The Android TV Box comes handy when the users want to cut the cord and stream content wirelessly. It comes handy when looking to stream a movie or a show directly on the TV. Numerous Android TV boxes are available in the market, running ages-old Android versions with low-end hardware specifications. To safeguard the buyers from such products, we have curated a guide of Best Android TV Boxes.
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Are you a regular TV user and often have issues while streaming your favorite movie or show? Then you need to buy an Android TV Box to bring seamless connectivity and smart features. These Android TV Boxes provide integrated intelligent TV experience with inbuilt Chromecast, Voice Control, and Play Store compatibility. However, Google has failed twice in bringing its Android TV, but other manufacturers have gained momentum in the market by offering intuitive features.
Being an avid Android TV user, I will help our readers to choose the best Android TV box available in the market. They need not go to any other place to find a competitive Android TV Box.
Things to Consider before buying
Technical Specifications: Before purchasing any Android TV box, the user needs to look at its technical specifications carefully. Various manufacturers play around with the technical specification to bring affordable Android TV Boxes in the market.
Define Purpose: Frankly speaking, there’s no ideal Android TV box available in the market that can do everything. There are different Android TV Boxes for various purposes.
Support: The availability of upgrades and support for new programs are necessary before buying any Android TV Box. Inspect the support for the product, search for guides and forums before making the decision.
Budget: It is quite necessary to look into the pockets as some gaming-related boxes are surely going to burn a hole in the pocket.
Now, it’s time to look at the Best Android TV Boxes, as listed below.
Best Android TV Boxes
Nvidia Shield TV
Price: $149
It is a sturdy Android TV Box available for the price of $179. It is a beast Android TV Box featuring quad-core Tegra X1 processor, 3GB RAM, 16GB storage. The user can install massive games and applications from the Play Store.
The Nvidia Shield TV aids your home theatre with Dolby Vision HDR, and Dolby Atmos surround sound. It upscales the HD video to 4K by detailing brighter and crisper visuals using next-generation techniques. The new stealthier and compact design help to improve the look of your entertainment center.
The Nvidia Shield TV comes with a Gigabit Ethernet port, dual-band AC WiFi, a built-in power supply, and a microSD card slot. There’s an interactive smart remote supporting voice control, IR, for seamless control of the box. The media player supports 4K content of all major video streaming apps like Amazon Prime, Vudu, Netflix, YouTube, Hulu Live, and others.
Moreover, the Nvidia Shield TV can play Android games, stream games via the cloud with GeForce Now. All this is bundled in a single Android Box, and you can get from Amazon for $149.
There’s a Pro version also which is retailing for $199.
Amazon Fire TV Cube
Price: $119
Amazon Fire TV Cube is another right choice to own if you’re looking for Android TV. However, the device is based on Fire OS, which is ultimately an Android 9.0 based skin. It consists of all the basic features of being an Android TV Box.
Amazon Fire TV Cube supports 4K Ultra HD video at 60 FPS, Dolby Atmos audio, HDR 10+, HDR, and casting capability. The Fire TV offers Alexa powered assistance and a visual treat for monitoring the status of all smart home devices. It supports 500,000 movies and TV shows from Netflix, Prime Video, HBO, Starz, Showtime, and Hulu. The user has access to YouTube, Facebook, and Reddit. Also enjoy live broadcasts from NBC, PBS, and other channels.
The user can interact with other Alexa powered smart appliances through TV. It allows you to control lights, thermostats, and other compatible smart home devices.
The device runs on the Hexa-core processor with the maximum clocking speed of 2.2GHz and is coupled with ARM Mali G52-MP2 GPU. It comes with 2GB RAM and 16 GB internal memory. To better connect with nearby devices, Amazon has added dual-band WiFi (MIMO) for faster streaming, Bluetooth 5.0 + LE, HDMI, micro-USB, and wired infrared support. It also supports a built-in speaker. The Fire TV Cube supports Dolby Atmos, 7.1 Surround Sound, 2ch Stereo, and HDMI audio pass.
Xiaomi Mi Box S
Price: $62
When it comes to affordability and competitive specs, Xiaomi never disappoints its users. Xiaomi Mi Box S is a high-end Android TV box with all the necessary functions. It features 4K HDR support with the latest Android TV version and Google Assistant support. Xiaomi Mi Box S supports inbuilt Chromecast and has a dedicated remote for hassle-free operation.
The users can install desired apps from the Play Store. It runs on Android TV 8.1 and supports all the major video apps like Netflix, VUDU, YouTube, SlingtV, and more. Xiaomi Mi Box S supports Dolby DTS along with 4K HDR visuals for an immersive experience. It connects easily with Google Assistant-powered devices.
In hardware specifications, Xiaomi Mi Box S hosts a powerful Quad-core CPU, 3+2-core GPU, and WiFi Connectivity. Multiple connectivity options like USB, HDMI, WiFi, and Bluetooth 4.1 make Box usage more friendly. It is a cheaper alternative for Nvidia Shield TV.
Vankyo MatrixBox
It is a powerful Android Box supporting 4K Ultra HD streaming. It is powered with the Amlogic’s latest 64-bit quad-core Cortex-A53 processor and coupled with Mali-G31 GPU. Vankyo MatrixBox is equipped with 4GB RAM and 32GB internal storage and supports expandable storage up to 128GB.
Talking about its streaming capabilities, Vankyo MatrixBox supports 4K @75fps UHD, HDR 10+, H.265 hardware decoding, and 3D. IN connectivity, the user gets a 2.4/5.0 GHz WiFi, Bluetooth 4.2, USB 3.0, and built-in 100M Ethernet connection port. The box supports Netflix.
Well, these are osm best Android TV Boxes available for being powerful and affordable at the same time. If you have any recommendations, then do let us know via the comments below.
