After entering the television space in 2018 and quickly establishing itself as a major player, Xiaomi has now extended its television ecosystem a bit further with the launch of its first streaming device, the Mi Box 4K. Priced at Rs. 3,499, the Mi Box 4K is a standalone streaming device that can be connected to any television with an HDMI port. The new streaming device allows users to access various apps and streaming services and watch content in up to 4K resolution.
With this launch, Xiaomi takes the competition to Amazon, which has the similarly capable Fire TV Stick series of streaming devices. That’s why we decided to compare the new Mi Box 4K and Amazon Fire TV 4K today. These two streaming devices have similar features and prices, and we’re here to help you decide which is the best of the two, based on specs, features, apps, and value offered.
Xiaomi Mi Box 4K vs Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K: price and availability
The Xiaomi Mi Box 4K has the upper hand here thanks to its competitive price of Rs. 3,499. That puts it at Rs. 500 less than the regular Fire TV Stick which is capable of full HD streaming and much more affordable than the equivalent of Rs. 5,999 Fire TV Stick 4K. While both devices are well priced, the Mi Box 4K’s hefty price tag will lure many shoppers away from the Amazon option.
The Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K is naturally available from Amazon but can also be purchased from select offline stores including Croma and Reliance Digital stores. The Mi Box 4K will be available on Flipkart, the Xiaomi India webshop, as well as the Mi Home and Mi Studio stores starting May 10th.
Xiaomi Mi Box 4K vs Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K: Specifications
The Xiaomi Mi Box 4K is powered by a quad-core Amlogic processor, with 2GB of RAM and 8GB of internal storage for apps. The device runs Android TV 9 Pie – the current version of Android TV – and has the Google Play Store for Android TV that allows access to more than 5,000 apps and games on the platform.
Interestingly, the Mi Box 4K also has a USB port that allows the device to be used as a media player for local files and a 3.5mm digital output for connecting external speakers. You can play or stream files up to 4K resolution on Mi Box 4K. Since the device is box-shaped, you will need to place it on a table near the TV.
The Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K has a 1.7GHz quad-core processor along with 8GB of internal storage for apps. The device runs Fire TV OS – a forked version of Android – and has access to a wide collection of apps and services in the dedicated Fire TV app store. Although there are not many apps on this platform, the main streaming services and apps are present. Notably, the Apple TV app is available on the Fire TV platform, but not Android TV.
Unlike the Mi Box 4K, the Fire TV Stick is a dongle and plugs directly into your television’s HDMI port. This means it can be hidden behind the TV and draw power from a USB port on the TV itself, making it a more discreet form factor. You cannot use Fire TV Stick 4K as a media player or connect external wired audio devices as the device only has a single Micro-USB port for power supply. You can stream in up to 4K resolution on Fire TV Stick 4K.
Xiaomi Mi Box 4K vs Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K: Features
Like some of the other Android TV-based devices we’ve seen recently, the Mi Box 4K has a built-in Chromecast Ultra that allows it to stream content from compatible smartphones and tablets at up to 4K resolution. The device also allows for limited local streaming without an active Internet connection, such as screen mirroring from a smartphone. Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K supports Miracast for limited screen casting, but Mi Box 4K is the most capable device for users who stream a lot.
The Mi Box 4K supports HDR content up to the HDR10 format, while the Fire TV Stick 4K goes a step further with support for Dolby Vision as well. This puts Fire TV Stick 4K at a significant advantage over Mi Box 4K as there is a huge amount of content available in India in Dolby Vision format.
Mi Box 4K with Android TV allows you to access Google Assistant for voice commands aimed at getting information, searching for content and much more. The device’s remote has a dedicated button for invoking Google Assistant, as well as a microphone for voice commands. The Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K has easy access to Alexa for voice commands. If you have a Google Home smart speaker, the Mi Box 4K will connect well with it. Likewise, the Fire TV Stick 4K pairs well with Echo speakers like the Amazon Echo Studio.
The Mi Box 4K supports Dolby Audio, while the Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K goes a step further with support for sound formats up to Dolby Atmos. The latter, therefore, makes a little more sense if you have a good home audio system that supports Dolby Atmos, while the former will be fine if you have a basic audio system or rely on your TV speakers for sound.
Mi TV 4X vs Vu Cinema TV: Which is the best budget TV in India right now? We discuss this on Orbital, our weekly tech podcast, which you can subscribe to via Apple Podcasts or RSS, download the episode, or simply hit the play button below.