kit is used and whether there will be an additional cost for it.

The Xiaomi X Series (2023) is available in various size options, going up to the 65-inch version that I had for review

 

Other specifications worth mentioning are 2GB of RAM, 8GB of internal storage for apps and app data, a quad-core A55 processor to run the smart functionality and Android TV operating system, and a standard refresh rate of 60Hz. The TV supports the Dolby Vision and HDR10 formats, and relies on Bluetooth 5 and dual-band Wi-Fi for wireless connectivity. For sound, the Xiaomi X Series (2023) TV has a 30W speaker system with support for Dolby Audio, DTS:X, and DTS: Virtual X, as well as Dolby Atmos passthrough support on the eARC enabled HDMI port.

Xiaomi X Series (2023) 65-inch Ultra-HD Smart TV remote and features

The remote and feature set on Xiaomi’s larger televisions doesn’t really change much, and the 65-inch X Series (2023) television sticks to this formula. The lightweight remote is compatible with various Xiaomi and Redmi TVs in the range, easily replaceable, and largely uncomplicated. Software fixes have made up for the lack of buttons for some time now, and AAA batteries for the remote are included in the sales package.

The remote has hotkeys for Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+ Hotstar, and YouTube, apart from the customary navigation pad and Android TV buttons, Google Assistant button, and volume button. Connectivity is only through Bluetooth, and the remote needs to be paired (through a quick and convenient pairing process) when the TV is first booted up.

Other features on the Xiaomi X Series (2023) TV include Chromecast built-in and auto low-latency mode (ALLM). The X Series (2023) is not quite as well-equipped as the X Pro launched earlier this year, but it’s a fair bit more affordable than the X Pro for models of the same size, and largely gets the core experience on point.

Xiaomi X Series (2023) 65-inch Ultra-HD Smart TV software and interface

Xiaomi has a pretty stable formula for its televisions which is arguably a bit too predictable, but I see it as a big benefit if you go by the ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’ philosophy. Much of that comes down to the software experience, and the X Series (2023) television range comes with the expected combination of Android TV with the Google TV user interface, apart from the ability to switch to Xiaomi’s own PatchWall UI.

The television runs Android TV 11 under the hood, but seems to struggle a bit with performance, when it comes to the UIs and smart TV functionality. Even with just a few basic apps loaded, I found the TV quite sluggish when navigating around the Google TV and PatchWall user interfaces. Rebooting the TV completely would improve things for a few hours (or maybe a day), but it would go back to being sluggish eventually.

Apart from the Google TV user interface, you can also use PatchWall on the Xiaomi X Series (2023) TV

 

This seems to apply only to the user interface itself; on platforms such as Netflix, Prime Video, and YouTube (all known for their performance reliability), there were no performance issues with anything playing. Some apps such as JioCinema did have occasional issues of lag and stutter, but at no point was the TV troublesome, once content was actually streaming.

The Google TV user interface was introduced on the Xiaomi X Pro series earlier in 2023, and makes its way to the X Series (2023) as well. As mentioned in numerous earlier reviews, it’s a considerable upgrade over the earlier stock Android TV UI. PatchWall, on the other hand, remains largely familiar, with many of its classic features such as curated categories and recommendations present on the X Series (2023) as well.

Xiaomi X Series (2023) 65-inch Ultra-HD Smart TV performance

Xiaomi’s brand image, coupled with the fact that it’s a well-established and leading player in the smartphone segment, has made it naturally interesting to buyers of TVs in this price segment. At Rs. 61,999 for the 65-inch variant, it’s also quite competitively priced as compared to much of the competition in the segment, especially when you consider the features and specifications on offer, such as support for Dolby Vision, 30W of sound output, and the Google TV user interface.

The X Series (2023) has some minor performance-affecting differences as compared to the X Pro, but you’re unlikely to really notice these in practical use. Key features and specifications are all in place, and the performance more than matched up to most of the televisions I’ve used in this price segment. I’ve usually reviewed 55-inch TVs at this price, so getting a 65-inch option at under Rs. 65,000 is somewhat of a novelty for me.

