Being in complete oblivion after the release of the Ugoos 7 TV box, there was no desire to look at new products from competitors. Usually – it’s just trash that doesn’t match the declared technical specifications. Especially the label “8K,” which the Chinese love to stamp on the box. The Mecool KM6 Deluxe 2022 TV box was a surprise. It is a reputable brand that rarely releases set-top boxes to the market. Naturally, it piqued interest. Considering the price of $60. And this is a worthy offer for the budget segment.
TV Box Mecool KM6 Deluxe 2022 – Review
A pleasant point is that the manufacturer based it on the SoC Amlogic S905X4 chip. It is interesting because it is “optimized” for playing videos in 4K resolution with various codecs. Yes, the set-top box is definitely not for gaming. That’s obvious. But here, more interest lies in the hardware for video and audio playback. Note, it’s not programs decoding, but the microchip does it.
The package content leaves much to be desired. A regular cardboard box that arrives to the buyer not in the freshest condition. Thanks to the internal partitions that preserve the integrity of the set-top box. The box can immediately be thrown away. It’s advisable to discard the no-name HDMI cable as well. And buy a good branded HDMI 2.1 cable in the store.
Mecool did not skimp. The set includes a traditional Bluetooth-IrDa remote control. The set-top box has a quite decent design. Although, 99% of users will stick the set-top box behind the TV with double-sided tape or zip ties. So, its appearance is less important than its internals. A power supply is also included.
Regarding the remote control – it is good. They can make decent things. It has a mouse, voice control, buttons are normally pressed. No digital panel. But, compared to our favorite G20S Pro, the remote is far from perfect. You can get used to it if nothing better is available.
The case of the set-top box is plastic. But the bottom cover is metal. Plus, there are legs and ventilation holes. Hallelujah. The Chinese have learned to implement passive cooling. You can bet $100 that in the throttling test, the Mecool KM6 Deluxe 2022 will show us a green “towel”. Looking ahead – yes, there is no overheating under any load. The manufacturer deserves high praise and friendly handshakes.
By the way, if you disassemble the set-top box, there is an aluminum heatsink on the chip. During assembly, it contacts the metal cover. This solves the heat dissipation issue. Clever. And most importantly, a cheap and practical solution. The soldering is factory done. Everything inside is well-made and smart.
Specifications of the Mecool KM6 Deluxe 2022 Set-Top Box
| Chipset | Amlogic S905X4 |
| Processor | 4 cores Cortex A55 up to 2.0 GHz |
| Video Adapter | Mali-G31 MP2 |
| RAM | 2 or 4 GB |
| Internal Storage | 16, 32 or 64 GB |
| Expandable Storage | Yes, microSD cards and external drives |
| Operating System | Google Android TV 10 |
| Wired Network | 1 Gbps |
| Wireless Network | 802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax WiFi 6, MIMO 2X2 (2T2R) |
| Bluetooth | Version 5.0 |
| Video Output | HDMI 2.1 (digital) and AV (analog) |
| Audio Output | S/PDIF (digital) and AV (analog) |
| Ports | 1x USB 3.0, 1x USB 2.0, RJ-45, S/PDIF, HDMI 2.1, AV, DC |
| Display | LED indicator |
| Dimensions | 100x100x17 mm |
| Weight | 0.4 kg |
| Price | $60-110 (depends on memory and configuration) |
Mecool KM6 Deluxe 2022 – Reviews, Impressions
In playing videos in FullHD and 4K from various sources, the set-top box has no issues at all. Just a superb solution for home use with any TV. Slightly annoying is the Google Android TV 10 shell, but you quickly get used to it. Overall, the menu can be customized if there is a desire.
I really liked the support for various audio codecs. Now there’s no need to invent anything. Everything is implemented at the hardware level and sounds great. By the way, it supports the AV1 codec. You can find movies with it on torrents. It’s nice that the decoding is handled by the set-top box, not the receiver (which goes crazy and doesn’t know what to output). There is the infamous AFRD (autoframerate), which users have troubled many well-known TV-Box bloggers with. No need to configure anything. The video frame rate will automatically synchronize with the TV’s refresh rate.
A bit disappointing is the Wi-Fi performance. The guys claimed support for Wi-Fi 6 in Mecool KM6 Deluxe 2022. It works poorly. Speed tests show 300 Mbps. Yes, that’s enough for everything and for the next 5 years. But the impression remains – what did you pay for? On a wired RG-45 cable, it’s great – 980 Mbps.
Customer reviews show enthusiastic comments about launching games on the set-top box. But to run Shadowgun Legends and Asphalt 8, you don’t need much (or rather – performance). You definitely won’t be able to play something serious. But that’s not what the set-top box is for.
There are also negatives about the lack of support for Netflix and Dolby Vision. Guys – wake up. This is a budget segment set-top box, what do you expect? Note, there is not even a Netflix button on the remote. What questions to the manufacturer. If you want all licenses and to run demanding games – nVidia Shield TV is your choice. The price is also appropriate.
You can buy the Mecool KM6 Deluxe 2022 from a trusted seller on AliExpress at this link: https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_AVIv0p
