The 12 best Android TV Box of 2020 - The Happy Android

I have been leaving this issue pending for a long time, but it is time to face it. Which are the best Android TV Box What can we find today? The offer is shockingly wide, so today we will try to shed some light and perspective on the world of “smart boxes” for TV.

The first thing to say is that the quality of the TV Boxes varies remarkably according to their price. Although, depending on the use we want to give it, it is possible that an economic model is enough for us.

The 12 best Android TV Box of the moment: playback in 4K, HDR, Netflix and much more

The world of Android TV is not a market that evolves too much, and for a couple of years, more or less, we can find the same devices topping the list of the best within their guild.

It is advisable to point out that, except for honorable exceptions (Nvidia or Xiaomi), most TV Boxes have quite poor controls for anything other than browsing the Android menu and playing content from a pendrive.

If we want to have a full experience and navigation, it is best to buy a good wireless keyboard or air mouse. They are usually not worth more than 10 euros, and the change is really drastic.

Now, let's take a look at the best devices to bring Android to the living room TV and turn it into a smart TV with all the letters. We started!

1 # Nvidia Shield Android TV

The Nvidia Shield is the Ferrari of Android TV Boxes. It is a device that is more oriented to video games, but its Android TV function fulfills it perfectly. A good interface, an excellent design, compatible with almost all streaming applications of the moment and a controller (in addition to its own gamepad) ideal for browsing.

• Nvidia Tegra X1 processor
• 3GB of RAM memory.
• 16GB or 500GB of internal storage.
• Android TV Operating System (Android 7.0).
• 4K HDR or HD 1080p support.
• HDMI port, 2 USB 3.0 ports, micro USB, micro SD and Ethernet port.
• We can stream from PC and play directly on TV (Nvidia GameStream).
• Support for Nvidia GeForce NOW.

Approximate price *: € 290.67 (see in Amazon)

2 # Xiaomi Mi TV Box S

If we are looking for a slightly cheaper Android TV Box, one of the best options is the Xiaomi box. One of its greatest features are voice commands -Through the microphone included in the remote control-. In addition, it is one of the few Android TVs that is officially approved for play 4K content on Netflix. An easy to use and navigate interface complete the picture of virtues of this interesting device.

• 64-bit Cortex-A53 4-core processor running at 2.0GHz.
• 2GB of RAM memory.
• 8GB of internal storage.
• Android 8.1.
• 4K HDR support at 60fps.
• One USB 2.0 port and HDMI output.
• Bluetooth 4.2 + EDR connection.
• Supports 5G WiFi.
• Voice commands.
• Chromecast built-in.

Approximate price *: € 50.04 - € 65.85 (see in Amazon / AliExpress/ GearBest )

3 # T95 MAX

This TV Box is one of the most powerful that we can find within the Android TV of Asian origin. Has 4GB of RAM, something that not many devices of this type usually equip normally. In addition, it accumulates up to 32GB of internal space, great for storing emulator ROMs, photos, music and video. It also has a lighter 16GB version.

• 1 USB 3.0 port, 1 USB 2.0 ports, SD card slot, HDMI, and Ethernet port.
• H6 Quad-Core Cortex-A53 CPU with Mali-T720 GPU.
• Support for 6K video output.
• Hardware 3D graphics acceleration.
• Kodi 18.0 pre-installed.
• Android 9.0.

Approximate price *: € 22.81 - € 41.99 (see in Amazon / AliExpress)

4 # Amazon Fire TV Stick

The truth is that Amazon's "spike" is not an Android TV Box as such. It has its own system and uses the Amazon app store. However, it is a good option if all you want is a device that supports streaming content from Amazon Prime Video, DAZN, Netflix, Movistar + and use a few apps without too many complications. It's not very powerful, but at least what it does it does well.

