Even modern TVs now have a lot of smart features that are constantly evolving, but we certainly can't change one year like with smartphones. That's why the best Android TV Boxes become very useful allies!
Video streaming, web browsing, YouTube, Netflix, multimedia content, games, smart homes ... the era in which TV was used only for television broadcasts and rental films is now over, this sector has also been embraced by smart revolution of the internet connection, in fact dramatically expanding the entertainment possibilities for the user.
We decided to develop this guide taking inspiration from the price list of GearBest and Amazon for the large quantity of products available and above all for the quality / price ratio that has no equal in this category. Before moving on to the list of recommended products, we offer an interesting introduction to understand how to choose one of the best TV Boxes, but you can jump directly to the list clicking here. We premise that prices may vary due to the periodic offers that GearBest offers, so keep an eye on this article!
Best Android TV Boxes to Buy: Refreshing Old TVs
To take advantage of all the new technologies that are proposed every year, state-of-the-art televisions are needed and, even if the average price is falling, the minimum cost exceeds several hundred euros. That's why the TV Boxes featured in this guide can give a breath of modernity to your old TV. With a very minimal expense and one HDMI port - present in practically all TVs produced in the last 10-12 years - you will be able to access a series of features similar to those of modern smart TVs.
In addition, the best Android TV Boxes allow you to bring out the potential hidden inside your old TVs! In fact most of them will surely have a resolution HD or higher, while much of the TV broadcasting in Spain still takes place in SD (standard definition). By accessing the high definition content on the streaming platforms or on YouTube you will greatly increase the image quality for a completely renewed experience: seeing is believing, you will feel like you have a new TV!
But what if I changed the TV recently?
As already stated earlier the world of smart TVs is evolving very quickly and new features are added every year. Furthermore, especially in the lower-end models, the hardware supplied “as standard” is not powerful enough to guarantee a satisfying experience. This is why a TV Box can still be a small, but convenient investment even for those who have recently renovated their TV.
In addition, many of these TV Boxes offer a greater possibility of customization e an abundance of installable applications superior to most of the smart TV platforms on the market; for example you can install Kodi (very often pre-installed), the very powerful media center open source with which you can access local multimedia content or your home network and above all there are many plug-ins available to access streaming services, IPTV (if you don't know what it is, take a look at our guide to the best IPTV apps) e on-demand television content. Or even games and other applications to make the most of your TV.
How to choose the right one?
Essentially a TV Box is a small PC that you connect to your TV via HDMI o DisplayPort which actually becomes your screen. The advantage over traditional PCs is that the TV Boxes are extremely compact, so they can be left connected and possibly hidden. As regards the hardware specificationsvirtually every TV Box is a world unto itself. You will find low-power ARM and Intel processors, different amounts of RAM and storage. In general, however, these are not the features to pay more attention to, unless you want to focus on gaming or install a large amount of "heavy" applications. Since the TV Boxes are not used much in multitasking and generally those few applications necessary for streaming and media centers are installed, usually even the cheapest models have sufficient equipment for standard use.
Instead we would like to focus on some fundamental aspects. First, check that the TV Box you buy is compatible with your TV and your needs. In fact, there are several video resolution standards, managed by the HDMI and DisplayPort video outputs. For example to convey a signal 4K 60 fps it is necessary to have an HDMI 2.0 or higher port. The standards are backwards compatible, but clearly you may lose quality. Others are also appreciable ports and expansion slots USB, SATA, micro SD, 3.5mm jack and others to connect different devices.
We then move on to the operating system. We can find Android and Windows based systems. Generally we would like to recommend the first one because it is more streamlined and, if in the Android TV version, it is also optimized with an interface suitable for living room use.
Given that 90% of smart activity is based on internet connection, it is good to focus attention on connectivity: good reception of the Wi-Fi network is critical to providing an experience without annoying glitches. TV boxes with external antennas generally have better reception and it is always better that they have support at 5GHz dual-band ret because they are more resistant to interference and guarantee greater bandwidth. The standard wireless AC guarantees a speed of 1.3 Gbps, more than enough for every need. If you have the possibility, also evaluate the connection via Ethernet cable which is more stable and does not give reception problems. Even the Bluetooth it is useful for connecting mice, keyboards and joysticks.
