I had been on the sitting fence with Android TV boxes in the last few months of 2016. After my first-generation Chromecast died on me (it stopped working after 6 months of use) and my Amazon Fire TV stick was misplaced from one of my trips, I’ve wanted to get a new streaming device, and this time try something else for Kodi use (one of my foremost requirements, not really for gaming). Similarly small/handy or similarly portable enough to be easily slipped into my bag when on-the-go moments arise. For now, Nvidia Shield (arguably touted as the best Android TV device by many) does not belong to this equation because of the size consideration and an obvious overkill for someone like me who isn’t much into gaming anymore.
With the now-ubiquitous generic Chinese-made Android TV boxes I looked at, I am amazed at the upgraded functionality with the features and hardware they come equipped with. The ones I had demoed come with either a Rockchip or Amlogic SOC, pre-installed with Kodi and pre-configured with a plethora of addons which seemed like a gazillion to me. Other boxes come pre-rooted (I love this part because I have an occasional itch to tinker, but these days it is not that important to me). They also come, among others, with not just one (1) but three (3) USB ports, a dedicated microSD slot, an optical audio out, a gigabit ethernet port, a flashy clock panel, Bluetooth 4.0 and WiFi 802.11AC operating at 2.4gHz/5gHz. Wow, talk about hardware packed in such a small box! They are also very budget-friendly.
So what’s not to like?
Several, actually. These TV boxes leave so much to be desired. The most common gripe as far as my experience is concerned: unstable UI. I had seen frequent screen lock-ups, apps suddenly crashing without rhyme or reason, and simply navigating the uninvolving homescreen either results in random freezing or rebooting. Plus, the included remote control is “lazy” enough that it will only respond after a 2 or 3-second lag to execute a command. Worse, a remote control key (which behaves like it has a mind of its own) yields a command I didn’t intend to execute. There are boxes, too, which don’t remember display settings after a reboot and have trouble with HDMI CEC handshake. Whoaa! I am not happy with that. I won’t put up with a new device that comes pregnant with so many issues to begin with.
The MB3 box with "MI" logoSmall enough to fit in one's handThe Mi Box 3 (International Edition) changed the aforementioned bad impressions that I had experienced. Alright, it is “Made In China” but unlike the other TV boxes churned out from some Shenzen or Guangdong factory. It is a product made by Xiaomi, currently the world’s 4th largest smartphone and consumer electronics company.
Compared with the other TV boxes I tested, the MB3 is the smoothest (the screen transition/animation is really eye-candy) and the most stable by far. This 4k-capable MB3 runs on Android v6.0.1 with a Google TV UI, not the so-called hybrid smartphone UI.
Specs on the back of the MB3's boxWhat's inside the boxType C plug (no adaptor included)HDMI cableA very responsive bluetooth voice remote (AAA batteries not included)Out of the box, the MB3 works as intended. Easy to setup with default English language. No pre-installed bloat, just the basic Google services, Google Play, and YouTube. Of course, there is a pre-installed Netflix app and it supports full HD at 1080p and 4k video streaming, thanks to Google Widevine Level 1 DRM compliance that comes standard with the MB3 (many boxes come only with Level 3 which limits support to standard definition). WiFi 802.11AC and bluetooth connect to devices without having to try more than once. The bluetooth voice remote works flawlessly and I can use it to launch whatever installed app I want to run even if that app is not on the homescreen tiles. Installed apps can be organized by holding down the OK button, and then dragged left to right which I thought was a nifty “undocumented” trick. I installed Kodi directly through Google Play, then I downloaded and configured a selection of addons (I don’t need a gazillion) and has never crashed so far while streaming. I connected a 5tb hard drive via the USB port and the MB3 browsed through my 600+ video files effortlessly. The only time Kodi froze without crashing was during the instance I tried to browse the contents of a wirelessly connected hard drive that I thought was still on but was already turned off (oops, it was my fault). While I prefer an ethernet connection over wireless, I have no issue with streaming via WiFi 802.11AC, which is performing solidly.
For initial testing with offline 4k playback, my
Mad Max Fury Road video file encoded in H.265, 10-Bit at 60fps played without a hitch using Kodi. Although I would love to see some other “demanding” 4k files I can get my hands on to try and evaluate not only with Kodi but also with SPMC and MX Player (both available from Google Play).
Rubberized rim (underside)The MB3's backside with ports (no MicroSD slot)Sideview with tapered edgesUser guide printed in English languageSmall enough that it fits nicely between my desktop PC monitor's oddly-shaped stand, as if docking right smack into itThe default UI language is English but the initial setup allows the user to select from multiple language optionsHomescreen shows "Recommendations" from various sources when internet is connected (and what is shown onscreen will constantly change)Google Play is pre-installed out of the boxRunning a very stable Kodi v16.1 installed via Google Play If you're more than a casual user who is planning to install Kodi directly from Google Play, you'll be up and running in minutes provided you have a good internet connection. That is a given for a seamless streaming experience. As I said, it is easy to setup. Just plug in, connect to WiFi, and it's ready to go.
I will put a
caveat here that I have not tested thoroughly all the other features of this device due to time and schedule, hence these first impressions. However, for my personal needs (i.e., Kodi for streaming and offline playback, Live Channels, Netflix and Spotify), the MB3 so far works perfectly stable and I would highly recommend it.