Android TV boxes allow you to exploit the full potential of your television. But faced with the offer, it is not always easy to choose the product best suited to your needs. Discover our selection of the best Android TV boxes to turn your TV into a connected TV.
Our selection of the best Android TV boxes
Free your television, bring together your multimedia content in the living room! In 2023, it is difficult to do without a connected television or a media center that adds the possibility of easily streaming content from your smartphone, PC or Mac to your television. Some options rely on ease of use and installation while others put the package on features. So which Android TV box to choose? Follow the leader !
Nvidia Shield TV Pro: the best
We are not going to go there by 4 paths: Nvidia’s Shield TV Pro is undoubtedly the best Android TV box available today. It takes the design of the classic 2017 Shield TV while bringing several improvements: a new, more efficient Tegra X1+ SoC, 3 GB of RAM and 16 GB of storage, Dolby Vision compatibility and AI-assisted upscaling. It is accompanied by a new triangular design remote control with backlit keys.
You get all the benefits of the Android TV system plus services like Nvidia Gamestream and GeForce Now for gamers. The Nvidia Shield TV Pro is available for €199.
| The + | THE – |
|---|---|
| Design and compactness | No microSD slot |
| 4K and HDR support (Dolby Vision + HDR10) | Nvidia no longer ships gamepads |
| All the advantages of the Android TV system | |
| Gamestream and GeForce Now for streaming PC games | |
| Improved upscaling system |
Chromecast with Google TV
Chromecast with Google TV at the best price
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Fnac
39.99€
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Rakuten
50€
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Shopping street
69.99€
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Darty
69.99€
The Chromecast with Google TV is a radical change in positioning compared to the Chromecast of the first three generations. This is a real Android TV box which is also dressed in a brand new interface: Google TV. Unlike previous Chromecasts which only allowed you to cast content from your smartphone / tablet or computer to your TV screen, the most recent model works completely autonomously.
The design meanwhile does not change much and keeps its circular shape, but this time the deviation flat on the sides. It also comes in new colorways, including pink and sky blue. As for the data sheet, the Chromecast with Google TV is compatible 4k HDR at 60fps. It also benefits from Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos support. Finally, it is powered by the Amlogic S905 SoC composed of 4 Cortex-A55 cores at 1.9 GHz and supported by 2 GB of RAM. Its price: 60 €.
| The + | THE – |
|---|---|
| Clean and intuitive interface, based on Android 11 | Only 8 GB of storage |
| Multimedia playback up to 4K definition | No microSD port |
| All the advantages of the Android TV system | |
| 4K and Dolby Vision ready |
Nvidia Shield TV: just as effective as the Pro version
Nvidia Shield TV at the best price
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Rakuten
119.9€
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Fnac
159.99€
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Shopping street
159.99€
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Darty
159.99€
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Baker
159.99€
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Amazon
159.99€
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Cdiscount
177.29€
More offers
The most recent Shield TV has seen a big aesthetic change from the classic Android TV box model. Indeed, the device is in the form of a cylindrical tube with ports on each side, designed to be placed in the extension of the HDMI cable of the television. In terms of technical characteristics, it has 2 GB of RAM memory, a Tegra X1+ processor, as well as 8 GB of internal storage, expandable via a microSD port.
To connect it to your internet network, you have two options: via its integrated Gigabit Ethernet port or wirelessly via its 802.11 ac Wifi connectivity. Like the Pro variant, it comes with its new remote control, the Shield TV Remote, with an original triangular design and incorporating advanced features such as voice search, and a six-month battery life.
| The + | THE – |
|---|---|
| Original format and design | A bit tight in storage space (SD card required) |
| 4K and HDR support (Dolby Vision + HDR10) | No USB port |
| All the advantages of the Android TV system | |
| Gamestream and GeForce Now for streaming PC games | |
| Improved upscaling system |
Xiaomi Mi Box S 4K Ultra HD: a benchmark for tight budgets
Xiaomi Mi Box S 4K at the best price
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Rakuten
56.95€
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Fnac
69€
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Cdiscount
69€
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Baker
69.99€
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Shopping street
85.22€
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Amazon
113.45€
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The Xiaomi Mi Box S is an option to consider if you want a lower cost Android TV box. Its design and size are very reminiscent of the Apple TV 4K. Although to be clear, the comparison with the Apple TV or the Nvidia Shield ends there. The main interest of this box is that it allows you to stream content on television. However, it does not offer the power of the two boxes mentioned above. It’s especially garish for gaming.
