Xiaomi Mi Box S Price and Review

Xiaomi has made its way into every product category, one of the underrated or rather unknown product segment is the TV category. Xiaomi makes some kick-ass TV’s and TV supportive devices. They started off by launching the Mi Box gives which converted any monitor into a TV that let you access apps like Netflix and more. While it had its share of problems, Xiaomi really outdid themselves with the next-generation Mi Box S. We have tested it over a period of time and we’ve done a comprehensive Xiaomi Mi Box S Price and Review for you guys.

The Mi Box S does not lose out to even the best player out there in the market. It is true value for money, in fact, you’ll probably save a lot of money for an unbelievable experience. Imagine voice out your channels to the gadget through the remote. Yup, It’s just that amazing.

The Mi Box is pretty cool. But, should you buy it? Is it worth it? Let’s find out! Here’s the Xiaomi Mi Box S Price and Review.

Xiaomi Mi Box S Price and Review 2020

Inside the Box

The first thing you notice is the packaging which is all in English because this product is created for the international market. When you open the box, you see the Mi Box S that is black in colour and is square-shaped. Mi Box comes only in one colour and this isn’t something to consider before purchasing.
There are

• Instruction sheets in English
• An HDMI cable
• A remote control
• A power adapter to charge the device
• And two AAA batteries for the remote.
  

Design – First look into the Xiaomi Mi Box S and the remote

The Mi Box S makes a great first impression. The packaging alone is elegant – it is safe to say that a lot of companies have invested a lot of time ensuring they make a good first impression, and Xiaomi is no exception.

• The orange and white box appeals to the new generation user and has all the instructions neatly put down on the back.
• The packaging contains the sleek rectangular Mi TV Box S, made of durable plastic with clean rounded edges and a matte finish that looks gorgeous. The whole box is 9.5cm X 9.5 cm and the thickness is 1.6cm which makes it a very petite device. In the back of the device are four connectors that are for
• Along with this, comes a Google assistant enabled slim remote which runs on two AAA batteries.
• There is also an HDMI cable to connect the box to the TV, a power adapter and a 3.5mm Audio Jack

The MI box S looks super neat with the MI logo on the top.

• The back of the mi box s houses the ports for the power cord, audio-out, USB drive and the HDMI cable.
• There is no Ethernet port but it enables the latest wifi connectivity and can quickly and easily connect to your home Internet.
• It supports 4K HDR content and runs on a 2GB RAM.
• And it has an internal storage capacity of 8GB.

The remote that is small in size and matches the elegance of the TV Box has a button dedicated to both Netflix and Google assistant.

• This may not seem like a big deal, but when we used it, we did like having that little feature.
• The familiar round menu button is surrounded by the navigation buttons in the centre of the remote.
• The volume can be adjusted by the button on top of the MI logo.
• Can feel a tad bit delicate because of the plastic used to make it but it does the job.
• Voice control feature, where you can change programs with your voice
• Live Button

Check it out here – US $53.73 – 56.76

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Xiaomi Mi Box S – Specifications

Understanding the specifications of the Mi Box S will help you in understanding its power. It uses ARM Cortex-A-53 powered by a  64-Bit set. This is similar to the Mi Box 4.

• It has 2GB of RAM and 8GB of internal space.
• The Mi Box S supports 2GB and 5GB of bands of the internet.
• It also supports Bluetooth 4.2.
• The box runs on stock Android 8.1
• Dolby Audio
• Chromecast Built-in
• 4k Ultra HD
• Google Assitant Built-in
• Quadcore CPU, 3+2 Core GPU

Guide to Xiaomi Smart Home 2020 | $98 Xiaomi Home Automation Setup (July Update – New Products)

Mi Box S Review – Setup

Setting up the Mi Box S is fairly simple:

• First, make sure there’s power flowing through the Mi Box. Just plug in the power cable into the relevant port.
• Now, all you have to do is connect the Mi Box S to your TV using the HDMI cable.
• Once, this is done. You have to add the batteries to the remote/
• Now, you start scrolling away.
• The Mi User Interface will take you through some setup procedures so make sure you’re connected to the internet.
• Once this is done, the set up is basically complete. Just update your firmware if necessary and start streaming.

The setup should also take you about 6 to 7 minutes to fully set up.

Check it out here – US $53.73 – 56.76

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Mi Box S Review – User Interface

Coming to the main aspect of the Mi Box S is the User Interface. Immediately you notice there are 3 to 4 commonly used apps such as Netflix, Youtube, Sportify and more.

