Tronfy MXQ review: Quad-Core Android TV box for your HTPC

If I told you that you can get an HD capable Android TV box, with HDMI, AV and even OTG outputs and cables, with power adapter included, with Miracast support, and even with its own remote, for less than 50 bucks, you might possibly think I'm crazy. However, I have double-checked, and as it turns out, there's indeed a box such as this one. In this Tronfy MXQ review we take a look at this small yet amazing Android TV box, to get an idea of what it's capable of doing.

Tronfy Mxq Review Remote Included
The Tronfy Mxq Includes A Useful Remote.

With Quad-Core CPU and GPU, paired with its 1GB RAM -which is kind of low, but still enough for all practical purposes-, this box is capable of outputting 1080p to any TV you might own. When I say any TV, I mean the connectivity options to a display device are really comprehensive and you might find yourself using this Tronfy TV box despite of whatever TV set you own at home. Pre-installed apps such as YouTube or XBMC/Kodi, make it a breeze to start watching content right away on your TV, and of course, the included remote makes things easier to enjoy from your couch. If you want more responsiveness or a full QWERTY layout, you could try purchasing a keyboard and mouse combo, or even installing an app on your smartphone, such as Yatse, the XBMC/Kodi remote, which enables you to use a virtual keyboard. [Read: Review: Logitech K830 Wireless Backlit HTPC Keyboard with TouchPad]

Best Wireless HTPC and Android TV Box Keyboards:
  1. Logitech K410 Living-Room Wireless Keyboard with Built-In Touchpad - $37.75 Editors Pick
  2. Logitech Illuminated K830 HTPC Wireless Keyboard and Touchpad - $69.99
  3. iPazzPort KP-810-10AS Wireless Mini Keyboard Remote with Touch - $15.99
  4. Rii i8+ 2.4GHz Mini Wireless Keyboard with Touchpad - $22
  5. LYNEC C120Pro Mini Wireless Gyro Remote Keyboard Mouse - $13

Tronfy MXQ review: a wealth of possibilities

You can use any Android app to view content with the Tronfy TV Box, such as Kodi for Android, or even Netflix, which means anything you can do on an Android device, you can do on this Android TV box. Gaming is also a possibility with this device, and after our Tronfy MXQ review we were able to see that it indeed is a good purchase for bringing casual gaming to your living room. Its user interface is great, with clear and vibrant colors and, in particular for the case of XBMC/Kodi (which comes preinstalled) the load time is quite fast. [Read: NVIDIA SHIELD TV: An amazing option for your media center]

Tronfy Mxq Review Compact Size
The Tronfy Mxq Has A Very Compact Size.

You might find this Tronfy TV box a bit clumsy in terms of web browsing; however, if you only want it to be able to set up an HTPC, this will be a minor issue. This issue can also be largely improved upon by using any remote, other than the one provided. The range on the included remote is only 7ft, but this is expected from an Android TV box with such a low price.

Customer service is great, according to most people purchasing this product. When issues arise with the Tronfy TV box, support is given clearly and swiftly, which speaks well about the company behind this product. Regarding connectivity, this box lets you connect in several ways, whether you want to plug in peripherals via Bluetooth 4.0 or make use of Miracast. Physically the unit has ports for HDMI and AV output, 2 USB ports, microSD card slot and SPDIF output, making it possible to use this box with a wide variety of hardware and applications.

Tronfy Mxq Review Contents
The Tronfy Mxq Android Tv Box Comes With Several Cables, Remote, And Preloaded Apps.

After your Tronfy MXQ review, would you recommend this device?

There are few devices that clearly attempt to offer you the most value for your money, and that's something this Tronfy TV box is quite good at doing. Several accesories, like cables and even a remote, plus a ton of connectivity options and preinstalled applications were a pleasant surprise in this Tronfy MXQ review. If you are looking for a good HTPC Android TV box to set up on your living room, while still having some money left to purchase other things, I would recommend taking a look at this option. Since it is not a high-end device you might see some hiccups here and there, but overall, this is a pretty decent TV box for an amazing price, worthy of being in the spotlight of your HTPC setup.

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Alejandro

Alejandro is an electrical engineer, working as a software developer and part-time writer. He has a passion for technology, languages and games, and has been around the web since 2004.