With plenty of Ultra-HD and high dynamic range content available to stream from various platforms, there’s lots to work with on the Xiaomi X Series (2023) television if you buy one of the larger screen sizes. I watched a range of content from various streaming platforms, including episodes of Star Wars Visions and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 on Disney+ Hotstar, Strange Planet (Review) on Apple TV+, episodes of Barry on JioCinema, and assorted sports and YouTube content.

Ultra-HD Dolby Vision content looks best on the TV, although the bump in brightness with HDR isn’t significant

 

The 65-inch screen size comes with its own impact, but this can also potentially create challenges in the picture quality for lower-resolution content. While the differences between Ultra-HD and even full-HD content are a bit more pronounced on larger screens, the actual drawbacks are handled to a reasonable extent by the Xiaomi X Series (2023) TV thanks to acceptable upscaling. Of course, you’ll want to stick to Ultra-HD content as much as possible for the optimal level of performance, and the Xiaomi X Series (2023) manages to do decently for the price when it comes to that.

Support for Dolby Vision high dynamic range (but not the HDR10+ format) means that you’ll get slightly better performance with compatible content from platforms such as Netflix and Apple TV+. That said, the actual Dolby Vision effect isn’t quite as pronounced on the Xiaomi X Series (2023) as on high-end quantum-dot and OLED televisions, but you’ll still see a decent increase in the brightness and colour vibrance.

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 looked good on the TV, thanks to support for the Dolby Vision format for the title. The colourful and over-the-top set pieces of Knowhere (the Guardians’ city-spaceship headquarters) looked punchy and sharp for the most part. That said, very bright colours and certain skin tones appeared a bit oversaturated.

Peak brightness was also somewhat of a concern on the Xiaomi X Series (2023) television, with HDR content not really offering much of a bump over standard dynamic range content. Fortunately, I didn’t need to do too much to darken the room for the picture to be visible; if you’re in front of the TV or just off by a small angle, you won’t have any trouble watching even with bright daylight in the room.

That said, you do need to be in front of the TV for the ideal viewing experience, and the further away from the centre you are, the more reflective the screen of the Xiaomi X Series (2023) television gets. Additionally, darkening the room as much as you can will definitely help in making the picture and colours appear as good as they can.

Xiaomi’s classic remote doesn’t see too many changes, and can be replaced easily if you lose or damage it

 

Ultra-HD content obviously appeared the sharpest and nicest to watch, including the deliberately hazy They Cloned Tyrone which still looked sharp despite the tone of the film itself. However, low-light scenes were sometimes difficult to watch, thanks to the fairly average black levels and noticeable grey tinge of the TV. Lower resolution content – such as episodes of Barry – looked alright, and I definitely didn’t have any trouble watching these.

That said, don’t expect it to look stunning; there were points where details seemed washed out, and the show effectively appeared a bit older than it actually is. You probably won’t mind this once in a while, but if most of your viewing is full-HD or lower resolution content such as this, you shouldn’t really be considering a 65-inch Ultra-HD TV in the first place.

Xiaomi tends to be very good with sound quality on its TVs, and that is the case on the X Series (2023) as well. Although not quite as loud as the X Pro TV series, the X Series comes with a box speaker system providing 30W of sound output. There is no support for Dolby Atmos from the speaker system, but in most cases, this isn’t something you’ll miss either.

The TV is loud, clear, and audible even at moderate volumes with plenty of room to go higher if you like. The uniformity in volume increments is excellent, and I didn’t experience too many unpleasant volume spikes. Usefully, there is Dolby Atmos passthrough, so you’ll be able to connect to a compatible soundbar or speaker system and get the benefit of Atmos, if you want.

Verdict

Although the frequent releases and somewhat overlapping product range might seem confusing for many, Xiaomi’s diversity in the sensibly-priced big screen segment is perhaps its biggest strength. The Xiaomi X Series (2023) adds to the company’s capable portfolio, this time adding a 65-inch option while sticking to the current-generation and no-frills approach of the X series.

The issues with this TV aren’t significant, save for a somewhat sluggish user interface and hassles with black levels which make dark content a bit difficult to watch. In all other ways, you get a TV that more than matches up to its price, providing a value-for-money experience that lets you enjoy the benefits of a massive TV without breaking the bank. Consider the X Pro TV series if you want a few more features and HDR10+ compatibility, but otherwise the X Series (2023) is a solid option, especially if you want the 65-inch screen size.

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