Also pay attention to the supported video formats. The highest quality content use HEVC / H.265 in 4K resolution with 10 or 12 bit color gamut and HDR support, the most popular standards are HDR10 and Dolby Vision. Netflix, Amazon and other platforms already offer content of this level - of course you can see it even without support, but not at the highest quality. Also VP9 is gaining momentum as a video codec, especially on Youtube as it was developed by Google. Although much of the content is now in H.264 / MPEG-4 AVC, it is also good to be far-sighted.
The last point to pay attention to is the support for the most important streaming platform today, that is Netflix. It is important to make sure that the TV Box can handle the DMR (Digital Rights Management, i.e. the copyright protection systems) of Netflix. Only in this case you will have the security of being able to access content in HD, Full HD and 4K resolution. Without official support, however, the maximum resolution could drop to 480p, which is really a waste.
There are also dozens of features that differentiate one TV Box from another, but these are the main ones. Let's now move on to the list of recommended products.
MAGICSEE N5 TV Box - Best Android TV Box to Buy
The first that we propose is the MAGICSEE N5, a TV Box with a really interesting quality / price ratio.
The processor Amlogic S905X is a quad core based on Cortex A53 pushed up to 2 GHz and Mali 450 GPU, supported by 2 GB DDR3L RAM + 16 GB ROM. In practice, performance similar to a top-of-the-range smartphone of 3-4 years, really not bad. The remote control is included in the package, along with the power cable, HDMI and English manual. The design is very elegant and minimalist, it looks like a black box with double glossy and matte finish, with a square shape with a 10 cm side. Also nice is the LED display that indicates the time and status of the devices.
Excellent connectivity Wi-Fi Dual Band 2,4 GHz + 5 GHz and the Ethernet port at 100 Mbps. Also present Bluetooth 4.1 and Miracast support to cast the screens of your mobile devices to your TV. As for the doors we find HDMI 2.0 (so support 4K 60 fps), AV socket, RJ45 interface, memory expansion slot, USB 2.0 and support foraudio surround 5.1. A truly complete set.
The operating system is Android TV 7.1.2, hence the version optimized for televisions. Video decoding is at the top: support for the most modern H.265 codecs guaranteed 4K 10 bit resolution and VP9 and can play virtually all popular video, audio and image formats.
You can buy it on GearBest at a cost of approx 36 euros (now on offer at around 30 euros!), but it is often found in lightning offer under 3o coffees and it's really hard to say no, given the specs: keep an eye on it! If you want to proceed with the purchase you can click here.
Bqeel Android TV Box U1 MAX - Best Android TV Box to Buy
Bqeel Android TV Box U1 MAX it is a really interesting product: high quality specifications and a complete peripheral equipment. One of the best TV Boxes to buy!
The hardware is of good quality. We find a SoC a 64bit RK3328 Quad-Core based on Cortex-A53 and Penta Core Mali-450 GPU up to 750 MHz. The memory allocation is very generous - this is perhaps the reason for the slightly higher price compared to competitors - with 4GB DDR3 RAM + 128GB eMMC ROM (expandable via USB 3.0 up to 2TB or Micro SD up to 256GB). If you plan to install a lot of apps and often engage in activities such as web browsing or gaming, the memory boost may be useful. We find in the package 1 × Bqeel TV Box U1 MAX, 1 × Remote Control, 1 × HDMI Cable, 1 × Operating Instructions (Incl.Spanish), 1 × DC Adapter 5V2A, 1 × Wireless Mini Keyboard very useful when using the smart part. The round design with a diameter of about 10 cm, with a black color and original chrome lines for a touch of elegance.
Fortunately, there is no lack of support for Wi-Fi 802.11 a / b / g / n / ac 2.4 GHze 5 GHz, however we also find the 100 Mbps Ethernet connection, Bluetooth 4.0 and streaming technologies such as Miracast. Among the connection ports are HDMI 2.0, AV socket, RJ45 interface, memory expansion slot, two USB 2.0 and 3.0 ports.
The operating system is Android 9.0, very flexible and customizable with the possibility of using the Play Store. Full support for all the most modern video standards H.265 and VP9, with content compatibility 4K HDR fino a 60 Hz e 3D. Here, too, support for multimedia files is very extensive.
