In the home entertainment sector, selecting an Android box versus a smart TV is crucial for consumers who want to enhance their viewing experience. Both devices offer unique advantages and interesting differences, but only one can be the best choice. This article examines the features, benefits, and possible downsides of each, trying to inform you well enough to make a decision on which is the better fit for your home entertainment system.
Television sets that come equipped with internet connectivity and built-in applications are referred to as “smart” TVs. Viewers can access an array of web-based content directly through their smart TVs. Some of the most well-liked services for streaming web content—be it programs, videos, or user-generated entertainment—are Netflix, Hulu, and YouTube. Smart TVs have their own operating systems. Although the industry trend is to call these “smart,” the operating systems aren’t their brain. They accomplish something different, and largely service a different audience. The operating systems vary significantly by brand—Samsung’s Tizen, LG’s webOS, and Sony’s Android TV. In contrast, external devices plugged into a non-smart TV can access many of the same apps that grant internet-connectivity to regular TV programs. Perhaps the most well-known of these devices is the Amazon Fire Stick.
A big point of rivalry between smart TVs and Android boxes has to do with user interface. Smart TVs come with an their own specific interface, and, with Android boxes, the user experience relies on the interface of apps. Unfortunately, not all smart TV interfaces are created equal, and some manufacturers allow their TVs to be a bit more “dumb” in terms of available apps and overall interface quality. Some smart TVs excel at receiving updates, while others do not fare so well; no contest here: the Android ecosystem is a clear winner. Users enjoy more and better apps in the Google Play Store than in the App Store we find on a smart TV. And where we might suggest sideloading onto a smart TV (not a good idea), we might legally and more suggestively do the same with the apps we find in the Google Play Store across an Android box vs. the available apps in a harmless way on a powerful smart TV in our living room.
Speaking of which, the best smart TVs are adequately powered compared to the inexpensive devices we put in the same room as the TV. Is it worth your concern to know what happens inside a device that simply sits on your entertainment center? If one wants a truly lag-less experience, the answer must be a resounding yes. Even the cheapest smart TVs can manage this; a budget Android box, however, is frequently inadequate. Meanwhile, the more expensive versions of both categories handle it effortlessly, delivering 4K HDR video without a hiccup or slowdown in any of the typical UI interactions. Most of today’s popular smart TVs are heavily integrated with the most popular streaming services. An arrangement exists between smart TV makers and the app developers in question. So, if you enjoy some anime while doing your thing as a live-streaming lifestyle influencer, you’re probably not very happy with this news. (Some smart TVs, in fact, might not be able to run certain applications at all.)
The well-supported and widely used Android TV box, on the other hand, is like a golden retriever that gives you a much broader range of applications and, hence, content. When making purchasing decisions, though, consumers often fixate on price. Smart TVs can be priced from the reasonable to the ridiculous. We’ve seen some listed for well over $10,000! Luckily, there are budget models, and brand differences result in some smart TVs being reasonably priced and others being, well, just plain overpriced. Actual understanding of smart TV prices in relation to what is expected to happen over time is still a bit hazy for most consumers. Meanwhile, the Android TV box and the experience associated with it are a pretty well understood thing. It costs less, and its associated experience is understood to be a more reliable upgrade to the existing viewing experience when compared to the often-vague prospect of upgrading to a new TV.
In the end, whether to choose an Android box or a smart TV comes down to personal preference and individual needs. Both devices can effectively deliver a home entertainment experience that feels upgraded compared to pre-existing setups. If you want something that’s fully integrated and perhaps the easiest of the two options to use, go with the smart TV. But if you want something customizable that can access a huge library of content, go with the Android box. Both setups also offer the potential for enhanced visuals and sound, assuming you have the right equipment and the right kind of content.