REVIEW: Beelink GTmini-A with Android TV and S905X2

PRODUCT DETAILS

Description

The Beelink GTmini-A model is presented in a small cardboard box, inside we have the TV-Box, Flymouse control with microphone, HDMI 2.0 cable, small first steps manual and 5V 2A power adapter. The Fly Mouse RF remote with microphone works by means of a USB adapter that we must connect to our TV-Box.

• Remote Control: The default Flymouse RF control with integrated microphone, basic but functional. We can choose other alternatives.
• Voice control: By default we can use Google Assistant to perform searches by pressing the microphone button.
• Alternate control: We can control remotely using the app  Cetusplay / Don’t have its own remote control app.

The TV-Box Beelink GTmini-A has a classic design, the tiny black box only has the logo of the brand in relief at the top. On the front we only have a small discrete white LED and on the perimeter we have all the connectors, the USB 3.0 port that is new in this SoC, we also have HDMI 2.1 connector up to 4K@75fps, AV jack, another USB 2.0, microSD reader and indicated with a red circle the power connector. In the lower red area we have a hole for the update button of your firmware if necessary.

• Materials and measures: Plastic / 3 x 3 x 0.7 inch (77 x 77 x 17 mm) / 4.2 oz (120 gr)
• Package contents: Manual / Adapter DC 5V 2A / HDMI cable / RF Flymouse remote with microphone (2x AAA batteries not included).
• Interfaces: HDMI 2.1 4K@75fps / AV Jack 3.5mm / Jack AV / 1x USB 2.0 / 1x USB 3.0 / MicroSD / Reset.
• Leds and panel: White LED

When opening the TV-Box we can see the Wifi ac chip that integrates Bluetooth 4.1 in this case an AP6255, has a single metal antenna welded to the motherboard. The cooling system consists of a metal encapsulation and a thermal silicone gasket that comes into contact with a metal plate on the top cover of the TV-Box. We can also see an IR receiver that is functional but is not compatible with the default remote control.

SYSTEM AND PERFORMANCE

Environment and Android system

We connect the Beelink GTmini-A to the current, the TV-Box starts automatically with an animation and the front white led lights up. The installer system by default is Android TV 8.1, an Android version focused on its use on television screen and use with remote control that has its advantages and disadvantages. The performance is very good and the system moves very fluid, it shows much more powerful hardware than a Xiaomi Mi Box S for example. If you want this TV-Box for play games go for the 4GB model, otherwise you can choose the 2GB model.

• Launcher: Android TV 8.1 Launcher / We can’t change the default launcher / Android UI rendering at 1080p.
• Multitasking and access: Android TV notification system / Multitasking available directly in 2x Home control.
• Installed apps: Google play, Netflix, Update, AppInstaller, Youtube, File Manager, DLNA and Settings.
• Languages: All the international Android classics.
• On/Off Controls: If we keep press the power button we have reset and power off option / Configurable in settings.

We check the system data within the Android settings and through analysis software, we can see the details of the system installed by default, in this case in Android TV 8.1 with support for 32bit apps only.

• System version: Android TV 8.1 (32 bit) / Kernel 4.9.76 / Build 2019-04-16 (114N0) / Reference U211.
• App store: Google Play with all the apps available for the Android system.
• Settings and root: Android + Droid Settings / The system IS root by default / NO menu to deactivate it in settings (will be updated).
• Support: Beelink has a website to contact / Firmware not yet / Custom firmware no yet

Power and performance

At power level the Beelink GTmini-A has very good results in the line of the new Amlogic S905X2 Quad Core SoC with ARM Cortex-A53 processors and Mali-G31 MP2 GPU in a very good position. This new SoC made in 12nm offers us a good efficiency, the temperatures do not reach a worrying figures at any time and in normal use it behaves without problems in any task.

• Consumption: Off 0.8W / Standby 2W / Basic use 3W / Maximum 3.5W
• Thermals: Minimum 45ºC / Maximum 71ºC / Maintains performance up to 100% / Small heat zone on the top / Noise 0db
• You can read our Comparison article for Amlogic S905X2 SoC with all its technical details

Observing the benchmarks we can see how the Amlogic S905X2 SoC is almost on par with the most powerful Amlogic last generation SoC the S912. In general the results are below that a powerful SoC like the Rockchip RK3399 that already has ARM Cortex-A73 cores, but some results are in the line of this processor. A valid processor to run games and emulators at a good level without reaching the top of the sector.

In the following you can see a test of how PUBG moves in medium settings with the Beelink GTmini-A, the result is good and we can move without problems. We recommend reading our tutorial to play with keyboard and mouse to PUBG in a TV-Box.

• Games and emulators: IS possible to play demanding titles such as PUBG / Emulators up to Wii / NO Vulkan support.
• Controls: Compatible with Gamepads by cable or bluetooth.

Network, storage, RAM and ports

In the Beelink GTmini-A model we have integrated eMMC memory as internal storage, USB 3.0 ports and SD card reader. In the network section we have a Wifi ac 2.4/5GHz and Bluetooth 4.1 (AP6255) and Ethernet Gigabit port. The performance of the Wifi chip is good and we arrive at correct figures for this type of adapter.

