Xiaomi streaming boxes – The gold standard for watching your favourite movies and series in 2024
Xiaomi is a leading global technology brand that boasts several industry-defining devices.
It has built a strong relationship with Google while developing these devices, including through its smartphone range which is a global top-three Android phone brand.
Another important collaboration between Google and Xiaomi is their work on Xiaomi streaming boxes, which have run the Android TV operating system for several years.
Thanks to the partnership, newer Xiaomi streaming boxes have also been migrated onto the improved Google TV operating system.
These streaming boxes are incredibly popular in South Africa thanks to their intuitive interfaces, extensive features, and support for all of the popular apps.
We unpack what they offer local users, below.
Google ecosystem
In South Africa, the Xiaomi TV Box S 2nd-gen and the Xiaomi TV Stick stand out as local favourites – among the top-reviewed products on Takealot and a staple in thousands of South African homes.
Both of these streaming devices offer the following Google features:
- Google Assistant
The Google virtual assistant makes it easy to manage your TV without using a remote.
It can be used to find movies and apps, play music, and much more – all by saying “Ok Google” followed by your command.
- Google Chromecast Built-In
Chromecast Built-In lets you mirror your favourite content from your phone, tablet, or laptop, straight to your Xiaomi streaming box.
The convenience of this is unmatched, as you don’t have to search through the streaming box if the content is already open on another device.
- Google Certification
Google officially supports Xiaomi’s use of its Android TV and Google TV operating systems.
This contrasts with many other TV boxes, which are modified to deliver these operating systems, but require workarounds to use certain apps.
With Xiaomi streaming boxes, you are guaranteed full support for your favourite streaming apps – including YouTube, Amazon Prime, Showmax, Netflix, Disney+, Spotify, and more.
Xiaomi TV Box S 2nd-gen
Using Google’s wide range of entertainment features at its core, the Xiaomi TV Box S 2nd-gen is the ultimate streaming device for your home.
It runs the latest version of Google TV – which is one of several improvements over its predecessor – and includes IR functionality for the first time.
Through this technology, you can control the power and volume of both your TV and soundbar using one Xiaomi remote.
The TV Box S 2nd-gen also boasts all of the viewing and sound technologies you could possibly want, including 4K/60fps video support, HDR10+, Dolby Vision, and Dolby Audio with DTS-HD and Dolby Atmos.
These are the latest technologies in their respective categories and guarantee the best possible viewing and audio experience on your TV.
HDR10+ is a particular highlight, as it treats each frame with its own colours, brightness, and contrast settings.
The result of this is a much more realistic viewing experience – with accurate colours and crisp details.
There are also plenty of ports and the latest connectivity technologies on offer, including HDMI 2.1 and Bluetooth 5.2. This maximises the TV Box S 2nd-gen’s ability to connect to your TV and soundbar in a variety of ways.
Xiaomi TV Stick
The Xiaomi TV Stick then stands out for its small form factor, as it is similar in size to a large thumb drive and just as lightweight.
This gives it two clear use cases: Entertainment setups with limited space, and users who want to watch their favourite shows on the go.
For the latter use case, using the TV Stick is as simple as plugging it directly into a TV’s HDMI port and power socket.
This ensures you don’t have to spend time logging into different streaming accounts, as everything is automatically stored on the TV stick and accessible through its Android TV operating system.
The TV Stick packs 1GB RAM and 8GB storage into its small form factor, and supports the following features:
- 1080p/60fps video support
- Dolby Audio
- DTS surround sound
- Bluetooth 4.2 and Wi-Fi 5
- HDMI and Micro USB ports
Get your Xiaomi streaming box
Xiaomi’s TV streaming boxes are available from a wide range of South African retailers, including:
The Xiaomi TV Box S 2nd-gen has a recommended retail price of R1,299, and the Xiaomi TV Stick Media Player has a recommended retail price of R949.
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