Xiaomi Q1E TV Review: 55-inch 4K TV For S$1,500?!

If you’re looking for an affordable 4K TV, the Xiaomi Q1E is a pretty decent choice, but only if you can overlook some of its shortcomings. For S$1,499, it’s a pretty decent option that comes with HDR10+, Dolby Vision, a QLED screen and more.

So let’s talk about the design first. This model only comes in a 55-inch option, which is definitely a little limiting. It would have been nice to see a 65-inch option as well for people with larger spaces. That being said, the TV itself is very sleek, with very thin bezels that don’t distract from the content. There’s also a stand included in the box which is nice, and set-up was relatively easy.

It’s still a Quantum Dot QLED display though, which means you don’t get the blacks that an OLED display would provide. That being said, Xiaomi says the display covers 97% of the DCI-P3 colour gamut, and the display also supports HDR10+ and Dolby Vision, which definitely did make for a very enjoyable experience when I was watching shows with more shadows like The Witcher and such.

Unfortunately, there’s only a 60Hz MEMC refresh rate on this and no variable refresh rate, so if you were thinking you could get an affordable 4K 120Hz screen for your PS5 or Xbox Series X, sorry to burst your bubble. There are a decent number of ports here though, with two HDMI 2.0 ports and a HDMI 2.1 eARC port, along with two USB 2.0 ports and an Ethernet port.

The system runs on Android TV 10 and you also get Xiaomi’s PatchWall interface, although I never really found myself going into PatchWall because there just wasn’t a need for it. My biggest problem, or rather, the biggest problem with this TV is that the hardware isn’t fast enough to keep up. I found the TV lagging when I wanted to enter or exit apps and menus, and even basic directional commands could be a bit laggy. This is most likely because the TV is still using the MediaTek MT9611 from 2020 with just 2GB of RAM.

As for the remote, it’s pretty okay. You get dedicated buttons for Netflix and Prime Video that work to turn on the TV straight into the respective app, and overall, it gets the job done. Buttons are easy to press, not mushy and there’s a good amount of tactile feedback.

You get two 15W speakers on the TV which are perfectly fine in a pinch and they get loud enough to fill a living room, although it would, of course, be much better if you paired this with dedicated speakers and a sub.

As for performance, let’s get it out of the way. You’re not going to be getting this for gaming. Firstly, because there’s no 4K 120Hz so that basically means you’re not going to get the most out of a PS5 or Xbox Series X. Secondly, because this TV simply wasn’t made for gamers. With slower paced games, it might be perfectly fine, but if you’re looking to play fast paced FPS games and the likes, you might notice a bit of input lag.

This TV, though, is a really great option if you’re just looking for something to watch shows and movies on. My one recommendation for this TV, though, is to make sure you put it in a good spot. The display is glossy, and reflections can be a distraction for sure. The colours are rich and vibrant and there’s plenty of detail, which I certainly enjoyed when watching shows and playing games.

At S$1,499, the Xiaomi Q1E is honestly not too bad, as long as you don’t need a 120Hz refresh rate and you’re patient enough to put up with the occasionally laggy interface.