While built-in Android TVs rule the roost in the smart TV segment, Android TV Boxes have slowly carved a place for themselves in the market. For people who still own old TV sets, Android TV Boxes can convert their boring TV into a smart TV at a minimal cost. You get a personalized UI, access to thousands of apps through the Play Store, and support for Google assistant. What more could you ask for? So if you are looking to buy an Android Box for your TV then you have come to the right place. Here are the 5 best Android TV Boxes you can buy in 2021.
Here, we have mentioned the 5 best Android TV Boxes that you can buy in 2021. Before curating the list, we have kept pricing, new features, and reliability in mind. So go through the below list and click on the link to move to the relevant device.
- Chromecast with Google TV
- NVIDIA SHIELD TV
- Xiaomi Mi Box S / Mi TV Stick
- Fire TV Stick 4K
- TiVo Stream 4K
1. Chromecast with Google TV
Chromecast with Google TV is undoubtedly one of the best Android TV Boxes out there. Unlike earlier Chromecasts which were just casting devices, this year, Google has loaded the Chromecast with a brand new UI called Google TV which is based on the Android TV platform. You also get a remote to navigate, search, and discover new content on the Google TV UI. No need to use your smartphone to stream content on your TV.
Not to forget, Chromecast with Google TV can also play 4K HDR content without breaking a sweat and has a separate Live sports section as well. So if you want a 4K Android TV Box that is well-priced and features a new design in classic Google fashion then Chromecast with Google TV is an apt choice for you.
If you are someone who is looking for a powerful Android TV Box for gaming and playing high-res content on a larger screen then Nvidia Shield TV is the best device you can buy. There are two offerings by Nvidia: Shield TV and Shield TV Pro. Both variants are almost the same except that Shield TV offers 2GB RAM and 8GB storage (with microSD card support) whereas the Pro variant offers 3GB RAM and 16GB storage.
Apart from that, the Shield TV features Nvidia’s in-house Tegra X1+ processor with a mightly 256-core Nvidia GPU to push millions of pixels on a larger screen. What’s more, it’s 4K HDR Ready, supports Dolby Vision HDR and HDR10, comes with Dolby Audio and DTS-X surround sound, and more.
3. Xiaomi Mi Box S / Mi TV Stick
Mi Box S and Mi TV Stick are two Android Box offerings by Xiaomi in the US, India, and many other markets. Frankly, both the smart TV boxes have decent internals and come with a clean Android TV OS. To start with Mi Box S, you get 4K HDR playback, built-in Chromecast, and Google Assistant support.
In case, you are looking for an affordable Android TV Box then you go for Mi TV Stick. It runs Android 9.0 out of the box and supports output resolution of up to 1080p only. No 4K here. The Mi TV Stick features 1GB of RAM, 8GB of internal storage, an A53-based processor, and a Mali GPU. To sum up, Mi TV Stick is the best Android TV box for people looking for an inexpensive device that can convert their old TV set to a smart TV.
4. Fire TV Stick 4K
TiVo Stream 4K is our final Android Box for TV that supports 4K streaming and comes at an affordable price. It packs a quad-core processor, 2GB of RAM, and 8GB of internal storage. The best part is that even under $40, you get Dolby Vision, Dolby Atmos, and HDR playback. Not to mention, you have support for Google Play Store so you can access and install a huge range of popular apps on your TV.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Should You Buy an Android TV or Android Box?
If you want long-term updates then I would recommend you to get an Android Box instead of a built-in Android TV. Android TVs tend to discontinue updates after 2-3 years. If you get an inexpensive Android TV Box then you can replace it with the latest one after a few years without having to splurge much.
Yes, you can watch live TV on an Android Box. There are plenty of apps such as ESPN, YouTube TV, CBS Sports, etc where you can watch live TV. Keep in mind, some apps may require a subscription.
In terms of app support and features, both Fire Stick and Android Box are almost the same. On the hardware side, Fire Stick generally packs better hardware than Android Box and overall, Fire Stick is well-priced.
No, you don’t need to pay regularly while using Android Box. You only have to pay for the apps that you have chosen to subscribe to. For instance, Netflix, Prime Video, HBO Max, etc. and other paid streaming services.
