Tanix TX6 Review: Another 6K Android TV Box

We are after the test of Tanix TX6 TV Box, which is why today we would like to encourage you to read Tanix TX6 review. We can already reveal to you that this is a good TV Box, it has a great specification, an interesting UI called Alice UX and it copes well with 4K video playback, but … but more in the Tanix TX6 review.

We want to say thanks to Gearbest store for sending us a Tanix TX6 TV Box to review. Now Tanix TX6 Android TV Box is available on Gearbest store for $44.99.

Tanix TX6 TV Box specifications:

• CPU – AllWinner H6 quad-core ARM Cortex-A53 processor up to 1.8GHz
• GPU – Mali-T720MP2
• OS – Android 7.0 with Alice UX
• Memory – 4GB RAM DDR3
• Storage – 32GB eMMC flash, micro SD card slot upt 128GB
• Video Output – 1x HDMI 2.0a up to 4K @ 60hz with HDR support, AV port (composite)
• Video Playback Support
  • H.265/HEVC Main/Main10 profile @ level 5.2 high-tier up to 4K @ 60fps / 6K @ 30 fps
  • VP9 Profile 0/2, up to 4K @ 30fps
  • H264/AVC BP/MP/HP @ level5.1, MVC, up to 4Kx2K @ 30fps
  • SmartColor 3.0 image optimization engine
• Audio I/F – HDMI, composite S/PDIF
• Connectivity – Fast Ethernet 10/100mbps, Dual Band 802.11 b/g/n WiFi, Bluetooth 4.1
• USB – 2x USB 2.0 port, 1x USB 3.0
• Misc – IR receiver
• Power Supply – 5V/2A
• Dimensions – 10.5 x 10.5 x 2.5 cm
• Weight – 450 grams

The box included everything that you need to get started:

• Tanix TX6
• Power Adapter 
• HDMI Cable
• Remote Control
• User Manual

The following video from our YouTube channel where you can take a look at more Tanix TX6 Android TV Box and bundled accessories.

First impressions, settings, overview of features

Tanix TX6 is also a small TV Box,  made solidly, with good quality plastic. On the top cover has a Tanix logo and info about Alice UX User Interface.  Tanix TX6 TV Box is equipped in new Allwinner H6 (CortectA53 architecture and up to 1.8GHz, as in ZIDOO H6 Pro, Eachlink H6 Mini) which supports [email protected] ultra-HD video decoding and low-latency H.264 4K encoding and supports 6K video. There is also supports for HDR10 and HLG HDR, integrated Smartcolor 3.0 display system, more in H6 brief here. On the front panel is IR receiver and LED digital display (only time). On one side there is USB 3.0 port, on the other side, there is a micro SD card slot. On the sides of the housing are also visible holes. On the rear panel are external WiFi antenna, 2x USB 2.0, DC jack, reset hole, RJ45 Ethernet port, HDMI 2.0a, and a composite S / PDIF port. At the bottom of the device, there are also four rubber pads to prevent shifting. Below also typical Remote Control.

As we mentioned at the beginning, also Tanix TX6 has ALICE UX – User Interface. As you can see, UI looks good and access to the app and features is easy and fast. We like it, but it’s our opinion. We can choose typical the resolution of FHD 1920×1080 (1080p 60Hz) but you can also adjust the preferred resolution or set the auto switch. Everything worked stable and very quickly without delays. We had no problem with Ethernet and WiFi connection to the router and to the Internet, Wifi connection works faster than ethernet (see a screenshot from Ookla tests). Ethernet: Download – 95.4Mbps Upload – 37.8Mbps, WiFi: Download – 148Mbps Upload – 34.3Mbps). In addition to the remote control, we used a standard keyboard, mouse and a gamepad from iPega called iPega PG-9076.  Although the device in its specification has 32GB eMMC, storage has 25.77GB of data. TV Box supports also Miracast, DLNA. If you need to control the TV Box through a smartphone, you can use the Android TV Remote Control app or our favorite CetusPlay (Install CetusPlay On TV/Box app on TV box and open, Install CetusPlay on a smartphone). Tanix TX6 supports Netflix up to 480p and 1080p Youtube (only full HD). TV Box has pre-installed also FilmOn application with access to many live channels. We also installed the latest Kodi 17.6. On TX6 TV Box you can play in games from the Google Play store, as on other Android TV Box. Games run smoothly with maximum settings, it is a big advantage of TV Boxes with H6 SoC.  Just connect gamepad or keyboard. We used iPega PG-9076 and played Beach Buggy Racing, and other famous games Asphalt 8, Real Racing 3. Below the screenshots.

