Look, most Android TV boxes suck; they either don't have the requisite codecs, have issues with rendering HDR, or tend to be laggy. I used products that had all three drawbacks, but that was before the Shield TV Pro; NVIDIA somehow managed to create the ultimate Android TV streaming box, and I liked it so much I ended up buying three.
Like every year, the Shield TV Pro is down to its customary $169 asking price for Prime Day, and if you haven't made the switch yet, I highly recommend it. But if you don't want to pay that much and are interested in considering an alternative, you should pick up Mecool's KM2 Plus Deluxe. It usually retails for $149, but it's available for $119 at the moment — you'll need to use the 20% coupon on the page.
The KM2 Plus Deluxe also runs Android TV based on Android 11, and while I was wary of the brand at the beginning — I used way too many shoddy streaming boxes — it turned out to be pretty great. I set it up with the bedroom projector a month ago, and I didn't run into any issues.
✅Recommended if: You need a powerful Android TV box that handles HDR and AV1. The KM2 Plus is lag-free in daily use, and there are considerable savings over the Shield TV Pro.
❌Skip this deal if: You want Dolby Vision, and don't like the bloated interface of Android TV.
Setting up the KM2 Plus Deluxe is similar to other Android TV boxes, and there are no feature omissions. It comes with 4GB of RAM, and the interface is just about the most fluid out of any Android TV device I used. You get access to the Play Store, it handles HDR content really well, and there's AV1 decode. However, there's no Dolby Vision.
Just like the Shield TV Pro, you get a standard HDMI port alongside USB-A and Ethernet connectors, so you can plug in an external drive to the KM2 Plus Deluxe with relative ease. Given that it is down to just $119, I suggest giving it a try if you want a powerful Android TV box.
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FAQ
What's the best Android 4K TV box?
The Nvidia Shield TV Pro is considered the best Android 4K TV box thanks to its impressive hardware, specs, and its long and reliable software support. It's capable of AI upscaling, making SDR content look significantly better, and it's also excellent at playing Plex content for those who prefer to manage their own personal media servers.
While the hardware is showing its age, and some may prefer the newer Google TV UI over Android TV, it's still an excellent device, even in 2025. That said, newer devices are beginning to rival it with the introduction of features like AV1 support.
What's the best Android TV dongle?
Given the dearth of Android TV dongles available, the Walmart Onn 4K Plus is the best Android TV dongle you can buy right now. It runs the new Google TV interface on top of it, supports newer codecs like AV1, and is available for an extremely affordable price tag. Google discontinued its own dongles in favor of the Streamer, but if you want to go the way of the dongle, this is a great option.
What's the best Android TV box for IPTV?
The Google TV Streamer is a great device for IPTV. Now only does it give you access to tons of apps for streaming content, but it lets you stream free live TV from ad-supported and other channels. And if you prefer, you can always connect an antenna for local broadcasts.
What's the best Android TV box for gaming?
The Nvidia TV Shield Pro is considered the best Android TV box for gaming, due to its built-in Nvidia GPU and support for game streaming services. While GameStream is no longer supported, users can install Moonlight, which is just as reliable for playing and streaming games.
What's the best Android TV box with voice control?
The Google TV Streamer is the best Android TV box with voice control. That's because while it came preinstalled with Google Assistant, a recent update for the device brings Gemini support, which allows for more natural queries and responses, as well as Gemini Live for easy back-and-forth conversations.
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