🕷️ Crawler Inspector

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Direct Parameter Lookup

Raw Queries and Responses

1. Shard Calculation

Query:

Response:

Calculated Shard: 114 (from laksa084)

2. Crawled Status Check

Query:

curl -X POST \
  'http://laksa114.int.ahrefs:8124/' \
  -H 'Content-Type: text/plain' \
  -H 'X-ClickHouse-Database: crawler3' \
  -H 'Authorization: Basic YXBpOg==' \
  -d 'SELECT getAhrefsURLFromUnparsed(src_unparsed) AS found_url, ifNull(toUnixTimestamp(download_stamp), 0) AS crawl_time, ifNull(toUnixTimestamp(props_url_first_seen), 0) AS first_indexed_time, download_http_code AS http_code, src_unparsed AS src_unparsed, src_root_hash AS src_root_hash, history_drop_reason AS history_drop_reason, meta_title AS meta_title, meta_descriptions AS meta_descriptions, attrs_boilerpipe_text AS attrs_boilerpipe_text, attrs_markdown AS attrs_markdown, attrs_readable_markdown AS attrs_readable_markdown, meta_canonical AS meta_canonical FROM crawler3.page_info_local FINAL PREWHERE (src_root_hash, src_unparsed) IN ((getAhrefsRootHashFromUnparsed(getAhrefsUnparsedNoserviceFromURL(\'https://www.whathifi.com/reviews/xiaomi-f2-43-inch-fire-tv\')), getAhrefsUnparsedNoserviceFromURL(\'https://www.whathifi.com/reviews/xiaomi-f2-43-inch-fire-tv\'))) FORMAT JSONEachRow'

Response:

{"found_url":"https:\/\/www.whathifi.com\/reviews\/xiaomi-f2-43-inch-fire-tv","crawl_time":1776173296,"first_indexed_time":1662472885,"http_code":200,"src_unparsed":"com,whathifi!www,\/reviews\/xiaomi-f2-43-inch-fire-tv s443","src_root_hash":"11223160398512505114","history_drop_reason":null,"meta_title":"Xiaomi F2 Fire TV review: very cheap and surprisingly capable | What Hi-Fi?","meta_descriptions":["Amazon Fire TV loses the sticks but finds a telly"],"attrs_boilerpipe_text":"What Hi-Fi? Verdict\nAlthough not without its frustrations, Xiaomi’s F2 ultimately backs up its Fire TV smarts with a better picture and sound performance than expected.\nPros\n+\nContent-packed Fire TV interface\n+\nClean, powerful sound\n+\nSolid picture quality for the money\nCons\n-\nFire TV interface can be obtuse\n-\nInput lag isn’t very low\n-\nLack of colour adjustment options\nWhy you can trust What Hi-Fi?\nOur expert team reviews products in dedicated test rooms, to help you make the best choice for your budget.\nFind out more about how we test.\nAs a relatively new brand to the UK, Chinese outfit Xiaomi appears to have figured out that it will help it establish itself as a household name (it’s pronounced shau-mee, lest you were wondering) if it brings to market something unusual, officially ‘endorsed’ by one of the most established brands in the western world, and eye-catchingly cheap. Ladies and gentlemen, say hello to the Xiaomi F2\nAmazon Fire TV\n.\nPrice\n(Image credit: Xiaomi)\nHaving launched only a couple of months back at £399, the Xiaomi F2 is now available for a whole £100 less. Which is handy, actually, as it means this\n43-inch TV\nis now down there scrapping it out with fancy OS-toting competitors such as\nHisense\nand\nTCL’s Roku TVs\n. \nCutting its price to £299 potentially earns the F2 quite a bit more leeway on the picture quality front than it would have done at £399. Whether this is enough, though, remains to be seen.\nThe F2 is also available in 50- and 55-inch screen sizes, but only seemingly in the UK. There are apparently no equivalent models available in the US or Australia.\nDesign\n(Image credit: Xiaomi)\nThe Xiaomi F2 looks and feels mostly like what it is: a cheap television. The bodywork is extremely lightweight despite apparently being built around a metal frame, while its glossy black finish tries but fails to hide its innate plasticky-ness. The only thing its design has in its favour, really, is the way a plastic cover running over the screen and most of the screen frame creates the illusion that there’s barely any bezel at all.\nShipping with the F2 is a remote control that will look familiar to anyone who’s owned an\nAmazon Fire TV\ndevice before, from the Alexa mic button on the top to the glossy plastic navigation ‘ring’ below and smiling Fire TV logo at the bottom. There are more buttons than you’d get with most Amazon Fire TV remotes, though, thanks to the fact that the F2 also works as a regular television.\nFeatures\n(Image credit: Xiaomi)\nWe’ve covered the big news already, but let’s sum it up again for the avoidance of doubt: the Xiaomi F2 is a 43-inch 4K LCD TV that costs just £299 despite running on the comprehensive, massively content-rich Amazon Fire TV smart platform. \nGet the What Hi-Fi? Newsletter\nThe latest hi-fi, home cinema and tech news, reviews, buying advice and deals, direct to your inbox.\nThe F2 adds HDR to its picture mix, in the basic HDR10 and\nHLG\nflavours, but there’s no support for HDR10+ or\nDolby Vision\n. This is a pity, but hardly shocking at this price point.\nIt carries an impressive four HDMIs among its connections, though unfortunately these don’t support any cutting edge gaming features, be it\nVRR\n, 4K 120Hz or even, apparently,\nAuto Low Latency Mode\nswitching. Interestingly, the TV does automatically switch to Game mode when using an\nXbox Series X\nthrough it, even if ALLM doesn’t appear to be officially supported.\nThe HDMI ports don’t support the ‘e’ version of\nHDMI’s ARC\nfunctionality, meaning that the TV’s ARC-compatible HDMI can only pass on a compressed version of\nDolby Atmos\nsound to ARC-compatible soundbars and AV receivers, though that’s unlikely to be an issue for the type of buyer considering it, particularly as streaming services use this compressed version of\nDolby Atmos\nanyway.\nXiaomi F2 Fire TV tech specs\n(Image credit: Xiaomi \/ Netflix, No Limit)\nScreen size\n 43 inches (also available in 50in, 55in)\nType\n LCD\nBacklight\n Direct LED\nResolution\n 4K\nHDR formats supported\n HDR10, HLG\nOperating system\n Fire TV\nHDMI inputs\n 4\nARC\/eARC\n ARC\nOptical output\n Yes\nDimensions (hwd, without stand)\n 61 x 96 x 2.5cm\nThe impressive roster of HDMIs is joined, inevitably given the Amazon Fire TV connection, by built-in wi-fi support – as well as\nBluetooth 5.0\nand\nAirPlay\nwireless options for non-Amazon streaming sources – while other hard wired connections include an optical digital audio output, terrestrial and satellite tuners and two USB ports.\nThe whole Amazon Fire TV interface and content database is present and correct inside the F2, leaving people familiar with the\nFire TV (OS 7)\nplatform able to dive straight in and start using it as if they were using a standard Fire TV stick. The interface runs stably if a little sluggishly at times, suggesting a pretty solid integration with Xiaomi’s processing architecture.\nAll the major (and gazillions of minor) streaming services are covered by Fire TV, and the latest interface does a pretty decent job of including the content of those apps in its search results and shelves of recommended content. The system still favours Amazon content heavily, of course, but this is only to be expected.\nThe panel at the F2’s heart is, we’re pleased to say, a VA one illuminated directly from behind. This will hopefully yield better contrast than the IPS panels used in many budget TVs – even though, unsurprisingly for such a cheap TV, there’s no local dimming support.\nThe TV provides a decent set of picture and sound adjustments in some ways, and mercifully you can access them with a long press of the Home button on the remote rather than having to always go back to the home menu to reach them. \nPicture\n(Image credit: Xiaomi \/ Netflix, No Limit)\nThe Xiaomi F2’s picture performance is a frustrating combination of decent fundamentals and missing adjustment – but comes reasonably good in the end.\nStarting with the positive stuff, the F2 is marginally brighter when showing HDR than many of its similarly cheap rivals. We’re not talking mammoth differences here, and we should make it clear right away that, as always at this level of the market, the F2 can’t deliver anything like a full portrayal of the sort of brightness and light range of which\nHDR\nis capable. It does deliver a palpable lift in dynamic range and peak brightness versus SDR, though – clearly more so, in fact, than 2021’s excellent\nSamsung UE43AU7100\ndoes.\nThis slight extra brightness can be seen in both full screen bright content and the intensity of smaller bright HDR highlights. These highlights are delivered without excessive clipping, too, suggesting that Xiaomi is deploying at least some level of HDR tone mapping.\nThe F2’s native 4K pictures also look impressively sharp and detailed, again clearly outstripping the\nSamsung\nUE43AU7100 in this respect and creating a better sense of image depth in the process. \nThe F2’s basic contrast isn’t bad for its price either. In fact, its ability to deliver real brightness differences between the lightest and darkest parts of a shot is one of the reasons its pictures look so sharp and three dimensional. \nThe bad news starts with the set’s hit and miss colour performance. This finds pictures sporting a confusing mish-mash of hyper-extended colours (especially where reds are concerned) and rather muted ones (especially where blues and greens are concerned) that can leave some shots feeling unnatural and ‘off’. The tendency to push some tones can pull your attention to the wrong parts of the picture at times, too – though back in the plus column, Xiaomi’s set does better at resolving details in dark colour areas than some rival budget sets. The Film preset also reduces the colour inconsistency quite a bit compared with the default Standard preset.\nThe TV’s colours seem to have been calibrated – even in the Film preset – towards a rather cool (blue) tone that doesn’t always sit right with film sources. Especially during dark scenes. All of which makes the Xiaomi F2's failure to carry any significant colour and gamma calibration tools look all the more unfortunate.\nBlack level response isn’t as deep as that of the excellent Samsung UE43AU7100, but that’s not to say it’s bad. The fact that the mild grey wash that lies over dark scenes is infused with the screen’s fondness for blue doesn’t help, and nor does a tendency to bring out too much picture information in some dark corners while losing details in dark parts of mostly bright pictures. \nNone of these issues, though, make the F2 by any means a shocker with dark scenes. Especially when you compare it to the sort of washed out mess you get with the many IPS panels found in the budget TV world.\nThe F2’s motion smoothing system tends to look a bit uncomfortable and jarring – but fortunately neither judder nor motion blur are bad for such an affordable TV if you just turn the motion processing completely off.\nHD sources upscaled to 4K by the F2 look pretty decent. Pixels are added without exaggerating noise or creating jagged edges or exaggerated lines. There is something a little coarse about some unevenly lit and highly textured surfaces, but it feels like this is more to do with the TV being a bit over-adventurous with its brightness and dynamic range when handling SDR content.\nGaming, finally, is a mixed bag on the F2. The\nlatest 4K HDR titles\nlook crisp, detailed, bright and colourful, but there’s a tendency for bright areas to flare out a little, and the screen only manages to get input lag down to around 32ms in its Game preset. That’s over 20ms longer than the fastest TVs, but not so slow as to be an issue for non-hardcore gamers.\nSound\n(Image credit: Xiaomi)\nThe Xiaomi F2 sounds about average by the standards of the TV in general – but this can be considered pretty good by budget TV standards. \nIt’s able to go loud enough to keep even an action movie company without breaking down into distortions, and while it can start to sound a little uncomfortable – crowded and strained – during really peak soundtrack moments, it doesn’t actually fall away at such moments as some much more expensive TVs are prone to.