WeTek Play 2 Review

Streaming devices abound. From Roku to the Amazon Fire TV and Apple TV, there are plenty of streaming set-top boxes for all needs. Android TV boxes have become increasingly popular. The Nvidia Shield TV and Shield TV Pro, as well as the Xiaomi Mi Box S, remain at the forefront of Android TV gadgets. However, the WeTek Play 2 is a solid Android media player that’s capable of doubling as a DVR. Check out why the WeTek Play 2 is a unique little Android TV streaming box!

WeTek Play 2 Specs and Build

The WeTek Play 2 comes in a small, deceptively cable box-esque form factor. Packaged with the device is a remote, HDMI cable, and power supply with interchangeable plugs for different countries. There’s an RS-232 cable as well, a serial connector for hooking up A/V devices with a 9-pin D-sub port. On the right-hand side of the WeTek Play 2 hybrid media player, you’ll find a USB port and microSD card slot for storage expansion. The rear features two USB headers, an HDMI output, power port, RS-232 connector slot, Ethernet port, and optical audio jack. Additionally, there’s an RF in and RF out connector for running a coaxial into your WeTek Play 2. As such, you may hook up an over-the-air (OTA) antenna or cable coaxial for watching live TV. Plus, it’s even possible to use the WeTek Play 2 as a DVR for recording and playback of live TV.

Powering the Android TV box is a Mali MP-450 GPU paired with a quad-core Amlogic S905H CPU. 2GB of DDR3 RAM complements 8GB of built-in storage space. Internet connectivity comes from its 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi and a 1000 Mbit/s Gigabit Ethernet port. It’s capable of playing 4K H.265 videos at 60Hz.

WeTek Play 2 specs:

• 3 x USB ports
• 1 x HDMI output
• Mali MP-450 penta-core GPU
• Amlogic S905H quad-core CPU
• 2 GB DDR3
• 8GB onboard storage
• 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi
• Gigabit Ethernet
• Bluetooth 4.0
• Android OS

WeTek Play 2 Hybrid Media Center

One of the highlights of the WeTek Play 2 Android TV streaming box is its inclusion of an RF input. I attached an OTA antenna and was able to pull in broadcast television stations with ease. You can even add a flash drive or microSD card and save recordings, thereby using the WeTek Play 2 hybrid media center as a DVR and streaming device combo.

A few apps come pre-installed including Kodi, blessedly sans add-ons. An update to WeOS 3.1 graced the Play 2 with Android 6.0 and 4K Netflix support as well as Kodi v17.3. Because some apps installed aren’t official Android TV apps, you’ll occasionally need to goggle on the mouse mode which lets you control an on-screen mouse with the center directional pad (D-pad). Then, you can click on various elements, a workaround for non-Android TV apps. Although Kodi is pre-installed, a WeTek Play 2 Coreelec image lets you run a Kodi-only OS on the Play 2. Similarly, there’s a WeTek Play 2 Lakka image for retro gaming emulation.

WeTek Play 2 Review

I really enjoy the WeTek Play 2. The user-experience is superb, and support for 4K Netflix takes this Android TV box from good to great. A built-in coax input separates the WeTek Play 2 from competing devices. While it’s possible to hook up an OTA antenna to the likes of the Nvidia Shield TV, you’ll need to purchase a USB tuner. With the Play 2, simply hook up an OTA antenna.

4K video output works extremely well. I was able to play 4K videos from a flash drive, my Plex server, and Netflix. 4K Netflix capabilities are really impressive. Streaming on my Hisense H8F 4K TV, the WeTek managed a gorgeous picture and produced 4K resolution. Unfortunately, HDR isn’t available, and there’s no Dolby Vision support. Still, it 4K visuals provide a lush, high-quality image. Navigation is smooth with the included remote, although certain apps installed are tablet-optimized versions and require toggling on mouse mode which is a bit cumbersome.

Aside from streaming videos and music from the likes of Netflix, Hulu, and Spotify, I played local media via Kodi from a flash drive and a networked media server. The Play 2 handled everything I threw at it, regardless of file type, with ease. In addition to media playback, I tried some light gaming. More demanding titles such as Fortnite and PUBG won’t play well. But older titles such as GTA III for Android, and ROMs emulated with RetroArch ran flawlessly. As such, the WeTek Play 2 is a pretty versatile little Android TV box.

Should You Buy the WeTek Play 2 – Final Thoughts

There are definitely better Android TV streaming set-top boxes on the market. However, the WeTek Play 2 is an all-around superb performer. 4K video at 60Hz played buttery smooth on my Hisense H8F, and the inclusion of a built-in TV tuner makes this a fantastic Android TV box-DVR combo. I appreciated the ability to switch between streaming to watching live, over-the-air TV quickly. Plus, its gaming capabilities mean you can fire up an Android game or retro game for big-screen fun. App compatibility is excellent, enough so to overlook occasionally clunky navigation of mobile-optimized apps that require the admittedly awkward mouse mode. Adding to its functionality are OSes you can run on the Play 2 like CoreELEC and Lakka. Overall, it’s a shockingly well-made device that delivers a delightful experience that’s tailored for cord cutters.