Hardware

Sunvell T95Z Plus Android TV Box Review

The Sunvell T95Z Plus is a new Android TV box from the company.  Sporting the powerful Amlogic S912 and a unique design, is it any good? Keep reading my Sunvell T95Z Plus review to find out.

I want to say thanks to GearBest for sending me a sample to review. Check out the Sunvell T95Z Plus over at their store below.

Check Price at GearBest

In This Review

Sunvell T95Z Plus Technical Specifications

[aps_product_specs id=”7877″]

What’s in the Box?

sunvell-t95z-plus-review-inside-the-box

Inside the box, you’ll get:

  • Sunvell T95Z Plus Android TV Box
  • Power Adapter
  • IR Remote
  • HDMI Cable
  • English User Manual

Sunvell T95Z Plus Review: Hardware

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The Sunvell T95Z Plus is a striking looking unit. With its hexagonal shell and interesting geometric detail, it definitely stands out in a good way. 

There’s a multicolored LED strip that lights up in either green, blue or light blue. It also doubles as a status light. I love how it looks but I can also see it being distracting in a dark environment so thankfully you can turn it off via a dedicated button on the included remote control. 

The front of the unit is relatively bare,  featuring a large LED display which displays the time and status indicators for things like wifi and Ethernet connectivity.

Ports are located towards the back of the unit. Going from left to right, we have, a USB 2.0 port, Ethernet, optical audio output, DC In, HDMI out, composite out, another USB 2.0 port and a micro SD card slot. 

I’m glad Sunvell opted to keep the HDMI and Power ports at the back of the unit. Given that these are always connected, it helps keep things neater.

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That said, I don’t like the fact that Sunvell, like most TV box manufacturers, haven’t included any front USB ports. Trying to reach rear USB ports when your media player is in an AV cabinet is just awkward.

The included IR remote surprised me, being much better quality than most of the included IR remotes. There’s a full suite of Android functions and a mouse mode, in addition to dedicated buttons for the status LED and Kodi. The buttons are nice and quiet too.

sunvell-t95z-plus-review-remote

That said, I recommend picking up an Air mouse for the best experience. You can check out my Best Air Mouse guide for some suggestions.

Sunvell T95Z Plus Review: Software

The Sunvell T95Z Plus automatically powers up when plugged in. A cold boot takes around 30 seconds with a wireless keyboard and mouse connected.

Sunvell’s launcher is modern and colorful, featuring brightly colored tiles for the launchers various shortcuts and folders.

sunvell-t95z-plus-review-launcher

Aside from dedicated buttons for apps like Kodi, there’s also a customisable row of shortcuts along the bottom and folders for Music and Video apps that you can fill.

There’s quite a few pre-installed apps such as FilmOn, Facebook and Netflix in addition to Kodi 16.1.

Kodi has been pre-loaded with a number of add-ons but there’s also a dedicated app for installing and updating add-ons for you which is a nice touch.

There seems to be Over-the-Air (OTA) update support. However, there wasn’t an update at the time of writing so I wasn’t able to test it out.

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The Amlogic S912 handles Android 6.0 well. Navigating through the UI and launching apps feels snappy.

Sunvell T95Z Plus Review: Media Playback

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Video playback was tested using Kodi 16.1 from Google Play. Please note that I did need to disable amcodec in Kodi’s Acceleration menu to get some videos to play.

Codec Video Performance (Kodi 16.1)
1080p 3D SBS H.264
1080p 3D ABL H.264
1080p24 H.264
1080p High Bitrate H.264
1080p60 H.264
720p50 H.264
1080i25 H.264
4K 30FPS H.264
4K 60FPS H.264 Unwatchable – Skipped Frames
1080p24 HEVC
4K 30FPS 8-bit HEVC
4K 30FPS 10-bit HEVC
1080p VP8 Unwatchable – Skipped Frames
720p Hi10p
1080p Hi10p Unwatchable – Skipped Frames
1080p MPEG2
1080p VC1
Unencrypted Bluray ISO (Sintel)

Media playback on the Sunvell T95Z Plus was fairly good. The most common codecs played back without any issues. More demanding codecs, such as 4K 60fps H.264 and 1080p Hi10p samples tripped the box up like most other devices.

Automatic framerate switching is not supported which is disappointing but frustratingly common amongst Android TV boxes.

Wireless 4K streaming from an NFS share on my server worked well. I didn’t have any buffering which is great.

sunvell-t95z-plus-review-02

5.1 Audio Passthrough

Dolby Digital 5.1 passthrough via HDMI worked via Kodi 16.1. However, there were small audio glitches every 5-10 seconds making it pretty unpleasant to listen to. I’m hoping this can be fixed via a firmware update.

Netflix

Netflix works as you’d expect. However, as a non-Netflix-certified device, you can only stream in SD quality. This is typical for most Android TV boxes.

External Storage Support

Playing back movies from my 2.5″ USB-powered HDD and USB flash drive worked perfectly.