Operating system and components

The Tanix TX6 TV Box runs on the Android 7.0 Nougat and the Linux Kernel version 3.10.65. TV Box comes with firmware petrel_fvd_p1-eng 7.0 NRD91N 20181122 test-keys (new firmware for TX6 TV Box 20181219 here). H6 Mini TV Box is equipped with a popular SoC AllWinner H6 quad-core ARM Cortex-A53 processor up to 1.8GHz and GPU Mali-T720MP2, CPU speed between 480MHz and 1.8GHz. On the following screens, you can see exactly the components used and their specification (Information taken from the CPU-Z app). After using the DRM info (app) we know that H6 Mini TV Box supports Google Widevine and ClearKey CDM. The device also has root access. Below screenshots.

Performance tests and benchmarks

For testing, we use the AnTuTu Video Tester 3.0 app and  AnTuTu Benchmark 7. 1.0. The result 859. The test showed problems with 2 video samples.  Video playback by Kodi 17.6 Krypton runs almost smoothly and stable. The Tanix TX6 TV Box without problem seems plays movies with the resolution of 480p,720p, and 1080p (24fps, 30fps, 60fps) and also 4K (60fps) with various codecs videos such as H.264, H.265, MPEG2, MPEG4, RMVB, and audio – DTS and AC3. Dolby Digital 5.1 passthrough worked fine via HDMI. Also, we tested several video formats – AVI, MKV, MP4 (typical formats in which it holds the majority of movies), ISO and also videos was played fine. The tested TV Box plays video files in 4K (also 60fps) almost without any major problems. The following table of video samples tested for Kodi 17.6. TV Box also copes well with playing the video on YouTube, videos play only in 1080p. We tried to play VP9 4K video and also runs smoothly.

Typical 1080p	Kodi 17.6
MPEG2 / MP2 2.0 – 6.6Mbps	OK
MPEG4 / MP3 2.0 – 7.6Mbps	OK
H264 / AAC 2.0 – 7.2Mbps	OK
VC1 / WMA3 2.0 – 25Mbps	OK
VP8 / VORBIS 2.0 – 7.8Mbs	OK
Jellyfish 1080p HEVC 10bit – 90Mbps	OK
4K Video
Sintel – H264 / AAC 2.0 – 24fps	OK
BBB Sunflower -H264 – 30fps	OK
BBB Sunflower -H264 – 60fps	Sound delays
Honey Bees – 96fps	OK
Skyfall – H264 / AAC 2.0 – 10Mbps	OK
Puppies Bath – h264/AAC 2.0	OK
Cinemartin H265/HEVC	OK
Tears of steel – 60fps	OK
HD Club Chimei – H264 / AAC 2.0 – 60Mbps	OK
Jellyfish 4k uhd HEVC 10bit – 140Mbps	OK
Jellyfish 4k uhd HEVC 10bit – 200/250/300/400Mbps	Not smooth
LG Demo – Istanbul 3840×2160 MP4/H264 8bit – 116Mbps	OK
Sony 4K – Camp HDR MP4/HEVC 10bit – 75.8Mbps	OK
Demo Samsung 2014 – USA Road Trip TS/HEVC 10bit – 51.4Mbps	OK
Samsung UHD DUBAI TS/HEVC 10bit – 51Mbps	OK
H.265/VP9 Video
Tears of steel – H265-HVEC / AAC 2.0 – 15Mbps	OK
Youtube – VP9 / 1080p	OK
VP9 / 4k – Eye of the Storm 4K Ultra HD.webmv	OK
VP9 / 4k – 10 Incredible 4K (Ultra HD) Videos.webmv	OK
VP9 / 4k – Australia – Land Down Under in 4K.webmv	OK

Tanix TX6 TV Box Benchmarks

Below Benchmark screenshots we were able to do: AnTuTu Benchmark, GeekBench 4, 3D Mark: Ice Storm Extreme, Ice Storm Unlimited, Sling Shot, GPUBench, GFXBench Benchmark, Vellamo. TX6 TV Box has the internal memory benchmarks: Read 67.39MB/s – Write 51.40MB/s. RAM copy speed was 2628.81MB/s.

Conclusions

Tanix TX6 is a good and properly working TV Box. It works stably and quickly, has fast WiFi. TV Box copes well with 4K video playback. Unfortunately, it does not offer the features that most users expect, namely Youtube 4K and Netflix HD. It’s sad because the specifications have great potential. A big advantage worth emphasizing is the access to the firmware updates prepared by the Tanix team. If you choose TV Box powered by Allwinner H6 SoC (or other), take into account the availability of updates. If you do not count on the missing features that we mentioned, then you should consider buying a Tanix TX6 (the more so because it is now available for $44.99, it’s good value for money), if you care about Netflix HD and Youtube 4K you should look for an alternative, for example, MECOOL M8S PRO L or Xiaomi Mi Box.