The market for budget TV boxes has revived after the release of the TV-Box Vontar X3. For just 30-40 US dollars, the buyer received quite attractive functionality. Apparently, the sharp increase in sales led the Chinese to consider expanding their range. The new VONTAR X88 PRO appeared in online stores and immediately attracted attention.
The manufacturer Guangdong China, using a single chip and case, offered the buyer several solutions. They differ in price and functionality.
VONTAR X88 PRO: manufacturer’s offer
- 2GB RAM + 16GB flash. Price around $25-30. The box has 2.4 Wi-Fi, a 100-megabit network port. No Bluetooth. The TV box is intended only for viewing video content. Moreover, the box can play videos in 2K, 4K, and 8K formats from torrents, IPTV, and removable drives. YouTube performance is limited to Full HD.
- 4GB RAM + 32GB flash. Price $40. There is dual Wi-Fi (2.4 and 5 GHz), Bluetooth 4.1, and a gigabit port for wired internet. Increased RAM and wireless interfaces add performance to the TV box. Primarily, this concerns video content. The box demonstrates excellent playback of movies from torrents, external drives, and IPTV in 4K format. The TV Box supports Ultra resolution on YouTube. In games, the box performs normally, but 32GB of flash memory limits the installation of resource-intensive applications.
- 4GB RAM + 64GB flash and 4GB RAM + 128GB flash. Price – $50 and $60, respectively. Larger memory capacity and extended functionality will appeal to Android gaming enthusiasts. Almost any game on medium settings will run smoothly on the VONTAR X88 PRO. There will be no problems with playing 4K videos either.
VONTAR X88 PRO: specifications
Basically, it is the same TV box VONTAR X3, only in a different case and with minor improvements. To make it easier to see the changes, we offer to familiarize yourself with the functionality in a summary table:
| VONTAR X3 | VONTAR X88 PRO | |
| Chip | Amlogic S905X3 | Amlogic S905X3 |
| Processor | 4x ARM Cortex-A55 (up to 1.9 GHz), 12nm process | 4x ARM Cortex-A55 (up to 1.9 GHz), 12nm process |
| Video adapter | Mali-G31 MP2 (650 MHz, 6 cores) | Mali-G31 MP2 (650 MHz, 6 cores) |
| RAM | 4 GB (DDR4, 3200 MHz) | 4 GB (DDR4, 3200 MHz)
In the 2GB version, a DDR3 module is installed |
| Storage | 32/64/128 GB (eMMC Flash) | 16/32/64/128 GB (eMMC Flash) |
| Storage expansion | Yes, with memory cards | Yes, with memory cards |
| Operating system | Android 9.0 | Android 9.0 |
| Update support | Yes, built-in | Yes, built-in |
| Wired network | Yes, RJ-45 (1Gbps) | Yes, RJ-45 1 Gbps (version with 2GB RAM with 100 Mbps network) |
| Wireless network | 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac 2.4GHz/5GHz (2×2 MIMO) | 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac 2.4GHz/5GHz, 2×2 MIMO.
Version with 2GB RAM: 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac 2.4GHz. |
| Antenna presence | No | No |
| Bluetooth | Yes, version 4.0 | Yes, 4.1. The version of the box with 2GB RAM has no Bluetooth. |
| Interfaces | 1x USB 3.0
1x USB 2.0 HDMI 2.1 (supporting HD CEC, Dynamic HDR, and HDCP 2.2, 4K@60, 8K@24) AV-out (standards 480i/576i) SPDIF RJ-45 (10/100/1000) DC (5V/2A, blue power indicator) |
1x USB 3.0
1x USB 2.0 HDMI 2.0a (supporting HD CEC, Dynamic HDR, and HDCP 2.2, 4K@60, 8K@24) AV-out (standards 480i/576i) SPDIF RJ-45 (10/100/1000) DC (5V/2A, blue power indicator) |
| Memory card support | Yes, microSD up to 64 GB | Yes, microSD up to 64 GB |
| Root access | Yes | Yes |
| Control | IR remote, voice control, gyroscope | IR remote, voice control, gyroscope |
| Digital panel | Yes | Yes |
| Price | $30-50 | $25-60 |
In conclusion
For household needs, such as watching videos from external sources and the internet, the VONTAR X88 PRO TV box is quite suitable. The box, for its price, handles all tasks. You can even play your favorite Android games on medium settings. The version without Bluetooth is slightly disappointing – limited Wi-Fi and 2GB of old DDR3 RAM don’t seem serious. It’s easier to pay an extra $10 and get a more functional device.
The lack of a proper sound decoder prevents the budget device from standing out. The VONTAR X88 PRO TV box does not support many modern audio formats. But this is not important if the user plans to watch videos using the TV’s speakers. Most buyers fall into this category. Owners of AV processors and high-end audio systems still prefer expensive products from Beelink or Ugoos.
