Legal Disclaimer: STBreviews does not serve, develop, or host any streaming app, addon, service, or website. This is solely a review site where we give our unbiased opinion on various apps, addons, services, websites, etc.
Xiaomi Mi Box S is a viable option if you’re looking for Android TV on a tight budget. Although it can’t compete with devices like the Nvidia Shield TV.
Table of Contents
hide
About Xiaomi Mi Box S
The market for TV streaming boxes is expanding. Many people are searching for a full-featured, smart-home compatible streaming box. So they can use it to access content like Netflix, YouTube, and other services as cord-cutters increasingly give up their cable subscriptions and switch to streaming.
With the new Xiaomi Mi Box S, Xiaomi is the most recent company to enter this streaming market. However, Xiaomi faces some formidable rivals.
Starting with Apple, which with the Apple TV and the more recent Apple TV 4K arguably dominates the market. However, there are also a lot of popular Android-based devices in the market.
Since it can stream games from a networked PC in addition to playing 4K content and acting as a PLEX server, the Nvidia Shield TV is likely the most popular and powerful Android TV streaming device.
Design and Setup
Even though it is a little boring, the Xiaomi Mi Box S isn’t ugly. The square box measures approximately 3.5 x 3.5 inches (10 x 10 cm). The Xiaomi logo can be found on the top of the device.
The back of the device has a basic HDMI port, a USB port, a 3.5mm audio port, and a power port. The overall design of the device is unmistakably minimalist, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing.
As you might anticipate, the Xiaomi Mi Box is very simple to physically set up. Simply connect the power port to an outlet and the HDMI port to your TV or receiver. And you should be good to go.
After that, turn on your TV and the device, insert the batteries in the remote control and follow the on-screen instructions.
You’ll be asked to sign in to your Google account and select your privacy settings, just like with any other Android device. To speed up the process of customizing the Mi Box S for your needs, Google will also look at the apps in your account if you have other Android-based devices and recommend some for download to the Mi Box S.
Setup
Interestingly, the Xiaomi Mi Box S was initially configured to output video at 720p. Which made it look less than stellar on a 4K TV. It’s true that the device supports 4K output, and switching to 4K in the settings is simple. But it still seems strange that the box is set to play at 720p in 2018.
We think it’s a good thing that the remote is also fairly simple.
The voice search button can be found immediately below the power button, which is located at the top. That’s useful for activating Google Assistant, which you can use to control your TV and smart home appliances.
Interestingly, the Xiaomi Mi Box S was initially configured to output video at 720p, which made it look less than stellar on a 4K TV. It’s true that the device supports 4K output, and switching to 4K in the settings is simple, but it still seems strange that the box is set to play at 720p in 2018.
We think it’s a good thing that the remote is also fairly simple.
The voice search button can be found immediately below the power button, which is located at the top. That’s useful for activating Google Assistant, which you can use to control your TV and smart home appliances.
Features
The Xiaomi Mi Box S may be inexpensive, but that doesn’t mean it lacks features; it supports 4K and HDR and costs $60 (about £50, AU$80).
The Mi Box S not only supports high-resolution video but also comes pre-installed with Android TV 8.1. You will thus be able to utilize the vast ecosystem of Android TV apps as well as services like Google Cast, the ability to mirror your Android phone, Google Assistant, and more.
You have access to a wide variety of apps through Android TV as well. There are obvious ones like Netflix and YouTube, but there are also many games and less well-known services like Google Assistant that might be useful.
The ability to use an assistant to control your TV is convenient. The Assistant has developed into one of, if not the, most potent digital assistants available. With an HDMI CEC setup, Google Assistant could control your entire home theater setup, including turning on and off your TV and receiver.
Performance
So how does the system function in real-world situations? It’s not terrible, but it’s not as quick as devices like the Nvidia Shield TV.
Contrasting the Xiaomi Mi Box S to the Shield TV reveals what may be its biggest flaw – this is primarily a streaming box. While the Nvidia Shield TV and possibly the Apple TV could also be used for gaming, The Mi Box S simply lacks the necessary processing power.
Although it won’t satisfy any gamers in the audience, it’s still a decent streamer; in fact, we found that it was more than adequate for apps like Netflix and YouTube. Sure, the Mi Box S might have trouble with more demanding tasks. But that’s to be expected at this price point.
We encountered some issues with the remote in addition to a few minor performance hiccups. When we first set it up, the remote could not always activate Google Assistant or turn on the Mi Box S. That problem was resolved by resetting it, but it shouldn’t have arisen in the first place.
Verdict
Although the Xiaomi Mi Box S has many positive aspects, it is not faultless. This is a decent device to choose if you’re looking for an Android-based streaming box and don’t want to spend a lot of money.
But you’ll have to put up with a few bugs. A remote that occasionally malfunctions, and you won’t be able to use it for a lot of high-performance tasks.
A recommendation from us? Choose the Nvidia Shield TV if you’re after a great Android-based streaming device and cost isn’t your concern.
It is a much more powerful device with none of the bugs the Mi Box S has. On the other hand, if the price is your primary concern. If you still want a Mi Box S substitute, think about a Chromecast.
