Matricom has released a successor to the popular G-Box Q for 2016, but they decided to keep the same name….sort of: The Matricom G-Box Q2.
The new Matricom G-Box Q2, or Q² depending on how it’s written, is a much-needed refresh of the original G-Box Q.
The spec sheet shows two huge improvements right off the bat.
The AmLogic S802 has been upgraded to the newer (but still not cutting edge) AmLogic S812. As the comparison chart from CNX-Software below shows, the AmLogic S812 improves upon the S802 in several ways but leaves some important features out.
The S812 handled 4K content much better due to the H.265 hardware decoder, but its internal memory is limited to 2GB. Sorry, there won’t be a 4GB version of the G-Box Q2.
The other big bonus is that Matricom has finally moved to Lollipop. As a bonus, existing G-Box Q owners will be receiving an OTA firmware update that will update their devices to Lollipop as well. We’ll have more details on that as the update is released.
Also included is a new HUD Launcher UI which appears to bring a more “Kodi-like” interface to the device, rather than the Android TV-like interface they’ve used previously.
| G-Box Q2 Specs | |
|---|---|
| CPU | Amlogic s812 Quad Core @ 2GHz |
| GPU | Mali-450 Octo Core 3D GPU |
| MEMORY | 2GB DDR3 |
| STORAGE | 16GB Flash Storage |
| ANDROID OS | Android Lollipop 5.x, Full Version |
| USB PORTS | Two (2) USB 2.0 |
| ETHERNET | 10/100 Full Duplex |
| WI-FI | Broadcom 5G 802.11 Dual Band |
| BLUETOOTH | V.4.0 Low Power, Full Speed |
| DIMENSIONS | Length: 12.5cm, Width: 12.5cm, Height: 2.5cm |
Initial Thoughts
In our review late in 2015, one of the main knocks against the original G-Box Q was the poor quality of 4K playback. It seems like Matricom heard that feedback and took some serious steps to improve it.
Not only that but moving both current and new G-Box Q owners to Android 5 is a big win. We’ll see how that rollout goes, but anytime a manufacturer provides a free-of-charge update to the core Android operating system, I have to give them huge credit for it. Good job Matricom!
The new G-Box Q2 is available exclusively through Amazon.com.
Looking for a box to watch movies box sets and live sports that won’t keep buffering what would you recommend
We received ours yesterday and so far it’s great {g2}. My only concern is that they continue to have updates and give customer support. Previous box was rippl-tv and the thing stopped working. After manually putting in the update suggested through a random forum the box becomes bricked. I hope when this box has any issues these guys will be around. Through searches I’ve heard the matricom team is great and thorough with helping when and if an issue arises. The one we purchased was $94 or so on Amazon. I did not have the “plug in play in the description. It wasn’t too tricking installing exodus and such! Good luck and happy savings!!
-Rob
I noticed the Q2 has bluetooth abilities, can you send music to a bluetooth speaker or do you have to get a usb transmitter for it?
You can use the Bluetooth to stream to a wireless speaker.
Can I connect this G-Box with my Samson Smart TV
Hi Dan. Yup. As long as your TV has an HDMI port, you can connect any TV box to your TV.
I have an LG Smart TV and I use wi-fI on it. Will this box work with wifi or freeze?
Hi Eve. This will work with WiFi. If it freezes then there’s normally something else causing the issues.