Xiaomi Mi TV Stick seems to be getting a refresh w/ a bit more Android TV horsepower

Ben Schoon | Sep 28 2021 - 10:50 am PT

Android TV lagged behind when it came to streaming sticks for years, but 2020 finally saw the first options debut. The most notable early adopter was the Xiaomi Mi TV Stick, and now the product seems to be getting a 2021 refresh.

This upcoming 2021 version of the Xiaomi Mi TV Stick just passed through the FCC with similar overall hardware, but a few key tweaks. Visibly, the new streaming stick adopts the new Xiaomi logo and passes along the same revision to its included remote, which, from the looks of it, is using roughly the same design as before. The streaming stick itself is also just a tad bigger than the model it’s replacing.

In testing photos, the FCC also confirms that this product will be running the standard Android TV platform, not the newer Google TV that’s seen on Chromecast and other products. It’s not immediately apparent if the new device is using microUSB or USB-C for power.

However, it is confirmed that a SoC change has occurred with this refresh. Xiaomi has upgraded the Mi TV Stick to the Amlogic S905Y4 for this 2021 release, a chip that supports 4K HDR and the AV1 standard. This would mean the new Mi TV Stick will have slightly more raw power than the Chromecast with Google TV.