If you don’t have a smart TV — or the one you do have runs an operating system that doesn’t support the apps you want — a streamer is the solution. The third-generation TV Box S from Xiaomi is a convenient way to upgrade your viewing experience, and its price is relatively low — NIS 330.
Design and Connectivity: Xiaomi TV Box S – Slim, Perhaps Too Slim
The third-generation TV Box S comes in a rectangular shape with rounded corners and an extremely slim design — perhaps excessively so. Its thickness is just 17 mm (and it weighs only 91 grams), allowing it to integrate seamlessly into your TV area. It comes in black and features a small white indicator light showing it's powered on. This is a streamer meant to blend into your living space, and it does so well.
On the back, it features three ports: An HDMI 2.1a input, a USB-A 2.0 port, and a power input. The 3.5 mm jack from the previous generation has been removed.
Hardware and Interface: Xiaomi TV Box S – Google TV and Lots of Amazon Prime Video
The operating system here is Google TV version 14, allowing you to install both local streaming services (like Cellcom, Partner, and HOT) and international ones (like Netflix, Disney+, and Apple TV Plus). There aren't many surprises in Google’s familiar interface. The home screen features, at the top, a row of content suggestions from Amazon Prime Video (oddly prioritized by Google), followed by rows of installed apps and quick access to continue watching content from Netflix, YouTube, Apple TV — but not Disney+ or other local services.
Xiaomi offers its own TV service called "Xiaomi TV Plus," with a dedicated button on the remote control. This service didn’t work for me but is supposed to offer live TV channels.
The supported resolution is 4K at 60Hz, with Dolby Vision support for improved image quality in supported content, as well as HDR10+ compatibility. For audio, the streamer supports Dolby Atmos and DTS:X. It’s powered by the Amlogic S905X5M processor — a quad-core 64-bit Cortex-A55 chip with a max frequency of 2.5GHz (25% faster than the previous generation) — and an ARM G310 V2 GPU (with a 130% performance boost over its predecessor). Storage capacity is 32 GB.
The TV Box S includes only WiFi 6, which is a bit disappointing — Xiaomi could have included a newer standard. There’s also no LAN port, which might be a problem if you're setting it up in a safe room or an area with poor wireless connectivity. It supports screen mirroring from smartphones, tablets, or laptops via Chromecast, so you can cast apps like Netflix, YouTube, and more.
Remote Control: Shortcut Buttons for Netflix and YouTube
The remote connects via Bluetooth, so you can control the streamer even if you're not pointing directly at it. It has a long design, with a central circular navigation pad and prominent white shortcut buttons for Netflix, YouTube, Prime Video, and the app menu. There’s also a home button to return to the main screen, a back button, and one for Xiaomi’s streaming service. Additionally, a dedicated Google Assistant button allows for voice commands via the built-in microphone.
Price: NIS 330 (Official importer: Hamilton)
Bottom Line:
Xiaomi’s third-generation streamer comes in a sleek, slim design, offering access to a huge range of apps and faster processing power than its predecessor. If your TV doesn’t come with Google TV or an OS that supports the streaming services you need, this device will do the job nicely.