• Remote with voice control via Alexa.
• MediaTek Quad-Core ARM 1.3 GHz CPU.
• Mali450 GPU.
• 1GB of RAM memory.
• 8GB of storage.
• 1080p resolution up to 60fps.
• Bluetooth 4.1.
• HDMI output.
• Optional Ethernet adapter.

Approximate price *: € 39.99 (see in Amazon)

A premium version of this same device is also available calledFire TV Stick 4K which incorporates better features:

• More powerful CPU (Quad Core at 1.7GHz).
• Support for content with Ultra HD 4K resolution.
• HDR10 +, HDR10, HDR and Dolby Vision image quality.
• Dolby Atmos sound quality.

Approximate price *: € 59.99 (see in Amazon)

5 # BQEEL Android TV Box

One of the best-selling TV Boxes with Android 9.0 of the year. The BQEEL, in addition to an eye-catching and eye-catching design, features the new RK3318 chip (a trimmed but efficient version of the RK3328) as well as 4GB of RAM and 32GB of internal storage space. A highly recommended device if we are looking for an updated system at an affordable price.

• Rockchip 3318 Quad-Core 64bit Cortex-A53 CPU.
• 4GB of DDR3 RAM.
• 32GB of internal space.
• Compatible with 4K TVs and 3D function.
• H.265 video decoding.
• Dual 2.4G / 5G Wifi and 10 / 100M Ethernet LAN compatible.
• 2 USB ports (2.0 and 3.0), micro SD and HDMI 2.0.

Approximate price *: € 55.99 (see in Amazon)

6 # Beelink GT King

The first TV Box to equip the powerful new Amlogic S922X SoC with 6 cores that ensures a much higher performance than the rest of boxes of Chinese origin (it is also a little more expensive, of course). Perfect for playing games with a certain level of demand.Another interesting detail is that, together with the NVidia Shield and the Xiaomi Mi Box S, it is one of the few devices capable of playing HBO in HD format. It also includes air mouse and voice control.

• Amlogic S922X Hexa-Core SoC (Quad-Core Arm Cortex A73 and Dual-Core Cortex A53).
• 4GB of RAM LPDDR4 + 64GB eMMC.
• Mali-G52 MP4 GPU.
• Voice remote control.
• USB 3.0 port + USB 2.0 port + micro SD slot.
• 2.4 + 5.8GHz WiFi connectivity.

Approximate price *: € 92.70 - € 135.00 (see in Amazon / AliExpress)

7 # MECOOL KM3

The MECOOL KM3 is one of the latest models from the well-known Asian TV box manufacturer. Your device includes the latest version of Android 9.0, 4GB of RAM and 64GB of internal space. It also incorporates the new chipset model Amlogic S905X2 with 4 Cortex-A53 cores and Mail-G31 MP2 GPU for better performance. In addition, it has a dual band WiFi connection (2.4G + 5G).

With these components and a good control we can watch streaming content from Netflix, YouTube, KODI, listen to music on Spotify and play classic emulators perfectly. In addition, the device hasGoogle certification for Android TV, which allows us, among other things, to use the voice assistant to control the TV box by remote control.

• 4GB of LPDDR4 RAM and 64GB flash.
• Play content in 4K at 60fps and H.265 HEVC decoding.
• Android 9.0.
• 2 USB ports (USB 2.0 + USB 3.0, micro SD card slot, HDMI, AV and Ethernet.
• Amlogic S905X2 CPU and Mail-G31 MP2 GPU.
• Dual WiFi 2.4GHz + 5.0GHz, support ac wifi.
• Bluetooth 4.0.
• «Google Certified» certification.

Approximate price *: € 59.99 (see in Amazon )

NOTE: There is also a variant of this same model called MECOOL KM9 Pro, which has 4GB / 32GB of storage and the same features. Its price is about 10 euros cheaper and is available on AmazonHERE.

8 # T95 S1 Android TV Box

This is the Android TV Box that at the beginning of this 2020 it is raised with the seal «Amazon’s choice«. It is not a very powerful TV Box, but due to its price it can be a great alternative for those looking for something simple. In addition, it includes a wireless keyboard controller, essential for a good user experience and smooth navigation through the menus and controls.

