Review of Xiaomi Mi TV Stick: an advanced smart TV for your television

Xiaomi Mi TV Stick is an entry-level Android TV set-top box designed for HD and Full HD televisions. It can breathe new life into an outdated TV that lacks smart TV features or significantly expand them when it comes to TVs running operating systems like Tizen (Samsung), WebOS (LG), VIDA (Hisense), and others. Xiaomi Mi TV Stick runs on the open Android TV 9 operating system, providing access to thousands of free applications that can be installed both from the Play Market and from third-party sources (by downloading and installing an apk file). In this review, I will provide a detailed overview of all the device’s features and demonstrate how to set it up correctly to get the absolute maximum out of it without resorting to complex actions.

• The device features a functional system auto frame rate, which can be used in applications that support it, such as Smart YouTube, Perfect Player, or Vimu Player.
• The device is Google-certified and supports Widevine L1, enabling access to licensed services like Netflix or Prime Video, which are pre-installed in the system.
• The Xiaomi Mi TV Stick has built-in Chromecast functionality that works right out of the box, allowing you to cast videos to the device from other devices and enabling interaction between the stick and your smartphone.
• The device comes with an advanced Bluetooth remote control that supports voice input.
• Its compact size makes it convenient to take with you on trips, vacations, or to your summer house. Simply connect it to a free HDMI port, and your TV transforms into a smart TV instantly. Moreover, it often doesn’t require additional space on a shelf or even a separate power source, as it can be powered directly from the TV itself.

Now, let’s look at some technical specifications:

• Operating system: Google Android TV 9
• Processor: Amlogic S805Y, Quad-core Cortex A53
• Graphics: Mali 450
• Memory: 1GB/8GB
• Wireless connectivity: Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band Wi-Fi 2.4/5 GHz, Bluetooth 4.2
• Ports: HDMI 2.0 with CEC support, microUSB for power
• Additional features: Chromecast support, DOLBY and DTS sound support
• Dimensions: 92.4 x 30.2 x 15.2 mm
• Weight: 28 g

Packaging and Contents

The Mi TV Stick comes in a bright, colorful box that lists the officially supported services, including Netflix, Prime Video, YouTube, Twitch, and more. There is also a clear note indicating the supported resolution of Full HD 1920×1080. For 4K TVs, it is better to consider higher-end models, such as the Mi Box S 4K.

On the back of the box, there is information about the capabilities of the Android TV operating system and a note that the device has a built-in Chromecast. This is great, considering that the latest original Google Chromecast 3 is even more expensive in local stores.

On the side of the box, you can find information about the manufacturer and licenses. Among others, the device is licensed for Dolby Audio and DTS. The packaging itself is not very sturdy, so it got slightly crumpled during transportation and lost its pristine look, but the contents remained intact.

Inside, everything is arranged in designated slots and securely fixed in place.

The stick comes with the following accessories: a remote control, a micro USB cable, a power adapter, an HDMI extender, and various documentation.

The 5V/1A power adapter will be needed if your TV lacks USB power or if the USB port provides less than 1A of current.

For example, I have two TVs. One is a 40-inch Full HD Samsung with a USB port rated at 1A (marked as HDD 5V/1A). Here, I simply connect the stick to the HDMI port and power it through the USB. Everything is hidden behind the TV, controlled with a single remote, and doesn’t require an additional power outlet.

I also have a small HD LG TV in the kitchen, and its USB port provides only 0.5A (marked on the casing). Therefore, if I were to use the stick with it, I would need to connect the included power adapter.

Another useful item included in the package is the HDMI extender. Sometimes the HDMI ports on a TV are slightly recessed, and the stick might not fit due to its wider body compared to a regular cable.

Simply connect the stick to the extender, and then plug the extender into the TV.

Remote Control

The remote is excellent. It features a minimal number of buttons, a compact design, Bluetooth signal transmission, and support for voice input (with a built-in microphone).

The buttons are large, easily distinguishable by touch, and provide a clear click when pressed. In the center are navigation and system buttons, at the top are the power button and voice search, and at the bottom is the volume control. There are also quick launch buttons for Netflix and Prime Video.

