If you are a user who likes to watch series, movies, sports or anything that is broadcast, you have several options to do so, but I think none is comparable to the one offered by a Smart TV Box. These small boxes will allow us to enjoy all kinds of streaming video content, among many other things, and in this article we will talk about everything you have to take into account if you are considering the purchase of one of these devices that, advance, they are worth it.
Best Smart TV Box
| The best |
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Amazon Fire TV Stick Lite... | See features | 14.725 reviews | View deals |
| Price quality |
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Mi TV Box S 2nd Gen -... | See features | 84 reviews | View deals |
| Our favorite |
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GIONAR TV Box... | See features | 11 reviews | View deals |
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Xiaomi TV Box S (2nd... | See features | 1.756 reviews | View deals | |
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Chromecast with Google TV... | See features | 12.376 reviews | View deals | |
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Android 11 TV Box,4GB RAM... | See features | 574 reviews | View deals |
Xiaomi Mi TV Box S
I don't know if I should say it, but I have a Xiaomi Mi Box. Probably its weakest point is that it only has 8GB of storage, but we can expand the memory from the integrated USB port. In addition, it is more than enough if what we are interested in is playing content from streaming services. Moreover, it is compatible with the 4K resolution, which ensures that we can enjoy all the content with the best quality.
As for power, it includes a Quad-core 64-bit Cortex-A53 processor, more than enough for everything to work with dignity. The operating system used by default is Android 8.1, but already can be updated to Android 9.0 And, it is not ruled out, it may be updated to Android 10 in the future.
TUREWELL Android TV Box T9
Although it is not from a well-known brand, many TV Boxes are not, this TUREWELL proposal is very interesting. What is striking is that it includes a wireless keyboard, one that we can use both to write and to play or move the pointer. Speaking of games, it also stands out for including 4GB of RAM and 32GB of storage, which is much more than what other TV Boxes offer.
For the rest, the operating system it uses is Android 9.0 and it supports 4K resolution, as well as the 3D content. Even with all this, it has a lower price than most TV Boxes of well-known brands.
NinkBox Android TV Box 10.0
This NinkBox stands out for different reasons. For starters, and like the previous one, it includes 4GB of RAM and 32GB of storage, which is good to enjoy heavy games or to store several movies or a lot of music.
The other point for which it stands out is that it includes Android 10, a version of Android TV that does not even include the majority of TV Boxes of well-known brands. For everything else, it is compatible with 4K, 3D and includes USB 3.0 ports, faster than the 2.0 that other TV Boxes include.
TICTID Android 10.0 TV Box T8 MAX
Another TV Box that stands out for including the latest version of Android TV is this one from TICTID, that is, Android 10.0. But if there is something that really draws attention, it is his 128GB storage, where we can save practically everything without forcing ourselves to manage memory.
As for other specifications, this TV Box includes its own remote, your keyboard with function keys and navigation, and is compatible with 4K and 3D.
From WEISN TV Box Q Plus
If you are looking for a basic option with good design, You may be interested in this DeWEISN proposal. It is a bit reminiscent of the Xiaomi Mi Box, but with a brighter and more colorful design that also includes twice the storage memory, that is, 16GB. As for RAM, it includes the same 2GB as Xiaomi's proposal.
The operating system that it includes is Android 9.0, but this box stands out for offering or being compatible with a resolution higher than the current standard, that is, 6K resolution. One of its weak points is that it only supports the 2.4GHz WiFi frequency, so it is worth having it near the router or connecting it through the Ethernet port to take advantage of all its speed.
What is a Smart TV Box
By definition, a Smart TV Box is a device or "box" that we connect to a TV, monitor or display to give you smart device functions. As a smart device, we can run applications of all kinds, as long as they are available and adapted for non-touch screens. In part, and depending on the model, they are like connecting a mobile to the TV and seeing what it shows. The main differences are that there are fewer apps for TV and that the TV Box will always be connected and ready to use; we will not have to connect and disconnect it as we would with a smartphone.
What is it for
Initially, to consume content. The most widespread or the best known use is that we can access Netflix, Disney +, HBO and the different streaming video services, but also other music services such as Spotify or Apple Music. That without forgetting that we can also play many titles that are usually a carbon copy of the ones available for smartphones. As I have explained above, it is like having a mobile on the screen of our living room, taking into account that some applications will not be available. Depending on the operating system and the user's ability, we can also see the mail, surf the net or even use Telegram.
How to choose a Smart TV Box
Operating System
This is undoubtedly the most important point to keep in mind. Although there are more operating systems, currently two dominate: tvOS (Apple) and Android TV (Google). I would like to be as objective as possible and explain things as they are, and I would say that tvOS works much much better than Android TV, but it is an operating system that is prepared to use only apps from its application store, which reduces many possibilities. . In fact, we don't have a web browser. However, Android TV is a bit more chaotic, but we can install all kinds of applications, like Kodi, one that is even in the official store. In addition, we can install apps from web pages, something dangerous but that can pay off if we use only official sources.
Personally, and I don't have to explain that when I say this word I am expressing a personal opinion, I would not recommend using a different operating system. The applications are usually web type, very slow, and there are usually very few and with very little support.
Processor
The processor is what will give us speed in any smart device. Although in a TV Box we spend most of the time watching without touching anything, the truth is that a good processor does not hurt. The response when opening applications, for example, will be better if the processor is powerful. It will also come in handy if we want to play on our TV Box, and even more so if we use a game controller that can be an extra effort for the small device.
