Mecool MEon1 Android TV Box - Amlogic S905X5M 2.5GHz CPU
The Mecool MEon1 is one of the most exciting new Android TV boxes to hit the market in 2024. It combines a fully Google-certified experience with Amlogic's latest chipset. Furthermore, it arrives at a competitive price point that makes it hard to ignore. So, if you've been searching for an affordable yet capable streaming box, keep reading. This review covers everything you need to know.
What's Inside the Box?
First of all, let's talk about what you get. The package includes the MEon1 unit itself. You also receive a certified Bluetooth voice remote with Google Assistant support. Additionally, Mecool includes an HDMI cable, a 12V/1A DC power supply, and a quick-start guide. It's a straightforward unboxing experience. Nothing too flashy, but everything you need is there.
Design and Build Quality
In terms of design, the MEon1 sports a clean plastic shell. Mecool branding sits neatly on top. The I/O layout is practical. You get one HDMI 2.1 port. There's also one Ethernet LAN port, an optical audio port, and an AV port. Two USB 2.0 ports are included as well. A microSD card slot rounds out the connectivity options. The base features four rubber feet. However, there are no ventilation holes on the bottom, so keep that in mind for heat management.
Hardware and Chipset Performance
Now, here's where things get interesting. The MEon1 is powered by the Amlogic S905X5M. This is a quad-core Cortex-A55 processor clocked at 2.5 GHz. It runs in 32-bit mode. Consequently, it cannot run 64-bit apps or games. That's a limitation worth noting. The GPU is the new Mali G310. This is a significant upgrade over the older Mali-G31 MP2. In fact, it delivers over double the graphical performance on paper. It supports OpenGL ES 3.2 and Vulkan 1.3 as well.
Moreover, the device comes with 2GB of DDR4 RAM and 32GB of internal storage. Wi-Fi 6 dual-band connectivity is onboard. However, the Ethernet LAN port is not gigabit. That means LAN speeds top out around 94 Mbps. This is something to consider if you rely heavily on wired connections.
Android 14 and Google Certification
The MEon1 runs Android 14 TV OS. More importantly, it is fully Google-certified. Therefore, you get access to the complete Google TV launcher. Apps like Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+, and Apple TV populate right out of the box. The device carries an official Netflix ESN license. As a result, it supports Widevine Level 1 DRM with HDCP 2.3 protection. This means paid streaming services are fully protected and stream in HD and 4K quality.
Furthermore, Google Assistant voice control is built in via the remote. Chromecast is also supported. So you can cast content directly from your phone with ease.
4K HDR and Dolby Vision Support
One of the standout features of the MEon1 is its display output. It supports 4K at 60Hz. HDR playback is excellent. Specifically, you get Dolby Vision, HDR10, HLG, and AV1 decoding. The box also supports up to 12-bit color depth. Auto content frame rate switching is available too. In testing, Dolby Vision playback worked perfectly on compatible TVs. The HDR format detection was accurate and reliable.
However, the MEon1 does not support HDR10+. When HDR10+ content is detected, the box falls back to HDR10. For most users, this won't be an issue.
Surround Sound Audio
On the audio side, the MEon1 delivers strong results. It supports Dolby Atmos, Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby TrueHD, and DTS Virtual:X. However, DTS-HD Master Audio and DTS:X were not detected during testing. Overall, though, the audio performance is solid for a box in this price range.
Benchmark Results
In terms of raw performance, here's how the MEon1 stacks up. Its Antutu score came in at 167,594. Geekbench 5 showed 179 single-core and 616 multicore. RAM copy speed was 4,234 MB/s. Internal storage read speed hit 207 MB/s, while write speed was 55 MB/s. The 3DMark Wildlife test could not complete. Instead, the Slingshot Extreme test averaged 7.10 fps. These results were partially limited by the 2GB RAM configuration. With these results it ranks at position 18 on my TV Box Stop ranking chart.
Gaming on the MEon1
Unfortunately, Android gaming is a weak point. The box uses the standard Google Play Store. Sideloading additional game titles proved difficult. Several popular titles refused to run. Therefore, if gaming is a priority, this may not be the right choice for you.
Final Verdict
To summarize, the Mecool MEon1 is a well-rounded, fully Google-certified streaming box. It delivers excellent 4K HDR and Dolby Vision performance. The new Mali G310 GPU is a notable upgrade, even if real-world benchmarks didn't fully match expectations. The 2GB RAM is a limitation, and the non-gigabit LAN port may frustrate some users.
That said, for anyone who wants a reliable, certified streaming box that handles all major platforms, the MEon1 is a strong recommendation. It outperforms any Allwinner-based box hands down. It's affordable, functional, and backed by the full Google ecosystem.