Bqeel Android 11.0 TV Box S1 MAX 4G RAM 64G ROM, CPU Amlogic S905X4 64bit, 1000M LAN Wi-Fi 2.4/5G BT4.0, TV box android SPDIF Dolby H.265 8K HDR Box TV android - 【Next Generation Multimedia】 The latest Amlogic S905X4 64-bit processor and G31 MP2 GPU make this Android TV Box super powerful, compatible with the latest Android applications / games and supports multiple USB devices. And it brings you + 300% performance improvements over other decoders. Support HD formats MPEG1 / 2/4, H.265 / VP, H.264, etc. Enjoy with the 8Kx4K High Resolution Video thrilling clear and perfect images.
Sunvell H3 TV Box - Best Android TV Box to Buy
Here is a truly low cost model: Sunvell H3. The reason for the competitive price is explained immediately by taking a look at the specifications, slightly subdued compared to the competition.
The processor is a Allwinner H3 quad-core based on Cortex-A7 with Mali 400 GPU, very similar to the one found on Raspberry-type development cards. The memory RAM is 2GBwhile its storage is 16 GB. The package also includes remote control, HDMI cable and English manual. The design is really interesting, still square, but a centimeter narrower than the aforementioned and with a brushed finish.
No support for Dual Band Wi-Fi, but there is always Ethernet to save us for a corner. Even the endowment of ports is a little less rich, but we still find HDMI 2.0, USB 2.0, RJ45 port and expansion slot.
To check everything we find Android TV 7.0. Very good support for the latest video standards (H.265 and VP9) and also the possibility to view content 4K HDR. Lots of multimedia formats supported, it will hardly leave you on foot.
At the modest sum of about 25 € you can take home from GearBest a small and complete TV Box among the cheapest of the best TV Boxes, especially suitable for those who want to modernize a dated TV without too many pretensions. If you want to proceed with the purchase you can click here.
Bqeel TV Box R1 Pro - Best Android TV Box to Buy
Let's now move on to a slightly higher-end product. Bqeel TV Box R1 Pro is one of the best TV boxes to buy because it is very careful to maximize the experience of using multimedia content.
The hardware equipment is very good: we find a Quad-Core RK3318 processor with Cortex-A53 optimized for video streaming with Penta Core Mali-450 GPU up to 750 MHz, flanked by 4 GB of DDR3 RAM and 32 GB of ROM (expandable via USB 3.0 up to 2 TB or Micro SD up to 128 GB). Usual package with remote control, HDMI cable and English manual. The design is minimal and compact, with an adjustable antenna to improve reception.
This TV Box is also compatible with the 2,4 GHz and 5 GHz Dual Band Wi-Fi frequency. And of course there is the Ethernet port. We also find HDMI 2.0, RJ45 interface, memory expansion slot, two USB 3.0 and 2.0 ports and also the 3.5 mm jack. The design is based on a disc of approximately 13 cm in diameter with very nice colored graphics.
Installed we find Android 9.0 which supports many modern applications for streaming and more. No problem with video standards, it can digest both H.265 and VP9 and many multimedia formats of all kinds. Among all the certification stands out 4K 60Hz and compatibility with many multimedia formats: Avi / Ts / Vob / Mkv / Mov / ISO / wmv / asf / flv / dat / mpg / mpeg.
Bqeel Android 10.0 TV Box R1 Pro / 4G DDR3+32G EMMC/ RK3318 Quad-Core 64bit / Dual WIFI 2.4/5G + 100M LAN, TV box android Bluetooth 4.0/USB 3.0/ 3D 4K Android TV (4G+32G) - 【Android 10.0 Operating System】 The Android TV Box Bqeel R1 Pro is updated to the latest Android 9.0 system, more intuitive and faster, it is the ideal choice to make your TV smart. The start screen is freely configurable, you can run your favorite apps which can be downloaded from Google Playstore or from the manufacturer's APP market (APKPure).
Sidiwen TV BOX Q Plus - Best Android TV Box to Buy
This device offers a powerful and above all updated hardware configuration at a lower price than other products in the same range. Let's discover Sidiwen TV BOX Q Plus!
Il Soc Allwinner H6 offers a 2 GHz Quad Core processor and a Mali-T720 MP2 GPU: it's not a very powerful hardware configuration, but it allows you to run all the apps required for a smart TV and even something more. With 4 GB of RAM and 32 GB memory (expandable) you can install and run the most popular streaming apps, but also numerous other apps available in the Play Store such as Kodi, as the TV Box comes with Android 9.
