Exclusive: First look at the new Airtel Xstream Box with Android 10

Bharti Airtel launched its hybrid Android set-top box called Airtel Xstream in 2019 and despite several reports of performance issues and bugs, the box has been popular. Now, DreamDTH has got the new model of Xstream Box with upgraded software and hardware.  

Apart from changes in looks and specifications, Airtel has also replaced its manufacturer from Technicolor to Flextronics Technologies (India) Pvt Ltd. This is in line with the announcement made by the company in September 2021 where it said that it will be moving its set-top box manufacturing to India. 

Specifications

The Airtel Xstream (2021) model features improved internal specs. It comes with a quad-core Mediatek MT5251 CPU clocked at 1.4GHz and ARM Mali T820 GPU. There is 2GB of RAM and 8GB of internal storage. The older 2019 model had Broadcom BCM72604 SoC which is just a dual-core processor with 1.8GHz frequency. 

The Xstream Box 2021 comes with Android 10 while the 2019 model has Android 9 support. The improved hardware is expected to make the box UI smooth with faster boot and response time. 

In terms of design, the box is more or less similar to the existing one but Airtel has removed the rounded corners which arguably gave the box a sleek and modern look. On the front side, there is an Xstream logo that glows when powered on, along with 4K and Dolby Atmos brandings on the right side.

On the rear, a coaxial input, SPDIF, RCA input, HDMI, Ethernet, USB and power input ports are present. To the side, there is an additional USB port and a slot for a MicroSD card. 

Similar to the previous model, this box is also Netflix certified and supports all OTT apps including Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+ Hotstar, Zee5 and more. Additional apps can be downloaded from Google Play Store too. 

Availability

The Airtel Xstream (2021) model is currently available only at select dealers and locations. It will be provided for new connections after the 2019 model goes out of stock in your region. It is unlikely that existing Xstream users will be allowed to upgrade to the Xstream 2021 model unless their box has un-repairable issues. 

Thanks: Vadirocks, DreamDTH Community Forums