Pros
- Good AV performance
- Recording and Freeview Play support
- Ample amount of storage options
- Easy and straightforward to use
Cons
- Not the most capable HDR performance
- Interface can be sluggish
- Missing a few apps such as Netflix
- Expensive
The Aura is Humax’s most recent set-top box, offering 4K HDR support and plenty of storage. It’s not perfect but competitive against other Freeview boxes.
The design of the Aura mimics Sky Q in its looks: a black, sleek, and curvier effort than the older FVP-5000T. We do find that the glossy sheen picks up dust and requires a wipe every so often. We’re not fond of the remote packaged with the Aura though. It’s large, stuffed with buttons and feedback is stiff.
The Android interface does look dated after a few years and we’re hoping the next generation of set-top boxes evolves to having Google TV. For now though, the home screen can be customised and there are lots of shelves to scroll through. Traversing the interface isn’t the speediest experience with a little lag. It’s the one area where we feel the Aura should be better.
In terms of apps there is plenty to choose from with Prime Video, Disney+, Apple TV+, ITVX, Paramount+, TikTok, Mubi, Deezer, Roxi, Discovery+, and more. It’s not as many as Fire TV, Google TV, or Roku, but it’s a strong enough roster of apps. If you’re looking to record and store content for later, there 1TB and 2TB versions available.
With its AV performance, there are positive gains in overall sharpness, clarity, and detail with HD broadcasts; with noise pretty much removed. It’s with HDR content where the Humax Aura struggles as it only supports HDR10 and not Dolby Vision and HDR10+. Playback of HDR streams has a dimmer appeareance with less contrast than Dolby Vision streams.
With music the Aura delivers a dynamic and snappy performance streaming from Spotify. It sounds clean and neutral in tone, showing plenty of skill in navigating the differences between quiet and loud, with a performance that’s spacious, clear, and well defined. This is a solid if expensive Freeview set-top box. Manhattan has launched the T4R and T4 recording/streaming boxes and we’ll be looking to review those models.
Reviewer: Kob Monney
Full Review: Humax Aura
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