Ugoos AM6 Review: Powerful And Fast Android TV Box

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Ugoos AM6 Review

The AM6 Android TV box is compact, portable, and can be placed next to your TV set. It includes a power adapter, an HDMI cable, a USB cable, and a USB adapter. It serves your internet and television needs, allowing you to enjoy online activities and viewing using a single gadget.

There are a lot of choices when it comes to Android TV boxes. Ugoos Industrial  Co., Ltd. specializes in designing, R&D, manufacturing, and marketing Android HD Media Players with a self-owned factory in Shenzhen, China. The company is mainly focused on RockChip and Amlogic SoC solutions and was the first company on the market to create Dual-core and Quad-core TV dongles.

Jumping to their newest AM6 model, based on Amlogic S922X, you will find significant hardware improvements such as a powerful Hexa Core (6) CPU and a six-cores Mali G52 GPU you will significantly boost your streaming and gaming experience.

A few other new hardware enhancements worth mentioning are the fast Gigabit Ethernet Port, Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity support, and the dual WiFi connectivity that comes with a pair of external antennas; with them, you can theoretically reach transfer speeds up to 867Mbps.

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Ugoos AM6 Android TV Box | Case Colors

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Ugoos AM6 Android TV Box | Full view

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Specifications

• Android 9.0 operation system
• Color: Black, Blue (Other colors are optional).
• CPU – Amlogic S922X, Quad core, ARM Cortex-A73, 1.8GHz + Dual-core ARM Cortex A53 1.7GHz.
• GPU – ARM Mali-G52 MP6 ( 6ppc )
• RAM – 2GB LPDDR4 RAM (4Gb optional for OEM orders)
• 16GB EMMC ROM (8GB/32Gb/64Gb optional for OEM orders)
• Support H.265 decoding
• Support 4K ultra-high definition
• Power Supply – 12V/2A via DC power barrel jack
• External storage – 1x USB 3.0 OTG/Host port, 3x USB 2.0 ports , TF Card x1
• Internal Storage: 16GB eMMC (8GB/32Gb/64Gb optional for OEM orders).
• HDMI – HDMI 2.1 Type-A 4Kx2K@60fps max resolution
• Video Output:  Built-in HDMI 2.1 transmitter including both controller and PHY with CEC, Dynamic HDR, and HDCP 2.2, 4Kx2K@60 max resolution.
• AV output – AUX+CVBS 480i/576i
• IR receiver Included – Yes
• SPDIF Support – Yes

Connectivity:

• Support Bluetooth 5.0
• 2.4GHz + 5GHz dual-band WiFi, IEEE 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac and 2×2 MIMO
• 1000M Ethernet Integrated IEEE 802.3 10/100/1000M Ethernet MAC with
• Dual-band WiFi: 2.4G+5G the wireless module complies with IEEE 802.11 and can achieve up to a speed of 867Mbps.
• External Antennas – x2 WiFi Antennas

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Package

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Unboxing

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Package Contents

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Items inside the package:

• 1x Ugoos AM6 Box
• 2x External Wifi Antennas
• 1x HDMI Cable
• 1x IR Remote Control
• 1x DC 12V/2A Power Adapter
• 1x User Guide

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Design

With a size of just (L x W x H): 11.5 x 11.5 x 2.3 cm with an aluminum material-made case and a weight of ~298gr, the Ugoos AM6 case delivers top-notch build quality. You can find the Ugoos brand name print on the upper cover of the issue. The LED operation indicator light is located inside one of the brand “O”  letters giving it a nice design touch and changing colors according to different operating modes. For example, the blue color switches on sleep power-saving mode, the rose/pink for normal operation mode, and the purple color indicate the device is under a booting process.

As for cooling. The case shell, excluding the on/off button made from plastic, is entirely made from aluminum alloy material, most likely manufactured in the CNC machining process. Venting/cooling slots were also added at the bottom and the left side of the case. Overall, my impression of building quality was excellent.

Ugoos AM6 Weighting (Excluding External Antennas)

Ugoos AM6 TV Box | Full view

First-time Operation

The operation of the Ugoos AM6 was straightforward. To turn the unit on, use the simple IR Remote control provided with the package or the power button next to the external WiFi antennas. The remote control design was good and very young regarding color usage and button layout design.

As with most TV boxes, the default provided remote is essential and offers minimal functionality, especially in cursor navigation mode, where it’s prolonged and not very responsive. To use and operate this product effectively, you will need to buy a wireless keyboard, preferably with a Touchpad. You can check the excellent Rii i4 mini wireless keyboard with a good responsive small-size Touchpad that will not burn a hole in your pocket.

Hardware

The Ugoos AM6 comes in two main variations (editions). The standard edition is equipped with 2GB RAM, mainly designed for the end-user consumer, and a more high-level model with 4GB RAM (64-bit) for special OEM orders. Both editions are powered with the same snappy Amlogic S922X processor with six cores (Hexa).  The processor incorporates two CPU clusters.

The first cluster incorporates a quad-core (4) ARM Cortex-A73 cores capable of operating frequencies up to 1.7 GHz, along with a secondary dual-core ARM Cortex-A53 cluster that can run at clock speeds up to 1.8GHz. According to ADIA64 Hardware information, the quad-core clusters are overlooked to a higher frequency (2.2GHz) and the secondary to 1.8GHz. Those settings were probably adjusted to “squeeze” some extra performance.

