Can Remix OS + Android box really replace computers?

Nowadays, the PC industry is gradually declining, and many manufacturers are beginning to seek a broader development path. The rise of HTPC can be regarded as a new innovation. At the same time, with the further maturity of the Android operating system, the trend of mobile operating systems eroding the desktop platform is becoming more and more obvious. However, due to the inherent differences in usage scenarios, the so-called Android computers are mostly just the concept of Android TV boxes, which cannot meet users' requirements for productivity.

Speaking of this, the Remix OS that we have experienced before can be regarded as a unique product, and the Remix Mini we are going to talk about today can be called an Android-based HTPC.

What is Remix OS?

For most people, Windows and Android systems are already familiar to them, and Remix OS is committed to combining the two based on the Android system.

Remix OS is a third-party operating system based on Android that can bring users a Windows-like experience on traditional computers, tablets and other hardware. Although it is a secondary development based on the Android system, it is different from the previous Android system. The desktop icons and operation logic have a strong Windows flavor.

Remix OS+Android box=?

The overall appearance of Remix Mini is different from the common HTPC. This product using ARM architecture processor is more similar to Xiaomi Box in appearance design.

The design of the interface on the back is almost the same as that of the Android box, including an HDMI port, two USB ports, and network and power cord sockets. If it is used as a TV box, such an interface design has met the needs of most users, but as a PC, the only two USB ports can only barely support the connection of the keyboard and mouse. It is indeed a bit stretched for some USB flash drives or mobile hard drives. The design of placing the interface on the back is also not very convenient for plugging and unplugging.

The special operating system allows Remix Mini to present the user with the feeling of a PC after connecting to a display device. Remix OS can also adapt well to keyboards, mice, and even game controllers compatible with the Android system. However, when possible, using Bluetooth connection is undoubtedly the best way. After all, it is always best to save the limited USB ports.

Is it a productivity tool?

Remix OS is still a software developed based on the Android system, but it spares no effort to get closer to Windows in all aspects. Its smooth operation is not inferior to Android phones, and its familiar windowed interface shows that it is obviously using Android to create productivity tools.

The emergence of office apps such as WPS Office has made it possible to discuss productivity on Android devices, which also makes the Remix Mini, which uses a keyboard and mouse, closer to a PC in the operation of the most basic office software.

However, it is a bit disappointing that both WPS and Microsoft's own Office have completely different functions from traditional desktop platforms on Android devices including Remix Mini. For example, WPS on Remix Mini is more of a text browsing tool. Although it has editing functions, the optimization options are not sufficient. It is just a streamlined version of a traditional desktop office tool. Compared with the WPS tool on PC, it is equivalent to the difference between Paint and PS software.

However, it is worth noting that Remix OS has preset many commonly used Windows shortcut key combinations such as Ctrl+C, Ctrl+V, Alt+F4. For example, local copying using copy and paste, a file of about 100M can be completed in about 4 seconds. But the only drawback is that in Remix Mini, these shortcut keys are not very easy to use, and sometimes they need to be used repeatedly before they can take effect.

Can the ARM-based Remix Mini also decompress files as efficiently as an X86-based PC? Taking a 57M compressed package as an example, using the RAR tool to decompress it can be completed in 2 seconds. A compressed package of about 1G can also reach a speed of 20M per second. The overall experience is not disappointing.

As one of the most outstanding features of the Android system, USB external resources are also reflected in the Remix OS system. Users can also add their own additional files to the Remix Mini through external devices. Of course, in addition to solving the number of USB ports occupied by the keyboard and mouse, the Remix Mini's not-so-large internal storage space also needs to be paid attention to.

Is it an entertainment device?

If we say that the design of the Android box has limited the development of Remix OS in the PC field, Remix Mini has inherited a lot of the entertainment content that HTPC and TV boxes have.

Unlike HTPCs that require built-in Android emulators to use TV box functions, Remix Mini itself is an Android device. Whether it is the operating interface or the numerous video applications that can be downloaded and installed for free, it is no different from ordinary TV boxes. The only difference is the windowed operation emphasized by Remix OS.

In terms of video playback, in addition to the video playback application of the Android TV box, the system's built-in MX Player can also decode 4K videos. A 4K demo video was used for testing. The whole process was smooth without any lag, and the clarity was maintained at the 4K level. It has indeed reached a satisfactory level in video playback.

In terms of games, if you don't have a touch-enabled monitor, Remix Mini is more inclined to let you use an external handle to operate some Android platform games, provided that you also have a rich USB port or a Bluetooth handle.

With the precedent of Android game consoles, not to mention that the hardware performance of Remix Mini is not as good as the so-called Android game console, the same Android system is destined to not be able to reach a satisfactory level in terms of gaming. But in fact, Remix Mini, Android boxes and most HTPCs are not ideal carriers for gaming experience. If you really have an irresistible reason for playing "GTA5", then you should buy a game console or a PC equipped with a high-performance graphics card.

In short, the Remix Mini hardware product, like the Remix OS operating system, is full of imagination and creativity, once again demonstrating the powerful external extension development space of the open Android system.

However, Remix Mini is not a PC after all. From the perspective of attributes, we would rather classify it as a product in the same category as Google Chromecast. It is just that its operating form is close to the Windows system design, which makes the device seem too lightweight in scenarios such as office and gaming.

Fortunately, the price of Remix Mini is cheap enough, with 16G memory costing only 399 yuan. As the relevant person in charge of Remix OS said at a media communication meeting, it may just meet the demand for computers in some poor areas. After all, the cost of an ARM processor device plus an open source system is much lower than that of an X86 PC with Windows licensing fees. If the threshold for computer use can be further lowered, it will be extremely beneficial in the overall environment of the world.

As a winner of Toutiao's Qingyun Plan and Baijiahao's Bai+ Plan, the 2019 Baidu Digital Author of the Year, the Baijiahao's Most Popular Author in the Technology Field, the 2019 Sogou Technology and Culture Author, and the 2021 Baijiahao Quarterly Influential Creator, he has won many awards, including the 2013 Sohu Best Industry Media Person, the 2015 China New Media Entrepreneurship Competition Beijing Third Place, the 2015 Guangmang Experience Award, the 2015 China New Media Entrepreneurship Competition Finals Third Place, and the 2018 Baidu Dynamic Annual Powerful Celebrity.