When we buy a brand new car, our technological heart beats strongly for the standard multimedia system, which allows many functions but then when we start using it, we realize some absences imposed due to safety, such as the ability to watch videos on YouTube. Given that certain actions should not be performed while you are driving, there are small boxes on the market that we could almost define as mini travel PCs that bring a modified version of Android to your vehicle and without limitations. Among the many on the market we have tried the MMB Max 5 AI Box solution which I will tell you all about today.
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MMB MAX 5.0 CarPlay AI Box Android 13.0 OS QCM6225 8-Core Android Auto Wireless CarPlay Adapter Magic Box 2.4 + 5G FOTA Upgrade
UNBOXING AND CLARIFICATIONS
It should be noted that this type of product must be connected to the car port that integrates an infotainment system compatible with CarPlay and Android Auto (usually cars from 2016 onwards). Thanks to the operating system integrated into the product, it is possible to fool the infotainment system, making the box detectable as an iPhone, actually bringing to the car screen a totally free operating system without limitations, in which it is possible to install practically all the applications of the Play Store.
Of course, the reactivity and speed of these devices depends on the hardware they are equipped with and the MMB solution offers a single variant, which satisfies all requests, but I will talk about the hardware later. Coming instead to the unboxing paragraph, inside the package we naturally find our MAX 5 AI Box, manuals, and two cables for connections to the car's USB socket, one with a USB-A / USB-C connection, another with a double USB-C connection, all to be used based on what you have available in the car.
DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION
The MMB gadget has very compact dimensions, with an almost circular shape and takes up little space, so much so that you could put it in the glove compartment. The feel is nice considering the use of plastic materials for a good part of the product's body, while on the lower side we find a grilled surface for heat dissipation, in order to avoid overheating when we use the product and then a small LED that certifies the power and operation status of the gadget. On the upper profile there is an RGB LED strip whose colors can be set via the software already installed in the system.
On the back of the MAX 5 AI Box we find the Type-C input for power, as well as a micro HDMI output that will allow with the appropriate cable, to be purchased separately, the connection to external monitors such as those to be placed behind the seats for viewing multimedia content by children/rear passengers. Then on the front, there is a door that hides a small slot to insert a micro SD card (support up to 128 GB) to expand the integrated memory or to read files directly from it and the slot for nano SIM with 4G LTE connectivity to make the device totally independent from the smartphone.
Basically, however, MMB MAX 5 AI Box can also be connected to an Android smartphone or an iPhone via Bluetooth, or use the internet via the associated smartphone's hot-spot. A "negative" point I give to the cables in the package that are really short: in some cars you might have a bit of difficulty positioning the product but fortunately we are not talking about proprietary cables.
HARDWARE
The device is powered by a Qualcomm QCM6225 processor, supported by 8 GB of RAM and 128 GB of storage space, but as mentioned before, it is possible to expand the memory with micro SD cards, although you will probably only use this option to read files external to the Box. Although on paper we are talking about a box with technical specifications, or rather hardware, among the most performing, in reality I have encountered particular slowdowns in use, feeling dissatisfied with the general performance offered by this combination of hardware.
There is also a Bluetooth and WiFi module, for pairing smartphones or other elements such as game controllers, but above all to allow you to use the mobile phone hotspot, because the box will basically connect to the car's infotainment wifi connection, if you do not use a dedicated SIM. There is also a GPS module with excellent signal reception, allowing you to obtain the precise position without hesitation when using maps or apps such as Waze, which you can install via the official Google store (Play Store) or use the alternative APKPure store. There is no buffer battery, so when we turn off the car's power, the device's connectivity will also be interrupted.
DATASHEET
Here is the complete technical sheet of MMB MAX 5 AI Box:
- Processor: Qualcomm QCM6225 8 cores 2.4 GHz
- 8 GB RAM + 128 GB ROM
- Operating System Android 13
- 4G LTE (nano-SIM)
- Wifi 2.4/5 GHz
- Single channel GPS
- Bluetooth 5.2
COMPATIBILITY AND OPERATION
As with other products in the same category, there is only one essential requirement to be able to use the MMB MAX 5 AI Box: even if it is a fully-fledged Android box, the car in which it will be connected must be compatible with Apple CarPlay. Compatible with both factory and aftermarket stereos, regardless of brand, making it a versatile upgrade for any vehicle. Exceptions are made for BMW and TESLA brand cars, while some cars may require an additional compatible power cable.
