A reliable media streamer with 4K visuals and good quality audio, the Ugoos UT8 PRO is let down by a poor default user interface and completely unsuitable remote control. While it can play media from USB devices, a lack of network streaming and other promised features will leave you feeling out of pocket.

Specifications
  • Dimensions: 117x117x18.5mm
  • Power Source: DC 5V
  • What's Included: Bluetooth and Infrared remote, 2x Wi-Fi antennae
  • Brand: Ugoos
  • Data Ports: 2x USB 3.0, 1x USB 2.0, 1x USB OTG, TF slot, Gigabit Ethernet
  • Media ports: HDMI out, SPDIF optical out, 3.5mm audio out, aux in
Pros
  • Runs Android apps
  • Apps are fast, no hangs
  • All the popular streaming apps run
  • Plays media from other sources
  • Plenty of onboard storage for the price
Cons
  • Ugly
  • User interface is poor
  • Remote control is completely unsuited to UI
  • Various features in the manual are unavailable
Buy This Product

I’m not a huge fan of Android TV, so when I was asked to review the Ugoos UT8 PRO I was a little reticent. Would it prove me right, or would it surprise me?

After all, I’d heard some bad things about it, including a suggestion that it wouldn’t run the Disney+ app. In this day and age, that could be a deal-breaker. So, what did I find out after using the Ugoos UT8 PRO for a few days, and can it be recommended?

In the Box

The Ugoos UT8 PRO ships with an infrared and Bluetooth remote (described in the documentation as “IR+BT remote”), two dual-band antennae, a DC 5V 3A adapter, HDMI cable, and a very basic manual.

We had a bit of trouble with the adapter that shipped with the review device. Incredibly, it didn’t fit the device’s power socket, which necessitated a replacement being sent out. One would hope that this was a simple mistake, but as we can’t check every Ugoos UT8 PRO packed for distribution, it might be worth having a spare adapter available or be ready to buy one at short notice.

One note about the manual. Not only is it basic, but it also suffers from a problem that should have been left behind years ago. The English translation in the guide is bumpy in places. For example, alongside the illustration of how the Ugoos UT8 PRO is hooked up to a TV, you’ll find “Photo for reference only, please prevail in kind.”

Language translation issues like this were once considered amusing. These days, however, the concern is more material. Instructions might be incorrect; the manual might be for a different product; there is a risk of getting things wrong and damaging the hardware.

Ugoos UT8 PRO Specification and Main Features

Packed inside the 115x115x22mm aluminum case is a Rockchip RK3568 SoC (System on Chip) quad-core 64-bit Cortex-A55 processor, which runs up to 2.0GHz, along with 8GB RAM, and an integrated dual-core GPU, high-performance VPU, and high-efficiency NPU (Neural Processing Unit).

The GPU handles OpenGL ES3.2/2.0/1.1, Vulkan1.1 while the VPU oversees 4K 60fps H.265/H.264/VP9 video decoding and 1080P 100fps H.265/ H.264 video encoding. Meanwhile, the NPU supports frameworks like Caffe/TensorFlow.

Ugoos UT8 PRO

4K HDR is supported by this device, output at 3840×2160 pixels at 60Hz Ultra-HD with HDR10. Not unsurprisingly, Dolby Vision is not supported.

This means that the Ugoos UT8 PRO will handle almost any video file that you throw at it, and as well as decoding for streaming into the device, can encode to stream across a network. It can even be used to edit media in a suitable app.

Along sides of the unit are dual Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) MIMO ports, with a maximum 160MHz bandwidth and top speed of 9.6Gbps. There is also a Gigabit Ethernet port, one USB 2.0 port, two USB 3.0 ports, a USB OTG port, TRRS audio out, aux-in, SPDIF optical out, HDMI out, and a power socket. The chassis also features a power LED, heat vent, and power button.

Ugoos UT8 PRO

For audio, the device supports MP3, AAC, WMA, RM, FLAC, and Ogg formats, with a built-in DAC, stereo channel output, and support for a microphone.

The Ugoos UT8 PRO also features onboard M.2 PCIe 3.0 and SATA 3.0 interfaces that you can use to connect suitable SSD or HDD devices via USB, as well as a TF slot for microSD cards.

Apps are installed on this device via Google Play, with a suitable login, although APKs can be sideloaded.

Setting Up the Ugoos UT8 PRO

Hooking up the device is straightforward. After attaching the Wi-Fi antennae, connect the HDMI cable to your TV, connect the audio out to a suitable speaker if used (ours relied on the SPDIF optical cable), then hook up the power. Weighing just 300g and measuring 117x117x18.5mm, it should fit neatly in most home entertainment areas.

Ugoos UT8 PRO

The device should power up automatically at this point, although you might take the opportunity to connect a USB dongle for a wireless keyboard, mouse, or dedicated combi input device. Why? Well, while the Ugoos remote has Bluetooth and IR as well as a gyro function, it is completely unsuited to Android TV, in as far as the user interface goes anyway.

With batteries in the remote, on-screen instructions illustrate how to pair it with the media box. From that point, the Ugoos UT8 PRO boots into Android TV.