\nDialogue sounds excellent; always clean and clear no matter how much pressure the speakers may be under, yet not so stark that voices sound decontextualised or over-dominant. It can’t be overstated how important this particular element of sound is to a TV, so the fact that Xiaomi has got it right here is a big win.\nThe soundstage doesn’t spread particularly far from the screen, and the decent mid-range and high frequency responses aren’t joined by much in the way of bass. The speakers have enough fidelity and range, though, to avoid harshness despite the lack of heavy bass.\nVerdict\n(Image credit: Xiaomi)\nDespite its frustrating colour issues, the Xiaomi F2 is still a surprisingly solid TV for its price – particularly its new price.\nContrast from the VA panel is decent, sharpness is excellent, sound is above par for a budget TV, particularly in terms of clarity, and brightness, while limited versus the TV world at large, is actually pretty solid for £299. So if the idea of having Fire TV built into your TV sounds irresistible to you, the Xiaomi backs up those Amazon smarts with better picture and sound than you really have a right to expect for so little money.\nSCORES\nPicture\n4\nSound\n4\nFeatures\n4\nMORE:\nRead our review of the\nHisense\nR50A7200GTUK Roku TV\nAlso consider the\nTCL 55RP620K Roku TV\nRead our\nSamsung UE43AU7100\nreview\nBest 40, 42 and 43-inch TVs:\nthese 'small' TVs are great value\nTOPICS\nAmazon Fire TV\nAmazon\nXbox\nWhat Hi-Fi?\nWhat Hi-Fi?, founded in 1976, is the world's leading independent guide to buying and owning hi-fi and home entertainment products. Our comprehensive tests help you buy the very best for your money, with our advice sections giving you step-by-step information on how to get even more from your music and movies. Everything is tested by our dedicated team of in-house reviewers in our custom-built test rooms in London, Reading and Bath. Our coveted five-star rating and Awards are recognised all over the world as the ultimate seal of approval, so you can buy with absolute confidence.\nRead more about how we test","attrs_markdown":"![](https:\/\/sb.scorecardresearch.com\/p\/?c1=2&c2=10055482&cv=4.4.0&cj=1)\n\n[Skip to main content](https:\/\/www.whathifi.com\/reviews\/xiaomi-f2-43-inch-fire-tv#main)\n\nOpen menu\n\nClose main menu\n\n[![What Hi-Fi?](https:\/\/www.whathifi.com\/media\/img\/WHF_logo.svg) What Hi-Fi? 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[TV & Home Cinema](https:\/\/www.whathifi.com\/tv-home-cinema)\n2. [Televisions](https:\/\/www.whathifi.com\/tv-home-cinema\/televisions)\n\n# Xiaomi F2 (43-inch) Fire TV review\n## Amazon Fire TV loses the sticks but finds a telly Tested at £299\n[Reviews](https:\/\/www.whathifi.com\/reviews)\n\nBy [What Hi-Fi?](https:\/\/www.whathifi.com\/author\/what-hi-fi)\n\npublished\n\n6 September 2022\n\nWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. [Here’s how it works](https:\/\/www.whathifi.com\/news\/about-us#section-affiliate-advertising-disclosure).\n\n![43 inch TV: Xiaomi F2 Fire TV](https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/c99jKcSi2TgnBwxZzygepH.jpg)\n\n(Image credit: © Xiaomi \/ Netflix, No Limit)\n\n### What Hi-Fi? Verdict\nAlthough not without its frustrations, Xiaomi’s F2 ultimately backs up its Fire TV smarts with a better picture and sound performance than expected.\n\n[Check Amazon](https:\/\/target.georiot.com\/Proxy.ashx?tsid=40397&GR_URL=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.co.uk%2Fs%2Fref%3Dnb_sb_noss%3Fa%3Db%26field-keywords%3DXiaomi+F2+%2843-inch%29%26tag%3Dhawk-future-21%26ascsubtag%3Dwhathifi-gb-5861669131592176361-21)\n\n#### Pros\n- \\+\n  Content-packed Fire TV interface\n- \\+\n  Clean, powerful sound\n- \\+\n  Solid picture quality for the money\n\n#### Cons\n- \\-\n  Fire TV interface can be obtuse\n- \\-\n  Input lag isn’t very low\n- \\-\n  Lack of colour adjustment options\n\nBest picks for you\n\n- [Best 65-inch TVs 2026: the top models we've tested](https:\/\/www.whathifi.com\/best-buys\/the-best-65-inch-tvs)\n- [Best cheap TVs 2026: affordable sets tried, tested and recommended](https:\/\/www.whathifi.com\/best-buys\/best-cheap-4k-tvs-the-best-budget-tvs)\n- [Best streaming devices 2026: smart TV sticks and boxes chosen by our experts](https:\/\/www.whathifi.com\/best-buys\/digital-tv-boxes\/best-tv-streaming-boxes)\n\nWhy you can trust What Hi-Fi? Our expert team reviews products in dedicated test rooms, to help you make the best choice for your budget. [Find out more about how we test.](https:\/\/www.whathifi.com\/news\/how-we-test-and-review-products-on-what-hi-fi)\n\nAs a relatively new brand to the UK, Chinese outfit Xiaomi appears to have figured out that it will help it establish itself as a household name (it’s pronounced shau-mee, lest you were wondering) if it brings to market something unusual, officially ‘endorsed’ by one of the most established brands in the western world, and eye-catchingly cheap. Ladies and gentlemen, say hello to the Xiaomi F2 [Amazon Fire TV](https:\/\/www.whathifi.com\/tag\/amazon-fire-tv).\n\n## Price\n![43 inch TV: Xiaomi F2 Fire TV](https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/2dvAr4hMJK2kgiN4wT69fH.jpg)\n\n(Image credit: Xiaomi)\n\nHaving launched only a couple of months back at £399, the Xiaomi F2 is now available for a whole £100 less. Which is handy, actually, as it means this [43-inch TV](https:\/\/www.whathifi.com\/best-buys\/tvs\/best-40-43in-tvs) is now down there scrapping it out with fancy OS-toting competitors such as [Hisense](https:\/\/www.whathifi.com\/reviews\/hisense-roku-r50a7200gtuk) and [TCL’s Roku TVs](https:\/\/www.whathifi.com\/reviews\/tcl-55rp620k).\n\nCutting its price to £299 potentially earns the F2 quite a bit more leeway on the picture quality front than it would have done at £399. Whether this is enough, though, remains to be seen.\n\nThe F2 is also available in 50- and 55-inch screen sizes, but only seemingly in the UK. There are apparently no equivalent models available in the US or Australia.\n\n## Design\n![43 inch TV: Xiaomi F2 Fire TV](https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/zkNJdBj8WQMu9UmY3veZXH.jpg)\n\n(Image credit: Xiaomi)\n\nThe Xiaomi F2 looks and feels mostly like what it is: a cheap television. The bodywork is extremely lightweight despite apparently being built around a metal frame, while its glossy black finish tries but fails to hide its innate plasticky-ness. The only thing its design has in its favour, really, is the way a plastic cover running over the screen and most of the screen frame creates the illusion that there’s barely any bezel at all.\n\nShipping with the F2 is a remote control that will look familiar to anyone who’s owned an [Amazon Fire TV](https:\/\/www.whathifi.com\/reviews\/amazon-fire-tv-stick-4k-review) device before, from the Alexa mic button on the top to the glossy plastic navigation ‘ring’ below and smiling Fire TV logo at the bottom. There are more buttons than you’d get with most Amazon Fire TV remotes, though, thanks to the fact that the F2 also works as a regular television.\n\n## Features\n![43 inch TV: Xiaomi F2 Fire TV](https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/subx7ttofEDtzPfTQcLmJJ.jpg)\n\n(Image credit: Xiaomi)\n\nWe’ve covered the big news already, but let’s sum it up again for the avoidance of doubt: the Xiaomi F2 is a 43-inch 4K LCD TV that costs just £299 despite running on the comprehensive, massively content-rich Amazon Fire TV smart platform.\n\nGet the What Hi-Fi? Newsletter\n\nThe latest hi-fi, home cinema and tech news, reviews, buying advice and deals, direct to your inbox.\n\nBy signing up, you agree to our [Terms of services](https:\/\/futureplc.com\/terms-conditions\/)  and acknowledge that you have read our [Privacy Notice](https:\/\/futureplc.com\/privacy-policy). You also agree to receive marketing emails from us that may include promotions from our trusted partners and sponsors, which you can unsubscribe from at any time.\n\nThe F2 adds HDR to its picture mix, in the basic HDR10 and [HLG](https:\/\/www.whathifi.com\/advice\/hybrid-log-gamma-new-4k-hdr-tv-broadcast-format-explained) flavours, but there’s no support for HDR10+ or [Dolby Vision](https:\/\/www.whathifi.com\/tag\/dolby-vision). This is a pity, but hardly shocking at this price point.\n\nIt carries an impressive four HDMIs among its connections, though unfortunately these don’t support any cutting edge gaming features, be it [VRR](https:\/\/www.whathifi.com\/advice\/vrr-everything-you-need-to-know-about-variable-refresh-rate), 4K 120Hz or even, apparently, [Auto Low Latency Mode](https:\/\/www.whathifi.com\/advice\/allm-everything-you-need-to-know-about-auto-low-latency-mode) switching. Interestingly, the TV does automatically switch to Game mode when using an [Xbox Series X](https:\/\/www.whathifi.com\/reviews\/xbox-series-x) through it, even if ALLM doesn’t appear to be officially supported.\n\nThe HDMI ports don’t support the ‘e’ version of [HDMI’s ARC](https:\/\/www.whathifi.com\/advice\/hdmi-arc-and-hdmi-earc-everything-you-need-to-know) functionality, meaning that the TV’s ARC-compatible HDMI can only pass on a compressed version of [Dolby Atmos](https:\/\/www.whathifi.com\/advice\/dolby-atmos-what-it-how-can-you-get-it) sound to ARC-compatible soundbars and AV receivers, though that’s unlikely to be an issue for the type of buyer considering it, particularly as streaming services use this compressed version of [Dolby Atmos](https:\/\/www.whathifi.com\/tag\/dolby-atmos) anyway.\n\nXiaomi F2 Fire TV tech specs\n\n![43 inch TV: Xiaomi F2 Fire TV](https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/c99jKcSi2TgnBwxZzygepH.jpg)\n\n(Image credit: Xiaomi \/ Netflix, No Limit)\n\n**Screen size** 43 inches (also available in 50in, 55in)\n\n**Type** LCD\n\n**Backlight** Direct LED\n\n**Resolution** 4K\n\n**HDR formats supported** HDR10, HLG\n\n**Operating system** Fire TV\n\n**HDMI inputs** 4\n\n**ARC\/eARC** ARC\n\n**Optical output** Yes\n\n**Dimensions (hwd, without stand)** 61 x 96 x 2.5cm\n\nThe impressive roster of HDMIs is joined, inevitably given the Amazon Fire TV connection, by built-in wi-fi support – as well as [Bluetooth 5.0](https:\/\/www.whathifi.com\/advice\/bluetooth-5-everything-you-need-to-know) and [AirPlay](https:\/\/www.whathifi.com\/tag\/airplay) wireless options for non-Amazon streaming sources – while other hard wired connections include an optical digital audio output, terrestrial and satellite tuners and two USB ports.\n\nThe whole Amazon Fire TV interface and content database is present and correct inside the F2, leaving people familiar with the [Fire TV (OS 7)](https:\/\/www.whathifi.com\/advice\/amazon-fire-tv-vs-roku-which-is-better) platform able to dive straight in and start using it as if they were using a standard Fire TV stick. The interface runs stably if a little sluggishly at times, suggesting a pretty solid integration with Xiaomi’s processing architecture.\n\nAll the major (and gazillions of minor) streaming services are covered by Fire TV, and the latest interface does a pretty decent job of including the content of those apps in its search results and shelves of recommended content. The system still favours Amazon content heavily, of course, but this is only to be expected.\n\nThe panel at the F2’s heart is, we’re pleased to say, a VA one illuminated directly from behind. This will hopefully yield better contrast than the IPS panels used in many budget TVs – even though, unsurprisingly for such a cheap TV, there’s no local dimming support.\n\nThe TV provides a decent set of picture and sound adjustments in some ways, and mercifully you can access them with a long press of the Home button on the remote rather than having to always go back to the home menu to reach them.\n\n## Picture\n![43 inch TV: Xiaomi F2 Fire TV](https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/PMaQCZ23PpRT7fbykYonrG.jpg)\n\n(Image credit: Xiaomi \/ Netflix, No Limit)\n\nThe Xiaomi F2’s picture performance is a frustrating combination of decent fundamentals and missing adjustment – but comes reasonably good in the end.