• Amlogic S905W Quad Core CPU.
• 2GB of RAM and 16GB of internal storage.
• Mali-450 GPU.
• Support for 4K (Ultra HD) video and H.265 decoding.
• Android 7.1 operating system.
• 2 USB 2.0 ports, HDMI, LAN port and card reader.

Approximate price *: € 36.99 (see in Amazon)

9 # Khadas VIM3

The Khadas VIM3 is the evolution of theKhadas VIM2 Max, and like this one, it is much more than a simple Android TV Box. It's closer to a Raspeberry Pi, both in concept and usability.

We can install Android and use it as a normal TV Box, or we can install Ubuntu or OpenELEC / LibreELEC and go one step further. Everything will depend on the game we want to get out of it and the time we are willing to invest in it. The perfect device for fans of experimentation and customization.

• Amlogic A311D SoC with four 2.2GHz Cortex-A73 x4 cores, paired with two 1.8Ghz Cortex-A53 cores.
• 2GB of DDR4 RAM (also available 4GB version).
• ARM Mali-G52 4-core GPU with support for Vulkan 1.1, OpenGL 3.2 and OpenCL 3.2.
• 16 / 32GB of internal space.
• 4 USB 2.0 ports, a USB Type-C input to charge the device, SD slot, HDMI output and a LAN port.
• WiFI 2 × 2 MIMO with RSDB.
• 10-bit 4K decoder.
• Programmable MCU.

Approximate price *: € 92.71 - € 119.17 (see in Amazon / AliExpress)

10 # SUNNZO X96 mini

One of the most popular TV Box on Amazon. It is a device that is not very powerful, but that can come in handy if the only thing we are looking for is a TV Box that can play multimedia content from an external disk or memory, watch YouTube videos and surf the Internet a bit.

One of its great advantages is that although it is very cheap, it has a version of the most recent Android (Android 9.0, compared to most TV boxes in this range that usually equip Android 7.1).

• Amlogic S905W Quad Core processor and Mali-450 GPU.
• 2GB of RAM.
• 16GB of internal space.
• 4K UHD playback.
• Native H.265 decoding.
• 2 USB ports.
• Android 9.0 Nougat.

Approximate price *: € 32.78 (see in Amazon)

11 # Alfawise H96 Pro +

A really versatile TV Box. Alfawise is one of the best-known Chinese brands in the world of TV Boxes, and although it does not develop high-end devices, it works wonderfully within the most attractive and efficient mid-range. This Alfawise H9 Pro + comes as a box smart with great value for money.

• Amlogic S912 Octa Core 2.0GHz CPU.
• 3GB of RAM memory.
• 16GB / 32GB of internal storage.
• Dual band ac WiFi (2.4G / 5G).
• Android 7.1.
• H.265 and HDR hardware decoding.
• Supports Airplay, Miracast and DLNA.
• 2 USB 2.0 ports, HDMI 2.0 port, Ethernet, AV and SD card reader.

Approximate price *: € 42.70 - € 62.99 (see in Amazon / AliExpress )

12 # Q + Smart Box

If we are looking for a cheap TV Box with an updated operating system and a certainly attractive design, this is a box that we should not overlook. For just over 40 euros we get a device that incorporates 4GB of RAM, an H6 Quad Core Cortex-A53 CPU, a Mali-T720MP2 GPU and 32GB of internal space for apps, games and files.

• Android 9.0.
• 2 USB ports (2.0 + 3.0), micro SD, HDMI, Ethernet.
• Dual band 802.11 ac WiFi.
• UHD 6K at 30fps.
• Supports H.265 video decoding.
• 3D sound function.

Approximate price *: € 43.99 (see inAmazon)

Note: The approximate price is the price available at the time of writing this post in the corresponding online stores, such as Amazon or AliExpress.