RAM
As in any other smart device, the RAM will be more or less important depending on what we are going to do. You don't need a lot of RAM in a TV Box, or not in most cases; 2GB is usually enough, I tell you that I have one with that memory and I don't have many problems. But things already change if we want to use more powerful applications, such as demanding games. Only we, examining the use that we are going to make, will know if we need a lot of RAM and a more powerful processor.
Remote control
Personally, I find it difficult to imagine a TV Box without a remote control. In fact, I don't know if they exist, so at this point we will talk about something else. Without forgetting to make sure that it has control, then we have to look at what it offers us. It is worth noting that it is compatible with a voice assistant, for which it must include a special button. In this way, we can do some things by talking, such as searches in the application stores or, if the assistant allows it, ask how a football match is going or the weather tomorrow.
Keyboard
Or possibility of adding it. 99% of the time that we use a TV Box we will do so with the integrated control, but we must not forget that we are talking about something smart and that smart can do a lot, like using a web browser. At this moment you may already be imagining the importance of a keyboard in that case: entering a whole URL to navigate with a command in which typing is selecting a key on a virtual non-touch keyboard is deadly. And this is something that we will also suffer in apps like Kodi if we want to search for movies or enter URLs to add a repository.
Few TV Boxes include a keyboard by default, which is why we have mentioned the possibility to add it. We can add it if our device is compatible with Bluetooth, and we choose a Bluetooth keyboard or this would not make sense, or a USB port, since there are keyboards that work with radio frequencies and only connect to a "pincho" that we would connect to this port.
Connectivity
Connectivity is something that we do have to look at, because, if we don't, we may find ourselves with some surprises. I would recommend checking the following:
- Bluetooth. For me, this is the most important thing. If you have Bluetooth, we can connect accessories such as video game controllers or keyboards, as well as headphones or wireless speakers.
- Ethernet port. This will be more or less important depending on where we have to put the TV Box. If it is far from the router, it will not be very important, as the next point will be, but with a cable connection we will make sure that we will take advantage of all the speed that we have contracted, something that we cannot say if we connect via WiFi.
- WiFi. More specifically, we have to see that it is compatible with 2.4GHz (IEEE 802.11b, 802.11g, 802.11n) and with 5GHz (IEEE 802.11a, 802.11n, 802.11ac). Why? Well, because each one has its properties. 2.4GHz goes further and goes through walls better, while 5GHz is shorter, but much faster. Therefore, I would recommend connecting it to the 5GHz frequency of our router, as long as it has it and it is close and / or with few or no walls in between.
- Audio outputs. Especially if we want to use sound bars or other speakers, it is recommended that it have an optical output or a simple 3.5mm port. This depends on where we want the sound to be played.
- USB Port. In a USB port (A) we can connect keyboards other than Bluetooth or pendrives to expand the memory of the TV Box. We can also see if it has USB-C for a compatibility issue.
- HDMI port. Well this may seem like a logical thing to do because it is the standard today, but not having it (relying on an older connection) can result in a literally blurry picture.
Decision
Resolution is an important thing to consider whatever it is we want to buy. In a Smart TV Box it can be even more important, since we have to know where we are going to connect it to know if we are interested in one resolution or another. If we don't want to have to be checking this spec, we can look at make it 4KSince there are currently few screens with higher resolution and, in addition, it is already almost so standardized that it does not increase the price too much. Also, if we buy it 4K we will make sure that it will work on any TV with a compatible port, even if the screen is not capable of showing such quality.
Price
| The best |
|
Amazon Fire TV Stick Lite... | See features | 14.725 reviews | View deals |
| Price quality |
|
Mi TV Box S 2nd Gen -... | See features | 84 reviews | View deals |
| Our favorite |
|
GIONAR TV Box... | See features | 11 reviews | View deals |
|
|
Xiaomi TV Box S (2nd... | See features | 1.756 reviews | View deals | |
|
|
Chromecast with Google TV... | See features | 12.376 reviews | View deals | |
|
|
Android 11 TV Box,4GB RAM... | See features | 574 reviews | View deals |
As always, the price also has something to say when we go to buy a Smart TV Box. But, also as always, we have to remember that sometimes cheap is expensive. There are some very cheap, but because they include basic components and will never update your operating system. For that reason, it is worth buying some brand name, for the support, like any option from Amazon, Google, Apple or brands like Xiaomi, whose TV Box has received very good reviews for its value for money.
How to configure a Smart TV Box
How to configure a Smart TV Box it will depend on the operating system and the chosen model. There is one thing that is clear: if we opt for a normal one, and I would say that normal uses some version of Android (TV), as soon as you turn on the TV / monitor, turn on the TV Box and choose its input on the screen, We will see some instructions that we must follow. Sometimes, I would say that almost always, it asks us to choose a name, a language and a WiFi network, in the case of not having it connected by cable, and the rest could already be done once inside the operating system.
There is something that may need to be changed after the initial setup, which may be the size of what is displayed. By this I am referring to the fact that sometimes the image does not fit perfectly with the edges of the screen and we have to go to the settings and look for something related to "screen" to, from there, enter the option «Zoom» and be enlarging or reducing it so that the image does not show black borders or is cut off. For everything else, a Smart TV Box is almost a Plug & Play: we connect it and it should practically work.