\n\nStarting with the positive stuff, the F2 is marginally brighter when showing HDR than many of its similarly cheap rivals. We’re not talking mammoth differences here, and we should make it clear right away that, as always at this level of the market, the F2 can’t deliver anything like a full portrayal of the sort of brightness and light range of which [HDR](https:\/\/www.whathifi.com\/advice\/hdr-tv-what-it-how-can-you-get-it) is capable. It does deliver a palpable lift in dynamic range and peak brightness versus SDR, though – clearly more so, in fact, than 2021’s excellent [Samsung UE43AU7100](https:\/\/www.whathifi.com\/reviews\/samsung-ue43au7100-43-inch-tv) does.\n\nThis slight extra brightness can be seen in both full screen bright content and the intensity of smaller bright HDR highlights. These highlights are delivered without excessive clipping, too, suggesting that Xiaomi is deploying at least some level of HDR tone mapping.\n\nThe F2’s native 4K pictures also look impressively sharp and detailed, again clearly outstripping the [Samsung](https:\/\/www.whathifi.com\/tag\/samsung) UE43AU7100 in this respect and creating a better sense of image depth in the process.\n\nThe F2’s basic contrast isn’t bad for its price either. In fact, its ability to deliver real brightness differences between the lightest and darkest parts of a shot is one of the reasons its pictures look so sharp and three dimensional.\n\nThe bad news starts with the set’s hit and miss colour performance. This finds pictures sporting a confusing mish-mash of hyper-extended colours (especially where reds are concerned) and rather muted ones (especially where blues and greens are concerned) that can leave some shots feeling unnatural and ‘off’. The tendency to push some tones can pull your attention to the wrong parts of the picture at times, too – though back in the plus column, Xiaomi’s set does better at resolving details in dark colour areas than some rival budget sets. The Film preset also reduces the colour inconsistency quite a bit compared with the default Standard preset.\n\nThe TV’s colours seem to have been calibrated – even in the Film preset – towards a rather cool (blue) tone that doesn’t always sit right with film sources. Especially during dark scenes. All of which makes the Xiaomi F2's failure to carry any significant colour and gamma calibration tools look all the more unfortunate.\n\nBlack level response isn’t as deep as that of the excellent Samsung UE43AU7100, but that’s not to say it’s bad. The fact that the mild grey wash that lies over dark scenes is infused with the screen’s fondness for blue doesn’t help, and nor does a tendency to bring out too much picture information in some dark corners while losing details in dark parts of mostly bright pictures.\n\nNone of these issues, though, make the F2 by any means a shocker with dark scenes. Especially when you compare it to the sort of washed out mess you get with the many IPS panels found in the budget TV world.\n\nThe F2’s motion smoothing system tends to look a bit uncomfortable and jarring – but fortunately neither judder nor motion blur are bad for such an affordable TV if you just turn the motion processing completely off.\n\nHD sources upscaled to 4K by the F2 look pretty decent. Pixels are added without exaggerating noise or creating jagged edges or exaggerated lines. There is something a little coarse about some unevenly lit and highly textured surfaces, but it feels like this is more to do with the TV being a bit over-adventurous with its brightness and dynamic range when handling SDR content.\n\nGaming, finally, is a mixed bag on the F2. The [latest 4K HDR titles](https:\/\/www.whathifi.com\/reviews\/sony-playstation-5) look crisp, detailed, bright and colourful, but there’s a tendency for bright areas to flare out a little, and the screen only manages to get input lag down to around 32ms in its Game preset. That’s over 20ms longer than the fastest TVs, but not so slow as to be an issue for non-hardcore gamers.\n\n## Sound\n![43 inch TV: Xiaomi F2 Fire TV](https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/YYSzoZ2VnZHunhPeirFrAH.jpg)\n\n(Image credit: Xiaomi)\n\nThe Xiaomi F2 sounds about average by the standards of the TV in general – but this can be considered pretty good by budget TV standards.\n\nIt’s able to go loud enough to keep even an action movie company without breaking down into distortions, and while it can start to sound a little uncomfortable – crowded and strained – during really peak soundtrack moments, it doesn’t actually fall away at such moments as some much more expensive TVs are prone to.\n\nDialogue sounds excellent; always clean and clear no matter how much pressure the speakers may be under, yet not so stark that voices sound decontextualised or over-dominant. It can’t be overstated how important this particular element of sound is to a TV, so the fact that Xiaomi has got it right here is a big win.\n\nThe soundstage doesn’t spread particularly far from the screen, and the decent mid-range and high frequency responses aren’t joined by much in the way of bass. The speakers have enough fidelity and range, though, to avoid harshness despite the lack of heavy bass.\n\n## Verdict\n![43 inch TV: Xiaomi F2 Fire TV](https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/ehzwzs94abKr3RMQopJQzG.jpg)\n\n(Image credit: Xiaomi)\n\nDespite its frustrating colour issues, the Xiaomi F2 is still a surprisingly solid TV for its price – particularly its new price.\n\nContrast from the VA panel is decent, sharpness is excellent, sound is above par for a budget TV, particularly in terms of clarity, and brightness, while limited versus the TV world at large, is actually pretty solid for £299. So if the idea of having Fire TV built into your TV sounds irresistible to you, the Xiaomi backs up those Amazon smarts with better picture and sound than you really have a right to expect for so little money.\n\n**SCORES**\n\n- **Picture** 4\n- **Sound** 4\n- **Features** 4\n\n**MORE:**\n\n**Read our review of the [Hisense](https:\/\/www.whathifi.com\/tag\/hisense)** [**R50A7200GTUK Roku TV**](https:\/\/www.whathifi.com\/reviews\/hisense-roku-r50a7200gtuk)\n\n**Also consider the** [**TCL 55RP620K Roku TV**](https:\/\/www.whathifi.com\/reviews\/tcl-55rp620k)\n\n**Read our** [**Samsung UE43AU7100**](https:\/\/www.whathifi.com\/reviews\/samsung-ue43au7100-43-inch-tv) **review**\n\n[**Best 40, 42 and 43-inch TVs:**](https:\/\/www.whathifi.com\/best-buys\/tvs\/best-40-43in-tvs) **these 'small' TVs are great value**\n\nXiaomi F2 (43-inch): Price Comparison\n\n[72 Amazon customer reviews](https:\/\/target.georiot.com\/Proxy.ashx?tsid=8428&GR_URL=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.co.uk%2Freviews%2FB09YM2WSPP%3Ftag%3Dhawk-future-21%26ascsubtag%3Dwhathifi-gb-3926388724888682090-21)\n\n☆☆☆☆☆\n\n[![Amazon UK View Similar](https:\/\/search-api.fie.futurecdn.net\/img\/misc\/no-image-available.svg)](https:\/\/target.georiot.com\/Proxy.ashx?tsid=40397&GR_URL=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.co.uk%2Fs%2Fref%3Dnb_sb_noss%3Fa%3Db%26field-keywords%3DXiaomi+F2+%2843-inch%29%26tag%3Dhawk-future-21%26ascsubtag%3Dwhathifi-gb-5861669131592176361-21)\n\n[![Amazon](https:\/\/images.fie.futurecdn.net\/logos\/merchants\/amazon-uk-14606342093191-100-80.png.webp)](https:\/\/target.georiot.com\/Proxy.ashx?tsid=40397&GR_URL=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.co.uk%2Fs%2Fref%3Dnb_sb_noss%3Fa%3Db%26field-keywords%3DXiaomi+F2+%2843-inch%29%26tag%3Dhawk-future-21%26ascsubtag%3Dwhathifi-gb-5861669131592176361-21)\n\n[No price information](https:\/\/target.georiot.com\/Proxy.ashx?tsid=40397&GR_URL=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.co.uk%2Fs%2Fref%3Dnb_sb_noss%3Fa%3Db%26field-keywords%3DXiaomi+F2+%2843-inch%29%26tag%3Dhawk-future-21%26ascsubtag%3Dwhathifi-gb-5861669131592176361-21)\n\n[Check Amazon](https:\/\/target.georiot.com\/Proxy.ashx?tsid=40397&GR_URL=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.co.uk%2Fs%2Fref%3Dnb_sb_noss%3Fa%3Db%26field-keywords%3DXiaomi+F2+%2843-inch%29%26tag%3Dhawk-future-21%26ascsubtag%3Dwhathifi-gb-5861669131592176361-21)\n\nWe check over 250 million products every day for the best prices\n\npowered by\n\n![What Hi-Fi?](https:\/\/search-api.fie.futurecdn.net\/img\/sites\/svg\/whathifi.svg)\n\nTOPICS\n\n[Amazon Fire TV](https:\/\/www.whathifi.com\/tag\/amazon-fire-tv)   [Amazon](https:\/\/www.whathifi.com\/tag\/amazon)   [Xbox](https:\/\/www.whathifi.com\/tag\/xbox)\n\n![What Hi-Fi?](https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/vCD3PyD4ukrxbM7jRvYfam.png)\n\n[What Hi-Fi?](https:\/\/www.whathifi.com\/author\/what-hi-fi)\n\nSocial Links Navigation\n\nWhat Hi-Fi?, founded in 1976, is the world's leading independent guide to buying and owning hi-fi and home entertainment products. Our comprehensive tests help you buy the very best for your money, with our advice sections giving you step-by-step information on how to get even more from your music and movies. Everything is tested by our dedicated team of in-house reviewers in our custom-built test rooms in London, Reading and Bath. Our coveted five-star rating and Awards are recognised all over the world as the ultimate seal of approval, so you can buy with absolute confidence.\n\n[**Read more about how we test**](https:\/\/www.whathifi.com\/news\/about-us)\n\nRead more\n\n[![Amazon Fire TV Omni QLED (65-inch) QLED TV](https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/T8QmgdLK29LzeAxu74aBYD.jpg) Televisions Amazon Fire TV Omni QLED (QL65F602U) review](https:\/\/www.whathifi.com\/tv-home-cinema\/televisions\/amazon-fire-tv-omni-qled-ql65f602u \"Amazon Fire TV Omni QLED (QL65F602U) review\")\n\n[![Toshiba XF9F OLED TV](https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/CeQF46GRCoWJ5TAAsKAQnV.jpg) Televisions Toshiba XF9F (55XF9F53DB) review](https:\/\/www.whathifi.com\/tv-home-cinema\/televisions\/toshiba-xf9f-55xf9f53db \"Toshiba XF9F (55XF9F53DB) review\")\n\n[![The 55-inch Sony Bravia 8 II QD-OLED TV photographed on a white table. 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On both of the assembled TVs, an image of a sunset is displayed. On the left-side backlight, a vague blue image is visible. On the right-side backlight, the colours are full recreated and the shapes of the scene are clear.](https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/G42D2WGEEsn4mAmVXLf2ZB.jpg) Televisions Sony's new True RGB TV looks amazing in action, but is it an OLED killer?](https:\/\/www.whathifi.com\/tv-home-cinema\/televisions\/sonys-new-true-rgb-tv-looks-amazing-in-action-but-is-it-an-oled-killer \"Sony's new True RGB TV looks amazing in action, but is it an OLED killer?\")\n\n[![The exposed backlights of two TVs running side by side. On the left, the image is purely white\/blue. 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[Visit our corporate site](https:\/\/futureplc.com\/).\n\n[![Add as a preferred source on Google](https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/flexiimages\/mednnv697g1760357120.png) Add as a preferred source on Google](https:\/\/google.com\/preferences\/source?q=whathifi.com)\n\n- [Terms and conditions](https:\/\/futureplc.com\/terms-conditions\/)\n- [Contact Future's experts](https:\/\/futureplc.com\/contact\/)\n- [Privacy policy](https:\/\/futureplc.com\/privacy-policy\/)\n- [Cookies policy](https:\/\/futureplc.com\/cookies-policy\/)\n- [Advertise with us](https:\/\/go.future-advertising.com\/What-HiFi-Media-Kit.html)\n- [About us](https:\/\/www.whathifi.com\/news\/about-us)\n- [Contact us](https:\/\/www.whathifi.com\/news\/contact-us)\n- [Accessibility Statement](https:\/\/futureplc.com\/accessibility-statement\/)\n- [Careers](https:\/\/futureplc.com\/careers\/)\n- [Do not sell or share my personal information](https:\/\/www.whathifi.com\/privacy-portal)\n\n© Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, Bath BA1 1UA. All rights reserved. England and Wales company registration number 2008885.\n\nClose\n\nPlease login or signup to comment\n\nPlease wait...