AIDA64 Hardware Information

Ugoos AM6 PCB

System (Software)

Running under the latest Android 9.0 Operating system, the Ugoos AM6 comes with a clean app-free ROM with the default Android UI, except for a few standard pre-installed apps, including the google play store service.

Suppose you are a user seeking a more attractive interface with a better user experience. In that case, you can try an unofficial customized ROM based on Android 9.0 OS, developed by a software guy named sasvlad which offers an Android TV interface that can be downloaded through the freaktab.com forum.

According to Ugoos, a team of independent software developers is also working on making new OS images for Armbain, LibreElec, CoreElec, and perhaps more.

Unique Features List:

Additional unique features integrated inside the Ugoos AM6 firmware can be found under the ‘Ugoos settings’ option:

1. ROOT – One-Click Installation for gaining instant root access.
2. Automatic/manual frame rate adjustment.
3. Device keys Remapping – Let your map and set up key functionality for different controls (vendors/manufacturers).
4. File Server/client functionality.

Remote Control

The Ugoos M6 has a generic remote control unit suitable for basic operations such as navigating, powering, or turning off the device.

Ugoos AM6 IR Remote Control

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AM6 Box + Remote Control:

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Connectivity

In the video streaming arena, you are pretty much covered. The Ugoos AM6 package includes a pair of external WiFi antennas. Capable of connecting to dual-band broadband routers that support 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz channels. In my test, placing my Huawei P20 handset close to the box and testing connection speed, I received similar transfer speeds of ~70 Mbps, indicating everything was working correctly.

Ethernet (LAN) connectivity was also performed with zero problems. With a standard 200Mbps connection, I could reach up to speeds of 130-150Mbps.

Huawei P20 Next to The Ugoos AM6

Connection Information

 

Connection Information:

• SSD: OpenWrt
• Encryption: WPA/WPA2
• Frequency: 5180 (5210) MHz
• WiFi strength: -59 dBm
• Distance: ~5 meter
• WiFi Speed: 292 Mbps
• Channel 36 (42)

 Ugoos AM6 + WiFi Antennas

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Performance

Based on the AnTuTu Benchmark test result, the Ugoos AM6 hardware performance compared to Xiaomi’s Mi S Box is approximately %25 faster with an AnTuTu score of 130236 compared to Xiaomi Mi Box, which ranks 31669.

AnTuTu Benchmark 7.3.1 Results

CPDT Benchmark Testing

Tested Storage Media:

1. Kingsoft DT50 32GB.
2. 16GB eMMC (Internal Storage).
3. SanDisk Ultra 16GB (Class 10).

• Test Software: CPDT (Cross Platform Disk Test).
• Tested File Size: 1GB.

Test Results

Interface Name	Interface	Storage Media	Sequential Read (MB/s)	Random write (Kb/s)	Random Read (MB/s)
USB.2	#4	Kingsoft DT50 32GB	19.08	19.08	2.76
TF Card Slot	#3	SanDisk Ultra 16GB	19.38	750.58	5.06
Internal Storage	#2	16GB eMMC	114.62	2.89	14.72
USB.3	#1	Kingsoft DT50 32GB	48.72	4.24	2.88

Video playback and streaming

General experience playing UHD videos with Kodi “Leia” 18.3 (32-bit) was excellent. Kodi utilized about 50-52% of 2GB of RAM.

Kodi “Leia” 18.3

Video Playback Performance Testing (Kodi)

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Test Conditions:

• Storage: Kingston 32GB DT50 (System: NTFS)
• Interface: SATA 3.0
• Software: Kodi “Leia” 18.3

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Netflix Support

Netflix compatibility is a subject rarely discussed in tv box reviews. You will be able to install and use Netflix without issues. Because this product is not officially listed as a certified Netflix device, it will most likely not play in UHD resolution if you are a Netflix premium plan subscriber. Having said that, most of the content on the Netflix platform is not UHD. Therefore, it’s not a big issue but still important to mention.

Netflix running on the Ugoos AM6

                                      Ugoos AM6 vs. Xiaomi Mi Box S – Hardware Comparison 

Brand	Ugoos AM6 (Basic Model)	Xiaomi Mi Box S
OS	Android 9.0	Android 8.1
CPU	Amlogic S922X	Amlogic S905X
GPU	ARM MaliTM-G52 MP6	Mali-450
Memory	2GB DDR4	2GB DDR3
Case Material	All Metal	Plastic
Ethernet	Gigabit Ethernet	None
External Antennas	Yes	No
Storage:	16GB eMMC	8GB eMMC
HDMI	HDMI 2.1	HDMI 2.0A
video resolution	maximum 4K with 60 FPS	maximum 4K with 60 FPS
Bluetooth	Bluetooth 5.0	Bluetooth 4.2
802.11a/b/g/n/ac 2.4GHz/5GHz	Yes	Yes
External USB Storage	x1 USB HOST 3.0 x3 USB HOST 2.0	x1 USB HOST 2.0

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Final verdict

Ugoos AM6 is a great Set-Top Box with excellent design and above-average software support. The small essential features, such as the one-click root function and Linux images, distinguish it from other tv box brands, so we highly recommend buying it!

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Price and Availability

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