One thing is for sure: There is no shortage of generic Android boxes. It seems everyone sells their own version of the MXQ or M8S set top box with the same dull design. Naturally, we get excited when a new, unique TV box hits the market. Read our Kingbox K3 review to see how Leelbox Tech´s newest flagship performs against the competition.
Because there are so many TV boxes available for purchase, it is easy to get lost looking at all the options. In terms of specs, they are all quite comparable. Usually, they use the same chipsets and components. What does matter is the build quality and software.
Kingbox K3 Review
It is important to buy your new streaming device from a reputable company with a track record of selling quality products. Because if you do run into any issues you want to make sure you get the after-sale support that your need. The Kingbox K3 is produced by Leelbox Tech, a brand that is known for a wide range of quality Android TV boxes that are received well by buyers on Amazon.
So does the newest addition to Leelbox’s lineup live up to the high expectations that we have? Find out in our Kingbox K3 review below.
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Design
The most refreshing feature of the K3 is its design. We’ve had a lot of Android boxes over the years. But only a few look as clean yet sophisticated as this beauty. The box has a glossy black finish with sharp edges and hardly any curves on the body. All plugs and slots are kept to the back of the device, keeping the sides clean and smooth.
A cool feature that we don’t see on many other TV boxes is the display on the front of the Kingbox K3. It shows the current time in big blue characters. They are not too bright but still very easy to read. While it doesn’t add much to the multimedia experience, it certainly gives the K3 a more polished look.
When unpacking your new Android box, you will be surprised by its size. It measures less than 5 inches in length and width and is around 1 inch high. The top is slightly sloped and with additional edges towards the back. Given the sleek design and small footprint, this box will fit practically any TV setup.
Hardware
Because the is the latest set top box to come from Leelbox, you can rest assured that you get the best specs currently available. An 8-core S912 processor ensures you get smooth UI navigation and video playback. Coupled with the latest Mali T820MP3, this box will last you for years and cope with anything you throw at it. Whether it´s gaming, streaming, 4k playback or plain surfing, the hardware of the K3 is up to the task.
2GB of RAM on top of the above processors, and you have the highest specs currently available on the Android TV box market. Plenty of RAM is important, as it speeds up navigation, loading of apps and streaming performance, let alone demanding games. At $80 at the time of writing, the Kingbox K3 is a great deal.
Recommended Streaming Services
- Stream thousands of live TV channels and video-on-demand on your Android Box with these IPTV providers. We recommend Iron IPTV as the first provider.
- Amazon Prime members enjoy exclusive access to movies and TV shows, ad-free music, Kindle books, original audio series and unlimited photo storage.
- FuboTV: Stream and record live sports and TV from FOX, NBC, beIN SPORTS, Univision, NBA TV, A&E & more. Watch live on any device: Desktop, iOS, Android, Roku
For local storage, Leelbox fit 16GB of EMMC Flash as you would expect in this price range. That is sufficient for virtually any user looking to expand his TV box with loads of apps.
Looking at the connectivity options, the K3 does not disappoint. The box comes with Gigabit Ethernet and a high-speed dual band wifi adapter. This gives you the best of both worlds. Either connect to your local network by cable or stream over wifi at the best speed possible.
Finally, there are the remotes. Yes, Leelbox ships the K3 with two. The standard remote is ok, but does not excite. It works for the most part but we did have instances where our key presses were not registered which can be frustrating. However, you also get a second remote with touchpad and full keyboard. This is an absolute treat as it lets you surf the web, search for movies in Kodi or navigate your box much easier. If this still doesn´t satisfy you, have a look at full sized wireless media keyboards.
Software
As it is quite hard to outperform the competition in the hardware department (as all manufacturers use a combination of the same components), it is much easier to highlight advantages or shortfalls when it comes to the user interface. This starts with the version of Android OS that the box runs on. In the case of the K3, it is updated to Android 7.1 compared to the previous Android 6.0 Marshmallow version. While this does not outshine all other TV boxes, you would be surprised at the number of devices that still run on Android 5.
The user interface of the K3 is very clean and incredibly easy to use. When starting the box for the first time, the user is presented with a setup wizard to ensure the most important settings are set correctly. Once that is done, the normal launcher loads and you will immediately feel at home. There are no complicated submenus to navigate. Everything is intuitively accessible from the home screen. We didn´t find ourselves looking for a certain app or feature one time.
Also, the UI feels very snappy and responsive. Switching between screens and apps happens instantly. Overall, this is a great experience for newcomers to Android boxes. Another killer feature that will help first-time users is a dedicated help button on the remote. With the click of this button, you are taken to a website that provides help for the most common problems that you may have.
Finally, another feature worth mentioning is the preloaded Kodi 17 app. Leelbox really makes sure that experienced users can get streaming as soon as possible and new users don´t have to worry about tracking down the most popular add-ons for Kodi. On top of that, there are other useful apps such as phone remote app or additional movie and TV streaming services on board.
Performance
It shouldn´t come as a surprise that the Kingbox K3 performs exceptionally well. With the powerful hardware and clean software, there isn´t anything slowing down your multimedia experience.
Video Playback
Playing 4k content is an absolute joy. The image quality is superb and videos play very smoothly. Thanks to H.265 hardware decoding, the K3 can stream its content very efficiently without any stuttering.
Slow Streams or Buffering?
Are your streams loading too slow? Getting constant buffering? Not able to stream at full resolution? Check out these tips to improve your streaming experience:
- Use a modern Router that has advanced features like QoS to prioritize video content. Check out our recommended Routers for Streaming.
- If you are using a Wifi connection, be sure to check out our 9 easy steps to improve your Wifi for Streaming.
- Some Internet Service Providers throttle video streaming traffic without telling their customers. A VPN encrypts all your traffic and circumvents throttling, blocking and geographical restrictions.
We also tested the box with Necro IPTV running on STB Emu app. Contrary to other boxes, the MAG emulation is fantastic and runs without hiccups at default settings. If a versatile Android box with the option to stream from IPTV providers just like you would on a cable set-top box is what you are looking for, here it is. The Kindbox K3 has quickly become our main entertainment box in the living room. The IPTV streaming on Kodi was similarly impressive.
Gaming Performance
Gaming on Kodi boxes is not for everyone. Not all games on the Android app store are optimized for non-touch screen interfaces. But you do find plenty of gems that are compatible with wireless gamepads. The box itself certainly is not the bottleneck when it comes to gaming. The high-end graphics processor and 2GB of RAM make a big difference. In our tests, none of the tested games showed any signs of stuttering or excessive loading times.
What others say
Since this is a fairly new box, there aren´t too many reviews available yet. However, looking through the Amazon reviews, it´s clear that Leelbox hit a home run with this box.
Most customers highlight the low price for this high-end entertainment box. We share this view as this is one of the cheaper devices of the latest generation.
Other points noted by users are the ease-of-use with the setup wizard and pre-installed apps and Kodi add-ons. Also, something we haven´t tested ourselves but got a lot of praise by customers is the support. On top of the help button on the remote that may address the most common issues, Leelbox features great after-sale support to help you with any problems you have.
Verdict
So, is the worth its money? Definitely yes. We fell in love with our box, not just for its clean look and stellar performance. What makes this box special is its simplicity and how everything just works. And it doesn´t just work, it works better than most comparable Android boxes.
Whether you are looking for an IPTV set-top box or a beginner-friendly Kodi box, the K3 should be on your list to consider.
Last update on 2024-11-15 at 10:00 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