Sunvell T95Z Plus Review: Gaming Performance

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To test gaming performance, I installed 2 games, 1 2D and 1 3D title:

sunvell-t95z-plus-review-jetpack-joyride

Thanks to the Amlogic S912’s powerful Mali-T820 GPU,  gaming performance on the Sunvell is excellent. Whether playing Jetpack Joyride or the more demanding Beach Buggy Racing on maximum settings,  the Sunvell T95Z Plus handled it well.  I did have the occasional bit of slowdown when there was a lot of action on screen during a few races but it was always playable.

Gaming Controllers and Bluetooth

My GameSir G4S (read my review) paired up done via via Bluetooth and worked perfectly with Beach Buggy Racing.

Sunvell T95Z Plus Review: Benchmarks

Benchmark Score
Antutu 6.2.1 35887
3DMark Ice Storm Unlimited 9406
3DMark Ice Storm Extreme 5754
3DMark Slingshot 379
GeekBench 4.0.1 Single Core 542
GeekBench 4.0.1 Multi Core 2151

Verdict

sunvell-t95z-plus-review-01

The Sunvell T95Z Plus is a decent Amlogic S912 Android TV box. It offers an eye-catching design, great IR remote and user friendly interface and handles basic media playback and mid-level gaming well. However, issues with audio passthrough (which will hopefully be fixed via a firmware update) and no automatic framerate switching in Kodi (annoyingly like most Android TV boxes) will make it unappealing to home theatre enthusiasts.

Pros

  • Good gaming and media playback support
  • Feature-packed remote
  • Attractive design

Cons

  • Netflix limited to 480p
  • No Automatic Framerate Switching in Kodi
  • Audio Glitches when using Dolby Digital 5.1 Passthrough

Getting One

The Sunvell T95Z Plus is available from GearBest. Use code “ST95ZP” to get it for $57.99 for a limited time.

Check Price at GearBest

Alternatively, it’s available from the following stores:

Probox2 Air Android TV Box Review

The Probox2 Air is a new Amlogic S905X Android TV box from the company. How good is it? Read on to find out!

I want to say thanks to W2Comp for sending me a sample to review. Check it out at their store below.

Check Price at Amazon

In This Review

Probox2 Air Technical Specifications

[aps_product_specs id=”7553″]

What’s in the Box?

probox2-air-review-inside-the-box

Inside the box, you’ll get:

  • Probox2 Air Android TV Box
  • Power Adapter
  • IR Remote
  • HDMI Cable
  • English User Manual

Probox2 Air Review: Hardware

The Probox2 Air a is pretty traditional looking Android TV box, despite the company boasting it was designed in Sweden.

It’s a traditional looking black square, with a Probox2 logo on the top and ports on the sides and rear of the unit.

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The case has a nice rubberised matte finish which helps minimize fingerprints.

In terms of ports, the left side of the unit has a USB 2.0 port and microSD card slot whilst the right features the wifi antenna port.

probox2-air-review-left

As you’ve already guessed, most of the ports are around the back. Here you’ve got DC In, a USB 2.0 port, HDMI out, Ethernet and Optical audio out.

probox2-air-review-back

I really wish that Probox2 had added at least one front facing USB port, as plugging in USB devices on the sides or rear can be a little awkward.

In terms of remotes, there’s actually two available for the Probox2 Air. The included IR remote is a typical IR remote with media controls and shortcut keys. The buttons are clicky like most cheap included remotes. It’s functional but could definitely be improved.

probox2-air-review-ir-remote

Now, I always recommend an air mouse for the best experience and Probox2 have their own solution.

The Remote is available as part of a bundle. It’s a decent air mouse, with media controls, microphone for voice recognition and gaming controls. For more info, check my previous review of it here.

probox2-air-review-remote-plus-air-mouse

Probox2 Air Review: Software

The Probox2 Air automatically powers up when plugged in. A cold boot takes around 30 seconds with a wireless keyboard and mouse connected.

There’s a setup wizard which takes you through the setup process on first boot which goes a long way towards making the Probox2 Air more user-friendly compared to some of the other Android TV boxes on the market.

probox2-air-review-setup-wizard

The Probox2’s Apex user interface is attractive and minimal. Adopting a grey color scheme and flat tiles for apps, it looks very modern. There’s also a switch function that allows quick access to your favorite launcher if you prefer.

probox2-air-review-apex-ui-01

There’s a few pre-installed apps such as Happy Cast for AirPlay streaming, Netflix, as well as Kodi 16.1 (pre-loaded with a number of add-ons). The Google Play store is also available so you can install your favorite apps.

The Probox2 Air is also rooted out of the box for those that need it.

OTA updates are supported for easy updates. When I first booted up the box, I got a notification that an update was available. The updating process was painless, with the box downloading and automatically applying the update once I confirmed it.

probox2-air-review-ota-updates

The Amlogic S905X does a good job handling Android 6.0. Navigating through Google’s OS feels snappy. I did find that some apps took a second to close which seems to be common across Amlogic S905/S905X Android TV boxes.