\n\nLogin\n\nSign Up","attrs_readable_markdown":"### What Hi-Fi? Verdict\nAlthough not without its frustrations, Xiaomi’s F2 ultimately backs up its Fire TV smarts with a better picture and sound performance than expected.\n\n#### Pros\n- \\+\n  Content-packed Fire TV interface\n- \\+\n  Clean, powerful sound\n- \\+\n  Solid picture quality for the money\n\n#### Cons\n- \\-\n  Fire TV interface can be obtuse\n- \\-\n  Input lag isn’t very low\n- \\-\n  Lack of colour adjustment options\n\nWhy you can trust What Hi-Fi?   Our expert team reviews products in dedicated test rooms, to help you make the best choice for your budget. [Find out more about how we test.](https:\/\/www.whathifi.com\/news\/how-we-test-and-review-products-on-what-hi-fi)\n\nAs a relatively new brand to the UK, Chinese outfit Xiaomi appears to have figured out that it will help it establish itself as a household name (it’s pronounced shau-mee, lest you were wondering) if it brings to market something unusual, officially ‘endorsed’ by one of the most established brands in the western world, and eye-catchingly cheap. Ladies and gentlemen, say hello to the Xiaomi F2 [Amazon Fire TV](https:\/\/www.whathifi.com\/tag\/amazon-fire-tv).\n\n## Price\n![43 inch TV: Xiaomi F2 Fire TV](https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/2dvAr4hMJK2kgiN4wT69fH.jpg)\n\n(Image credit: Xiaomi)\n\nHaving launched only a couple of months back at £399, the Xiaomi F2 is now available for a whole £100 less. Which is handy, actually, as it means this [43-inch TV](https:\/\/www.whathifi.com\/best-buys\/tvs\/best-40-43in-tvs) is now down there scrapping it out with fancy OS-toting competitors such as [Hisense](https:\/\/www.whathifi.com\/reviews\/hisense-roku-r50a7200gtuk) and [TCL’s Roku TVs](https:\/\/www.whathifi.com\/reviews\/tcl-55rp620k).\n\nCutting its price to £299 potentially earns the F2 quite a bit more leeway on the picture quality front than it would have done at £399. Whether this is enough, though, remains to be seen.\n\nThe F2 is also available in 50- and 55-inch screen sizes, but only seemingly in the UK. There are apparently no equivalent models available in the US or Australia.\n\n## Design\n![43 inch TV: Xiaomi F2 Fire TV](https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/zkNJdBj8WQMu9UmY3veZXH.jpg)\n\n(Image credit: Xiaomi)\n\nThe Xiaomi F2 looks and feels mostly like what it is: a cheap television. The bodywork is extremely lightweight despite apparently being built around a metal frame, while its glossy black finish tries but fails to hide its innate plasticky-ness. The only thing its design has in its favour, really, is the way a plastic cover running over the screen and most of the screen frame creates the illusion that there’s barely any bezel at all.\n\nShipping with the F2 is a remote control that will look familiar to anyone who’s owned an [Amazon Fire TV](https:\/\/www.whathifi.com\/reviews\/amazon-fire-tv-stick-4k-review) device before, from the Alexa mic button on the top to the glossy plastic navigation ‘ring’ below and smiling Fire TV logo at the bottom. There are more buttons than you’d get with most Amazon Fire TV remotes, though, thanks to the fact that the F2 also works as a regular television.\n\n## Features\n![43 inch TV: Xiaomi F2 Fire TV](https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/subx7ttofEDtzPfTQcLmJJ.jpg)\n\n(Image credit: Xiaomi)\n\nWe’ve covered the big news already, but let’s sum it up again for the avoidance of doubt: the Xiaomi F2 is a 43-inch 4K LCD TV that costs just £299 despite running on the comprehensive, massively content-rich Amazon Fire TV smart platform.\n\nGet the What Hi-Fi? Newsletter\n\nThe latest hi-fi, home cinema and tech news, reviews, buying advice and deals, direct to your inbox.\n\nThe F2 adds HDR to its picture mix, in the basic HDR10 and [HLG](https:\/\/www.whathifi.com\/advice\/hybrid-log-gamma-new-4k-hdr-tv-broadcast-format-explained) flavours, but there’s no support for HDR10+ or [Dolby Vision](https:\/\/www.whathifi.com\/tag\/dolby-vision). This is a pity, but hardly shocking at this price point.\n\nIt carries an impressive four HDMIs among its connections, though unfortunately these don’t support any cutting edge gaming features, be it [VRR](https:\/\/www.whathifi.com\/advice\/vrr-everything-you-need-to-know-about-variable-refresh-rate), 4K 120Hz or even, apparently, [Auto Low Latency Mode](https:\/\/www.whathifi.com\/advice\/allm-everything-you-need-to-know-about-auto-low-latency-mode) switching. Interestingly, the TV does automatically switch to Game mode when using an [Xbox Series X](https:\/\/www.whathifi.com\/reviews\/xbox-series-x) through it, even if ALLM doesn’t appear to be officially supported.\n\nThe HDMI ports don’t support the ‘e’ version of [HDMI’s ARC](https:\/\/www.whathifi.com\/advice\/hdmi-arc-and-hdmi-earc-everything-you-need-to-know) functionality, meaning that the TV’s ARC-compatible HDMI can only pass on a compressed version of [Dolby Atmos](https:\/\/www.whathifi.com\/advice\/dolby-atmos-what-it-how-can-you-get-it) sound to ARC-compatible soundbars and AV receivers, though that’s unlikely to be an issue for the type of buyer considering it, particularly as streaming services use this compressed version of [Dolby Atmos](https:\/\/www.whathifi.com\/tag\/dolby-atmos) anyway.\n\nXiaomi F2 Fire TV tech specs\n\n![43 inch TV: Xiaomi F2 Fire TV](https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/c99jKcSi2TgnBwxZzygepH.jpg)\n\n(Image credit: Xiaomi \/ Netflix, No Limit)\n\n**Screen size** 43 inches (also available in 50in, 55in)\n\n**Type** LCD\n\n**Backlight** Direct LED\n\n**Resolution** 4K\n\n**HDR formats supported** HDR10, HLG\n\n**Operating system** Fire TV\n\n**HDMI inputs** 4\n\n**ARC\/eARC** ARC\n\n**Optical output** Yes\n\n**Dimensions (hwd, without stand)** 61 x 96 x 2.5cm\n\nThe impressive roster of HDMIs is joined, inevitably given the Amazon Fire TV connection, by built-in wi-fi support – as well as [Bluetooth 5.0](https:\/\/www.whathifi.com\/advice\/bluetooth-5-everything-you-need-to-know) and [AirPlay](https:\/\/www.whathifi.com\/tag\/airplay) wireless options for non-Amazon streaming sources – while other hard wired connections include an optical digital audio output, terrestrial and satellite tuners and two USB ports.\n\nThe whole Amazon Fire TV interface and content database is present and correct inside the F2, leaving people familiar with the [Fire TV (OS 7)](https:\/\/www.whathifi.com\/advice\/amazon-fire-tv-vs-roku-which-is-better) platform able to dive straight in and start using it as if they were using a standard Fire TV stick. The interface runs stably if a little sluggishly at times, suggesting a pretty solid integration with Xiaomi’s processing architecture.\n\nAll the major (and gazillions of minor) streaming services are covered by Fire TV, and the latest interface does a pretty decent job of including the content of those apps in its search results and shelves of recommended content. The system still favours Amazon content heavily, of course, but this is only to be expected.\n\nThe panel at the F2’s heart is, we’re pleased to say, a VA one illuminated directly from behind. This will hopefully yield better contrast than the IPS panels used in many budget TVs – even though, unsurprisingly for such a cheap TV, there’s no local dimming support.\n\nThe TV provides a decent set of picture and sound adjustments in some ways, and mercifully you can access them with a long press of the Home button on the remote rather than having to always go back to the home menu to reach them.\n\n## Picture\n![43 inch TV: Xiaomi F2 Fire TV](https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/PMaQCZ23PpRT7fbykYonrG.jpg)\n\n(Image credit: Xiaomi \/ Netflix, No Limit)\n\nThe Xiaomi F2’s picture performance is a frustrating combination of decent fundamentals and missing adjustment – but comes reasonably good in the end.\n\nStarting with the positive stuff, the F2 is marginally brighter when showing HDR than many of its similarly cheap rivals. We’re not talking mammoth differences here, and we should make it clear right away that, as always at this level of the market, the F2 can’t deliver anything like a full portrayal of the sort of brightness and light range of which [HDR](https:\/\/www.whathifi.com\/advice\/hdr-tv-what-it-how-can-you-get-it) is capable. It does deliver a palpable lift in dynamic range and peak brightness versus SDR, though – clearly more so, in fact, than 2021’s excellent [Samsung UE43AU7100](https:\/\/www.whathifi.com\/reviews\/samsung-ue43au7100-43-inch-tv) does.\n\nThis slight extra brightness can be seen in both full screen bright content and the intensity of smaller bright HDR highlights. These highlights are delivered without excessive clipping, too, suggesting that Xiaomi is deploying at least some level of HDR tone mapping.\n\nThe F2’s native 4K pictures also look impressively sharp and detailed, again clearly outstripping the [Samsung](https:\/\/www.whathifi.com\/tag\/samsung) UE43AU7100 in this respect and creating a better sense of image depth in the process.\n\nThe F2’s basic contrast isn’t bad for its price either. In fact, its ability to deliver real brightness differences between the lightest and darkest parts of a shot is one of the reasons its pictures look so sharp and three dimensional.\n\nThe bad news starts with the set’s hit and miss colour performance. This finds pictures sporting a confusing mish-mash of hyper-extended colours (especially where reds are concerned) and rather muted ones (especially where blues and greens are concerned) that can leave some shots feeling unnatural and ‘off’. The tendency to push some tones can pull your attention to the wrong parts of the picture at times, too – though back in the plus column, Xiaomi’s set does better at resolving details in dark colour areas than some rival budget sets. The Film preset also reduces the colour inconsistency quite a bit compared with the default Standard preset.\n\nThe TV’s colours seem to have been calibrated – even in the Film preset – towards a rather cool (blue) tone that doesn’t always sit right with film sources. Especially during dark scenes. All of which makes the Xiaomi F2's failure to carry any significant colour and gamma calibration tools look all the more unfortunate.\n\nBlack level response isn’t as deep as that of the excellent Samsung UE43AU7100, but that’s not to say it’s bad. The fact that the mild grey wash that lies over dark scenes is infused with the screen’s fondness for blue doesn’t help, and nor does a tendency to bring out too much picture information in some dark corners while losing details in dark parts of mostly bright pictures.\n\nNone of these issues, though, make the F2 by any means a shocker with dark scenes. Especially when you compare it to the sort of washed out mess you get with the many IPS panels found in the budget TV world.\n\nThe F2’s motion smoothing system tends to look a bit uncomfortable and jarring – but fortunately neither judder nor motion blur are bad for such an affordable TV if you just turn the motion processing completely off.\n\nHD sources upscaled to 4K by the F2 look pretty decent. Pixels are added without exaggerating noise or creating jagged edges or exaggerated lines. There is something a little coarse about some unevenly lit and highly textured surfaces, but it feels like this is more to do with the TV being a bit over-adventurous with its brightness and dynamic range when handling SDR content.\n\nGaming, finally, is a mixed bag on the F2. The [latest 4K HDR titles](https:\/\/www.whathifi.com\/reviews\/sony-playstation-5) look crisp, detailed, bright and colourful, but there’s a tendency for bright areas to flare out a little, and the screen only manages to get input lag down to around 32ms in its Game preset. That’s over 20ms longer than the fastest TVs, but not so slow as to be an issue for non-hardcore gamers.\n\n## Sound\n![43 inch TV: Xiaomi F2 Fire TV](https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/YYSzoZ2VnZHunhPeirFrAH.jpg)\n\n(Image credit: Xiaomi)\n\nThe Xiaomi F2 sounds about average by the standards of the TV in general – but this can be considered pretty good by budget TV standards.