The remote fits perfectly in the hand. Within a couple of days, you’ll be using it without looking at the buttons, as the controls are intuitive, and you’ll quickly memorize the layout of all the main elements. Since the signal is transmitted via Bluetooth, direct line of sight to the stick is not required. The only condition is to stay within a range of 10 meters, so you can even control it from under a blanket, and the device will respond to every button press instantly.

On the back of the remote, there is information indicating that the model is called XMRM-006, and it can be purchased separately on AliExpress.

Visually, it looks very similar to my favorite remote from the Mecool set-top box, which I have been using for several years. The differences, although minimal, are noticeable. First, my remote doesn’t have additional Netflix and Prime Video buttons. Second, the power and voice search buttons are arranged horizontally rather than vertically.

And the shape is slightly different as well. The Mecool remote has a more rounded back, while the Xiaomi remote has a flat back.

Appearance and Interfaces

The device has the shape of a stick, often referred to as a “whistle” by users, but to me, it looks more like a flash drive on steroids. The design of the casing combines glossy and matte plastic, with a large MI logo prominently displayed on the front.

The HDMI connector is covered with a protective cap.

The end features a Zen-style pattern. In principle, this doesn’t matter much since the device will be hidden behind the TV, but it does have a nice design.

On the back, there is technical information and the model name MDZ-24-AA.

On one of the sides, there is a micro USB port for power, and that’s about it—no additional connectors. Internet connectivity is exclusively via Wi-Fi, and apps can only be installed online. Considering this is a stripped-down version of the Android TV market, this might confuse the average user. How do you install your favorite HD Videobox if it’s not in the market and you can’t connect a flash drive or memory card? It’s actually very simple, and I’ll show you how a bit later.

I’d also like to draw your attention to the stick’s size. Calling it compact would be an understatement.

Physically, it’s barely larger than a standard lighter.

Now let’s take a look at how the box is arranged inside. The casing is held together by simple clips, so disassembling it is very easy. By the way, if you prefer watching movies not from online streaming services but directly from torrents, you might want to leave it open, as this will help lower the processor’s temperature. The reason is that playing videos from torrents places a heavy load on the processor, causing it to heat up more.

However, disassembling the device didn’t help much in identifying the components. Everything is covered with metal shields: the processor, memory, and Wi-Fi module. Only a tiny heatsink proudly protrudes from the metallic casing.

The same is true on the back side. It’s unclear why this design choice was made, as logically, it only worsens heat dissipation. By how much? It’s unknown since Xiaomi decided not to include a temperature sensor. The less you know, the better you sleep. In its defense, I can say that no overheating, reboots, or freezes were observed during a month of use. After all, the Amlogic Y series of processors was specifically designed for devices like this, and its heat generation is minimal.

System Setup and Key Features

We have a classic Android TV 9 system without any modifications or changes. On the home screen, the top row is occupied by app shortcuts, which you can select and customize in any order you prefer.

Below are the app channels with recommended content that can be launched directly from the home screen. Everything is simple and as convenient as possible for use on a TV.

There is also a screen with all the installed applications. You can install apps through the Google Play Store, but not everything is available there. This often creates challenges for many users: you can’t connect a memory card or flash drive with apk files to the device, and the built-in store doesn’t even have a decent browser to download apps directly to the device.

In reality, it’s not difficult. You just need to download the X-plore file manager from the official store.

It has the ability to work with cloud storage, such as Google Drive. Simply download the necessary apps on your computer or even your smartphone and upload them to a folder on Google Drive. Then, from the device, access your Google Drive and easily install them. This is how I installed HD Videobox, Wink, TorrServe, and other essential apps.

Another feature related to using Android TV is that shortcuts for apps not adapted to the system won’t appear in the “Menu” section and can only be found through Settings under “All Apps.” This is, of course, inconvenient, so you can simply install HAL Launcher from the store. This launcher will display all installed apps. Moreover, the launcher opens only when you click its shortcut and doesn’t interfere with the main system’s operation.

As you can see, you can install absolutely any apps and fully utilize the device. Now let’s take a look at the system settings. By the way, the system supports OTA updates and receives them periodically, allowing the manufacturer to improve the firmware. During the initial setup, I even received a notification on the home screen about a newer firmware version, which I immediately updated.

