Mecool is an interesting brand that specializes in Android TV devices. You may not know the company by name, but its lineup is pretty solid. You can snag a decent Android TV machine for under $100 to compete with the likes of Amazon’s Fire TV series and any Roku device. I’ve been testing the KM7 Plus edition for a few weeks and Mecool has another good option with this Google TV set-top box.
Design
All this Android fun is crammed into a completely square plastic case that’s about the size of two decks of playing cards set side-by-side. I’m a sucker for a panda color scheme and the black and white combo really sets the Mecool KM7 Plus apart from other Android TV options.
The front is flanked by an LED array showing the power and connectivity statuses. The left houses expansion slots for two full USB-A ports and an SD slot. The right side is void of options and the rest of the ports are found on the back. Here you’ll find the Ethernet, power, HDMI, 3.5mm audio, and optical audio jacks.
Another positive is the Mecool remote included with the KM7 Plus. It follows the new Google reference remote design and is one of the better remotes you’ll use on any streaming modern box. The keys are intuitive and options add to the experience well. It also includes IRC capabilities for adding full power and volume support to most TVs and soundbars.
Performance
The internals of 2GB RAM and 16GB of EMMC storage paired with an Amlogic S905Y4 Quad-Core A35 CPU. This combination isn’t cutting-edge, but it makes for more than workable hardware for Android TV performance. Add in the multiple ways to expand the storage and you have one of the better hardware combinations you can find for Google’s big-screen operating system.
Software
Speaking of… the Mecool KM7 Plus runs Google TV. I love to see this updated 2023 model carrying Google TV instead of settling on Android TV. There’s not much difference cosmetically between the two software stacks but providing the newer version of Google’s streaming system comes with better performance and longer updates.
One key point to make note is that Mecool has had all your major streaming apps certified. Netflix and Amazon Prime in particular are notorious for limiting certain machines from having these services available. Thankfully, the KM7 has both onboard with full 4K playback enabled if installed.
Conclusion
Mecool has quite an array of Android TV products for users to choose from and the new KM7 Plus slide into the lineup as one of the top options. The Android TV experience and ample expansion options for storage and peripherals make it more than compelling. Add in Google TV instead of the older Android TV 11, and you may want to add this box to your living room.
The final selling point of any device is price. The Mecool KM7 Plus will set you back $79. While that’s $30 more than the Chromecast with Google TV, I can personally tell you that you will immediately hate the lack of expansion that another option has. With the USB and SD card support of the KM7 Plus, you can future-proof your storage and possibly avoid the Chromecast’s biggest shortcoming.
Purchase the Mecool KM7 Plus with Google TV: Get 15% off with code 7PLUS
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