Nokia recently launched its own media streaming device competing with the likes of Amazon’s Fire TV Stick as well as Xiaomi’s Mi TV Stick and Mi Box 4K. Priced at Rs 3,499 the new streaming box from Nokia isn’t the most affordable option, but unlike the Fire TV stick, it runs on Android TV which means that you have access to a variety of apps. Having said that, the Mi Box 4K is an exceptional product and in our opinion the best streaming device that you should get today. But how does Nokia’s new offering compare to this, and does it make sense to buy one?
Nokia Media Streamer
Nokia launched the device exclusively in India in partnership with leading e-commerce platform Flipkart. The Nokia Media Streamer has been priced at Rs 3,499 and comes with Android TV 9.0. It offers an output of Full-HD 1920 x 1080 pixel-screen resolution and under the hood, the device packs a quad-core processor coupled with 1GB of RAM and 8GB of onboard storage.
According to the company, customers can expect zero flickers, lags, or blurs while viewing content. Like most Android TV-based devices, the Nokia Media Streamer comes with a voice-controlled remote with Google Assistant along with built-in Chromecast that also allows users to cast their mobile phone screens onto their TV. On the audio front, the Nokia Media Streamer has support for Dolby Audio and offers several sound enhancement features as well. The bundled remote comes with dedicated Netflix and Zee5 buttons, which means that they should be pre-installed on the device.
Mi Box 4K
The Mi Box 4K is a similar device that can convert your regular TV into a smart TV. However, unlike Nokia’s Android TV box, this one offers 4K resolution. The box is powered by a quad-core Amlogic processor, and there is 2GB of RAM and 8GB of internal storage. It supports 4K streaming as well as HDR10 format which means you can enjoy high-quality content from supported apps including Netflix and Amazon Prime Video. Other than that, there is support for Dolby audio as well. Of course, this is an Android TV box so it comes with Google’s latest platform based on Android 9.0 as well as some nifty features like a data saver mode.
It comes with a single HDMI and a USB 2.0 port which lets you attach USB drives. There is also an audio out port and support for Bluetooth 4.2. The device also offers wide support for video and audio file formats so you can use it as a local media player as well. There is also Chromecast Ultra built-in so you can cast 4K content on it from any supported device.
Pricing
Xiaomi is selling the Mi Box 4K at Rs 3,499 for a limited period, while Nokia is also selling its new Media Streamer at the same price. However, we would recommend you go for the Mi Box 4K. First of all, the Nokia Media Streamer comes with a lower 1080p resolution, and while both run on the same platform, the Mi Box 4K offers more powerful hardware. Also, unlike the Mi Box 4K, Nokia’s offering doesn’t seem to offer a USB or an additional audio port. The pricing of the Mi Box 4K is expected to go up soon to Rs 4,999 so it's better that you get your hands on one before the price hike.
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