HDMI CEC is also available under the box’s settings though I wasn’t able to get it working with my Samsung TV so I’m not sure if it’s a firmware or compatibility issue.

Probox2 Air Review: Media Playback

probox2-air-review-kodi

Video playback was tested using Kodi 16.1 from Google Play.

Codec Video Performance (Kodi 16.1)
1080p 3D SBS H.264
1080p 3D ABL H.264 Needed to disable amcodec in Kodi Settings
1080p24 H.264
1080p High Bitrate H.264
1080p60 H.264
720p50 H.264
1080i25 H.264
4K 30FPS H.264 Needed to disable amcodec in Kodi Settings
4K 60FPS H.264 Unwatchable – Skipped Frames
1080p24 HEVC
4K 30FPS 8-bit HEVC
4K 30FPS 10-bit HEVC
1080p VP8
720p Hi10p
1080p Hi10p Unwatchable – Decoding Issues
1080p MPEG2
1080p VC1
Unencrypted Bluray ISO (Sintel)

Media playback on the Probox2 Air was generally good, handling all of the codecs without issue. I did notice that, in order to get some of the test samples to play, I needed to disable Amcodec in Kodi’s settings.

Automatic framerate switching is unfortunately not supported, so it’s something to take note of.

Streaming 4K video from an NFS share via WiFi worked perfectly without any buffering which is great for those with wireless setups.

probox2-air-review-05

5.1 Audio Passthrough

Dolby Digital 5.1 passthrough via HDMI worked fine via Kodi 16.1

Netflix

Netflix is compatible with the Probox2 Air. However, as it isn’t a Netflix-certified device, you can only watch it in SD quality.

For more on HD Netflix on Android TV boxes, check out my guide.

External Storage Support

Playing back movies from my 2.5″ USB-powered HDD and USB flash drive worked perfectly.

Probox2 Air Review: Gaming Performance

probox2-air-review-beach-buggy-racing

To test gaming performance, I installed 2 games, 1 2D and 1 3D title:

The Amlogic S905X doesn’t have the most powerful GPU and this is reflected during the gaming tests.

The 2D Jetpack Joyride plays smoothly. Beach Buggy Racing also achieved a playable framerat, though there were noticeable framerate drops when there’s a lot of action on screen.

probox2-air-review-jetpack-joyride

Gaming Controllers and Bluetooth

My GameSir G4S (read my review) paired up fine via via Bluetooth and worked perfectly with Beach Buggy Racing.

Probox2 Air Review: Benchmarks

Benchmark Score
Antutu 6.1.4 34151
3DMark Ice Storm Unlimited 7042
3DMark Ice Storm Extreme 4284
GeekBench 4.0.1 Single Core 660
GeekBench 4.0.1 Multi Core 1652

Verdict

probox2-air-review-06

The Probox2 Air is a decent Android TV box from the company. Although gaming performance was predictably average thanks to the Amlogic S905X, media playback was generally good (providing you don’t need automatic framerate switching). As long as you’re aware of it’s limitations, the Probox2 Air is a decent Android TV box.

Pros

  • Intuitive UI with Setup Wizard
  • Lots of customisation

Cons

  • Netflix limited to 480p
  • No Automatic Framerate Switching in Kodi
  • Average Gaming Performance

Getting One

The Probox2 Air is available from W2Comp directly or via their Amazon and eBay stores.

Check Price at Amazon

Meet the Nintendo Switch – Nintendo’s New Portable/Home Gaming Console

So Nintendo have just revealed their eagerly anticipated console (video embedded above). Called the Nintendo Switch, the new device merges your traditional home-based console like the Wii U with a portable gaming console like the 3DS.

The reveal trailer shows off a console that features some pretty unique ideas, many of which I think extend into the realm of genuine usefulness rather than some of the gimmicks we’ve seen in Nintendo’s console of late.

nintendo-switch-n02

The key feature of the Nintendo Switch is it’s ability to combine with various accessories to adapt to the situation.

The console itself appears to be a tablet-like device with a built-in kickstand. Controllers can then be slotted into the sides of the unit to use it like a Wii U controller or they can be used wirelessly for additional freedom.

nintendo-switch-n01

When you reach the comfort of your home, just slide the tablet into the Nintendo Switch’s dock to bring the action to the big screen.

The video also revealed the existence of traditional "Pro" controllers as well as confirming that the console will be cartridge based much like the 3DS is.

nintendo-switch-n03

There’s quite a few questions that are still unknown and won’t be answered until the Nintendo Switch is released in March 2017. However, there’s a few things that are looking likely.

Given the portable nature of the console, it looks like the Nintendo Switch will be using an ARM-based mobile chip rather than the X86-based processors in consoles like the PS4. This means that it’s unlikely to be as powerful as current gen consoles and 3rd party support may be lacking due to the complexity of porting titles from X86 to ARM based systems.

It’s going to be an interesting few months…

What do you think of the Nintendo Switch? Will you be picking one up? Let me know in the comments below