\n\nIt’s able to go loud enough to keep even an action movie company without breaking down into distortions, and while it can start to sound a little uncomfortable – crowded and strained – during really peak soundtrack moments, it doesn’t actually fall away at such moments as some much more expensive TVs are prone to.\n\nDialogue sounds excellent; always clean and clear no matter how much pressure the speakers may be under, yet not so stark that voices sound decontextualised or over-dominant. It can’t be overstated how important this particular element of sound is to a TV, so the fact that Xiaomi has got it right here is a big win.\n\nThe soundstage doesn’t spread particularly far from the screen, and the decent mid-range and high frequency responses aren’t joined by much in the way of bass. The speakers have enough fidelity and range, though, to avoid harshness despite the lack of heavy bass.\n\n## Verdict\n![43 inch TV: Xiaomi F2 Fire TV](https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/ehzwzs94abKr3RMQopJQzG.jpg)\n\n(Image credit: Xiaomi)\n\nDespite its frustrating colour issues, the Xiaomi F2 is still a surprisingly solid TV for its price – particularly its new price.\n\nContrast from the VA panel is decent, sharpness is excellent, sound is above par for a budget TV, particularly in terms of clarity, and brightness, while limited versus the TV world at large, is actually pretty solid for £299. So if the idea of having Fire TV built into your TV sounds irresistible to you, the Xiaomi backs up those Amazon smarts with better picture and sound than you really have a right to expect for so little money.\n\n**SCORES**\n\n- **Picture** 4\n- **Sound** 4\n- **Features** 4\n\n**MORE:**\n\n**Read our review of the [Hisense](https:\/\/www.whathifi.com\/tag\/hisense)** [**R50A7200GTUK Roku TV**](https:\/\/www.whathifi.com\/reviews\/hisense-roku-r50a7200gtuk)\n\n**Also consider the** [**TCL 55RP620K Roku TV**](https:\/\/www.whathifi.com\/reviews\/tcl-55rp620k)\n\n**Read our** [**Samsung UE43AU7100**](https:\/\/www.whathifi.com\/reviews\/samsung-ue43au7100-43-inch-tv) **review**\n\n[**Best 40, 42 and 43-inch TVs:**](https:\/\/www.whathifi.com\/best-buys\/tvs\/best-40-43in-tvs) **these 'small' TVs are great value**\n\nTOPICS\n\n[Amazon Fire TV](https:\/\/www.whathifi.com\/tag\/amazon-fire-tv)   [Amazon](https:\/\/www.whathifi.com\/tag\/amazon)   [Xbox](https:\/\/www.whathifi.com\/tag\/xbox)\n\n![What Hi-Fi?](https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/vCD3PyD4ukrxbM7jRvYfam.png)\n\n[What Hi-Fi?](https:\/\/www.whathifi.com\/author\/what-hi-fi)\n\nWhat Hi-Fi?, founded in 1976, is the world's leading independent guide to buying and owning hi-fi and home entertainment products. Our comprehensive tests help you buy the very best for your money, with our advice sections giving you step-by-step information on how to get even more from your music and movies. Everything is tested by our dedicated team of in-house reviewers in our custom-built test rooms in London, Reading and Bath. Our coveted five-star rating and Awards are recognised all over the world as the ultimate seal of approval, so you can buy with absolute confidence.\n\n[**Read more about how we test**](https:\/\/www.whathifi.com\/news\/about-us)","meta_canonical":null}

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Boilerpipe Text	What Hi-Fi? Verdict Although not without its frustrations, Xiaomi’s F2 ultimately backs up its Fire TV smarts with a better picture and sound performance than expected. Pros + Content-packed Fire TV interface + Clean, powerful sound + Solid picture quality for the money Cons - Fire TV interface can be obtuse - Input lag isn’t very low - Lack of colour adjustment options Why you can trust What Hi-Fi? Our expert team reviews products in dedicated test rooms, to help you make the best choice for your budget. Find out more about how we test. As a relatively new brand to the UK, Chinese outfit Xiaomi appears to have figured out that it will help it establish itself as a household name (it’s pronounced shau-mee, lest you were wondering) if it brings to market something unusual, officially ‘endorsed’ by one of the most established brands in the western world, and eye-catchingly cheap. Ladies and gentlemen, say hello to the Xiaomi F2 Amazon Fire TV . Price (Image credit: Xiaomi) Having launched only a couple of months back at £399, the Xiaomi F2 is now available for a whole £100 less. Which is handy, actually, as it means this 43-inch TV is now down there scrapping it out with fancy OS-toting competitors such as Hisense and TCL’s Roku TVs . Cutting its price to £299 potentially earns the F2 quite a bit more leeway on the picture quality front than it would have done at £399. Whether this is enough, though, remains to be seen. The F2 is also available in 50- and 55-inch screen sizes, but only seemingly in the UK. There are apparently no equivalent models available in the US or Australia. Design (Image credit: Xiaomi) The Xiaomi F2 looks and feels mostly like what it is: a cheap television. The bodywork is extremely lightweight despite apparently being built around a metal frame, while its glossy black finish tries but fails to hide its innate plasticky-ness. The only thing its design has in its favour, really, is the way a plastic cover running over the screen and most of the screen frame creates the illusion that there’s barely any bezel at all. Shipping with the F2 is a remote control that will look familiar to anyone who’s owned an Amazon Fire TV device before, from the Alexa mic button on the top to the glossy plastic navigation ‘ring’ below and smiling Fire TV logo at the bottom. There are more buttons than you’d get with most Amazon Fire TV remotes, though, thanks to the fact that the F2 also works as a regular television. Features (Image credit: Xiaomi) We’ve covered the big news already, but let’s sum it up again for the avoidance of doubt: the Xiaomi F2 is a 43-inch 4K LCD TV that costs just £299 despite running on the comprehensive, massively content-rich Amazon Fire TV smart platform. Get the What Hi-Fi? Newsletter The latest hi-fi, home cinema and tech news, reviews, buying advice and deals, direct to your inbox. The F2 adds HDR to its picture mix, in the basic HDR10 and HLG flavours, but there’s no support for HDR10+ or Dolby Vision . This is a pity, but hardly shocking at this price point. It carries an impressive four HDMIs among its connections, though unfortunately these don’t support any cutting edge gaming features, be it VRR , 4K 120Hz or even, apparently, Auto Low Latency Mode switching. Interestingly, the TV does automatically switch to Game mode when using an Xbox Series X through it, even if ALLM doesn’t appear to be officially supported. The HDMI ports don’t support the ‘e’ version of HDMI’s ARC functionality, meaning that the TV’s ARC-compatible HDMI can only pass on a compressed version of Dolby Atmos sound to ARC-compatible soundbars and AV receivers, though that’s unlikely to be an issue for the type of buyer considering it, particularly as streaming services use this compressed version of Dolby Atmos anyway. Xiaomi F2 Fire TV tech specs (Image credit: Xiaomi / Netflix, No Limit) Screen size 43 inches (also available in 50in, 55in) Type LCD Backlight Direct LED Resolution 4K HDR formats supported HDR10, HLG Operating system Fire TV HDMI inputs 4 ARC/eARC ARC Optical output Yes Dimensions (hwd, without stand) 61 x 96 x 2.5cm The impressive roster of HDMIs is joined, inevitably given the Amazon Fire TV connection, by built-in wi-fi support – as well as Bluetooth 5.0 and AirPlay wireless options for non-Amazon streaming sources – while other hard wired connections include an optical digital audio output, terrestrial and satellite tuners and two USB ports. The whole Amazon Fire TV interface and content database is present and correct inside the F2, leaving people familiar with the Fire TV (OS 7) platform able to dive straight in and start using it as if they were using a standard Fire TV stick. The interface runs stably if a little sluggishly at times, suggesting a pretty solid integration with Xiaomi’s processing architecture. All the major (and gazillions of minor) streaming services are covered by Fire TV, and the latest interface does a pretty decent job of including the content of those apps in its search results and shelves of recommended content. The system still favours Amazon content heavily, of course, but this is only to be expected. The panel at the F2’s heart is, we’re pleased to say, a VA one illuminated directly from behind. This will hopefully yield better contrast than the IPS panels used in many budget TVs – even though, unsurprisingly for such a cheap TV, there’s no local dimming support. The TV provides a decent set of picture and sound adjustments in some ways, and mercifully you can access them with a long press of the Home button on the remote rather than having to always go back to the home menu to reach them. Picture (Image credit: Xiaomi / Netflix, No Limit) The Xiaomi F2’s picture performance is a frustrating combination of decent fundamentals and missing adjustment – but comes reasonably good in the end. Starting with the positive stuff, the F2 is marginally brighter when showing HDR than many of its similarly cheap rivals. We’re not talking mammoth differences here, and we should make it clear right away that, as always at this level of the market, the F2 can’t deliver anything like a full portrayal of the sort of brightness and light range of which HDR is capable. It does deliver a palpable lift in dynamic range and peak brightness versus SDR, though – clearly more so, in fact, than 2021’s excellent Samsung UE43AU7100 does. This slight extra brightness can be seen in both full screen bright content and the intensity of smaller bright HDR highlights. These highlights are delivered without excessive clipping, too, suggesting that Xiaomi is deploying at least some level of HDR tone mapping. The F2’s native 4K pictures also look impressively sharp and detailed, again clearly outstripping the Samsung UE43AU7100 in this respect and creating a better sense of image depth in the process. The F2’s basic contrast isn’t bad for its price either. In fact, its ability to deliver real brightness differences between the lightest and darkest parts of a shot is one of the reasons its pictures look so sharp and three dimensional. The bad news starts with the set’s hit and miss colour performance. This finds pictures sporting a confusing mish-mash of hyper-extended colours (especially where reds are concerned) and rather muted ones (especially where blues and greens are concerned) that can leave some shots feeling unnatural and ‘off’. The tendency to push some tones can pull your attention to the wrong parts of the picture at times, too – though back in the plus column, Xiaomi’s set does better at resolving details in dark colour areas than some rival budget sets. The Film preset also reduces the colour inconsistency quite a bit compared with the default Standard preset. The TV’s colours seem to have been calibrated – even in the Film preset – towards a rather cool (blue) tone that doesn’t always sit right with film sources. Especially during dark scenes. All of which makes the Xiaomi F2's failure to carry any significant colour and gamma calibration tools look all the more unfortunate. Black level response isn’t as deep as that of the excellent Samsung UE43AU7100, but that’s not to say it’s bad. The fact that the mild grey wash that lies over dark scenes is infused with the screen’s fondness for blue doesn’t help, and nor does a tendency to bring out too much picture information in some dark corners while losing details in dark parts of mostly bright pictures. None of these issues, though, make the F2 by any means a shocker with dark scenes. Especially when you compare it to the sort of washed out mess you get with the many IPS panels found in the budget TV world. The F2’s motion smoothing system tends to look a bit uncomfortable and jarring – but fortunately neither judder nor motion blur are bad for such an affordable TV if you just turn the motion processing completely off. HD sources upscaled to 4K by the F2 look pretty decent. Pixels are added without exaggerating noise or creating jagged edges or exaggerated lines. There is something a little coarse about some unevenly lit and highly textured surfaces, but it feels like this is more to do with the TV being a bit over-adventurous with its brightness and dynamic range when handling SDR content. Gaming, finally, is a mixed bag on the F2. The latest 4K HDR titles look crisp, detailed, bright and colourful, but there’s a tendency for bright areas to flare out a little, and the screen only manages to get input lag down to around 32ms in its Game preset. That’s over 20ms longer than the fastest TVs, but not so slow as to be an issue for non-hardcore gamers. Sound (Image credit: Xiaomi) The Xiaomi F2 sounds about average by the standards of the TV in general – but this can be considered pretty good by budget TV standards. It’s able to go loud enough to keep even an action movie company without breaking down into distortions, and while it can start to sound a little uncomfortable – crowded and strained – during really peak soundtrack moments, it doesn’t actually fall away at such moments as some much more expensive TVs are prone to. Dialogue sounds excellent; always clean and clear no matter how much pressure the speakers may be under, yet not so stark that voices sound decontextualised or over-dominant. It can’t be overstated how important this particular element of sound is to a TV, so the fact that Xiaomi has got it right here is a big win. The soundstage doesn’t spread particularly far from the screen, and the decent mid-range and high frequency responses aren’t joined by much in the way of bass. The speakers have enough fidelity and range, though, to avoid harshness despite the lack of heavy bass. Verdict (Image credit: Xiaomi) Despite its frustrating colour issues, the Xiaomi F2 is still a surprisingly solid TV for its price – particularly its new price. Contrast from the VA panel is decent, sharpness is excellent, sound is above par for a budget TV, particularly in terms of clarity, and brightness, while limited versus the TV world at large, is actually pretty solid for £299. So if the idea of having Fire TV built into your TV sounds irresistible to you, the Xiaomi backs up those Amazon smarts with better picture and sound than you really have a right to expect for so little money. SCORES Picture 4 Sound 4 Features 4 MORE: Read our review of the Hisense R50A7200GTUK Roku TV Also consider the TCL 55RP620K Roku TV Read our Samsung UE43AU7100 review Best 40, 42 and 43-inch TVs: these 'small' TVs are great value TOPICS Amazon Fire TV Amazon Xbox What Hi-Fi? What Hi-Fi?, founded in 1976, is the world's leading independent guide to buying and owning hi-fi and home entertainment products. Our comprehensive tests help you buy the very best for your money, with our advice sections giving you step-by-step information on how to get even more from your music and movies. Everything is tested by our dedicated team of in-house reviewers in our custom-built test rooms in London, Reading and Bath. Our coveted five-star rating and Awards are recognised all over the world as the ultimate seal of approval, so you can buy with absolute confidence. Read more about how we test
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[Televisions](https://www.whathifi.com/tv-home-cinema/televisions) # Xiaomi F2 (43-inch) Fire TV review ## Amazon Fire TV loses the sticks but finds a telly Tested at £299 [Reviews](https://www.whathifi.com/reviews) By [What Hi-Fi?](https://www.whathifi.com/author/what-hi-fi) published 6 September 2022 When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. [Here’s how it works](https://www.whathifi.com/news/about-us#section-affiliate-advertising-disclosure). ![43 inch TV: Xiaomi F2 Fire TV](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/c99jKcSi2TgnBwxZzygepH.jpg) (Image credit: © Xiaomi / Netflix, No Limit) ### What Hi-Fi? Verdict Although not without its frustrations, Xiaomi’s F2 ultimately backs up its Fire TV smarts with a better picture and sound performance than expected. [Check Amazon](https://target.georiot.com/Proxy.ashx?tsid=40397&GR_URL=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.co.uk%2Fs%2Fref%3Dnb_sb_noss%3Fa%3Db%26field-keywords%3DXiaomi+F2+%2843-inch%29%26tag%3Dhawk-future-21%26ascsubtag%3Dwhathifi-gb-5861669131592176361-21) #### Pros - \+ Content-packed Fire TV interface - \+ Clean, powerful sound - \+ Solid picture quality for the money #### Cons - \- Fire TV interface can be obtuse - \- Input lag isn’t very low - \- Lack of colour adjustment options Best picks for you - [Best 65-inch TVs 2026: the top models we've tested](https://www.whathifi.com/best-buys/the-best-65-inch-tvs) - [Best cheap TVs 2026: affordable sets tried, tested and recommended](https://www.whathifi.com/best-buys/best-cheap-4k-tvs-the-best-budget-tvs) - [Best streaming devices 2026: smart TV sticks and boxes chosen by our experts](https://www.whathifi.com/best-buys/digital-tv-boxes/best-tv-streaming-boxes) Why you can trust What Hi-Fi? Our expert team reviews products in dedicated test rooms, to help you make the best choice for your budget. [Find out more about how we test.](https://www.whathifi.com/news/how-we-test-and-review-products-on-what-hi-fi) As a relatively new brand to the UK, Chinese outfit Xiaomi appears to have figured out that it will help it establish itself as a household name (it’s pronounced shau-mee, lest you were wondering) if it brings to market something unusual, officially ‘endorsed’ by one of the most established brands in the western world, and eye-catchingly cheap. Ladies and gentlemen, say hello to the Xiaomi F2 [Amazon Fire TV](https://www.whathifi.com/tag/amazon-fire-tv). ## Price ![43 inch TV: Xiaomi F2 Fire TV](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/2dvAr4hMJK2kgiN4wT69fH.jpg) (Image credit: Xiaomi) Having launched only a couple of months back at £399, the Xiaomi F2 is now available for a whole £100 less. Which is handy, actually, as it means this [43-inch TV](https://www.whathifi.com/best-buys/tvs/best-40-43in-tvs) is now down there scrapping it out with fancy OS-toting competitors such as [Hisense](https://www.whathifi.com/reviews/hisense-roku-r50a7200gtuk) and [TCL’s Roku TVs](https://www.whathifi.com/reviews/tcl-55rp620k). Cutting its price to £299 potentially earns the F2 quite a bit more leeway on the picture quality front than it would have done at £399. Whether this is enough, though, remains to be seen. The F2 is also available in 50- and 55-inch screen sizes, but only seemingly in the UK. There are apparently no equivalent models available in the US or Australia. ## Design ![43 inch TV: Xiaomi F2 Fire TV](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/zkNJdBj8WQMu9UmY3veZXH.jpg) (Image credit: Xiaomi) The Xiaomi F2 looks and feels mostly like what it is: a cheap television. The bodywork is extremely lightweight despite apparently being built around a metal frame, while its glossy black finish tries but fails to hide its innate plasticky-ness. The only thing its design has in its favour, really, is the way a plastic cover running over the screen and most of the screen frame creates the illusion that there’s barely any bezel at all. Shipping with the F2 is a remote control that will look familiar to anyone who’s owned an [Amazon Fire TV](https://www.whathifi.com/reviews/amazon-fire-tv-stick-4k-review) device before, from the Alexa mic button on the top to the glossy plastic navigation ‘ring’ below and smiling Fire TV logo at the bottom. There are more buttons than you’d get with most Amazon Fire TV remotes, though, thanks to the fact that the F2 also works as a regular television. ## Features ![43 inch TV: Xiaomi F2 Fire TV](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/subx7ttofEDtzPfTQcLmJJ.jpg) (Image credit: Xiaomi) We’ve covered the big news already, but let’s sum it up again for the avoidance of doubt: the Xiaomi F2 is a 43-inch 4K LCD TV that costs just £299 despite running on the comprehensive, massively content-rich Amazon Fire TV smart platform. Get the What Hi-Fi? Newsletter The latest hi-fi, home cinema and tech news, reviews, buying advice and deals, direct to your inbox. By signing up, you agree to our [Terms of services](https://futureplc.com/terms-conditions/) and acknowledge that you have read our [Privacy Notice](https://futureplc.com/privacy-policy). You also agree to receive marketing emails from us that may include promotions from our trusted partners and sponsors, which you can unsubscribe from at any time. The F2 adds HDR to its picture mix, in the basic HDR10 and [HLG](https://www.whathifi.com/advice/hybrid-log-gamma-new-4k-hdr-tv-broadcast-format-explained) flavours, but there’s no support for HDR10+ or [Dolby Vision](https://www.whathifi.com/tag/dolby-vision). This is a pity, but hardly shocking at this price point. It carries an impressive four HDMIs among its connections, though unfortunately these don’t support any cutting edge gaming features, be it [VRR](https://www.whathifi.com/advice/vrr-everything-you-need-to-know-about-variable-refresh-rate), 4K 120Hz or even, apparently, [Auto Low Latency Mode](https://www.whathifi.com/advice/allm-everything-you-need-to-know-about-auto-low-latency-mode) switching. Interestingly, the TV does automatically switch to Game mode when using an [Xbox Series X](https://www.whathifi.com/reviews/xbox-series-x) through it, even if ALLM doesn’t appear to be officially supported. The HDMI ports don’t support the ‘e’ version of [HDMI’s ARC](https://www.whathifi.com/advice/hdmi-arc-and-hdmi-earc-everything-you-need-to-know) functionality, meaning that the TV’s ARC-compatible HDMI can only pass on a compressed version of [Dolby Atmos](https://www.whathifi.com/advice/dolby-atmos-what-it-how-can-you-get-it) sound to ARC-compatible soundbars and AV receivers, though that’s unlikely to be an issue for the type of buyer considering it, particularly as streaming services use this compressed version of [Dolby Atmos](https://www.whathifi.com/tag/dolby-atmos) anyway. Xiaomi F2 Fire TV tech specs ![43 inch TV: Xiaomi F2 Fire TV](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/c99jKcSi2TgnBwxZzygepH.jpg) (Image credit: Xiaomi / Netflix, No Limit) Screen size 43 inches (also available in 50in, 55in) Type LCD Backlight Direct LED Resolution 4K HDR formats supported HDR10, HLG Operating system Fire TV HDMI inputs 4 ARC/eARC ARC Optical output Yes Dimensions (hwd, without stand) 61 x 96 x 2.5cm The impressive roster of HDMIs is joined, inevitably given the Amazon Fire TV connection, by built-in wi-fi support – as well as [Bluetooth 5.0](https://www.whathifi.com/advice/bluetooth-5-everything-you-need-to-know) and [AirPlay](https://www.whathifi.com/tag/airplay) wireless options for non-Amazon streaming sources – while other hard wired connections include an optical digital audio output, terrestrial and satellite tuners and two USB ports. The whole Amazon Fire TV interface and content database is present and correct inside the F2, leaving people familiar with the [Fire TV (OS 7)](https://www.whathifi.com/advice/amazon-fire-tv-vs-roku-which-is-better) platform able to dive straight in and start using it as if they were using a standard Fire TV stick. The interface runs stably if a little sluggishly at times, suggesting a pretty solid integration with Xiaomi’s processing architecture. All the major (and gazillions of minor) streaming services are covered by Fire TV, and the latest interface does a pretty decent job of including the content of those apps in its search results and shelves of recommended content. The system still favours Amazon content heavily, of course, but this is only to be expected. The panel at the F2’s heart is, we’re pleased to say, a VA one illuminated directly from behind. This will hopefully yield better contrast than the IPS panels used in many budget TVs – even