On the other hand, unlike its competitors, it offers at a reasonable price – around 60 euros – a simple solution for connecting the television in your living room. However, expect a few bugs in the interface which, we hope, will be quickly corrected via an update.
| The + | THE – |
|---|---|
| Value for money | The ergonomics of the interface can still be improved |
| Smooth media playback up to 4K resolution with HDR | |
| All the advantages of the Android TV system | |
| Chromecast built-in |
Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max
Fire TV Stick 4K Max at the best price
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Amazon
64.98€
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Rakuten
66.12€
Amazon’s Fire TV Stick 4K Max is the most powerful version of the Fire TV Sticks.
4K Ultra HD compatible, the Amazon Fire TV Stick Max supports Dolby Vision, HDR, HDR10+ and Dolby Atmos audio. The remote is equipped with the Alexa voice assistant to allow you to easily search and launch content using your voice.
With its 2GB RAM, 1.8GHz Mediatek MT 8696 quad-core processor and 8GB storage space, the Fire TV Stick 4K Max delivers a smooth and immersive experience.
| The + | THE – |
|---|---|
| 4K HDR picture | Presence of advertisements |
| Dolby Atmos sound | The most expensive model of Fire TV Stick |
| Easy to use especially with Alexa | |
| Presence of Wi-Fi 6 |
FireTV Cube 3
New Fire TV Cube | Streaming Media Player | Hands-free with Alexa | WiFi 6E | 4K Ultra-HD
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Amazon
159.99€
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Rakuten
191.1€
The first generation of the Fire TV Cube was released in the United States in 2018. It took 2 years and the 2nd generation to see the streaming box land in France. The third generation of this box which both Fire TV streaming and Alexa voice speaker was released at the end of October 2022.
Equipped with a 2.0 GHz octa-core processor (4 x 2.2 GHz; 4 x 2.0 GHz) with 2 GB of RAM and 16 GB of storage, the new Fire TV Cube is more powerful and fluid. With its 4K Ultra HD resolution, it supports Dolby Vision and HDR technologies as well as Dolby Atmos.
In terms of connectivity, the Fire TV Cube has Wi-Fi 6E, an Ethernet port, Bluetooth, a USB-A port and HDMI.
| The + | THE – |
|---|---|
| A 2-in-1 product: TV box and connected speaker | Much more expensive than a Fire TV Stick |
| The most powerful box on Amazon | Always advertisements in the interface |
| Wi-Fi 6E | |
| Finally available in France |
Xiaomi TV Stick 4K
Xiaomi Mi TV Stick 4K at the best price
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Amazon
51.89€
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Fnac
56.8€
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Rakuten
57€
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Cdiscount
64.4€
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Shopping street
68.99€
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Darty
69.99€
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Baker
69.99€
More offers
The Xiaomi Mi TV Stick, with its 4K version released in March 2022 at €69.99, is less well known than Amazon’s Fire Stick or Chromecast with Google TV. This HDMI key, however, has features that are just as interesting as competing Android TV boxes.
The Xiaomi TV Stick 4K, compatible with Dolby Atmos and Dolby Vision, has 8 GB of storage, 2 GB of RAM and an Amlogic S905Y2 quad-core processor.
Equipped with the Google Assistant, the HDMI key is easy to use. It is equipped with Wifi and Bluetooth.
| The + | THE – |
|---|---|
| 4K HDR Dolby Vision ready | Value for money less interesting than a Fire TV Stick |
| Dolby Atmos, DTS-HD sound | Storage too limited |
| Presence of Google Assistant | |
| Intuitive interface |
📺 Sony, Philips, TCL… What about connected televisions running Android TV?
We find Android TV or manufacturer solutions (Tizen, WebOS, etc.) in order to have a range of possibilities without having to turn to a box. We can cite a few manufacturers offering Android TV, in particular Sony, Philips and TCL. The main functionalities and especially the Play Store are available – but it is not a question of making such advanced use of it as with a Chromecast with Google TV for example. Be careful in your choice to find out about compatibility with certain codecs such as VP10, which is essential for playing 4K content on YouTube.
❓ Why an Android TV Box?
You have a non-connected TV and want to be able to use it in a versatile way: access streaming applications such as Netflix, Disney+ or Amazon Prime Video, project the screen of your smartphone or PC, benefit from a media manager worthy of the name or even play directly on your television. There is nothing better than a box Android TV which allows access to more than 5000 Android applications optimized for TVs.
And even if you have a Smart TV under another system (LG WebOS or Samsung Tizen), you could still use a complete Android TV box like the Nvidia Shield to benefit from an even richer experience with the streaming video games.
Our other buying guides on the TV universe
To accompany your television and to equip your living room as it should, do not hesitate to take a look at these buying guides which also cover the world of image and sound.