A new player has entered the UK market to challenge the dominance of Amazon’s Fire TV Sticks and Roku’s streaming devices. Xiaomi, a Chinese tech brand, has introduced its latest offering, the Xiaomi TV Stick HD (2nd Gen), providing an affordable option for enhancing any TV setup.

The Xiaomi TV Stick HD (2nd Gen) features a sleek design reminiscent of its competitors, with a convenient built-in HDMI connector for easy setup directly into the TV. It comes with a dedicated remote control that includes shortcut buttons for popular streaming services like Netflix, Prime Video, and YouTube, allowing users quick access to their favorite content.

Priced at £39.99, the Xiaomi TV Stick HD (2nd Gen) is on par with its rivals in terms of cost but stands out with its operating system. Unlike Amazon and Roku devices, this new streamer runs on Google TV, offering users access to Google’s smart interface, Google Assistant, and a wide range of apps through the Google Play Store.

Users can utilize the remote’s dedicated voice button to search for content using voice commands, with over 10,000 apps available for download, including games. The device also supports Google Cast for Android users, enabling wireless streaming of videos and other content from smartphones or tablets to the TV.

Equipped with a fast processor, dual-band Wi-Fi, and support for HDR10+, Dolby Audio, and DTS, the Xiaomi TV Stick HD (2nd Gen) ensures a smooth playback experience with enhanced picture and sound quality. However, it only supports HD playback, lacking the capability for 4K Ultra HD streaming.

For those seeking an affordable streaming device powered by Google TV, the Xiaomi TV Stick HD (2nd Gen) is now available in the UK for £39.99.