30/01/2022

The 10 best Android TV Box: All Tested

What is the best Android TV Box that we can find in the market? The list is wide when looking for the best smart tv box to buy, today we will try to shed some light and perspective on the world of “smart boxes” for TV.

I have been leaving this issue pending for a long time, but it is time to face it. The first thing to say is that the quality of TV Boxes varies significantly depending on their price.

Although it also depends on what functions we need, it is possible that an economic model would be enough.

Top 10 Best Android TV Box Of The Moment

Playback in 4K, HDR, Netflix, and much more: The world of Android TV is not a market that evolves too much, and for a couple of years, more or less, we can find the same devices topping the list of the best within their guild.

It is advisable to point out that, except for honorable exceptions (Nvidia or Xiaomi), most TV Boxes have quite deficient controls for something other than browsing the Android menu and playing content from a Pendrive.

If we want to have a full experience and navigation, it is best to buy a good wireless keyboard or an air mouse.

Now, let’s take a look at the best Android TV Box devices to convert our TV into a smart TV with all the details needed. See how to turn your TV into a Smart TV.

Raed Also: Android vs iOS: Which is Better? [Definitive Guide]

#1. Nvidia Shield Android TV

The Nvidia Shield is the Ferrari of Android TV Boxes it is an Android TV box though much more focused on video games yet it topped the list of the best Android TV box. A good interface, an excellent design, compatible with almost all streaming platforms of the moment, and a controller (in addition to its own gamepad) ideal for browsing.

Nvidia Tegra X1 processor
3GB of RAM.
16GB or 500GB of internal storage.
Android TV Operating System (Android 7.0).
4K HDR or HD 1080p support.
HDMI port, 2 USB 3.0 ports, micro USB, micro SD and Ethernet port.
You can stream directly from PC and also play directly on TV (Nvidia GameStream).
Support for Nvidia GeForce NOW.

Approximate price *: $279.99 +

#2. Xiaomi Mi TV Box S

If we are looking for a slightly cheaper Android TV Box, one of the best options is the Xiaomi box. One of its greatest features is voice commands –through the microphone located on the remote control-. In addition, it is one of the few Android TVs that is officially approved to play 4K content on Netflix. It has an easy-to-use interface and is also easy to navigate.

64-bit Cortex-A53 4-core processor running at 2.0GHz.
2GB of RAM memory.
8GB of internal storage.
Android 8.1.
4K HDR support at 60fps.
One USB 2.0 port and HDMI output.
Bluetooth 4.2 + EDR connection.
Supports 5G WiFi.
Voice commands.
Chromecast built-in.

Approximate price *: $68.86 + (see on Amazon/AliExpress / GearBest)

#3. T95 MAX

This TV Box is one of the most powerful that we can find within the Android TV of Asian origin. It has 4GB of RAM, something that not many devices of this type are usually equipped ed with. In addition, it accumulates up to 32GB of internal space, great for storing emulator ROMs, photos, music, and video. It also has a lighter 16GB version.

1 USB 3.0 port, 1 USB 2.0 ports, SD card slot, HDMI, and Ethernet port.
H6 Quad-Core Cortex-A53 CPU with Mali-T720 GPU.
Support for 6K video output.
Hardware 3D graphics acceleration.
Kodi 18.0 pre-installed.
Android 9.0.

Approximate price *: $39.99 (see on Amazon / AliExpress )

#4. Amazon Fire TV Stick

The truth is that Amazon’s “fire stick” is not an Android TV Box as such. It has its own system and uses the Amazon app store.

However, it is a good option if all we want is a device that allows us to play streaming content from Amazon Prime Video, DAZN, Netflix, and Movistar + and use a few apps without too many complications. It’s not very powerful, but at least what it does it does well.

Remote with voice control via Alexa.
MediaTek Quad-Core ARM 1.3 GHz CPU.
Mali450 GPU.
1GB of RAM memory.
8GB of storage.
1080p resolution up to 60fps.
Bluetooth 4.1.
HDMI output.
Optional Ethernet adapter.

Approximate price *: $29.99

There is also a premium version of this same device available called the Fire TV Stick 4K that incorporates better features:

More powerful CPU (Quad Core at 1.7GHz).
Support for content with Ultra HD 4K resolution.
HDR10 +, HDR10, HDR, and Dolby Vision image quality.
Dolby Atmos sound quality.

Approximate price *: $39.99

#5. BQEEL Android TV Box

One of the best-selling Android 9.0 TV Boxes of the year. The BQEEL, in addition to a striking design, has the new RK3318 chip (a trimmed but efficient version of the RK3328) as well as 4GB of RAM and 32GB of internal storage space. A highly recommended device if you are looking for an updated system at an affordable price.

