Xiaomi and Thomson have debuted new Google TV-powered streaming boxes in Europe and the U.K. in what looks like an effort to keep pace with the new Google TV Streamer that launched last year.
The new boxes – the 3rd generation Xiaomi TV Box S and the Thomson Streaming Box Plus 270 and 270W – feature more powerful processors and increased storage compared to their predecessors. They’ll compete with the Google TV Streamer and other devices, such as the Apple TV 4K and Nvidia Shield.
Xiaomi hasn’t revealed exactly what chipset is being used in the 3rd Gen Xiaomi TV Box S, but it made some interesting claims, saying it provides a 25% CPU and 130% GPU boost over its previous generation streamer. According to FlatPanelsHD, the device is most likely using an Amlogic S905X5M chipset, but that cannot be confirmed yet.
The device also gets 32GB of storage, up from a mere 8GB in the 2nd Gen device, which means a lot more space for saving the multitude of applications and games that can be found on the Google Play Store. The boost is in line with Google’s updated guidelines, which specify that Google TV devices have at least 16GB of storage space.
Wi-Fi has also been updated to Wi-Fi 6, which should mean more seamless streaming over the net, and the 3.5 millimetre audio jack has been removed from the device. As before, Xiaomi’s streaming box supports Dolby Vision, HDR10+ and Dolby Audio, and it has an HDMI port that can support 4K@60Hz content.
The device is still perhaps somewhat less capable than the Google TV Streamer though, as it only has 2GB of RAM. That compares to the 4GB on Google’s streaming box, which should enable a snappier overall experience.
As for Thomson, it actually announced two devices, known as the Streaming Box Plus 270 and Streaming Box Plus 270W, but the only difference is that the latter has a white plastic case, whereas the former is black. Like the 3rd Gen Xiaomi TV Box S, it runs Google TV and boasts 4K resolution with Dolby Vision, Dolby Atmos and Wi-Fi 6, but it doesn’t support HDR10+, though regular HDR10 is listed. It also has built-in casting functionality, like the Xiaomi box.
Unlike Xiaomi, Thomson has confirmed the chipset in its latest device, and it’s the same Amlogic S905X5M chipset that’s believed to be in the Chinese offering. However, it notably boosts the RAM to 3GB, and it also offers a generous 32GB of storage space. There’s also a HDMI port, alongside USB 3.0.
The specifications have led to speculation that the new Thomson streamers are essentially the European version of the popular Walmart Onn Pro streaming device that’s rated as one of the best on the market in the U.S. The almost identical remote control does suggest that's the case, even if the aesthetics of the actual box are a tad different.
Xiaomi says the new Xiaomi TV Box S will launch “soon”, but it hasn’t said how much it might cost. Thomson’s new device (at least the black version) is already on sale now in Europe, priced at 130 euros, or around £110. The white version will launch in April, and both will be sold in the U.K. soon.