The Ugoos UT8 PRO default user interface is Launcher<3, however, this is more suited to tablets than TVs or media systems. Fortunately, various alternatives are available, including, curiously, the Ugoos TV Launcher. This is a terrible TV box launcher, however, which when it comes to Android TV launchers, is a pretty bad place to be.

They’re all terrible.

After a bit of experimenting with Basic Launcher and ATV, I opted to stick with Launcher<3. Ugly it may be, but it is at least usable.

Controlling the Ugoos UT8 PRO

With the packaged remote control not really suited to the default user interface, it makes sense to ditch it in favor of something more suitable. A remote control app is supposedly available via the QR code in the manual, but despite information to the contrary, this link works for iOS only.

While the default remote has a useful on/off button, it is terrible at almost everything else, from voice search to simple switching between Android fields and buttons.

Ugoos UT8 PRO remote

Entering text with the remote is next to impossible.

Consequently, using a third-party remote—typically Bluetooth or USB wireless device—is far preferable.

What Streaming Apps Can the Ugoos UT8 PRO Run?

As noted earlier, I had been told that the Ugoos UT8 PRO does not play Disney+. Naturally, I wanted to find out if this was true or not, so I signed in to Google Play to find out.

A few minutes later, Disney+ was running, prompting me to sign in. Thanks to Google’s password sync, I didn’t even need to input the credentials, and it wasn’t long before I was watching the teaser trailer for the upcoming Obi-Wan Kenobi spin-off series from the Star Wars universe.

Ugoos UT8 PRO home screen

Disney+ clearly works. In addition, I tried out Netflix, Prime Video, BBC iPlayer, and Britbox (UK). All streamed video perfectly, although Prime Video took a while to switch from a low-resolution stream to high definition, but that’s nothing out of the ordinary.

Various music apps are available on the Play Store. Audio quality was pleasant as expected through my TV’s soundbar, piping tracks from Amazon Music and Spotify alike.

Plenty of other apps can be run on this device, too. Indeed, you might use it as a computer as well as a TV streaming platform. With office software available in the Play Store for Android devices, calendars, spreadsheets, text documents, and much more can be experienced with the Ugoos UT8 PRO.

Playing Media from External Storage

You’ll remember from the specifications described above that the Ugoos UT8 PRO features a quartet of USB ports, along with a TF slot for MicroSD. This gives ample opportunity for connecting external media devices, whether for playing video files, audio, or even photos. Android installer files (APKs) can also be imported into the Ugoos UT8 PRO in this way.

Ugoos UT8 PRO

You’ll need some additional software or codecs for this to work universally, however, as the device doesn't natively support AVI. VLC for Android is a good bet here and is particularly suited to playing media on an Android TV box.

Alternatives include Kodi, and MX Player Pro. Whatever the case, if you’re playing media from your own sources, you’ll need a suitable media player.

Android TV Gaming on the Ugoos UT8 PRO

Another key aspect of Android TV is its support for games.

You probably already know that thousands of games (if not more) are available on Android. These range from things like Civilization VI to retro titles from Sega to things like Angry Birds, generic zombie shooters, and occasional works of genius.

Better still, you can even use the Xbox app to mirror your Xbox One or Series S|X, or the Steam Link app to play games running on your PC. There is also Nvidia GeForce Now to consider, too.

In short, the opportunities for gaming on Android are considerable. So, how does the Ugoos UT8 PRO cope with these possibilities? Keeping in mind the dual-core GPU supports OpenGL ES3.2/2.0/1.1 and Vulkan1.1, you shouldn’t be too surprised with the results.

Missing Features in the Ugoos UT8 PRO

The Ugoos UT8 PRO manual offers far more than the device actually delivers. One screenshot implies that you’ve installed Kodi; another page illustrates how to enable the Samba server for streaming files across your local network.

This feature, like the Android remote app, “Daydream” stand-by configuration, and hardware monitor, is missing. None are where described in the manual, and you’d be hard pushed to find them anywhere on the device.

While you could easily dig out a suitable alternative on the Play Store, suggesting that a preinstalled app can do the job when no such tool is present doesn’t instill confidence.

According to the Ugoos website, these features are set for a future update. The problem here is that while in possession of this device, the Ugoos UT8 PRO has had two updates, neither of which unlocked or added these features (or added a usable UI).

As such, they remain missing features.

Is the Ugoos UT8 PRO the Android TV Box For You?

You’re likely to fling the remote control at a wall, and the default user interface is a bit of a pain.

Unless you're desperate for external storage and better gaming, the Ugoos UT8 PRO does little you can't get from more popular streaming solutions like Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and even Roku.

Ugoos UT8 PRO

In terms of other Android TV boxes, while it might be a bit of an eyesore visually—there’s a good chance it could be mistaken for a router with those antennae—the Ugoos UT8 Pro is more than adequate as a replacement.

Of course, there is also the shortcoming of the UI to consider, but this is true across the Android TV box market. The default launcher, incredibly, is the best of a seriously bad bunch, but you might prefer to rely on Kodi.

While the Ugoos UT8 Pro has the power you need for streaming and gaming, if you’re looking for a smart and intuitive TV user interface that you can see from across the room, you might prefer to put up with the endless ads on an actual Android TV, or just plug in an Amazon Fire stick.