• The settings of the Mi Box S is similar to the settings on Android devices, which makes it easy to use and intuitive.
• You can change the language, sound, wallpapers and access memory options and more.
• It’s also enabled with Google Assistant. It uses voice to help you find the program you want. You can also use voice commands to do a Google search. This is a big value addition to the product.
• Being an Android TV, you can access the Play Store and install apps directly to the device.
• The 8GB of Internal memory will enable the installation of quite a few apps.

Gaming, Video and Sound

One of the most important features of this TV box is the gaming option.

• Looking at the 2GB RAM, it might not seem like this box can handle intense gaming. You’ll need to connect a Bluetooth keyword to game with this device.
• The Mi Box S supports Dolby Audio quality and it also renders videos in 4k Ultra HD for tv’s or monitors that support 4k HD.
• You get Chromecast with the Mi Box S. The lack of an Ethernet Port does not affect the internet as it works blazingly fast with Wi-fi.

Performance of the Mi BOX S

The MI box S connects easily to the internet without any lag or hassle. It works on a Quad-core Cortex-A53 processor, just like the previous version.

• What we liked is that the setup is also easy and takes less than 5 mins to get it up and going.
• You can log in with your Google account, which makes like really convenient; you don’t have to remember one more password.
• Once connected, the operation is smooth thanks to the Android 8.1 Oreo operating system.
• You have full access to the google play store which houses thousands of apps for you to choose from.
• The navigation is quite smooth and simple to understand.
• The remote is very responsive and the google assistant is able to recognise the voice without any trouble.

Here are a few other features that are worth a mention:

• There are a few new and extra buttons on the remote of the Mi Box S, compared to the previous one. The Netflix button is a welcome feature as it instantly launches Netflix and you can log in and start watching your favourite movies

• The USB port on the rear side is a welcome add-on as you can connect your external hard-drive or a flash drive and play your movies and other content. Use the USB port to also connect your game controllers and other accessories

• The internal storage of 8GB may not seem a lot but it’s not bad considering that that is not the primary function of this device.

• As mentioned earlier, the Xiaomi Mi Box S has an inbuilt Chromecast with which you can mirror your phone or laptop on to the screen. We tested this out and it works smoothly. So you can enjoy sharing and viewing photos on the big screen now. This also lets you play videos from your phone on to the television screen.

• The image clarity is sharp, though it also depends on your TV’s quality

• The volume button on the remote is a useful feature. Unlike Apple TV Box remotes, you only need to handle one remote here for all your needs

• This TV box is compact, doesn’t take up much space and quite light in weight, so you can move this around between your TVs or take this with you on your trips and easily set it up within minutes. This is one of the reason’s it make it to the top of the Top Xiaomi Home Appliances list.

Your regular TV takes on a new look with the Xiaomi Mi TV Box S

Xiaomi has a trademark premium look and the same is implemented when you set up the Mi Tv Box S with your Television as well.

• You see a row of applications on the screen of your TV, with your most-used apps right on top, making it easy for you to select and start playing.

• There is also a row below it with “quick play” shows and movies to resume what you were already watching.

• This is quite helpful, especially for those who don’t want to be wasting time looking for their frequently watched program.

A few problems that the Mi Box S might have

Even the best gadgets could be improved to make them better. Here are a few issues that, if fixed, could make our TV Box experience even better than it already is:

• The Mi box S does a splendid job when it is playing the 1080p content on the screen but starts to lag a bit when we try and play the 4k content. But that being said, maybe the bug fixes and the software updates will take care of the problem.

• Secondly, the phone mirror feature works well only when the device is switched on, whereas with other SMART televisions, this feature usually works even when the screen is off. But hey, we don’t think this should be a major deal-breaker when you consider the huge savings you get when you buy a TV Box instead of a brand new Smart TV!

• Amazon Prime cannot be accessed using the Mi Box S. If you have an annual subscription with the app and watch some shows regularly, you might miss this. Let’s hope Xiaomi strikes a deal with Amazon and includes this into their next upgrade.

Check it out here – US $53.73 – 56.76

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Xiaomi Mi Box S Price and Review – Final Thoughts

Xiaomi’s Mi Box S is another big success. It has all the features one can expect from a TV box and more.

• The biggest advantage for the Xiaomi Mi Box S is the software.
• It runs stock Android and incorporates all the features that one can expect from an Android device. It has valuable additions such as pre-built apps like Youtube and Netflix.
• It plays 4K HD video and also enables Dolby sound. The Quadcore CPU, 3+2 Core GPU enables playing of high graphics games.
• This is also backed by 2GB of RAM and 8GB in internal memory.
  

