The Budget Streaming Box That Punches Well Above Its Weight
If the Google TV Streamer is Google’s answer to the Apple TV 4K, then the Xiaomi TV Box S (3rd Gen) is the device that makes both of them quietly nervous. Priced at around £60–£75 depending on where you buy it — roughly half the cost of the Google Streamer — this compact black box delivers a specification sheet that frankly embarrasses the competition. And unlike Google’s flagship offering, it doesn’t fumble the audio.
What Is the Xiaomi TV Box S (3rd Gen)?
A quick note on naming: Xiaomi’s product line has always been confusingly labelled, and the 3rd Gen is no exception. You may see it listed as the “Mi Box S 3rd Gen”, “Xiaomi TV Box S Gen 3”, or simply “Mi Box 3” — but the official name is the Xiaomi TV Box S (3rd Gen), launched globally in 2024 and rolling out to European markets through 2025. Don’t confuse it with the 2017-era Mi Box (which ran Android 6) or the 2nd Gen (which had only 8 GB of storage and no Wi-Fi 6).
The 3rd Gen is a proper redesign. Same compact, unassuming form factor — but entirely new silicon, a much more capable GPU, and a feature set that leaves its predecessor in the dust.
Specs at a Glance
- Processor: 64-bit quad-core A55 CPU (up to 2.5 GHz), built on a 6nm platform
- GPU: ARM Mali G310 V2
- RAM: 2 GB
- Storage: 32 GB
- OS: Google TV (Android 14)
- Video Output: HDMI 2.1
- Wi-Fi: Wi-Fi 6 (2.4 GHz / 5 GHz)
- Bluetooth: 5.2
- Ports: 1x HDMI 2.1, 1x USB 2.0
- HDR Support: Dolby Vision, HDR10+, HDR10, HLG
- Audio: Dolby Atmos, DTS:X
- Price: ~£60–75 / €65–75 / $65–80 USD
Note: Whilst the specs on paper on impressive, I unfortunately had so many performance issues with mine, apps crashing or unable to launch, series/movies crashing mid-stream requiring a reboot. Couple this with the almost constant WiFi disconnections (mentioned later in the article), I ultimately had to return my TV Box S 3rd Gen for a refund. I have had no such issues with my Firesticks or Google TV Streamer (4k)
What Does It Do Well?
Remarkable Value for Money
Let’s address the elephant in the room immediately: at this price, the Xiaomi TV Box S (3rd Gen) has no right to be this good. Wi-Fi 6, HDMI 2.1, Dolby Vision, HDR10+, DTS:X, Google TV on Android 14, and 32 GB of storage — for under £75. Competing devices at twice the price often offer less.
Excellent 4K Picture Quality
The 3rd Gen covers every major HDR format: Dolby Vision, HDR10+, HDR10, and HLG. 4K content at 60 fps is handled smoothly, and auto frame rate switching ensures that 24fps film content is presented correctly without judder. Real-world testing confirms that Dolby Vision works correctly on 4K HDR10 content and remux files alike — something not all budget boxes manage reliably.
The GPU Leap Is Real
Xiaomi claims a 130% GPU performance improvement over the 2nd Gen, and the jump to the Mali G310 V2 is genuinely significant. App navigation is fluid, streaming apps load quickly, and game streaming via Steam Link and GeForce Now performs better on this box than on both the Google TV Streamer and competing RockTek devices in head-to-head tests. For casual cloud gaming on your TV, this is a surprisingly capable option.
Audio: Where It Actually Beats Google’s Flagship
Here’s where the Xiaomi TV Box S (3rd Gen) does something the £99 Google TV Streamer simply cannot: it supports Dolby TrueHD passthrough and a full range of DTS audio formats including DTS:X. For anyone running a Plex, Kodi, Jellyfin, or Emby library with high-quality Blu-ray rips, this is the difference between lossless audio reaching your AV receiver intact and everything being downmixed to PCM before it even leaves the device.
In independent testing, the 3rd Gen passes Dolby TrueHD and DTS:X through to AV receivers correctly in most scenarios — a capability Google explicitly chose not to include at nearly double the price. If premium audio passthrough matters to you, this is a compelling advantage.
