TV BOXING A95X MAX II - overview, specifications

The new TV BOX A95X MAX II is a continuation of the legendary A95X MAX (S905X2) set-top box. Only bad luck - the second version differs only in the processor improved in performance. If we compare both versions of gadgets, then the new product is more responsive in working with the interface and plays video content faster. But due to the increased power of the chip, another problem appeared. But first things first.

 

TV-BOX A95X MAX II - overview of characteristics

 

Manufacturer	Vontar
Chip	Amlogic S905X3
Processor	4хARM Cortex-A55 (up to 1.9 GHz), 12nm process
Video adapter	Mali-G31 MP2 (650 MHz, 6 Cores)
RAM	4 GB (DDR4, 3200 MHz)
Flash memory	64 GB (eMMC Flash)
Memory expansion	Yes, SSD and microSD
Operating system	Android 9.0
Wired network	Yes, RJ-45 (1Gbits)
Wireless network	802.11 a / b / g / n / ac 2.4GHz / 5GHz (2 × 2 MIMO)
Bluetooth	Yes 4.2 version
Interfaces	3xUSB 3.0, 1xUSB 2.0, HDMI 2.1, AV-out, SPDIF, RJ-45, DC
Removable media	SSD or HDD up to 4 TB, microSD up to 32 GB
Root	No, but you can flash
Digital panel	Yes
The presence of external antennas	No
Remote controller	IR, voice control
Price	80-100 $

 

The first impression, before unpacking, is passable - it's a mid-2020 prefix. They took an old model, installed a new chip and put it up for sale at a higher price. Only one point was not taken into account. A more efficient processor has an increased power dissipation.

When opening and comparing two consoles of different versions, it turned out that the radiator remained the same. This means that the TV BOX A95X MAX II was assembled in a hurry and was not tested in the laboratory. Although, this is a matter of 10-15 minutes. The desire to make money, for the Vontar company, is a priority over the performance of the device. This is enough for many buyers to draw their own conclusions.

 

A95X MAX II TV BOX Review - Unboxing

 

The prefix came from China in a crumpled box. It is clear that this is the fault of the delivery service. But, for example, Ugoos or Beelink equipment always comes to us in perfect packaging. You could blame everything on the seller. There are only enough complaints in reviews on other trading platforms. Fortunately, we found one more package inside one box. And when the A95X MAX II was removed, they saw that the device was intact and safe.

The complete set is standard. TV Box, HDMI cable (no name, 1 meter), power supply and remote control. From the pleasant moments, of course, the remote control. It comes with a handy tutorial that tells you how to program it. The box with the prefix just didn't contain batteries for the remote control. But this is a trifle.

The TV BOX A95X MAX II itself is well done. It looks inexpensive, but nothing squeaks in it, and the edges of removable components have no visual inconsistencies. The attachment does not even look bulky, as it seems in the photo in the store. I was very pleased with the presence of ventilation holes on the bottom of the device. A powerful chip needs decent cooling.

 

TV BOX A95X MAX II - stupid cooling implementation

 

And everything seems to be fine, but there is one point that causes discontent. After removing the top cover, we saw a compartment for installing a 2.5 mm disc. The basket has ventilation holes on the bottom. And on the sides, closer to the edges of the attachment, there are slots in the form of ventilation ribs. So, the problem is as follows:

 

1. The basket is made of plastic and painted yellow (copper look).
2. Closing the top cover completely blocks the air movement through the basket.
3. The ribs (supposedly ventilation) on the front panel are decoration.
4. And it is better not to remove the basket - under it you will see a chip with a glued foil radiator.

It's just not clear what the manufacturer wants to get $ 100 for. FOR a piece of plastic that can burn the system under sustained stress. It is a pity that we have no alternative in this price segment. Vontar certainly uses this. The closest worthy competitor in price is the $ 9 Zidoo Z150S.

 

A95X MAX II attachment - system performance

 

But in operation, the gadget showed very interesting results. Even more - remarkable for their modest technical characteristics:

• The gigabit LAN port is working at its limit - up to 950 Megabits in both directions.
• You shouldn't expect more than 4 Mbps from Wi-Fi60 GHz, but 5.8 GHz showed up to 300 Mbps in both directions. This is normal for DLNA network and other tasks.
• An honest SATA 95 controller is installed in the TV BOX A3X MAX II, which shows the nominal values. But there is something incomprehensible with the mocroSD cards. Maybe due to the fact that we have an old drive standard.
• The set-top box (out of the box) perfectly plays videos in 4K format from a hard drive, USB flash drives, torrents and over a network from a NAS. But, for some reason, Netflix does not want to output more than 720p.
• And also a bonus - it perfectly pulls all dynamic games. Heats up to 82 degrees Celsius, trotlite (the core frequency drops to 1 GHz), but does not turn off arbitrarily.

 

How to improve your A95X MAX II TV Box

 

The most important point for the owner of the A95X set-top box is in no case to update the set-top box after connecting to the Internet. The new firmware removes 5.1 sound support and many needed codecs. Most likely, out of the box, unlicensed modules are installed on board. And the manufacturer wants to block them remotely. But you can always roll back the firmware. Or, in general, you can upgrade the TV BOX A95X MAX II and squeeze the maximum out of it:

• Hardware part. It is necessary to change the radiator - preferably a copper one. You can take it from an old video card, for example. The essence of the upgrade is to increase the efficiency of heat dissipation. You can, in general, make tubes out of wire or foil and bring them to the outside of the case. Ugly, but trotting will disappear forever.
• Software part. Install an alternative firmware that has ROOT rights. At this point, the owner will have full access to the system. Moreover, this is not only Auto Frame Rate, the set-top box can already work as a Samba server or NAS. Roughly speaking, the firmware can turn a $ 100 gadget into a $ 200-300 device.

 

In conclusion on the review of the A95X MAX II prefix

 

If the buyer does not plan to carry out his own modifications of the device, but wants to get a cool set-top box, then the TV BOX A95X MAX II is a bad choice. Need a decent 2.5 '' device - add $ 50 and buy Zidoo Z9S... This is the best solution from the middle class.

If you want an inexpensive gadget, and there is a desire to contribute to the modernization, then the A95X MAX II will be an excellent designer for the master. We'll have to think about quality cooling. And also, study the topic on the forums and install an alternative firmware.