This Walmart onn. Android TV Box mini review was written by Troy from TROYPOINT after using the Android TV system on a regular basis for one week.
This streaming device was purchased at my local Walmart for only $19.88. This review is unbiased and you will see that I point out both the good and bad regarding this Android TV box.
I decided to review this device after hearing its praises by numerous cord cutters within the TROYPOINT Insider.
The Walmart onn. Android TV Box was released in June of 2021 and at that time, it was priced at $30, which is approximately $10 more than what it’s currently selling for.
Below, you will find a review that will provide you with the information that you need prior to purchasing.
You will also find a video where I show you how to supercharge the onn. Android TV Box by expanding internal storage, improve performance, add 3rd party launcher, and more.
Supercharge onn. Android TV Box Video
How to Customize Wolf Launcher
OTG Cable
Walmart onn. Android TV Box
The onn. Android TV Box comes with 2 GB or RAM and 8 GB of internal storage.
It’s important to point out that this device is running Android TV 10 and not stock Android like many of the generic boxes use.
Read about the differences between Android TV and Stock Android here
onn. Android TV Box Features at a Glance
- 4K UHD Playback
- Netflix and Google Certified, supports Netflix 4K streaming
- Android TV 10
- 8 GB Internal Storage
- 2 GB RAM Memory
- Dolby Audio
- Google Assistant
- Chromecast support
- Wi-Fi: 2.4/5GHz 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac MIMO
Streaming Experience
I spent a lot of time testing streaming on this Android TV Box.
The reason for the amount of time spent is because I’m still having a hard time believing that this thing only costs $19!
I didn’t experience any playback problems when streaming 4K content through the various applications that I tested with.
Sideloaded Apps Work
I immediately loaded the free TROYPOINT App with Rapid App Installer on the onn. Android TV Box and installed the popular free streaming apps and tools.
They all worked perfectly.
I also tested my favorite IPTV service through TiviMate and there were absolutely no problems whatsoever.
onn. Android TV Box Expandable Storage Hack
Unfortunately, out of the box, we can’t expand storage with a USB drive and OTG Cable.
But, with a few ADB commands as outlined in the video below, we can get it done!
Since the onn. Android TV Box only comes with 8 GB of internal storage, some will want to expand storage so they will never run out of space.
Again, see my video below on how to do this.
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3rd Party Launchers Work
Yes, 3rd party launchers such as Wolf Launcher work great on the onn. Android TV Box.
Many of you are looking for a Firestick replacement since Amazon shut down the ability to run custom launchers.
I’m happy to report that the Walmart onn. Android TV Box works great with 3rd party launchers in conjunction with Launcher Manager.
As of this review, you may purchase this device at most Walmart locations or through their Website.
Purchase onn. Android TV Box via Walmart Website
onn. Android TV Remote Control
The biggest complaint that I’ve seen regarding this Android TV Box is the responsiveness of the remote.
When I first turned the system on, I encountered the same problems as outlined in my First Impressions video.
Once I applied the remote control update, all of my problems disappeared.
The remote is capable of being paired with your television, soundbar, etc. and supports power on/off, volume up/down, mute, and input.
When the onn. Android TV Box first came out, there were some people purchasing this for the remote alone. They would then pair it with other Android TV Boxes.
I really like this remote control. We’re starting to see this same model on other Android TV devices which is great.
onn. Android TV Box Download / Upload Speeds
I used Analiti Speed test app for the following tests.
I have 1 GB Fiber download speed plan through my Internet Service Provider.
During the WiFi tests, I am connected to the 5Ghz band on my Asus AC3100 Router. This router resides in the same room as my onn. Android TV Box (approximately 20 feet away from wireless router).
I’m using IPVanish VPN as my VPN on Chicago Server 04 (chi-a04).
WiFi Download Speeds
VPN Off: Download = 384 Mbps & Upload = 145 Mbps
VPN On: Download = 90 Mbps & Upload = 94 Mbps
The WiFi speeds are excellent as you can see above.
Keep in mind, you only need 20 – 25 Mbps to stream 4K media.
As of this review, you may purchase this device at most Walmart locations or through their Website.
Purchase onn. Android TV Box via Walmart Website
onn. Android TV Box Specs
- CPU: Amlogic S905Y2 – 4x ARM Cortex-A53 (up to 1.8 GHz)
- RAM Memory: 2 GB
- Internal Storage: 8 GB
- Ports: microUSB & HDMI
- WiFi: 2.4/5GHz 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac MIMO Wi-Fi
- Bluetooth: 4.0
- Operating System: Android 10
- Remote Control: Google remote with TV volume/input/power controls
- Video Settings: NO image quality settings / RGB, SDR / HDMI-CEC available, see manual / Automatic refresh rate not available.
- Audio Settings: HDMI 5.1 / NO USB audio settings.
- Color and HDR: 10Bit / RGB / HDR 10+.
- Media sharing: GoogleCast YES / Miracast NO / DLNA with BlubblePnP / Airplay NO.
What’s In the Box
- 1 UHD TV Streaming Device
- 1 Remote control (batteries included)
- 1 3.28 ft HDMI cable
- 1 AC adapter with 3.28 ft cable
- 1 Quick Start Guide
What I Like
- Low price
- Plays 4K video smoothly
- Supports Neflix at full resolution
- Supports Amazon Prime Video at full resolution
- Android TV 10
- Supports side-loading apps
- Fast download/upload speeds
- Works with 3rd party launchers
- Can connect external accessories with OTG cable
- Can expand internal storage with hack shows in video below
- Small form factor, perfect for hiding behind TVs or taking on the road
What I Dislike
- Doesn’t support expandable storage but hack shown in video below does work
- No USB port
- No Dolby Vision
- No Dolby Atmos
- No AV1 support
- No WiFi 6 support
- Small 8 GB internal storage
Final Thoughts on the Walmart onn. Android TV Box
This is the perfect streaming device for secondary televisions within the home.
What I mean by this is that the onn. Android TV Box is no NVIDIA Shield but it’s good enough for most TVs that I use in my house. I currently use an NVIDIA SHIELD TV Pro on our primary TV in our family room. I do this because I want to take advantage of the up-scaling and additional audio/video formats that it provides.
But, I don’t run an NVIDIA SHIELD on every television within my home as that would be expensive and overkill in my opinion.
The onn. Android TV Box is perfect for those who want a great streaming experience at an incredibly low price.
Many of you don’t give a rip about video / audio formats and if you’re one of those people, this is perfect for you.
When I released my First Impressions Video, I was extremely skeptical. Things started out a bit rough but once I applied the remote control update, everything quickly improved.
I personally like Android TV better than Fire OS found on the Fire TV Stick and Fire TV Cube. Also, Android TV allows us to run 3rd party launchers such as Wolf Launcher and Amazon has cut us off from using those.
During my heavy use while testing, the unit never felt too hot which is a common problem often found on these cheaper Android TV Boxes.
Due to the price decrease for this box, it would lead me to believe that onn. will be discontinuing it soon. I hope that they release a new version with better specs and additional video / audio formats that are currently missing.
The Fire TV Stick is currently the most popular streaming device but that could quickly change if onn. addresses some of the shortcomings covered in this review.
As of this review, you may purchase this device at most Walmart locations or through their Website.
Purchase onn. Android TV Box via Walmart Website
I rate the onn. Android TV Box 3.8 stars out of 5
Related
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