Let’s take a look at the settings section, which is quite simple and straightforward. There’s a section for configuring your Wi-Fi connection, and I should point out that the device supports the 5 GHz band, which provides higher data transfer speeds compared to 2.4 GHz. Additionally, there’s Bluetooth, which, apart from connecting the remote control, can also be used to transmit audio to wireless headphones or speakers.

In the “About Device” section, we can see that the device runs on Android 9 and includes security updates as of July 2020. The Netflix electronic serial number is also listed, and as a reminder, Netflix is licensed and officially supported on this device.

• Now for the important stuff. The stick supports auto frame rate, which activates in compatible applications. It adjusts your TV’s refresh rate to match the frame rate of the video being played, ensuring smooth playback and consistent frame rendering. Additionally, you can manually adjust the resolution and refresh rate through the settings.
• The second key feature is functional CEC, which allows you to control both the stick and your TV with a single remote. In my case, it works as follows: I turn on the TV using its standard remote, which powers the USB port and automatically starts the stick. I can then use the same remote to control the stick, select and launch a movie, and, after watching, turn off both devices with a single button press.
• And finally, sound settings. If your TV supports DTS or Dolby Digital sound or can pass it through to external speakers, the stick will be able to output it.

Another significant advantage is the built-in Chromecast technology. With it, you can view photos or videos from your smartphone on your TV screen, listen to music, and cast supported apps like YouTube or Google Photos. Even in the screensavers that activate after a period of inactivity, you can use Chromecast to display, for example, a family photo album. Additionally, there are games that support Chromecast.

Performance

Looking at the technical specifications, you might wonder: how does this device even work? With just 1GB of RAM and 8GB of storage (of which only 5GB is available to the user), it seems limited. Let’s break it down: the Android TV operating system is much lighter on hardware compared to a full-fledged Android OS. Everything unnecessary for a TV box has been stripped out, so it requires less memory to operate. Benchmarks show that the system itself uses only 400–500 MB of RAM, leaving the rest available for applications.

Since multitasking isn’t a requirement for the stick and you don’t need to run multiple apps simultaneously, this amount of memory is more than sufficient. As for internal storage, it’s straightforward: no one is going to install large games or download movies here. The available space is enough for installing all necessary apps. I installed my usual list of apps for testing the stick and consuming various types of content, and I didn’t even use half of the available free space.

To be fair, the stick operates slower than its more powerful and advanced counterparts, and this is noticeable in almost everything: loading times, app launches, interface rendering, and animations. If you’ve previously used high-performance devices, the difference will be quite apparent. However, when it comes to video playback, there’s absolutely no difference. This is because video decoding happens at the hardware level, and the stick is capable of playing videos encoded in modern codecs like HEVC, H264, and VP9, including HDR content.

Running benchmarks like Antutu doesn’t make much sense here, as this is essentially a media player. However, Wi-Fi internet speed is very important, especially since a wired connection is not an option. The good news is that the device supports dual-band operation: 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz, with ac standard support in the latter.

Under ideal conditions—where the router is located in the same room as the TV, just a few meters away, and the speed isn’t capped by the provider—I achieved data transfer speeds of 135 Mbps on the 5 GHz band and 48 Mbps on the 2.4 GHz band.

In my real-life conditions, the router is located in the hallway, two walls away from the TV, which is in the farthest room, connected on the 5 GHz band. The speed drops to 68 Mbps for downloads and 95 Mbps for uploads. This is more than enough for streaming any Full HD content online, so the stick has no issues with internet connectivity. According to publicly available information, a stable speed of just 10–12 Mbps is sufficient for streaming Full HD content.

Conclusion

As mentioned at the beginning of this review, the Xiaomi Mi TV Stick is an entry-level Android TV device designed for HD and Full HD televisions. Its sole purpose is to play multimedia content, and it does this quite well. The stick is very affordable and can “smarten up” an older, yet still functional TV without built-in smart features. It’s also a great option for a kitchen, a summer house, or as a portable device you can take with you on trips.

The drawbacks of the model are quite obvious—weak hardware and only 1GB of RAM, which makes the stick slower compared to higher-end models. However, if that’s not an issue for you, the Xiaomi Mi TV Stick is a great choice, especially considering its advantages: functional auto frame rate, Google certification, licensed Netflix, built-in Chromecast, CEC control support, Android TV with voice search, an excellent Bluetooth remote, compact size, and the ability to power it directly from the TV’s USB port.