This zoo of Chinese TV set-top boxes has become quite tiresome. Can’t they use their own branding? Like Dune, Beelink, Ugoos do. Here is a miracle gadget – the TV-Box X88 PRO 6 Plus. Who is the manufacturer? It looks very similar to the VONTAR X88 PRO, which we reviewed earlier. But no, X88 PRO 6+ is a separate brand. From this first acquaintance, the relationship with TV-Box has not been smooth. Step by step, and negative emotions led to the desire to move the set-top box by car.
TV-Box X88 PRO 6 Plus – Set-top Box with Router
The name is loud – TV box and router. But the manufacturer is boldly lying. There is no routing service in it. All that TV-Box X88 PRO 6 Plus has is a budget Wi-Fi access point. To make it easier to understand, it’s something like a provider’s gift routers. It connects to the network in any way and distributes the internet without additional security settings.
The gadget does not route but replicates. Besides lacking security for connected network devices, TV-Box X88 PRO 6 Plus cannot manage data streams. Buy the cheapest Chinese router on the market – it will work more effectively than this X88 miracle.
TV-Box X88 PRO 6 Plus: Specifications
| Chipset | Rockchip RK3318 64-bit |
| Processor | ARM Cortex-A53 (4 cores) |
| Video Adapter | Mali 450-MP2 GPU, 750 MHz, 6 cores |
| RAM | LPDDR3, 4 GB, 1800 MHz |
| Persistent Storage | EMMC 5.0 Flash 32 GB |
| ROM Expansion | Yes, memory cards |
| Memory Card Support | microSD up to 64 GB (TF) |
| Wired Network | Yes, 100 Mbps |
| Wireless Network | Wi-Fi 2.4G/5.8 GHz, IEEE 802.11 b/g/n/ac/ax |
| Bluetooth | Yes, version 4.2 |
| Operating System | Android 10.0 |
| ROOT Rights | No |
| Interfaces | HDMI 2.0a, 1xUSB 3.0, 1xUSB 2.0, LAN, SPDIF, AV, DC |
| External Antennas | No |
| Digital Panel | Yes |
| Network Capabilities | DLNA, Miracast |
| Price | $25-30 |
Among all the technical specifications of the set-top box, there is one marking that causes horror – the chipset Rockchip. It is the slowest and least functional controller. All gadgets with it that we reviewed received negative feedback and similar sad recommendations.
Overall
We decided to start with throttling, but were seriously surprised. The TV-Box X88 PRO 6 Plus heats up to 97 degrees Celsius, but shows only a green graph. But it’s enough to run 4K video content at more than 25 frames per second, and everything becomes clear. The processor cannot handle the load. This is evidenced by constant lag and the information panel, where CPU load is visible at 99-100%.
And if you conduct a test with rigor – the set-top box-router does not support operation in 2.4 GHz networks. How so – on the website, on the box, in the promotional video – everywhere they write Wi-Fi 2.4G/5.8 GHz. But in fact, 2.4 GHz is absent. And what about owners of old gadgets – buy new equipment. Maybe it’s better to buy a decent TV set-top box. There are excellent budget devices under $50.
