Amazon’s Fire TV Sticks and Roku’s popular streaming devices are still leading the market, enabling many households to stream movies, live sports, and TV series. A new player has emerged in the UK, providing strong competition. Chinese tech brand Xiaomi has introduced its latest offering, the TV Stick HD (2nd Gen), presenting an affordable solution for enhancing any television.
The Xiaomi TV Stick HD (2nd Gen) sports a familiar design at first glance, resembling the compact form factor of Amazon’s Fire TV and Roku Sticks. It features a built-in HDMI connector for easy installation directly into a TV without the hassle of extra cables.
Similar to its top competitors, the Xiaomi TV Stick HD (2nd Gen) comes with a dedicated remote control equipped with shortcut buttons for popular streaming services like Netflix, Prime Video, and YouTube. This feature allows users to quickly access their preferred content without navigating through lengthy menus.
Priced at £39.99, the Xiaomi TV Stick HD (2nd Gen) falls within the same price range as its counterparts, with a notable difference in its operating system. Instead of Amazon’s Fire OS or Roku’s software, this new streamer runs on Google TV, granting users access to Google’s smart interface, integrated Google Assistant, and a vast selection of apps through the Google Play Store.
The remote control includes a dedicated voice button, enabling users to search for movies, shows, and apps using voice commands. More than 10,000 apps are available for download, including games, while numerous free channels offer ample entertainment without requiring multiple paid subscriptions.
Furthermore, Android users can benefit from the built-in Google Cast feature, allowing them to wirelessly stream videos, photos, and other content from their smartphones or tablets to the TV.
Internally, Xiaomi has equipped the streaming stick with a speedy processor, dual-band Wi-Fi for seamless playback, and support for HDR10+, Dolby Audio, and DTS to enhance picture and sound quality.
One limitation of the device is its resolution capability. Unlike many competing streaming devices, the TV Stick HD (2nd Gen) supports only HD playback, lacking the ability to stream content in 4K Ultra HD.
For consumers seeking an affordable streaming device powered by Google TV, the Xiaomi TV Stick HD (2nd Gen) is now available in the UK for £39.99.
