Xiaomi has launched a new Google TV stick, the Xiaomi TV Stick HD (2nd Gen), representing the first genuine successor to its HD TV stick in almost five years. The device is anticipated to debut globally in the near future. It boasts a 38% quicker CPU and a revised GPU, improving everyday streaming capabilities. Although these enhancements are notable, the stick remains limited to 1080p resolution while offering HDR10+, Dolby Audio, and DTS:X for superior viewing and audio quality.
The latest stick provides a considerable performance upgrade over its predecessor, owing to enhanced Cortex-A55 cores and a Mali-G31 MP2 GPU. It facilitates AV1 decoding, optimizing streaming efficiency and ensuring complete certification for well-known applications like Netflix and Google TV. The device delivers video output at 1080p at 60Hz and features HDR10+ support for improved contrast, along with Dolby Audio and DTS:X for a more immersive sound experience.
The remote control includes dedicated buttons for Netflix, Prime Video, YouTube, and Google Assistant, with dual-band Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 5.0 for connectivity. Nevertheless, the stick is still equipped with only 1GB of RAM and 8GB of storage, which may lead to slower multitasking and prolonged app loading times. Furthermore, it maintains a microUSB port for power instead of upgrading to USB-C.
The design is sleek, with rounded edges, and can plug directly into an HDMI port or utilize the provided extender. Pricing information is not yet confirmed, but it is projected to fall between €45 and €55. While the device presents a straightforward Google TV experience with adequate app support, the absence of 4K capability and restricted memory might lead to it feeling outdated relatively soon.