Exploring the Ugoos AM8: A Game-Changing Android TV Box
Hey there, TV Box enthusiasts! Welcome back to TV Box Stop. Today, I've got some exciting news for you. Ugoos has just unleashed a powerhouse with their latest release, the Ugoos AM8, powered by the cutting-edge Amlogic S928X penta-core hardware. You won't believe the incredible features packed into this model, and I can't wait to share them all with you. So, without further ado, let's dive right into it.
In the box, you'll find:
- The Ugoos AM8 model itself.
- A Ugoos Bluetooth air mouse voice remote.
- A high-quality HDMI cable.
- A 12V 1.6A 20W DC power supply.
- A braided USB Type-C to USB Type-C cable for power supply.
- Dual antennas.
- A user manual.
Design-wise, Ugoos has maintained their signature metal housing, complete with an LED indicator at the top, right at the center of the Ugoos logo. The I/O ports include a USB Type-C port for power, HDMI 2.1, USB Type-C OTG, Gigabit LAN, optical audio, auxiliary, 3 USB 3.0 ports, and a microSD card reader. The dual antennas are cleverly positioned for optimal signal strength. The front features a single IR sensor, while the base has antiskid rubber feet, recovery, maskrom buttons, and ventilation holes. Inside, you'll find a massive 3½ inch heavy-duty heatsink, optimized for cooling, and the onboard memory is powered by a CR2032 lithium coin cell battery. This particular model comes with 4GB of RAM and 32GB of internal storage.
Upon startup, you'll be greeted with the standard Ugoos animation, followed by the option to choose between two launchers. Launcher 3, which I'll be using for this review, is designed to be navigated with an air mouse remote or a PC mouse, featuring long-click menu pop-ups, drag-and-drop shortcuts, and a navigation bar with access to recent apps and system controls. Under the "About" section, you'll find that it runs on Android 11, giving you access to developer options by tapping rapidly on the build info.
Now, let's talk about the unique firmware features that set Ugoos apart from the competition:
- 4K 2160p@60 Hz display (8K at 30 Hz maximum).
- Dolby Vision display feature, including options for HDR policy and color mode.
- Enhanced HDR to SDR feature.
- Frame buffer size adjustment for sharper UI.
- Display orientation options, including portrait, reverse portrait, and reverse landscape.
- Option to force orientation.
- UI font size and density adjustments.
- Auto framerate switching for better audio-video sync.
- Audio options for HDMI and optical audio, along with surround sound audio choices.
- HDMI CEC options.
- Button manager for keymapping.
- Mouse pointer options for UI navigation and touchscreen functionality for touchscreen games.
- USB control features, including speed control, sleep mode, and USB file transfer.
- Panels and interface customization options.
- Voice input application selection.
- UI animation speed adjustment.
- Power LED behavior control.
- Power key definition, sleep timer, and CPU scale governor settings.
- Client and Samba server features for network setup.
- Root switch via the Magisk application.
- Support for 54 languages.
- Access to default core Android settings.
Now, let's delve into the hardware specs of the Ugoos AM8. This particular model boasts 4GB of LPDDR4 RAM and 32GB of internal storage, with a Pro model soon to be released featuring 4GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage. Its Bluetooth version is 5.3 BLE, making it compatible with Smart home devices and wearables. The CPU is the Amlogic S928X-J 12nm processor, featuring a penta-core setup with a quad-core cortex A55 running at 2.0 GHz and a single-core cortex A76 clocked at 1.8 GHz. The GPU is the ARM Mali G57 7nm dual-core processor, perfect for gaming with support for Vulkan 1.1 and Open GL ES 3.2.
For network connectivity, it has the AP6276P (Wi-Fi 6) dual-band adapter, supporting 2.4GHz, 5GHz, and 5.850GHz frequencies. The AM8 runs on Android 11, providing access to the Google Play Store, although it's limited to 32-bit apps and games. Streaming enthusiasts should be aware that it lacks the necessary digital rights to run Netflix and similar services in HD or 4K. The DRM info shows it only has Google Widevine security level 3, which restricts streaming to 480p.
If you desire root access, it's easily attainable through the Magisk application. Wireless screen mirroring using the Airscreen app works seamlessly. YouTube fans will appreciate the ability to watch videos in up to 4K 2160p@60 Hz with HDR support. The most groundbreaking feature, however, is the support for Dolby Vision on self-hosted videos and streaming applications. Ugoos has made this long-awaited dream a reality, allowing users to enjoy Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos simultaneously. The AM8 also excels in surround sound audio, supporting formats like Dolby Atmos, Dolby Digital+, Dolby Surround, Dolby TrueHD, DTS HD Master Audio, and DTS-X.
To test its thermal performance, the AM8 impressively maintains low temperatures even during gaming. Its massive heatsink effectively keeps the chipset cool, with temperatures staying below 65°C. However, some games and benchmark tests may experience random crashes or frame rate and resolution switches, even with auto frame rate switching turned off.
In terms of benchmarks, the AM8 scores impressively across the board. Its RAM copy speed reaches 17,802 MB/s, while internal storage boasts read speeds of 203 MB/s and write speeds of 71 MB/s. Connecting an M.2 SSD via the Type-C port yields read speeds of 23 MB/s and write speeds of 39 MB/s. In Wi-Fi speed tests, it performs admirably on both 5GHz and 2.4GHz bands, with gigabit LAN delivering maximum speeds.
The Geekbench 5 CPU benchmark scores 418 in single-core and 769 in multicore performance. The GPU performance is decent but may need firmware updates to address occasional crashes and frame rate issues. In the Antutu benchmark, the AM8 achieves a score of 227,726, placing it among the top-performing TV boxes.
In conclusion, the Ugoos AM8 is a game-changer in the Android TV box arena. With its impressive hardware, unique firmware features, and groundbreaking Dolby Vision capability, it's set to redefine your entertainment experience. The only drawback is its lack of certification for streaming services like Netflix in HD or 4K. Nevertheless, if you're looking for the best Android box in 2023, the Ugoos AM8 with its mobile Android version and feature-rich package should be at the top of your list.
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