A note of honesty: TrueHD passthrough on the 3rd Gen is not entirely without quirk — some users on AVS Forum and Kodi forums report occasional audio dropouts with specific files, particularly in Kodi when output device settings aren’t correctly configured (set to RAW rather than IEC). These issues are file-dependent and largely addressable through correct app configuration, but it’s worth knowing they exist.
Google TV & App Ecosystem
Running full Google TV on Android 14, the 3rd Gen gives you access to the complete Google Play Store, Netflix (certified for 4K streaming), Disney+, YouTube, Apple TV+, Plex, Kodi, and thousands of other apps. Google Assistant and Google Cast are both on board, and the Gemini AI integration brings smart search to the platform.
Wi-Fi 6 Included
The Google TV Streamer ships with Wi-Fi 5. The Xiaomi TV Box S 3rd Gen ships with Wi-Fi 6 — on a device that costs half the price. For households with Wi-Fi 6 routers, this translates to faster, more consistent wireless performance, lower latency, and better behaviour on congested networks.
Note: I have to mention here however, that whilst I own the TP-Link Deco XE75 Pro which is a WiFi 6e Mesh solution (with 3 nodes), I had some many issues with connectivity on my Xioami TV Box 3rd Gen, which got so bad I ultimately had to return the device for a refund. I have had no such issues with my Firesticks or Google TV Streamer (4k).
CoreELEC Dual-Boot Capability
For enthusiast users, the 3rd Gen supports dual-booting into CoreELEC — a lean, Kodi-optimised Linux distribution that bypasses Android entirely. If you want the absolute cleanest, most reliable media playback experience for your local library without Android’s audio processing in the way, CoreELEC is a well-supported path on this hardware.
What Does It Do Well?
The Xiaomi TV Box S (3rd Gen) excels in a broad range of scenarios:
- Budget-conscious streamers — Anyone who wants a premium 4K streaming experience without premium pricing. This is the box to buy.
- Home cinema audio enthusiasts — With TrueHD and DTS:X passthrough, this is the right choice for those with a capable AVR or soundbar who want lossless audio from their local media library.
- Plex / Kodi / Jellyfin users — Excellent codec support, good performance, and CoreELEC as a fallback make it a strong media server client.
- Cloud gaming — Steam Link and GeForce Now performance is class-leading at this price.
- Users upgrading from older Mi Box models — The jump from 8 GB to 32 GB storage, Wi-Fi 5 to Wi-Fi 6, and the new GPU make this a meaningful upgrade.
- Projector users — A compact, powerful box for any screen, not just TVs. The lack of a Gigabit Ethernet port (Wi-Fi only) is worth factoring in if you’re in a less Wi-Fi-friendly environment.
The Limitations
No Ethernet Port
This is the most significant omission for a media-heavy use case. The Xiaomi TV Box S (3rd Gen) has no built-in Ethernet port, and unlike the 2nd Gen (which worked with some USB Ethernet adapters), multiple user reports confirm that USB Ethernet adapters — whether USB-A or USB-C — do not function reliably on this model under Android 14. If you have a large local library and rely on wired network speeds for smooth remux playback, this is a genuine limitation.
Only 2 GB of RAM
While real-world performance is surprisingly capable, 2 GB of RAM is modest by 2025 standards. Heavier multitasking, keeping multiple apps suspended in memory, or using the device for extended periods without a restart can occasionally result in slowdowns. It’s not a dealbreaker, but it’s a spec that will age faster than the rest of the hardware.
Single USB 2.0 Port
There’s only one USB port, and it’s USB 2.0. If you want to connect an external hard drive for local storage, that’s your only option — and USB 2.0 throughput limits sustained transfer speeds. No USB-C data port is available.
TrueHD Dropouts on Some Files
As noted above, TrueHD passthrough, while supported, can exhibit audio dropouts with specific content in certain apps. Kodi users in particular may need to spend time configuring audio output settings correctly. It works well for most content, but it isn’t the flawless plug-and-play experience you’d get from a Nvidia Shield TV Pro.
