Whether it's to modernize an aging television or add smart features to your Smart TV, the multimedia box has arguments to invite itself into homes. Xiaomi has been offering Android TV boxes for many years, but the last update dates back to 2023. The Chinese manufacturer, known for its smartphones, is back with a new 3rd generation TV Box S equipped with a more powerful processor.
Significantly improved performance
The big new feature of the TV Box S (3rd Gen) is inside, with the integration of a new processor (Amlogic S905X5M). This quad-core SoC (Cortex-A55 up to 2.5 GHz) promises a 25% performance improvement for the CPU and an impressive 130% jump for the GPU (ARM G310 V2), compared to the previous generation. The new chip comes with 2 GB of RAM and 32 GB of internal storage, a significant increase compared to the 8 GB of the previous version.
At Like its predecessor, the TV Box S (3rd Gen) supports 4K at 60 frames per second with HDR10+ and Dolby Vision decoding for vibrant colors and sharp contrasts. The SoC also allows native decoding of H.265, AVS2, VP9 and AV1 codecs with resolutions up to 4K@75fps in 10 bits.
On the audio side, this new version progresses by replacing DTS-HD with DTS:X while maintaining compatibility Dolby Audio and Dolby Atmos. However, the dedicated audio output present on the TV Box S (2nd Gen) has disappeared and requires using HDMI or Bluetooth for sound.
DTS:X, Wi-Fi 6, Google TV and Chromecast function
In terms of connectivity, this TV Box S (3rd Gen) improves with Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.2. It is equipped with HDMI 2.1 and USB 2.1 ports, as well as a 360° Bluetooth control. Very close to the previous generation, this one has dedicated buttons for Google Assistant, Netflix, YouTube and Prime Video.
The design evolves very little and the box retains a compact design, but it is slightly larger than its predecessor. Its dimensions are 97 x 97 x 17 mm and it weighs 91.2 g, in a square format with rounded corners reminiscent of the first generations. Available in black, the box should fit into most living rooms.
Price and availability
The TV Box S (3rd Gen) appears on Xiaomi's global website, but the manufacturer has not yet confirmed the exact launch date and the countries concerned. We can expect a price similar to that of the TV Box S (2nd Gen), around 69.99 euros in Europe. Some sources mention a slightly higher price, around $79 in the United States.
This new version should still have its say against Amazon's Fire TV and Google's more expensive TV Streamer (4K).
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