Connectivity support consists of Wi-Fi to 2,4 GHz and there is the door Ethernet. We also find HDMI 2.0, memory expansion slot, two ports USB 3.0 and 2.0. The package includes: 1 x Q PLUS Android 9.0 TV Box, 1 x Power Supply, 1 x HDMI Cable, 1 x Remote Control, 1 x User. This TV Box supports resolutions up to 6K 30p thanks to HDMI 2.0. The design is square 11,5 x 11,5 x 2 cm with round corners and LED RGB on the edge.
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NEWID T95 Max - Best Android TV Box to Buy
Very interesting among the best best TV Boxes to buy is also CHANGE T95 Max, above all for the good value for money. A great hardware and software configuration make it a great product.
Il Soc Allwinner H6 offers a 2 GHz Quad Core processor and a GPU Mali-T720 for an excellent balance between performance and efficiency. Of course i 4 GB of RAM and 32 GB memory (expandable) are more than enough to install and take advantage of all the most popular streaming services, but also numerous other apps available in the Play Store.
Connectivity support is complete with Wi-Fi Dual Band at 2,4 GHz and 5 GHz, there is the Ethernet port. We also find HDMI 2.0, RJ45 interface, memory expansion slot, two ports USB 3.0 and 2.0. The package includes: 1x T95 Max Android 9.0 TV box, 1x Power Adapter, 1x HDMI cable, 1x Remote Controller (batteries not included), 1x User manual. This TV Box supports resolutions up to 6K 30p and also HDR and 3D streams to take advantage of all the content available on the market. Kodi support is also guaranteed. The design is 15,5 x 10,5 mm square with a particular processing on the upper side.
Android TV Box, Android 9.0 TV BOX 4 GB RAM 32 GB ROM H6 Quad core corex-A53 Supporto 3D 6K Ultra HD H.265 WiFi 2.4 GHz Ethernet HD Smart TV BOX - ❤NEWID ANDROID 9.0 OS and H6 chipset: T95 Max TV BOX comes with the latest Android 9.0 OS and H6 chipset, which is faster and more efficient.T95 Max Android box has better compatibility of software, games and applications, better user interface and user experience.
Xiaomi Mi TV Box S - Best Android TV Boxes to Buy
Finally, we offer a classic of made in China technology that is also gaining momentum in Europe thanks to quality products. Let's talk about Xiaomi and its best-selling Mi TV Box S, undoubtedly a best buy among the best TV Boxes.
The beating heart of the device is a processor quad-core Cortex A53 with frequencies up to 2 GHz and Mali 450 GPU, accompanied by 2 GB of DDR3L RAM and 8 GB of ROM, not really a lot, but enough in most cases. Usual package with remote control, HDMI cable and English manual. The design is different from the classic parallelepiped, it is more rounded and flattened. Very elegant and refined.
Compatibility with the standard is finally back Wi-Fi ac Dual Band 2,4 e 5 GHz e Bluetooh 4.1, but no Ethernet. The provision of connection interfaces with only HDMI 2.0 and USB 2.0 port is a bit minimal. The audio, on the other hand, has a special treatment because we find support for technologies DTS e Dolby Audio to squeeze our speakers to the max and the audio output supports 5.1 surround output.
Installed we find Android TV 8.1 and integration withGoogle voice assistant, just give the commands via the microphone on the remote control. Guaranteed compatibility with the latest H.265 and VP9 video standards and broad compatibility with various multimedia formats. We also find compatibility with content 4K HDR fino a 60 fps.
Xiaomi is a well-known brand and you pay for that. The list price of this TV Box is approx 80 €. On GearBest, however, you can find it right now in lightning offer with a slight discount at price of about 70 euro. With this device you go without fail, certainly in some respects it is a bit limited compared to competitors, but the quality in the reproduction of content is really very high. If you want to proceed with the purchase you can click here. Or you can also buy this device from Amazon Spain, using the box below:
Xiaomi Mi Box S 4K Ultra HD streaming media player with voice remote control, Black - Xiaomi mi box s 4k uhd Wi-Fi dual band ac, remote control with voice commands
See you next time!
And now stretch out on the sofa and enjoy all the best content ever on your old TV, but with a new personality.
If you liked this guide, you will find many others on our site, constantly updated. Precisely for this reason we give you an appointment next month with the best TV Boxes to buy on GearBest.
