After the successful release and sales of the X96 mini console, the manufacturer decided to deceive buyers. Using a cheaper chip as a basis, the Chinese launched the X96Q TV BOX for the same price. Stating in the product description that this is a release of the previous product. In buyers’ understanding, a release is an improved version. But that was not the case.
And interestingly, buyers started quickly purchasing the cheap consoles in bulk. But after a month, right after receiving the product from China and the first startup, negative reviews began to pour in. And this is understandable, because the gadget does not do anything at all, contrary to the specifications claimed by the manufacturer. But let’s go in order.
TV BOX X96Q: specifications (claimed)
| Chipset | Allwinner H313 |
| Processor | ARM 4xCortex-A53 (1.35 GHz) |
| Video Adapter | ARM G41 |
| RAM | DDR3, 1/2 GB, 1333 MHz |
| Internal Storage | EMMC Flash 8/16 GB |
| Storage Expansion | Yes, via memory cards |
| Memory Card Support | up to 32 GB (TF) |
| Wired Network | Yes, 100 Mbps |
| Wireless Network | Wi-Fi 2.4 GHz |
| Bluetooth | No |
| Operating System | Android 10.0 |
| Update Support | No |
| Interfaces | HDMI 2.0, RJ-45, 2xUSB 2.0, AV, IR, DC |
| External Antennas | No |
| Digital Panel | No |
| Price | $20-25 |
The claimed technical specifications, when compared to products like Xiaomi, are quite adequate for playing 4K videos. Forget about gaming, but there should be no problem with internet content. But that is with competitors. The TV BOX X96Q with this hardware simply does not work properly.
Testing the TV BOX X96Q
While studying the technical specifications, it seemed that the processor frequency was unusual. Therefore, immediately after the first startup, the console was tested for throttling. And everything became clear. Yellow-red screen, frequency dropping to 1 GHz, and the chip temperature reaching 95-99 degrees Celsius. This is a real disaster!
All these claims on the manufacturer’s website about the ability to run games and watch 4K@60FPS videos are lies. You might as well not try – the chip cannot decode videos or work with games in such modes. It is technically impossible. Don’t believe it – buy the console and see for yourself.
While performance is understandable, what happens if you feed the gadget content in FullHD format? When launching YouTube, we watched a black screen for a long time, after which the app closed itself automatically. And this happened several times. Running online torrents was also impossible.
The X96Q console is worse than a standard TV in a TV
The only thing that could play content in 1920×1080 resolution was a USB drive. Although with a slight delay, the video played. The console understands mkv, mp4, avi, but refuses to pass sound. And what’s the point if the quality is still terrible through the AV output. HDMI is fine. But HDR picture is not displayed. The network modules’ operation remains to be checked, just for the record.
| TV BOX X96Q | ||
| Download, Mbps | Upload, Mbps | |
| LAN 100 Mbps | 50 | 30 |
| Wi-Fi 2.4 GHz | 30 | 30 |
The test results took quite a long time to obtain. Just one network testing app loaded the processor to its limit. Visually, the process looked like a slideshow. A few times, there was a long freeze – it seemed the TV BOX X96Q had frozen completely and needed a restart. But we persisted – waited until the end. And, lo and behold – after 20 minutes, we managed to test both network modules (wired and wireless).
In general, this is not a console, but some kind of misunderstanding. The TV box is not worth $25. And even more – the manufacturer should pay the buyer for the nerves spent, which will appear due to dissatisfaction during use. The TV BOX X96Q is the worst purchase of Chinese production. For this money, it is better to buy TANIX TX9S. At least, you can watch decent 4K@60FPS videos with HDR from any internet sources. And all for the same $25.