Pros

• Runs on stock Android that has myriad options
• Runs 4K video
• Enables high graphics gaming
• Has a built-in Google Assistant feature that helps you find your programs quickly and also perform Google searches.
• The remote control also works well with all the important controls available

Cons

• The lack of an ethernet port may be a con for a few people
• Lag on the 4K
• Lack of Amazon Prime
• Certain conditions need to be satisfied to use the phone mirror feature

Price: US $53.73 – 56.76

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Mi TV Box S – Price

Price is something that cannot be overlooked, no matter what you want to buy.

• Xiaomi has been known to price its products at a very affordable range and the same can be said about the new Mi Tv box S.
• This TV box is light on the pocket and with all the amazing features it packs, this is surely one of the best buys in the market today.

The Price is around US $53.73 – 56.76

Buy Xiaomi Mi Box S (Global version) from Aliexpress

Price: US $53.73 – 56.76

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Overall, the Xiaomi Mi Box S is an advanced version of the Mi Box 4 and if you want affordable Android TV experience, this is the product you need.

Convert your regular TV into a Smart TV with the Xiaomi Mi TV Box S:

SMART Television has become a necessity in this age of the internet. Right from catching those popular shows on Netflix to some of the most trending videos on Youtube, watching them on a phone or a laptop simply does not have the same appeal anymore. You just cannot imagine life without a smart TV and today, there are a lot of options to chose from.

• However, if you have an “unsmart” TV (a new term for the millennial) right now, and you’re eyeing that swanky, new smart TV in the market, complete with 4K HD, it might, unfortunately, seem a bit of a pocket drainer. But no need to worry as we can now transform any TV into a SMART TV with the help of an Android TV box or an Apple TV box. Check out our Xiaomi Mi Box S Price and Review for more details.

The new Xiaomi Mi TV Box S

While Apple has always been the more popular, stylish sister, Android is of a league of its own, with its subtle elegance and functionality.
It has been a race well fought by a lot of players and few have managed to do wonders. One such brand is Xiaomi and what it has done with its latest product out in the market, the Xiaomi Mi TV Box S is truly commendable. This is a definite upgrade from its predecessor, the Xiaomi first-generation Mi Box. Check out our Xiaomi Mi Box S Price and Review for more details.

User Reviews

The first couple of days using this device were great but then it started crawling, being very unresponsive, as if I brought out my old ’90s computer and it could not handle the data. I was about to come here and write a 1-star review of this horrible streaming box but I found on-line a solution which really makes the Mi Box shine. Enable all three options “CEC Switch”, “One key play” and “One key power off” under “Settings > HDMI CEC” menu and restart Mi Box. This will make it operate like it was meant to! Do not know what the issue was before, but I do know now that it is a great streaming device, operating smooth, responsive and can take anything I throw at it.

Michalis Petrou From USA

I’m very impressed with this little AndroidTV box. It does things very well. Lots of apps available, and no need to get Chromecast Ultra (4K) as this box has it built in! That alone is worth getting this box. As well as native, official, support for all major streaming services like Netflix, YouTube, Amazon Prime Video, etc. The more I use it, the more I like it. Best purchase I’m made on Amazon for a while!

However, to make this box perfect, below are some areas that need improvement:

– Bluetooth headphones: they work great, but there is no way to pair them automatically after you have used them with another device. You have to unpair and pair again. There should be a way to select my Beats headphones and connect to them again, similar to the way it is done on Android phones & tablets.

– latest Android Pie disabled the Chromecast feature, so after a Google search the fix was to go into settings and uninstall the Chromecast app updates. This built-in Chromecast app needs to be updated to work with Android Pie.

– It should really have a digital optical audio output so you can connect it directly to a soundbar.

– It should have a 1Gbit Ethernet port for a better network connection.

– It should have 4GB RAM and larger onboard storage (at least 32GB) or an SD Card slot for storage expansion.

– It should have USB 3.0 instead of USB 2.0, plus more than just 1 USB port.

– It should have the ability to set a global default media player and playback options, e.g. VLC with hardware & software decoding of h.265 media, without subtitles.

With the above, this would be a perfect Android TV box. But, it’s still an awesome media streaming device, and I’m impressed with the features it has, such as Dolby, DTS, native support for all major streaming services. Thus, I give it 5-stars as it’s a great value for the money!

Steve From USA

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