Rockchip 3318 Quad-Core 64bit Cortex-A53 CPU.
4GB of DDR3 RAM.
32GB of internal space.
Compatible with 4K TVs and 3D function.
H.265 video decoding.
Dual 2.4G / 5G Wifi and compatible with 10 / 100M Ethernet LAN.
2 USB ports (2.0 and 3.0), micro SD, and HDMI 2.0.

Approximate price *: $59.99

#6. Beelink GT King

The first TV Box to equip the new and powerful 6-core Amlogic S922X SoC that ensures a much higher performance than other boxes of Chinese origin (it is also a bit more expensive, of course). Perfect for streaming with a certain level of demand.

Another interesting detail is that, together with the NVidia Shield and the Xiaomi Mi Box S, it is one of the few devices capable of playing HBO in HD format. It also includes an air mouse and voice control.

Amlogic S922X Hexa-Core SoC (Quad-Core Arm Cortex A73 and Dual-Core Cortex A53).
4GB of RAM LPDDR4 + 64GB eMMC.
Mali-G52 MP4 GPU.
Voice remote control.
USB 3.0 port + USB 2.0 port + micro SD slot.
2.4 + 5.8GHz WiFi connectivity.

Approximate price *: $149.00

#7. MECOOL KM3

The MECOOL KM3 is one of the latest models from the well-known Asian TV box manufacturer. The device includes the most recent version of Android 9.0, 4GB of RAM, and 64GB of internal space. It also incorporates the new Amlogic S905X2 chipset model with 4 Cortex-A53 cores and Mali-G31 MP2 GPU for better performance. In addition, it has a dual-band WiFi connection (2.4G + 5G).

With these components and a good control we can stream content from Netflix, YouTube, KODI, listen to music on Spotify and play classic emulators perfectly. In addition, the device has Google certification for Android TV, which allows us, among other things, to use the voice assistant to control the TV box by remote control.

4GB of LPDDR4 RAM and 64GB flash.
Play content in 4K at 60fps and H.265 HEVC decoding.
Android 9.0.
2 USB ports (USB 2.0 + USB 3.0, micro SD card slot, HDMI, AV and Ethernet.
Amlogic S905X2 CPU and Mail-G31 MP2 GPU.
Dual WiFi 2.4GHz + 5.0GHz, support ac wifi.
Bluetooth 4.0.
“Google Certified” certification.

Approximate price *: € 59.99

NOTE: There is also a variant of this same model called MECOOL KM9 Pro, which has 4GB / 32GB of storage and the same features. Its price is about 10 euros cheaper and is available on Amazon.

#8. T95 S1 Android TV Box

This is the Android TV Box that at the beginning of 2021 is raised with the « Amazon’s Choice « seal. It is not a very powerful TV Box, but due to its price, it can be a great alternative for those looking for something simple. In addition, it includes a remote control with a wireless keyboard, essential for a good user experience and smooth navigation through the menus and controls.

Amlogic S905W Quad-Core CPU.
2GB of RAM and 16GB of internal storage.
Mali-450 GPU.
Support for 4K (Ultra HD) video and H.265 decoding.
Android 7.1 operating system.
2 USB 2.0 ports, HDMI, LAN port and card reader.

Approximate price *: $25.14+

#9. Khadas VIM3

The Khadas VIM3 is the evolution of the Khadas VIM2 Max, and like this one, it is much more than a simple Android TV Box. It’s closer to a Raspberry Pi, both in concept and usability.

We can install Android and use it as a normal TV Box, or we can install Ubuntu or OpenELEC/LibreELEC and go one step further. Everything will depend on the game we want to get out of it and the time we are willing to invest in it. The perfect device for fans of experimentation and customization.

Amlogic A311D SoC with four 2.2GHz Cortex-A73 x4 cores, paired with two 1.8Ghz Cortex-A53 cores.
2GB of DDR4 RAM ( 4GB version also available ).
ARM Mali-G52 4-core GPU with support for Vulkan 1.1, OpenGL 3.2 and OpenCL 3.2.
16 / 32GB of internal space.
4 USB 2.0 ports, a USB Type-C input to charge the device, SD slot, HDMI output and a LAN port.
WiFI 2 × 2 MIMO with RSDB.
10-bit 4K decoder.
Programmable MCU.

Approximate price *: $148.99

#10. X96 Mini Android TV Box

One of the most popular TV Boxes on Amazon. It is a device that is not very powerful, but that can come in handy if all we are looking for is a TV Box that can play multimedia content from an external disk or memory, watch YouTube videos, and surf the Internet a bit.

One of its great advantages is that although it is very cheap, it has a very recent version of Android (Android 9.0, compared to most TV boxes in this range that Android 7.1 usually equip).

Amlogic S905W Quad-Core processor and Mali-450 GPU.
2GB of RAM.
16GB of internal space.
4K UHD playback.
Native H.265 decoding.
2 USB ports.
Android 9.0 Nougat.

Approximate price *: $35.99

Note: The approximate price is the price available at the time of writing this post in the corresponding online stores, such as Amazon or AliExpress.