On this planet of streaming gadgets, Xiaomi has made a reputation for itself by delivering distinctive high quality at aggressive costs. Their Xiaomi Mi Field S, launched in 2018, was a convincing success, a lot in order that its demand drove up its value through the years. Now, Xiaomi is again with the second era of their Mi TV Field S, aiming to not solely replicate however surpass the success of its predecessor.
The query on many minds is whether or not the Xiaomi Mi TV Field S 2nd Gen is well worth the improve or if we should always stick to the tried-and-true Xiaomi Mi Field S. On this complete evaluation, we’ll put the brand new gadget via its paces, evaluating it to its predecessor and delving into its options, efficiency, and general person expertise. So, buckle up, seize your popcorn, and let’s embark on a journey to find if the Xiaomi Mi TV Field S 2nd Gen is the subsequent streaming champion or a mere shadow of its predecessor.
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Within the Field
- Xiaomi TV Field S (2nd Gen)
- Distant management
- Person guide
- Energy adapter
- HDMI cable
Design and Construct: A Acquainted Face with a Few Upgrades
At first look, the Xiaomi TV Field S would possibly offer you a case of deja vu. That’s as a result of Xiaomi didn’t make any vital modifications if any to the design in comparison with its predecessor, the Mi Field S. They’ve stored the identical glossy, compact black sq. form with rounded edges aka a squircle, making it straightforward to mix in with most different gadgets.
However don’t let the acquainted look idiot you; the Xiaomi TV Field S packs a couple of refined upgrades beneath the hood. One notable enchancment is the HDMI port, which has been upgraded from 2.0a to 2.1. This implies now you can get pleasure from dynamic HDR, 8K decision, and better bandwidth (48Gbps) for a extra immersive viewing expertise.
Whereas the USB 2.0 port stays the identical, Xiaomi has maintained their popularity for high quality by together with a thick and durable 40-inch HDMI cable. That’s a small however appreciated contact that reveals they care concerning the general person expertise.
Xiaomi Distant: Now with IR blaster
Talking of person expertise, the distant management has acquired some minor tweaks together with the addition of an IR blaster and an additional row of devoted buttons. A devoted YouTube button now instructions some actual property together with buttons for Netflix and Prime Video. The previous location of the Apps button has undergone a change as nicely, now that includes Xiaomi TV+ instead, because the Apps now command a extra sizable and distinguished devoted button.
The distant’s directional button has a black matte rubbery really feel to it the place the previous distant was fairly clean. I’m not against the brand new change, however the longevity of my previous distant gained me over. Solely time will inform if the brand new distant will final as lengthy. additionally now helps IR, which was lacking from the unique distant. This implies you’ll be able to management the TV field even when it’s tucked away behind your TV stand.
And when you’re on the lookout for a seamless integration between your TV and the streaming gadget, you’ll be able to arrange CEC to make use of the distant to regulate each gadgets. It’s a small comfort that provides as much as a extra streamlined leisure expertise.
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Options & Efficiency: A Powerhouse Improve
Xiaomi has taken a major leap ahead by way of {hardware} with the brand new Mi Field S. Underneath the hood, the upgraded Quad-Core Cortex-A55 CPU delivers a noticeable increase in efficiency, providing as much as 18% sooner speeds and 15% higher energy effectivity in comparison with the earlier Quad-Core Cortex-A53 CPU within the Xiaomi Mi Field S. Even when you’re not a techie, you’ll respect the distinction in efficiency. Apps load sooner, streaming is smoother, and navigation feels extra responsive.
And talking of upgrades, the addition of HDMI 2.1 will repair a significant grievance from customers of the earlier mannequin. The Xiaomi TV Field S now helps Dolby Imaginative and prescient Atmos, HDR10+, and DTS HD audio, which have been all lacking from the Mi Field S. Now, I can lastly get pleasure from that beautiful 4K Extremely HD content material on Disney Plus and different streaming companies with out compromising on audio high quality. I couldn’t have requested for extra.
Xiaomi has additionally addressed the connectivity concern that plagued the Mi Field S by including Miracast help along with Chromecast. This implies I can seamlessly solid my content material from any gadget, whether or not it’s my Android cellphone, pill, and even your Home windows PC. No extra juggling completely different protocols or worrying about compatibility points.
And let’s not overlook about voice management. The combination of Google’s voice assistant stays as seamless and dependable as ever. I just like the consolation of understanding all I must know is maintain the Google Assistant button all the way down to request for my favourite reveals, films, and music.
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The Good: Xiaomi TV Field S 2nd Gen software program with Google TV
Should you’re upgrading from the Xiaomi Mi Field S with Android TV to the Xiaomi TV Field S with Google TV, put together to be blown away. The software program expertise is a whole overhaul, and it’s about time. Though the Mi Field S runs Android TV 12, it’s akin to having a watered-down model of Google TV.