though, unsurprisingly for such a cheap TV, there’s no local dimming support. The TV provides a decent set of picture and sound adjustments in some ways, and mercifully you can access them with a long press of the Home button on the remote rather than having to always go back to the home menu to reach them. ## Picture ![43 inch TV: Xiaomi F2 Fire TV](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/PMaQCZ23PpRT7fbykYonrG.jpg) (Image credit: Xiaomi / Netflix, No Limit) The Xiaomi F2’s picture performance is a frustrating combination of decent fundamentals and missing adjustment – but comes reasonably good in the end. Starting with the positive stuff, the F2 is marginally brighter when showing HDR than many of its similarly cheap rivals. We’re not talking mammoth differences here, and we should make it clear right away that, as always at this level of the market, the F2 can’t deliver anything like a full portrayal of the sort of brightness and light range of which [HDR](https://www.whathifi.com/advice/hdr-tv-what-it-how-can-you-get-it) is capable. It does deliver a palpable lift in dynamic range and peak brightness versus SDR, though – clearly more so, in fact, than 2021’s excellent [Samsung UE43AU7100](https://www.whathifi.com/reviews/samsung-ue43au7100-43-inch-tv) does. This slight extra brightness can be seen in both full screen bright content and the intensity of smaller bright HDR highlights. These highlights are delivered without excessive clipping, too, suggesting that Xiaomi is deploying at least some level of HDR tone mapping. The F2’s native 4K pictures also look impressively sharp and detailed, again clearly outstripping the [Samsung](https://www.whathifi.com/tag/samsung) UE43AU7100 in this respect and creating a better sense of image depth in the process. The F2’s basic contrast isn’t bad for its price either. In fact, its ability to deliver real brightness differences between the lightest and darkest parts of a shot is one of the reasons its pictures look so sharp and three dimensional. The bad news starts with the set’s hit and miss colour performance. This finds pictures sporting a confusing mish-mash of hyper-extended colours (especially where reds are concerned) and rather muted ones (especially where blues and greens are concerned) that can leave some shots feeling unnatural and ‘off’. The tendency to push some tones can pull your attention to the wrong parts of the picture at times, too – though back in the plus column, Xiaomi’s set does better at resolving details in dark colour areas than some rival budget sets. The Film preset also reduces the colour inconsistency quite a bit compared with the default Standard preset. The TV’s colours seem to have been calibrated – even in the Film preset – towards a rather cool (blue) tone that doesn’t always sit right with film sources. Especially during dark scenes. All of which makes the Xiaomi F2's failure to carry any significant colour and gamma calibration tools look all the more unfortunate. Black level response isn’t as deep as that of the excellent Samsung UE43AU7100, but that’s not to say it’s bad. The fact that the mild grey wash that lies over dark scenes is infused with the screen’s fondness for blue doesn’t help, and nor does a tendency to bring out too much picture information in some dark corners while losing details in dark parts of mostly bright pictures. None of these issues, though, make the F2 by any means a shocker with dark scenes. Especially when you compare it to the sort of washed out mess you get with the many IPS panels found in the budget TV world. The F2’s motion smoothing system tends to look a bit uncomfortable and jarring – but fortunately neither judder nor motion blur are bad for such an affordable TV if you just turn the motion processing completely off. HD sources upscaled to 4K by the F2 look pretty decent. Pixels are added without exaggerating noise or creating jagged edges or exaggerated lines. There is something a little coarse about some unevenly lit and highly textured surfaces, but it feels like this is more to do with the TV being a bit over-adventurous with its brightness and dynamic range when handling SDR content. Gaming, finally, is a mixed bag on the F2. The [latest 4K HDR titles](https://www.whathifi.com/reviews/sony-playstation-5) look crisp, detailed, bright and colourful, but there’s a tendency for bright areas to flare out a little, and the screen only manages to get input lag down to around 32ms in its Game preset. That’s over 20ms longer than the fastest TVs, but not so slow as to be an issue for non-hardcore gamers. ## Sound ![43 inch TV: Xiaomi F2 Fire TV](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/YYSzoZ2VnZHunhPeirFrAH.jpg) (Image credit: Xiaomi) The Xiaomi F2 sounds about average by the standards of the TV in general – but this can be considered pretty good by budget TV standards. It’s able to go loud enough to keep even an action movie company without breaking down into distortions, and while it can start to sound a little uncomfortable – crowded and strained – during really peak soundtrack moments, it doesn’t actually fall away at such moments as some much more expensive TVs are prone to. Dialogue sounds excellent; always clean and clear no matter how much pressure the speakers may be under, yet not so stark that voices sound decontextualised or over-dominant. It can’t be overstated how important this particular element of sound is to a TV, so the fact that Xiaomi has got it right here is a big win. The soundstage doesn’t spread particularly far from the screen, and the decent mid-range and high frequency responses aren’t joined by much in the way of bass. The speakers have enough fidelity and range, though, to avoid harshness despite the lack of heavy bass. ## Verdict ![43 inch TV: Xiaomi F2 Fire TV](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ehzwzs94abKr3RMQopJQzG.jpg) (Image credit: Xiaomi) Despite its frustrating colour issues, the Xiaomi F2 is still a surprisingly solid TV for its price – particularly its new price. Contrast from the VA panel is decent, sharpness is excellent, sound is above par for a budget TV, particularly in terms of clarity, and brightness, while limited versus the TV world at large, is actually pretty solid for £299. So if the idea of having Fire TV built into your TV sounds irresistible to you, the Xiaomi backs up those Amazon smarts with better picture and sound than you really have a right to expect for so little money. SCORES - Picture 4 - Sound 4 - Features 4 MORE: Read our review of the [Hisense](https://www.whathifi.com/tag/hisense) [R50A7200GTUK Roku TV](https://www.whathifi.com/reviews/hisense-roku-r50a7200gtuk) Also consider the [TCL 55RP620K Roku TV](https://www.whathifi.com/reviews/tcl-55rp620k) Read our [Samsung UE43AU7100](https://www.whathifi.com/reviews/samsung-ue43au7100-43-inch-tv) review [Best 40, 42 and 43-inch TVs:](https://www.whathifi.com/best-buys/tvs/best-40-43in-tvs) these 'small' TVs are great value Xiaomi F2 (43-inch): Price Comparison [72 Amazon customer reviews](https://target.georiot.com/Proxy.ashx?tsid=8428&GR_URL=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.co.uk%2Freviews%2FB09YM2WSPP%3Ftag%3Dhawk-future-21%26ascsubtag%3Dwhathifi-gb-3926388724888682090-21) ☆☆☆☆☆ [![Amazon UK View Similar](https://search-api.fie.futurecdn.net/img/misc/no-image-available.svg)](https://target.georiot.com/Proxy.ashx?tsid=40397&GR_URL=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.co.uk%2Fs%2Fref%3Dnb_sb_noss%3Fa%3Db%26field-keywords%3DXiaomi+F2+%2843-inch%29%26tag%3Dhawk-future-21%26ascsubtag%3Dwhathifi-gb-5861669131592176361-21) [![Amazon](https://images.fie.futurecdn.net/logos/merchants/amazon-uk-14606342093191-100-80.png.webp)](https://target.georiot.com/Proxy.ashx?tsid=40397&GR_URL=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.co.uk%2Fs%2Fref%3Dnb_sb_noss%3Fa%3Db%26field-keywords%3DXiaomi+F2+%2843-inch%29%26tag%3Dhawk-future-21%26ascsubtag%3Dwhathifi-gb-5861669131592176361-21) [No price information](https://target.georiot.com/Proxy.ashx?tsid=40397&GR_URL=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.co.uk%2Fs%2Fref%3Dnb_sb_noss%3Fa%3Db%26field-keywords%3DXiaomi+F2+%2843-inch%29%26tag%3Dhawk-future-21%26ascsubtag%3Dwhathifi-gb-5861669131592176361-21) [Check Amazon](https://target.georiot.com/Proxy.ashx?tsid=40397&GR_URL=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.co.uk%2Fs%2Fref%3Dnb_sb_noss%3Fa%3Db%26field-keywords%3DXiaomi+F2+%2843-inch%29%26tag%3Dhawk-future-21%26ascsubtag%3Dwhathifi-gb-5861669131592176361-21) We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices powered by ![What Hi-Fi?](https://search-api.fie.futurecdn.net/img/sites/svg/whathifi.svg) TOPICS [Amazon Fire TV](https://www.whathifi.com/tag/amazon-fire-tv) [Amazon](https://www.whathifi.com/tag/amazon) [Xbox](https://www.whathifi.com/tag/xbox) ![What Hi-Fi?](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/vCD3PyD4ukrxbM7jRvYfam.png) [What Hi-Fi?](https://www.whathifi.com/author/what-hi-fi) Social Links Navigation What Hi-Fi?, founded in 1976, is the world's leading independent guide to buying and owning hi-fi and home entertainment products. 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Readable Markdown	### What Hi-Fi? Verdict Although not without its frustrations, Xiaomi’s F2 ultimately backs up its Fire TV smarts with a better picture and sound performance than expected. #### Pros - \+ Content-packed Fire TV interface - \+ Clean, powerful sound - \+ Solid picture quality for the money #### Cons - \- Fire TV interface can be obtuse - \- Input lag isn’t very low - \- Lack of colour adjustment options Why you can trust What Hi-Fi? Our expert team reviews products in dedicated test rooms, to help you make the best choice for your budget. [Find out more about how we test.](https://www.whathifi.com/news/how-we-test-and-review-products-on-what-hi-fi) As a relatively new brand to the UK, Chinese outfit Xiaomi appears to have figured out that it will help it establish itself as a household name (it’s pronounced shau-mee, lest you were wondering) if it brings to market something unusual, officially ‘endorsed’ by one of the most established brands in the western world, and eye-catchingly cheap. Ladies and gentlemen, say hello to the Xiaomi F2 [Amazon Fire TV](https://www.whathifi.com/tag/amazon-fire-tv). ## Price ![43 inch TV: Xiaomi F2 Fire TV](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/2dvAr4hMJK2kgiN4wT69fH.jpg) (Image credit: Xiaomi) Having launched only a couple of months back at £399, the Xiaomi F2 is now available for a whole £100 less. Which is handy, actually, as it means this [43-inch TV](https://www.whathifi.com/best-buys/tvs/best-40-43in-tvs) is now down there scrapping it out with fancy OS-toting competitors such as [Hisense](https://www.whathifi.com/reviews/hisense-roku-r50a7200gtuk) and [TCL’s Roku TVs](https://www.whathifi.com/reviews/tcl-55rp620k). Cutting its price to £299 potentially earns the F2 quite a bit more leeway on the picture quality front than it would have done at £399. Whether this is enough, though, remains to be seen. The F2 is also available in 50- and 55-inch screen sizes, but only seemingly in the UK. There are apparently no equivalent models available in the US or Australia. ## Design ![43 inch TV: Xiaomi F2 Fire TV](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/zkNJdBj8WQMu9UmY3veZXH.jpg) (Image credit: Xiaomi) The Xiaomi F2 looks and feels mostly like what it is: a cheap television. The bodywork is extremely lightweight despite apparently being built around a metal frame, while its glossy black finish tries but fails to hide its innate plasticky-ness. The only thing its design has in its favour, really, is the way a plastic cover running over the screen and most of the screen frame creates the illusion that there’s barely any bezel at all. Shipping with the F2 is a remote control that will look familiar to anyone who’s owned an [Amazon Fire TV](https://www.whathifi.com/reviews/amazon-fire-tv-stick-4k-review) device before, from the Alexa mic button on the top to the