The Acer Google TV Box has officially landed in South Africa, unveiled this past weekend at Comic Con Africa as Acer’s new all-in-one hub for streaming and gaming. Priced at R1,499.99 and available to pre-order here, the device is positioned as a premium alternative to the streaming sticks most South Africans know.
That’s a bold move, because the Amazon Fire TV Stick typically sells locally for between R800 and R1,200, while Xiaomi’s streaming stick — and similar devices from other brands — can be found for under R1,000. Against those cheaper sticks, Acer is asking consumers to pay a noticeable premium.
The box itself — officially called the Acer AiTV 4K UHD Google TV (ATV14) — runs on an Amlogic S905X5M processor with 2GB of RAM and 32GB storage. It supports Dolby Vision, Dolby Atmos, Wi-Fi 6 and Ethernet, and offers more connectivity than the average stick: HDMI, USB-C, USB-A, optical audio and microSD. That port-rich design is a differentiator — this isn’t just for Netflix and YouTube, it’s built to plug into sound systems, controllers, even cameras.
The key pitch is AI Super Resolution upscaling. Acer says its algorithms can enhance older or lower-resolution video to near-4K quality, reducing noise and sharpening detail. For South African households where fibre isn’t always fast enough for native 4K streaming, this could be a practical feature. Still, AI upscaling can only go so far; compressed sports streams and low-bitrate feeds won’t suddenly look cinematic.
Glenn du Toit, Acer Africa’s country manager, positioned the launch as “a new way to connect,” pointing to SteamLink gaming support and family use cases beyond passive streaming. Acer demoed the box at Comic Con Africa with daily gaming activations at Incredible Connection’s stand, leaning into the idea of casual living-room gaming without a console.
The challenge will be long-term support. South Africans have seen plenty of Android TV boxes and sticks appear with flashy features, only to fall behind on updates. If Acer can sustain app compatibility and regular software improvements, the higher upfront cost may feel justified.
For now, the Acer Google TV Box is betting that features like Dolby Vision, Dolby Atmos, Wi-Fi 6 and AI upscaling are worth paying more than a Fire TV Stick or Xiaomi-branded stick. Whether consumers agree depends on how much they value better ports, sharper video and Acer’s local support. As I noted in my look at Meta’s augmented reality ambitions, the next big shifts in entertainment are happening at the intersection of hardware and AI. Acer clearly wants in — starting with your TV.