Z69 Max Review
So here we have the Z69 Max Amlogic S912 64GB Android TV box jumping into the arena of high-end TV boxes. The specs on this latest model is quite intimidating when compared to other lower line Rockchip and budget Amlogic TV boxes. So in this post I will show you what my findings were with this device, and if its worth spending you money on.
Hardware – High-end specs
When you look at the product page or you have the chance to run a hardware information app, you would see that the Z69 Max comes with some decent specs. It runs on the Amlogic S912 octa core (8X) CPU, it comes with 3GB of DDR3 RAM and 64GB of internal storage. The GPU is the ARM Mali T820 tri core (3X) GPU, it has dual band 5GHz Wifi support, and it has 5.1 surround sound output. Now this all looks very good, but in this TV box business one must be able to take great hardware and install and optimize a firmware that delivers an outstanding user experience. So in the next section below I have my software findings.
Product links
re and UI interface
The firmware used in the Z69 Max is the MBOX firmware that we have seen in other models. The launcher or the user interface (UI), is clean and easy to use. the issue I have with firmware is that it does not come with a navigation bar or a status bar for easy navigation and multitasking. This feature should be standard in all TV boxes for the simple fact that the use of air-mouse and mini touch-pad keyboards utilize them a lot. The other issue I have with this version of the firmware is that it doesn’t have the right permissions from the root super SU to allow key-mapping applications to work. This is important for those who like to play Android touchscreen games on their TV boxes, these apps map gamepad buttons to touchscreen actions.
Core function TV box movie streaming
The Z69 Max is rooted, and you can download and install the latest version of Kodi and install any addon you like. You are also free to download and install a free movie streaming APK application like Terrarium TV, ShowBox, MegaBox HD, Stremio, and Mobdro. I had no issues when it came to streaming free online movies and TV shows. However, when I tried to play my regular list of 4K video samples the box had some delay playback issues and it had some rough video quality playback when tested with 4K samples with higher bit-rates.
Benchmarks
- Antutu – 52427
- GeekBench4 – 518 single core, and 2169 multicore
- Ice Storm Extreme – 4399
- RAM Copy – 3700 MB/s
- ROM Speed – 113 MB/s read and 106 MB/s
- SD Card Reader – 16 MB/s and 12 MB’s write
- WiFi Speed – Maximum speeds on my 40GB package
Android gaming on the Z69 Max was of a high quality, but what spoiled my personal experience, was that the box does not have the required permissions for key-mapping apps to work properly. The app installs, but it doesn’t function due to a permission issue.
PROS
- High-end hardware specs.
- Acceptable benchmarks.
- 64GB of internal storage.
- Good online movie streaming.
- Very good 3D gaming.
CONS
- Difficulty playing 4K samples.
- No navigation bar or status bar.
- Stock IR remote.
- No permissions for keymapping.
Final Thoughts
The Z69 Max has all that it needs to rank with all the other high-end Amlogic S912 TV boxes. The benchmarks are good and it performs well in streaming free movies and TV shows. The 3D game handling is of a high quality and the box is rooted. However, the issue with this box is a firmware related one and all the issues I pointed out are not related to hardware but firmware. A simple firmware update can fix all this boxes issues.