MXQ Pro Android TV Smart Box — My Honest Review & Comparison

So, I recently purchased the MXQ Pro Android TV Box — mostly because I wanted an affordable streaming solution to turn my aging, non-smart TV into something a little more useful. I wasn't anticipating top-of-the-line performance, but I was curious to see how much value this budget box could offer.



Having now used it for a few weeks, here is what I discovered — the good, the bad, and how it stacks up against more polished competition. 


Unboxing & Setup

The MXQ Pro comes in a very simple box — no frills, just the device, power cable, HDMI cable, and a remote control. The box is small and lightweight.


Setup was straightforward: just plug into the HDMI port, power it on, and connect WiFi. The interface started into a custom Android 10 launcher, not official Android TV OS — and that's important because it doesn't have Google certification.


⚙️ Performance & Usability

I tried the 4-core Amlogic S905 version with 1GB RAM and 8GB storage (some versions have 2GB/16GB or more).


Day-to-day usage:

Boot time was approximately 40 seconds — not bad.


The interface is a little laggy, especially when switching between apps or multitasking.


YouTube and Netflix playback functioned, although I did need to sideload some apps because the box does not natively support Netflix HD or Google Play-certified streaming.


Full HD video playback was fine in general for local files or applications like Kodi, but do not expect smooth 4K or HDR support.


If you're planning to use Kodi, VLC, or IPTV apps, it gets the work done for the price. But if you want seamless access to premium services like Netflix 4K, Showmax, or Disney+, you're out of luck.



Gaming & App Support

Casual games like Crossy Road and Retro ROM emulators were fine. But more intensive games? Don't even think about it — the low RAM and budget GPU start to choke in a flash.


The included IR remote works, but it's unresponsive at times and slow. I subsequently attached a wireless keyboard/mouse combo, after which navigation became a lot simpler.


Connectivity

The MXQ Pro has:


4 USB ports


HDMI out


Ethernet


AV out


microSD card slot


WiFi is 2.4GHz only, so you can anticipate buffering on higher quality streams unless you use Ethernet (which I recommend if you're able).


User Interface & Customization

This is not Google-certified Android TV OS but a mobile/tablet version of Android. That means:

 

No native Google Play TV apps

 

You'll be sideloading or using APKPure and other app stores

 

No official Google Assistant or voice search

 

If you are technically inclined, you can work around some of this, but it is not beginner-friendly out of the box.


                                     


MXQ Pro vs Competitors

Feature MXQ Pro Mi Box S Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K

Price ✅ Very Cheap (~$25-30) ???? Mid (~$50-60) ???? Mid (~$50-60)

Android TV Certified ❌ No ✅ Yes ❌ (uses Fire OS, but polished)

App Compatibility ⚠️ Limited (Sideloading) ✅ Full Google Play TV Support ✅ Full streaming support

4K Playback ❌ Barely (lags) ✅ Smooth ✅ Excellent

Streaming Services (HD) ❌ Not supported officially ✅ Netflix, Prime, Disney+, etc. ✅ Netflix, Prime, Disney+, etc.

Voice Assistant Support ❌ None ✅ Google Assistant ✅ Alexa

Build Quality/Performance ⚠️ Basic, Lags ✅ Smooth ✅ Fast

✅ What I Liked:

Super cheap — great for basic Kodi or IPTV setup


USB ports & SD card slot are versatile


Plays local media well


Can be tinkered with if you're tech-savvy


❌ What I Didn't Like:

Not Google-certified — no Netflix HD or Disney+ officially


Sluggish performance, especially with only 1GB RAM


Awful remote and no voice control


Outdated Android UI and little future-proofing


Final Verdict

If you’re on a tight budget and want a basic Android box for offline media playback, Kodi, or IPTV, the MXQ Pro is passable — but it’s not built for premium streaming experiences or fast performance.


If you can afford to splurge, the Mi Box S or Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K provide much more fluid performance, certified apps, voice control, and stronger long-term support. However, for the money, the MXQ Pro delivers what it advertises — don't just hope for miracles, though.


My Rating: 6.5/10

"Cheap and functional for the basics — but you get what you pay for.





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