NVIDIA's Shield TV Pro continues to be a terrific choice if you need a powerful Android TV streamer. An overwhelming majority of my TV usage over the last five years has been with the Shield TV Pro, and while the device is going strong, it is starting to show its age; there's no AV1 decode, and HDR content is buggy at times.
That's where the Mecool KM2 Plus Deluxe comes in. This streaming box runs Google TV and is based on Android 11, and it is outstanding in daily use. It has 4GB of RAM and uses a quad-core Cortex A55 platform, so it is incredibly fluid — there's no lag whatsoever. That in itself is a big deal; I used dozens of Android TV boxes over the years, and most of them tended to lag after a few weeks of use.
That isn't a problem on the KM2 Plus Deluxe. In fact, it is as good as the Shield TV Pro, has AV1 decode, and the best part is the value — the streaming box retails for $139, but it's down to just $112 for Prime Day. That's just over half as much as a brand-new Shield TV Pro, which still costs $199.
✅Recommended if: You need a powerful Google TV streaming box that can handle Dolby Vision content and has AV1 decode. While Dolby Vision was buggy initially, a software update sorted out that issue, and the affordability makes it an easy recommendation.
❌Skip this deal if: You need DTS-HD audio, and don't like the Google TV interface.
As it runs standard Google TV, you get full access to the Play Store, and there's Netflix pre-installed. I didn't run into any issues while streaming HDR content in Netflix — it has AV1 decode — and while Dolby Vision was missing when I set up the box at the start of the year, that was resolved via a software update, and there are no problems in this area now.
You get a good selection of ports as well; there's an HDMI port along with dual USB-A ports and MicroSD card slot, and Ethernet, 3.5mm out, and optical connectivity. The main reason to pick up the Google TV box is the value; coming in at $112, it is one of the best streaming solutions at this category, and the deal makes it an enticing choice.
