One of the most popular TV boxes at this time was not mentioned here on MiniPCDB at all - and it's time to correct that.

The company behind this device needs no introduction, they are involved in all types of consumer-grade electronics, from powerbanks and drones to high-end TV's and electric scooters - they all have in common a good design, with high quality at moderate prices.
If you thought about Xiami, you're right - but then again, it's not like the name wasn't in the article's title :-)
As said before, Xiaomi is a huge company, involved in all sorts of things, and one of the most innovative non-US companies - Just think about their Mi Mix flagship smartphone, which was launched last year and will be pretty much the standard for many high-end phones launched this year.

Xiaomi Mi Box Mini PC full specs

• CPU: Amlogic S905X, Quad Core, 64-bit
• GPU: ARM Mali-450 (penta-core)
• RAM: 2GB DDR3
• ROM: 8GB
• OS: Android 6.0
• HDMI: 2.0
• Wi-fi: 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac
• USB: 1 X USB 2.0
• Other: Bluetooth 4.1 (BLE),voice-enabled airmouse

Xiaomi Mi Box unboxing

We already know that the keyword for the Mi Box design is "minimalistic" - so it makes sense that the box the device comes with to be minimalistic as well.
The box just has the "MI" logo on top and the only clue about what's in the box is a sticker on the bottom, which has the product and model name (MDZ-16-AB), along with the serial number and a short list of specs.
It also has the Netflix logo - we'll see why in the next article (Xiaomi Mi Box review) - and the Youtube Logo as well.

As we open the box we find the actual Mi Box device - as small as I imagined, but a bit heavier tha expected - most likely due to the heatsink Xiaomi installed.
Of, if you're curious about the black thingie on the left - it's a thin layer of protecting foam meant to keep the device scratch free during transit.
Not that the product would be easy to scratch, the device has a high-quality plastic exterior that's not looks and feels premium - and unlike most other TV boxes it's not easy to add prints to.

What's in the box

The device comes with a power adapter (mine was US), small Mi-branded HDMI cable, the voice-enabled airmouse and quick start guides (in English and Chinese).

Xiaomi Mi Box look

Mi Box itself only has a small embossed "Mi" logo on top ; there are no ports on either left nor right side, the ony ports are on the back : the DC-in (power adapter has 5.2V/2.1A),a single USB 2.0 port, the HDMI 2.0 port and one audio port.
I'm all for minimalistic design, but an ethernet and an USB 3.0 port might have proven useful - I'm pretty sure we'll find these (perhaps through an USB type-C port) on the Mi Box 2 device later down the line.

As you can see, Xiaomi kept the connectivity options to a bare minimum on their Mi Box - and the airmouse has the same minimalistic design, with just a few buttons.

I'd like to say "Thanks" to GearBest for sending the Xiaomi Mi Box sample (MDZ-16-AB) to review.
If you like this device you can find it on their website.

Where to buy? Xiaomi Mi Box is available at GearBest for $84.99.
I'm pretty sure we'll have a coupon soon, so one more reason to come back to Mini PC DB .

Full review for the Mi Box device will follow soon.