The tv boxes are small multimedia centers that connect to televisions to facilitate access to a multitude of services. These versatile devices can be used for stream content to your TVplay locally stored files, video games and more.
With the many options available, many from no-name brands, choose the best tv box for you maybe a discouraging experience. What does the list of the best TV boxes in 2022 tell us?
Apple TV 4K
In 2021, Apple has updated its best TV box. The design is identical to previous models ofApple TV 4K : square, with the logo at the top and rounded edges. It is a little thick and has a LEDs which lights up when it powers up or receives commands. On the back, there are only three ports: charge, HDMI 2.1 and Gigabit-Ethernet. The remote control is now more compact, ergonomic, responds to commands efficiently and has an improved trackpad, which makes navigation smoother. Performance-wise, the Apple TV 4K is a beast thanks to the A12 Bionic processor.
This chip allows smooth navigation, with good refresh rates at 60Hz, especially if you have an Apple TV 4K. The storage is also superior to that of the competition by far: 32 GB or 64 GB. Which is understandable since you won’t be able to use other types of external storage via USB. The video and audio quality is the best you will find on the market, to watch movies and shows from applications of streaming. You will be able to play 4K content on all platforms, whether netflixHBO, iTunes, Amazon Prime Video, and enjoy Dolby Vision and Atmos support.
Chromecast with Google TV
Contrary to Chromecast previous ones that stream devices, Google has installed, on this latest version, the Chromecast with a new user interface called GoogleTVwhich is based on the platform android TV. You also get a remote to navigate the Google TV UI, search, and discover new content.
In terms of specifications, it comes with a Amlogic SoC (4-core Cortez A55 1.9GHz) and a Mali GPU. You also have 2 GB of RAM and 8 GB of storageof which only 4.4 GB can be used by the user. The performances are excellent thanks to its 4 core processor with 2 GB of RAM, which will allow you to run videos in 4K at 60 frames per second, which in this price range is great. The Chromecast with Google TV also supports HDM + HDM 10 Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos. It can also play 4K HDR content, HDR 10+ seamlessly and also has a separate section for live sports.
NVIDIA Shield TV Pro
The Nvidia Shield TV Pro is one of the best devices to buy. The Shield TV Pro offers 3 GB of RAM and 16 GB of storage. In addition, it is equipped with the internal processor Nvidia’s Tegra X1+ and a 256-core Nvidia GPU, which makes it possible to display millions of pixels on a larger screen. In addition, this box supports 4K HDR Ready, Dolby Vision HDR and HDR10, features Dolby Audio and DTS-X surround sound, and more. Some may not like it, but Nvidia’s Shield TV Pro also supports upscaling of HD and FHD content to 4K 30FPS thanks to the AI algorithm.
It is able to render content 4K HDR at 60 frames per second without loss of quality. You also get a backlit remote control, Google Assistant and Alexa support, Bluetooth 5.0, etc. In addition, at the back of this box, you will find a ventilation grille, two USB 3.0 ports, an HDMI port, an Ethernet port and the power connector. The best Android TV Box of 2022 is equipped with Android TV 8.0, Google’s system specially created for television.
Amazon Fire Stick 4K
The most remarkable thing about this Smart-TV Box 4K MAX in terms of design, is undoubtedly its small size, something that makes it the best TV Box of 2022 for travelers. L’Amazon Fire Stick 4K looks like a usb penbut it has an output hdmi and a small connection microUSB which allows you to charge it with the official charger that comes with it, or with any other microUSB cable. With this case you can watch live video, without leaving the now playing screen.
The remote control has been completely redesigned and now includes additional buttons to activate the most popular streaming services by default, such as netflix, Disney+ and of course, AmazonPrime. Regarding the performance of this Smart Tv Box 4K, its 4-core MediaTek processor and 2 GB of RAM allow you to navigate the system Fire OS quite smoothly. Speaking of content, one of the highlights of the Fire Stick 4K is that it supports HDR, HDR10+ and also the Dolby Vision. In terms of audio, it can play media content in 5.1 or 7.1, as well as Dolby Atmos content.
How to choose your 2022 TV box?
You must pay attention to a series of aspects that will give you the key to finding the model of smart tv box the most suitable for your needs.
Resolution, HDR and Supported Formats
On the market, you will mainly find tv boxes that support the resolution 1080p and, increasingly, those who offer the 4K. If you have a 4K TV, a TV box that reaches that resolution will allow you to take full advantage of your TV’s pixel-per-inch count, if the content also has that resolution. Beyond the resolution, you will also look whether it supports HDR content and Dolby Vision certification.
Design
A look at the market reveals two clear design trends: portable TV boxes and set-top boxes.
It is common for the simplest models to be sticks and the most complete to have the shape of a box. The TV is the king of the living roomso if you have to leave a TV box next to him as a squire, it better be minimalist, compact and that it integrates with the aesthetics of the room.
Connectivity
It is interesting that a smart TV Box has the Bluetooth connectivitysupport dual band 2.4GHz and 5GHz, so you can connect it to the clearest band to avoid traffic. Another option to consider is a plug ethernet to connect to the Internet by cable, an important requirement if one wants to consume ambitious content in terms of quality.
Storage
Since most content is consumed through streaming services such as Youtube Where netflix, it is usual not to need a lot of storage. In this sense, a starting point in terms of capacity is to 8 GBalthough there are models with a USB port for connecting external storage devices.