No Smart Home Hub Features
Unlike the Google TV Streamer, the Xiaomi TV Box S has no Matter support, no Thread border router, and no smart home control hub functionality. If whole-home smart home integration from your TV is important to you, the Google device holds a clear advantage here.
Software Update Support Window
Based on Xiaomi’s historical update patterns, the 3rd Gen can be expected to receive active firmware support until approximately mid-2027 — around 24 to 36 months post-launch. After that, security patches and feature updates are likely to slow or cease. This is common across the budget streaming box market but worth factoring into a long-term purchase decision.
How Does It Compare to the Google TV Streamer (4k)?
| Feature | Xiaomi TV Box S (3rd Gen) | Google TV Streamer (4K) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | ~£65 | £99 |
| TrueHD Passthrough | ✅ Yes (with caveats) | ❌ No |
| DTS:X | ✅ Yes | ❌ No |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 6 | Wi-Fi 5 |
| Ethernet | ❌ No | ✅ Yes (Gigabit) |
| Matter / Thread Hub | ❌ No | ✅ Yes |
| RAM | 2 GB | 4 GB |
| Storage | 32 GB | 32 GB |
| HDMI | 2.1 | 2.1 |
| Dolby Vision | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| HDR10+ | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
The Google Streamer wins on RAM, Ethernet, and smart home integration. The Xiaomi wins on audio codec support, Wi-Fi generation, and price — sometimes dramatically so.
Final Verdict
The Xiaomi TV Box S (3rd Gen) is one of the most compelling streaming devices available. For the price it asks, the combination of Wi-Fi 6, HDMI 2.1, Dolby Vision, HDR10+, TrueHD passthrough, DTS:X, Google TV, and 32 GB storage is fantastic value for money. Independent testing confirms it outperforms the Google TV Streamer in several meaningful areas — including the one that matters most to home cinema enthusiasts: audio. However as mentioned, my personal results the Google TV Streamer (4k) out performed it in every way other than the mention audio codecs.
The lack of an Ethernet port will frustrate some users, the 2 GB RAM will age before the other specs do, and TrueHD passthrough isn’t perfectly smooth in every scenario. But at this price point, these are trade-offs that are easy to accept.
Buy it if: You want the best 4K streaming experience for the money; you care about lossless audio passthrough from your local library; or you want Wi-Fi 6 without paying a premium for it.
Look elsewhere if: You need a reliable wired Ethernet connection, want a smart home hub built in, or need rock-solid TrueHD passthrough without any configuration fuss (the Nvidia Shield TV Pro remains the benchmark for that).
For the budget-conscious home cinema fan, the Xiaomi TV Box S (3rd Gen) isn’t just a compromise — it’s a genuine recommendation.
Checkout our review of the Google Streamer (4k)
TV Box S 3rd Gen
Is the TV Box S 3rd Gen right for you and worth your investment?
6.5
The TV Box S 3rd Gen is a great device on paper, thorough audio codec support, WiFi 6 support and the ability to fully customise it however you please. However, through my personal testing I had performance issues coupled with regular WiFi drops I had to return mine. However there are plenty of people with these devices who do not have these issues, so I may have been unlucky and received a defective (or possibly even fake) device.
Pros
- Exceptional value — Wi-Fi 6, Dolby Vision, DTS:X, and 32 GB storage for ~£65
- Dolby TrueHD and DTS:X audio passthrough — betters the Google TV Streamer at half the price
- 6nm processor with a genuine 130% GPU uplift over the 2nd Gen
- Wi-Fi 6 included — newer standard than the more expensive Google Streamer
- Full Google TV on Android 14 with Google Play Store access
- Netflix 4K certified
- CoreELEC dual-boot support for enthusiast media playback
Cons
- No Ethernet port — and USB Ethernet adapters reportedly unreliable on this model
- Only 2 GB of RAM — modest by current standards
- Single USB 2.0 port only
- TrueHD passthrough has occasional dropout issues on some files/apps
- No Matter or Thread smart home hub functionality
- Limited software update longevity (~2–3 years expected)
- Google TV default launcher is ad-heavy (Projectivy Launcher recommended here too)