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Buying an Android TV box is a cheap and effective way of transforming your traditional TV into a smart one. Using an Android TV box, you can stream your favorite movies or TV series. You can even do casual gaming if you wish to. Android TVs are getting faster and more optimized, yet they are becoming cheaper as well. The market is flooded with great Android TV box choices. That is exactly why it is hard to shop around and pick which is better.
You are lucky since, in this article, we are going to compare two popular Android TV boxes that can stream at 4K resolution with HDR. Let us take a closer look at both Xiaomi Mi Box S and Ematic 4K UHD Android TV boxes. We will compare in detail the Xiaomi Mi Box S vs Ematic AGT419 Android TV box and see which one is better. Let’s start with the comparison table.
| Xiaomi Mi Box S | Ematic 4K UHD | |
|---|---|---|
| Image |  |
 |
| Output Resolution | 4K (3840 x 2160), HDR | 4K (3840 x 2160) @ 60fps, HDR |
| Operating System | Android TV 8.1 Oreo | Android TV 8.1 Oreo |
| Processor | Cortex-A53 Quad-core 64bit | Amlogic S905X quad-core ARM Cortex A53 |
| GPU | Mali-450 | Mali-450 MP3 |
| RAM | 2GB DDR3 | 2GB DDR3 |
| Internal Storage | 8GB eMMC | 8GB eMMC |
| Wi-Fi | 802.11a/b/g/n/ac Dual-band Wi-Fi | 802.11a/b/g/n/ac Dual-band Wi-Fi |
| Bluetooth | Bluetooth 4.1 | Bluetooth 4.0 |
| Built-in Chromecast | Yes | Yes |
| Remote Voice Search | Yes | Yes |
| Ports | 1 x HDMI 2.0a port, 1 x USB 2.0 port, 1 x Audio Out, Power Interface | 1 x HDMI port, 2 x USB port, 1 x Ethernet port, 1 x MicroSD card slot, 1 x AV output, Power Interface |
| Item Dimensions | 3.75 x 3.75 x 0.66 inches | 2 x 4 x 8 inches (with packaging) |
| Item Weight | 5.19 ounces | 1.06 pounds (with packaging) |
| What’s Included | Mi Box S, Remote Control. HDMI Cable, 2 Batteries. User Manual, Power Adapter | Ematic 4K Android TV Box, TV Remote Control, HDMI Cable, Power Adapter |
| Available Color | Black | Black |
| Price | Check Price on Amazon | Check Price on Amazon |
Differences between Xiaomi Mi Box S and Ematic 4K UHD
Ports
The Xiaomi Mi Box S and Ematic 4K UHD are very similar Android TV boxes. The only aspect they differ is in their ports. The Xiaomi Mi Box S is rather lacking in terms of its ports. While it is a very usable Android TV box, it lacks very essential ports such as an extra USB port, ethernet port, and MicroSD card slot. First, an extra USB port is particularly helpful when connecting multiple USB devices such as a mouse, keyboard, or external hard drive. Second, the Ethernet port can be used to connect to the internet via a wired connection. Lastly, the MicroSD card slot is useful when you plan on expanding their small 8GB internal storage. While all these ports are missing in the Mi Box S, they are present with the Ematic 4K UHD Android TV box. That is why the Ematic 4K has the edge over the Xiaomi counterpart.
Connectivity
Expectedly, the Xiaomi Mi Box S and Ematic 4K have Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity. Since both have dual-band Wi-Fi, they can connect to the faster and more stable 5GHz Wi-Fi connection. This is particularly more significant for the Mi Box S because it does not come with an Ethernet port. Moreover, you can use wireless devices and connect them via their Bluetooth 4.0.
Similarities between Xiaomi Mi Box S and Ematic 4K UHD
4K Ultra High Definition
Do you have a 4K-capable TV but do not have an Android TV built-in? You can solve that problem with either the Xiaomi Mi Box S or Ematic 4K as they can output the full 4K Ultra HD resolution. Moreover, you can enjoy movies or TV series with better and more vivid colors since both support HDR multimedia content.
Android TV Version
Since both TV boxes have Android TV Oreo baked right in, you can access the thousands of apps and games within the Google Play Store. As mentioned before, both Android TVs have rather small internal storage of 8GB. However, this internal storage is still ample for streaming apps such as Netflix, HBO Go, or Hulu. Furthermore, you can access 4K multimedia straight right from your TV’s home screen with Oreo’s new ‘Channels’ feature. You can also add apps to your ‘Favorite’ tab so you can open them in a heartbeat. Lastly, you can enjoy more apps since more are now stable in Android TV Oreo.
Google Assistant
Another advantage of having an Android TV Box is the Google Assistant. Similar to Android phones and tablets, you can do almost anything with this smart assistant. You can do a basic universal search or even interact with your other smart appliances with it. And if you do not know what movie to watch next, you can let Google Assistant pick it for you.
Performance
Performance is ample with both the Mi Box and Ematic 4K with their quad-core processors. Their multi-core processor is paired with the Mali-450 GPU and 2GB of RAM. With that said, the performance of both Android TV boxes is nearly identical. You can do your usual Netflix or YouTube streaming, or even game with it a little bit with the use of a gamepad. Whatever your needs are, both will perform just fine. Overall, both are responsive and snappy.
Price
The price of the Mi Box S and Ematic 4K is the most compelling attribute they have as both are cheap. Their price coupled with great performance and experience brings you a lot of value for your money.
Pros and Cons
Pros and Cons
Xiaomi Mi Box S
Pros:
- The Mi Box S comes from Xiaomi, a reputable and known brand, so it guarantees you that it’s over-the-air updates and support is better than the Ematic 4K.
- Performance is snappy and responsive due to its quad-core processor, multicore GPU, and 2GB of RAM.
- Xiaomi Mi Box S has a more compact and sexier design compared with the Ematic 4K.
Cons:
- The inability to expand its tiny 8GB of internal storage via the MicroSD card slot is a problem, especially for power users.
Ematic 4K UHD
Pros:
- You can connect more devices such as mouse, keyboard, or gamepad since it has an extra USB port.
- Internal storage expansion is easy since it has a MicroSD card slot.
- Since it has a similar price as the Mi Box S, it is apparent that the Ematic 4K UHD is better due to its additional ports and Ethernet port.
- The Ematic 4k performs as well as the Xiaomi Mi Box S.
Cons:
- Although it has an Ethernet port, you cannot take advantage of the Gigabit speeds as it can transfer up to 100Mbps, but that speed is good enough for everything.
Final Verdict
If you want to upgrade your movie streaming experience, both the Xiaomi Mi Box S and Ematic 4K UHD are great ways to do so. Both are inexpensive methods to stream 4K Ultra High Definition movies and TV series. Combined with its HDR support, picture quality output is as crisp, detailed, and as colorful as you can imagine. Due to the additional essential ports that the Ematic 4K UHD Android TV has, it makes your decision easier since both the Mi Box S and Ematic 4K have almost the same price. The Ematic 4K outboxed the Xiaomi Mi Box S in this comparison.