• Storage: Total 64GB expandable with a USB memory stick / NTFS + exFAT compatible.
• RAM: Total 4GB – Free 3GB / DDR4.
• Network: Good speed in 5G with one wifi antenna / Range 27 dBm, correct. / Bluetooth works OK.
• We recommend reading our Tutorial SAMBA on Android networks if we are going to use files from our network PC.

VIDEO AND AUDIO TEST

Video playback test

In the video playback section the Beelink GTmini-A features the S905X2 SoC and an Amlogic TruLife Gen8 VPU compatible with most modern video formats such as h.265 and VP9. In this TV-Box we can use players like MX Player or install KODI from Google Play without the slightest problem, the system comes by default without any multimedia player but we can install KODI that works without problems.

• Settings and HDMI-CEC: NO image quality settings / RGB and SDR modes available / HDMI-CEC works
• Automatic refresh rate change: Not available.
• Media sharing: Chromecast NO / Miracast NO / DLNA with BlubblePnP / Airplay NO.
• LibreELEC: This model is NOT compatible with LibreELEC.
• Tutorials: Judder effect and how to avoid it / Multi-channel audio guide / Correct dark screen when playing video on Android.

We perform several multimedia playback tests with the Beelink GTmini-A and check that it works perfectly using the new Amlogic S922X SoC, which has video output support for HDMI 2.1 that theoretically allows maximum resolution up to 4K@75fps with HDR information with  support for Dolby Vision.

• Performance: HEVC 10 bit HDR OK / VP9 P2 OK / 8K no compatible / 1080i with frameskips.
• Ports: HDMI 2.1 4K@75fps / Jack audio stereo
• Max. bitrate: 100 Mbps = 12,5 MB/s.
• Tutorials: Install Addons in KODI in a simple way / LibreELEC installation guide for the TV-Boxes with Android

Video results

• You can see more details in the article Video decoding tests with Amlogic S905X2 SoC.
• The maximum bitrate depends on the port used to connect or the limitations of SAMBA Networks.

Audio playback test

We check the audio in the Beelink GTmini-A using a Yamaha AV receiver we check that they supports DD and DTS pass through sound. We can only listen to the multi-channel audio up to 5.1. If we do not have an AV receiver to listen the files with AC3 or multichannel sound we must configure the system to listen to configure the system to listen to multichannel AC3 videos in stereo on any TV.

• Ports: HDMI up to 5.1 / Stereo Jack
• Passthrough and certification: Available in settings / NO official certificates / NO Chromecast audio.
• Tutorial:  Multi channel audio configuration in Android devices

Audio test results

• PCM – Stereo only doing downmix from DD or DTS
• Core – Only the core of the format is played back with what we passed to the Dolby / DTS base system
  * Our AV receiver does not support these native formats but we verify that it is played back to 7.1

Streaming services

We pass the classic tests on streaming services to see how the most popular services work. The Beelink GT1-A presents an unusual configuration since we are certified with both Google Widevine L1 and Microsoft Playready, in addition to support HDCP 2.2. As we can see Netflix works in 4K quality through some ingenious trick but unfortunately HBO don’t work and Amazon Prime Video work only with the Android Mobile apk and the playback controls are not the best, Beelink are checking these apps to see if they have a solution.

• DRM: Google Widevine L1 / Microsoft Playready / HDCP 2.2.
• Certification: No
• Tutorial: Change the size of the captions and the mouse pointer on Android / Install Addons in KODI in a simple way

CONCLUSIONS

Score

Opinion

The new model of TV-Box Beelink GTmini-A is without a doubt a very interesting variant of the previous GT-mini with S905X2 SoC but with DRM certificates and with the possibility of being able to watch in 4K Netflix and Youtube quality. A compact but interesting model since it has a USB 3.0 connector, visual improvements in video playback and a very controlled consumption for its power. At the network level, the Wifi ac Dual Band adapter that gives us good figures and the Gigabit Ethernet port speed allows us to use network files without any problems of local bandwidth.

The small Beelink GTmini-A has on its motherboard with 4GB of DDR4 RAM, which allow us to load several apps from the internal memory and switch between them from the remote with the double click on the Home button. This TV-Box with Android TV 8 allows us to handle it in a very comfortable way on our TV with the Flymouse remote to which we can give orders with the microphone through Google Assistant. It also behaves well as a video player, for example with KODI or for powerful games and all kinds of apps within the Android store.

This TV-Box is compact and powerful, a perfectly valid model for users looking to play Netflix and Youtube 4K at a reasonable price, it also has by default a flymouse remote with microphone for a very easy-to-use .

WHERE TO BUY AND ADD-ONS

Add-ons

Beelink GTmini-A _

0.00

8.5

DESIGN AND CONNECTIVITY

8.5/10

HARDWARE

9.0/10

SOFTWARE

8.0/10

SUPPORT

8.0/10

PRICE/QUALITY

9.0/10

Pros

• Wifi ac and Ethernet Gigabit
• Compact and nice
• Fast Android TV 8
• Flymouse with microphone
• Youtube 4K

Cons

• Not all DRM permissions can be used