glossy plastic navigation ‘ring’ below and smiling Fire TV logo at the bottom. There are more buttons than you’d get with most Amazon Fire TV remotes, though, thanks to the fact that the F2 also works as a regular television. ## Features ![43 inch TV: Xiaomi F2 Fire TV](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/subx7ttofEDtzPfTQcLmJJ.jpg) (Image credit: Xiaomi) We’ve covered the big news already, but let’s sum it up again for the avoidance of doubt: the Xiaomi F2 is a 43-inch 4K LCD TV that costs just £299 despite running on the comprehensive, massively content-rich Amazon Fire TV smart platform. Get the What Hi-Fi? Newsletter The latest hi-fi, home cinema and tech news, reviews, buying advice and deals, direct to your inbox. The F2 adds HDR to its picture mix, in the basic HDR10 and [HLG](https://www.whathifi.com/advice/hybrid-log-gamma-new-4k-hdr-tv-broadcast-format-explained) flavours, but there’s no support for HDR10+ or [Dolby Vision](https://www.whathifi.com/tag/dolby-vision). This is a pity, but hardly shocking at this price point. It carries an impressive four HDMIs among its connections, though unfortunately these don’t support any cutting edge gaming features, be it [VRR](https://www.whathifi.com/advice/vrr-everything-you-need-to-know-about-variable-refresh-rate), 4K 120Hz or even, apparently, [Auto Low Latency Mode](https://www.whathifi.com/advice/allm-everything-you-need-to-know-about-auto-low-latency-mode) switching. Interestingly, the TV does automatically switch to Game mode when using an [Xbox Series X](https://www.whathifi.com/reviews/xbox-series-x) through it, even if ALLM doesn’t appear to be officially supported. The HDMI ports don’t support the ‘e’ version of [HDMI’s ARC](https://www.whathifi.com/advice/hdmi-arc-and-hdmi-earc-everything-you-need-to-know) functionality, meaning that the TV’s ARC-compatible HDMI can only pass on a compressed version of [Dolby Atmos](https://www.whathifi.com/advice/dolby-atmos-what-it-how-can-you-get-it) sound to ARC-compatible soundbars and AV receivers, though that’s unlikely to be an issue for the type of buyer considering it, particularly as streaming services use this compressed version of [Dolby Atmos](https://www.whathifi.com/tag/dolby-atmos) anyway. Xiaomi F2 Fire TV tech specs ![43 inch TV: Xiaomi F2 Fire TV](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/c99jKcSi2TgnBwxZzygepH.jpg) (Image credit: Xiaomi / Netflix, No Limit) Screen size 43 inches (also available in 50in, 55in) Type LCD Backlight Direct LED Resolution 4K HDR formats supported HDR10, HLG Operating system Fire TV HDMI inputs 4 ARC/eARC ARC Optical output Yes Dimensions (hwd, without stand) 61 x 96 x 2.5cm The impressive roster of HDMIs is joined, inevitably given the Amazon Fire TV connection, by built-in wi-fi support – as well as [Bluetooth 5.0](https://www.whathifi.com/advice/bluetooth-5-everything-you-need-to-know) and [AirPlay](https://www.whathifi.com/tag/airplay) wireless options for non-Amazon streaming sources – while other hard wired connections include an optical digital audio output, terrestrial and satellite tuners and two USB ports. The whole Amazon Fire TV interface and content database is present and correct inside the F2, leaving people familiar with the [Fire TV (OS 7)](https://www.whathifi.com/advice/amazon-fire-tv-vs-roku-which-is-better) platform able to dive straight in and start using it as if they were using a standard Fire TV stick. The interface runs stably if a little sluggishly at times, suggesting a pretty solid integration with Xiaomi’s processing architecture. All the major (and gazillions of minor) streaming services are covered by Fire TV, and the latest interface does a pretty decent job of including the content of those apps in its search results and shelves of recommended content. The system still favours Amazon content heavily, of course, but this is only to be expected. The panel at the F2’s heart is, we’re pleased to say, a VA one illuminated directly from behind. This will hopefully yield better contrast than the IPS panels used in many budget TVs – even though, unsurprisingly for such a cheap TV, there’s no local dimming support. The TV provides a decent set of picture and sound adjustments in some ways, and mercifully you can access them with a long press of the Home button on the remote rather than having to always go back to the home menu to reach them. ## Picture ![43 inch TV: Xiaomi F2 Fire TV](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/PMaQCZ23PpRT7fbykYonrG.jpg) (Image credit: Xiaomi / Netflix, No Limit) The Xiaomi F2’s picture performance is a frustrating combination of decent fundamentals and missing adjustment – but comes reasonably good in the end. Starting with the positive stuff, the F2 is marginally brighter when showing HDR than many of its similarly cheap rivals. We’re not talking mammoth differences here, and we should make it clear right away that, as always at this level of the market, the F2 can’t deliver anything like a full portrayal of the sort of brightness and light range of which [HDR](https://www.whathifi.com/advice/hdr-tv-what-it-how-can-you-get-it) is capable. It does deliver a palpable lift in dynamic range and peak brightness versus SDR, though – clearly more so, in fact, than 2021’s excellent [Samsung UE43AU7100](https://www.whathifi.com/reviews/samsung-ue43au7100-43-inch-tv) does. This slight extra brightness can be seen in both full screen bright content and the intensity of smaller bright HDR highlights. These highlights are delivered without excessive clipping, too, suggesting that Xiaomi is deploying at least some level of HDR tone mapping. The F2’s native 4K pictures also look impressively sharp and detailed, again clearly outstripping the [Samsung](https://www.whathifi.com/tag/samsung) UE43AU7100 in this respect and creating a better sense of image depth in the process. The F2’s basic contrast isn’t bad for its price either. In fact, its ability to deliver real brightness differences between the lightest and darkest parts of a shot is one of the reasons its pictures look so sharp and three dimensional. The bad news starts with the set’s hit and miss colour performance. This finds pictures sporting a confusing mish-mash of hyper-extended colours (especially where reds are concerned) and rather muted ones (especially where blues and greens are concerned) that can leave some shots feeling unnatural and ‘off’. The tendency to push some tones can pull your attention to the wrong parts of the picture at times, too – though back in the plus column, Xiaomi’s set does better at resolving details in dark colour areas than some rival budget sets. The Film preset also reduces the colour inconsistency quite a bit compared with the default Standard preset. The TV’s colours seem to have been calibrated – even in the Film preset – towards a rather cool (blue) tone that doesn’t always sit right with film sources. Especially during dark scenes. All of which makes the Xiaomi F2's failure to carry any significant colour and gamma calibration tools look all the more unfortunate. Black level response isn’t as deep as that of the excellent Samsung UE43AU7100, but that’s not to say it’s bad. The fact that the mild grey wash that lies over dark scenes is infused with the screen’s fondness for blue doesn’t help, and nor does a tendency to bring out too much picture information in some dark corners while losing details in dark parts of mostly bright pictures. None of these issues, though, make the F2 by any means a shocker with dark scenes. Especially when you compare it to the sort of washed out mess you get with the many IPS panels found in the budget TV world. The F2’s motion smoothing system tends to look a bit uncomfortable and jarring – but fortunately neither judder nor motion blur are bad for such an affordable TV if you just turn the motion processing completely off. HD sources upscaled to 4K by the F2 look pretty decent. Pixels are added without exaggerating noise or creating jagged edges or exaggerated lines. There is something a little coarse about some unevenly lit and highly textured surfaces, but it feels like this is more to do with the TV being a bit over-adventurous with its brightness and dynamic range when handling SDR content. Gaming, finally, is a mixed bag on the F2. The [latest 4K HDR titles](https://www.whathifi.com/reviews/sony-playstation-5) look crisp, detailed, bright and colourful, but there’s a tendency for bright areas to flare out a little, and the screen only manages to get input lag down to around 32ms in its Game preset. That’s over 20ms longer than the fastest TVs, but not so slow as to be an issue for non-hardcore gamers. ## Sound ![43 inch TV: Xiaomi F2 Fire TV](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/YYSzoZ2VnZHunhPeirFrAH.jpg) (Image credit: Xiaomi) The Xiaomi F2 sounds about average by the standards of the TV in general – but this can be considered pretty good by budget TV standards. It’s able to go loud enough to keep even an action movie company without breaking down into distortions, and while it can start to sound a little uncomfortable – crowded and strained – during really peak soundtrack moments, it doesn’t actually fall away at such moments as some much more expensive TVs are prone to. Dialogue sounds excellent; always clean and clear no matter how much pressure the speakers may be under, yet not so stark that voices sound decontextualised or over-dominant. It can’t be overstated how important this particular element of sound is to a TV, so the fact that Xiaomi has got it right here is a big win. The soundstage doesn’t spread particularly far from the screen, and the decent mid-range and high frequency responses aren’t joined by much in the way of bass. The speakers have enough fidelity and range, though, to avoid harshness despite the lack of heavy bass. ## Verdict ![43 inch TV: Xiaomi F2 Fire TV](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ehzwzs94abKr3RMQopJQzG.jpg) (Image credit: Xiaomi) Despite its frustrating colour issues, the Xiaomi F2 is still a surprisingly solid TV for its price – particularly its new price. Contrast from the VA panel is decent, sharpness is excellent, sound is above par for a budget TV, particularly in terms of clarity, and brightness, while limited versus the TV world at large, is actually pretty solid for £299. So if the idea of having Fire TV built into your TV sounds irresistible to you, the Xiaomi backs up those Amazon smarts with better picture and sound than you really have a right to expect for so little money. SCORES - Picture 4 - Sound 4 - Features 4 MORE: Read our review of the [Hisense](https://www.whathifi.com/tag/hisense) [R50A7200GTUK Roku TV](https://www.whathifi.com/reviews/hisense-roku-r50a7200gtuk) Also consider the [TCL 55RP620K Roku TV](https://www.whathifi.com/reviews/tcl-55rp620k) Read our [Samsung UE43AU7100](https://www.whathifi.com/reviews/samsung-ue43au7100-43-inch-tv) review [Best 40, 42 and 43-inch TVs:](https://www.whathifi.com/best-buys/tvs/best-40-43in-tvs) these 'small' TVs are great value TOPICS [Amazon Fire TV](https://www.whathifi.com/tag/amazon-fire-tv) [Amazon](https://www.whathifi.com/tag/amazon) [Xbox](https://www.whathifi.com/tag/xbox) ![What Hi-Fi?](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/vCD3PyD4ukrxbM7jRvYfam.png) [What Hi-Fi?](https://www.whathifi.com/author/what-hi-fi) What Hi-Fi?, founded in 1976, is the world's leading independent guide to buying and owning hi-fi and home entertainment products. Our comprehensive tests help you buy the very best for your money, with our advice sections giving you step-by-step information on how to get even more from your music and movies. Everything is tested by our dedicated team of in-house reviewers in our custom-built test rooms in London, Reading and Bath. Our coveted five-star rating and Awards are recognised all over the world as the ultimate seal of approval, so you can buy with absolute confidence. [Read more about how we test](https://www.whathifi.com/news/about-us)
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