Using this gadget is really simple and the whole experience is practically totally plug-and-play. You just need to insert the device into the USB port of your car dedicated to CarPlay and wait a few moments: after a few seconds, the system will pretend that an iPhone smartphone has been connected, and the product's home screen will appear on the screen. In reality, the system will start again, as it will adapt the interface based on the size of the display and its resolution. The system does not allow you to modify widgets or create folders, but only to add some apps for quick start at the first start, by acting on the + buttons in the bottom strip.
MMB MAX 5 AI Box is powered by Android 13 customized by the manufacturer, but with a very basic graphic interface that makes the entire user experience much more intuitive and more suitable for cars. On the Home screen we find shortcut buttons to call up the voice assistant, to connect to the basic Android Auto or CarPlay system and the button that allows you to enter the drawer of all the pre-installed apps, where you will also find the Google Play Store that will allow you to install many other apps. We then have a retractable button, which once called up allows you to perform classic operations such as returning to home, back, task manager, quick cleaning of RAM but also to bring 2 apps into split screen mode so you can use 2 applications at the same time, for example to view content on YouTube and check email.
The icons in the app drawer are the right size and not small for a user experience much more suitable for use in the car and on the move, with large and easily distinguishable elements. From the first start, the MAX 5 AI Box will have apps installed such as YouTube, VLC, Chrome, Disney +, Netflix and of course the Play Store from which we can download all the applications we want such as Pluto TV but also apps for controlling the home automation of our home. The display will typically be in landscape mode just as if you were using a smartphone. There is also a specific app thanks to which you can connect your smartphone in mirroring mode. Whether it is an Android device or an iPhone, the smartphone can connect to the BOX in wireless mode to view what is reproduced on the screen of your phone, for a view on a larger display or to use an app that is not compatible with the MMB box.
All applications work well on this device, such as Telegram, which starts quickly and also allows you to listen to voice messages. But the potential extends beyond this and the streaming of content on platforms such as Netflix and Youtube, as you can also connect a Bluetooth controller and, for example, access server games via a dedicated app such as that of XBOX, and therefore transform your in-car system into a game console with the latest generation titles. Not bad for passing the time while you are parked and waiting for someone, or for entertaining your children while you are traveling. The possibility of using the split screen function is also excellent, for using two applications at the same time such as Spotify and Waze.
The settings menu is rich, to customize the infotainment system proposed by MMB, but above all to manage the various network connections, hotspots etc.. The applications can be repositioned as desired but there is no possibility of creating folders to group applications of the same type. Unfortunately and I emphasize UNFORTUNATELY, in my tests two features were not able to work: the first is precisely that of mirroring, but it would be no big deal if it were not for the fact that the second unfortunately makes the purchase of the MMB MAX 5 useless. In fact, when trying to use a SIM, in my case Very Mobile, despite this being recognized and having the correct APN set, I was unable to navigate and therefore use the internet or make calls, forcing me to use the mobile hotspot to use the box's services.
MMB MAX 5.0 CarPlay AI Box Android 13.0 OS QCM6225 8-Core Android Auto Wireless CarPlay Adapter Magic Box 2.4 + 5G FOTA Upgrade
PRICE AND CONSIDERATIONS
This would be a real complete plug & play device, capable of improving your driving experience and transforming your native infotainment system into a real tablet PC, if it weren't for the fact that SIM cards are not recognized. It is therefore useless to be able to control the RGB LEDs and many other multimedia fanatic goodies if I then have to use my smartphone anyway. The selling price of the MMB MAX 5AI Box is $259,00 if you proceed with the purchase on the official website, while we go under €200 if you purchase on AliExpress.
A high price, by virtue of what I told you in this review and that the MMB MAX 5 will not make us forget about Android Auto and CarPlay or the smartphone. Also underlining the safety risks and the fact that obviously you should never use devices of this kind to watch a movie on Netflix while driving, at least not the driver.
