Katarzyna Petru
Acer, known mainly for its laptops and monitors, has decided to enter the streaming device segment. In South Africa, pre-sales have started for the Acer AiTV – 4K UHD Google TV Box, which has the potential to stand out against the competition. This is the first device of its kind from the Taiwanese brand, and it appears that the company has chosen South Africa as its test market.
A true powerhouse in terms of ports
Where most set-top boxes stick to one HDMI and maybe USB, Acer has gone in a completely different direction. AiTV offers HDMI, USB-C, USB-A, Ethernet, a microSD card slot, and even Toslink S/PDIF for connecting a soundbar or amplifier. Plus, there's a separate power socket, allowing the USB-C to be fully utilised for other devices. It also supports Wi-Fi 6.
Specifications and AI on Board
The heart of ChooseTV is the Amlogic S905X5 processor with four Cortex-A510 cores and ARM Mali-G310 graphics. The hardware allows for 4K streaming and uses "super-resolution upscaling" technology. An additional NPU of 4 TOPS supports AI applications. Users have 32 GB of internal storage available, with the option to expand via microSD. However, discrepancies have arisen regarding the RAM – the announcement mentions 3 GB, while the pre-sale indicates 2 GB.
Google TV with Dolby Vision and Atmos
It comes equipped with all the major streaming apps, and the remote has shortcuts to Netflix, YouTube, Amazon Prime Video, and YouTube Music, as well as a large 'Live TV' button. Acer provides support for Dolby Vision, HDR10+, HDR10, Google Cast, Google Assistant, and Dolby Atmos sound.
Price and Availability
AiTV has entered pre-order in South Africa at a price of 1,499 rand, which is approximately 295 AUD. It is still uncertain when shipping will begin and whether the device will be available outside of Africa. However, if the project succeeds, Acer may launch its device globally – and then competitors will have a tough nut to crack.