Google TV is a breath of recent air in comparison with Android TV. It’s smoother, extra responsive, and simply feels extra polished general. Whereas Android TV 12 largely focuses on beauty modifications (the settings interface remains to be Android TV 9), the Xiaomi TV Field S with Google TV shares the identical glossy interface as Chromecast with Google TV.
The Xiaomi TV Field S comes with some pre-installed software program that I’ve grown fairly keen on. The Media Participant, and the Gallery apps are all extremely light-weight in comparison with their Play Retailer counterparts, but they carry out simply as nicely. The addition of Miracast personally sweetens the deal for me. I can confidently say that Miracast is one characteristic I exploit repeatedly to look at content material with out want for flash drives and whatnot.
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One factor I discovered peculiar although, was the shortage of easy accessibility to the Google Play Retailer in Google TV. It’s so seamlessly built-in into the system that you just not often must see the app itself. In Android TV, the Play Retailer is a separate app you open to replace apps and browse for brand spanking new ones. Properly, you are able to do all that with Google TV from the apps tab, nevertheless it’s bizarre for me to not see the Play Retailer.
The Unhealthy: Google House Setup Woes
Let me say this straight-up. My expertise with establishing the Xiaomi TV Field S Gen 2 utilizing the Google House app was lower than stellar. And I attempted it out greater than as soon as only for to see if it will work the subsequent time. Both the gadget was invisible to the app or it stubbornly refused to connect with Wi-Fi. After spending over half-hour in a fruitless battle, I threw within the towel and opted for the guide setup methodology.
The message I stored getting was a cryptic one: “Your Google TV gadget was setup efficiently however can’t be discovered. Be certain your cell gadget and Google TV gadget are on the identical Wi-Fi community.” I checked and rechecked, however every little thing appeared to be so as.
So, I resorted to the remote-control setup, which, whereas not as handy because the app-based methodology, did the job. However right here’s the factor: I actually detest having to enter my electronic mail and password after I may simply keep away from it. This was by no means a problem with the unique Mi Field S, which I may manufacturing facility reset and have up and working in a matter of minutes. (In my earlier evaluation, I even boasted about setting it up in a mere two minutes.) Should you managed to navigate the Google House setup with none hiccups, I’d love to listen to about your expertise within the feedback part.
The setup course of itself was additionally a little bit of a drag, taking a complete ten minutes to finish. I’m unsure if it was as a consequence of my web connection or simply the general setup course of, nevertheless it was undoubtedly a far cry from the speedy setup of the Mi Field S.
Worth and Availability
The Xiaomi TV Field S packs a punch for its value. You possibly can snag it for as little as $48.99 on AliExpress, a steal in comparison with its retail value of (KES 9,000) $59 on Xiaomi’s official retailer in Kenya. It goes for $62 or extra on Amazon. The discharge of the Xiaomi TV Field S additionally compelled the value of the Xiaomi Mi Field S to return again all the way down to earth from highs of $89 earlier than.
The Competitors: Chromecast with Google TV
Amongst equally priced streaming gadgets, the Xiaomi TV Field S faces stiff competitors from the Chromecast with Google TV 4K, which generally retails for $49.00 however is at the moment obtainable for a restricted time at simply $37.98. One other contender is the Onn Android TV 4K, which will be discovered on Amazon for $28.99 and on Walmart’s web site for an much more attractive $19.88.
Conclusion: A Streaming Gadget Value Contemplating
The Xiaomi TV Field S makes a compelling case for upgrading from its predecessor, the Xiaomi Mi Field S. With help for HDR10+ and Dolby Imaginative and prescient, together with the inclusion of Miracast and an IR blaster distant, it’s a well-rounded streaming gadget that delivers distinctive worth for cash. Should you’re on the lookout for a budget-friendly streaming resolution that doesn’t compromise on efficiency, the Xiaomi TV Field S is a wonderful choice. I extremely advocate giving it a strive.
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Xiaomi TV Field S 2nd Gen Specs
Mannequin: Xiaomi TV Field S
Colours: Matte black
OS Model: Google TV 11
Dimensions: 95.25mm x 95.25mm x 16.7mm
Weight: 142g
Max Show: 4K (3840 x 2160) 60FPS
CPU/GPU: Quad-Core Cortex-A55 | ARM Mali G31 MP2
Reminiscence: 2GB DDR4 RAM, 8GB eMMC ROM
Connectivity: Wi-Fi: 802.11a/b/g/n/ac 2.4GHz/5GHz, Bluetooth: 5.2
Decoder: Video decoder: 4K@60fps, Dolby Audio® and DTS-HD, Dolby Imaginative and prescient®, HDR10+
