HS86 or HS89? Choosing Between Two Product Lines
HS86 and HS89 both look like network TV boxes and their model numbers sit close together, but they use different SoC platforms and serve two different positions. Choose the wrong platform and you end up with either excess performance or insufficient features.
The platform is the fundamental difference
The HS86 series is built on RK3518: quad-core Cortex-A53 with Mali 450 MP2. It is a mature, stable entry platform running Android 14 with Google GMS, covering everyday media playback, IPTV and enterprise information display.
The HS89 series uses RK3539: quad-core Cortex-A55 @1.92GHz with Mali-G310. The CPU architecture is newer, clock speed is higher, the GPU is a generation ahead, and it supports HDMI 2.1 with AV1/VP9/H.265 hardware decoding. AV1 hardware decoding is the key capability of this generation — as streaming platforms steadily add AV1 content, its value only grows.
Matching to scenarios
Cost-sensitive with conventional features: choose HS86. The HS86 PRO 14 box has complete I/O (HDMI, USB 3.0 and USB 2.0, AV, TF, optical SPDIF), dual-band Wi-Fi 6 with gigabit LAN and CE / FCC / ROHS certification — suited to retail living rooms, IPTV and enterprise info display. The HS86 MINI 14 box uses an 88×88×17mm compact chassis for space-constrained installations.
Needing newer codecs or stronger decoding: choose HS89. The HS89 PRO 15 box offers three memory tiers (2+16G, 4+32G, 4+64G), USB 3.0, HDMI 2.1 and Bluetooth 5.4 with a full set of expansion ports. The HS89 MINI 15 box runs the same RK3539 platform with dual USB 2.0 and gigabit LAN, serving both living room cinema and enterprise info display.
Form factors split across the two lines as well
Beyond boxes, HS89 extends into the TV stick form. The HS89 T15 TV stick fits RK3539 into a 100×33×13mm body with HDMI 2.1 output and Type-C power, ready to use when plugged in. That cross-form coverage is an important dimension when judging whether a product line is sufficient.
How to decide
If your procurement plan spans three years or more, plan around HS89 — AV1 hardware decoding, Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.4 keep paying off as content evolves. If this is a routine replacement with cost first, HS86 is already enough and there is no reason to pay for headroom. Specifications are on the HS89 PRO 15 product page.
