Has anyone installed an android head unit lately?

[Derick]

Now that the burb is back, I am going to buy the maestro harness for my vehicle and re-install a new head unit. I have a pioneer double din on a shelf ready to go...but there's a whole new slew of super chinesy android head units on amazon right now. Some have <10 reviews, some have ~300...but I'm curious if anyone here has actually bought one in 2020 that they can recommend.

 

[RichardCranium]

I got caught up looking at those units and their reviews too. Then I said screw it and picked up an Alpine iLX-W650. Haven't looked back! It was $268, got it from this person on Ebay

https://www.ebay.com/usr/soundsavings

 

[Kee Fuller]

Theres a guy with an Escalade that has an android unit. Looks pretty nice. I dont have auto ac dials so it wouldnt work for me.

 

[Derick]

I'll probably stick with the pioneer now. The thing I like about the chinese ones is that they DGAF about laws and stuff. So I can load on VLC player and watch movies whenever, without the use of the parking brake add on. Probably better anyhow, I just dumped 225 bucks on that maestro harness, so that was a chunk of change magically gone.

 

[Monz11]

I snagged the Alpine X308U head unit off ebay, brand new. I'm replacing all window regulators, dynamat, and speakers, first.

https://www.alpine-usa.com/product/x308u

 

[Tonyrodz]

The thing I like about the chinese ones is that they DGAF about laws and stuff.

Ain't that the truth!

 

[wildcatgoal]

Do not buy those Android garbage HUs. Having installed high end car stereo (sound quality competition) systems for a long time now, 100% of them are poop. Of course, the branded units are poop, too, but a nicer smelling poop. Alpine is my favorite. They charge a lot and sometimes don't have the most features, but they have been the most reliable/crash free/less gimmicky/best SQ.

 

[Shunto]

Do not buy those Android garbage HUs. Having installed high end car stereo (sound quality competition) systems for a long time now, 100% of them are poop. Of course, the branded units are poop, too, but a nicer smelling poop. Alpine is my favorite. They charge a lot and sometimes don't have the most features, but they have been the most reliable/crash free/less gimmicky/best SQ.

Agreed... been an Alpine H/U user for ages.. then i switched over to Kenwood EXcelon aint looked back.I like the Garmin GUI in the KW. Does Alpine offer the same GUI? Might switch back next time round.