In the realm of streaming devices, Amazon’s Fire TV Sticks and Roku’s popular gadgets maintain their stronghold, offering seamless access to movies, live sports, and TV shows for countless households. A new contender has now emerged in the UK market, bringing fresh competition and added convenience. Xiaomi, a Chinese tech brand, has introduced its latest offering, the TV Stick HD (2nd Gen), providing an affordable solution to enhance any television setup.
The Xiaomi TV Stick HD (2nd Gen) boasts a design reminiscent of its well-known competitors, featuring a compact build similar to Amazon’s Fire TV and Roku Sticks. With a built-in HDMI connector, the device easily connects directly to a TV without the hassle of extra cables or intricate setup procedures.
Like its rivals, the Xiaomi TV Stick HD (2nd Gen) comes equipped with a dedicated remote control featuring shortcut buttons for popular streaming services such as Netflix, Prime Video, and YouTube. This user-friendly feature allows users to swiftly access their favorite content without navigating through extensive menus.
Priced at £39.99, the Xiaomi TV Stick HD (2nd Gen) falls within the same price range as its competitors. However, its notable distinction lies in its operating system. Instead of Amazon’s Fire OS or Roku’s software, the Xiaomi device runs on Google TV, granting users access to Google’s intelligent interface, integrated Google Assistant, and a vast array of apps available through the Google Play Store.
The device’s remote control includes a dedicated voice button, enabling users to search for movies, shows, and apps using voice commands. With over 10,000 apps available for download, including games, and numerous free channels for entertainment, users have ample content options without the necessity of multiple paid subscriptions.
Additionally, Android users benefit from the built-in Google Cast feature, allowing seamless wireless streaming of videos, photos, and other content directly from their smartphones or tablets to the TV.
Internally, Xiaomi has equipped the streaming stick with a powerful processor, dual-band Wi-Fi for smoother playback, and support for HDR10+, Dolby Audio, and DTS to enhance picture and sound quality.
Despite its strengths, the main drawback of the TV Stick HD (2nd Gen) is its limited resolution support, as it only offers HD playback and does not support 4K Ultra HD content streaming.
For consumers seeking an affordable Google TV-powered streaming device, the Xiaomi TV Stick HD (2nd Gen) is now available in the UK for £39.99.