The new Formuler Z12 Ultra is here, and follows the popular Z11 lineup, promising more power and features!

I purchased this streaming device from Amazon last month and have been using it on a regular basis since that time to form this review.  I’ve been a big fan of Formuler streaming devices in the past and I hope that the Z12 Ultra carries on their strong reputation.

I provided a First Impressions/Setup Video for TROYPOINT Patrons that can be found at the following link.  As of this review there are 127 comments with many who have experience using this device.  Throughout this review I will provide some comments from our Patrons who have used this streaming box.  Their comments have helped me form this review.

New Formuler Z12 Ultra Setup & First Impressions Video

The Z12 Ultra is like the improved version of the Z11 series. It has a new quad-core processor, 4GB of memory, and a huge 128GB internal storage to record your favorite shows, apps, and videos. It can play super clear 4K videos at 60 frames per second, so everything looks smooth and ready for the future.

With Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos, your TV shows and movies should look and sound like you’re in a movie theater. The colors are brighter, the pictures are clearer, and the sound feels like it’s all around you!

Included is the new BT3 Bluetooth remote control which comes with buttons that can be customized along with many other features.

Formuler Z12 Ultra Highlights

• 4K (3840 x 2160) 4K Output Resolution
• Realtek Quad Core RTD1319C CPU
• Mali-G57 MC1 GPU
• 4GB DDR4 @2666MHz RAM
• 128GB eMMC Internal Storage
• Android 12
• MYTVOnline3 IPTV App
• 6E AX 2×2 (Tri-band) WiFi
• Bluetooth 5.2
• Gigabit Ethernet
• USB 3.0 & USB 2.0 Ports
• Micro SD Card Slot
• Optical S/PDIF
• Supports Dolby Vision-Atmos, DTS, HDR10, HDR10+, HLG
• BT3 Bluetooth Remote Control
• Supports Side-loading APKs
• 3rd Party Launchers Work

Formuler Z12 Ultra Review

Rather than discussing every feature mentioned above, this review will focus on what I like and dislike about the Formuler Z12 Ultra.  I will also provide some great input from a few of our TROYPOINT Patrons who posted on my First Impressions/Setup Video.

What I Like

Here are the features that impress me the most about the Formuler Z12 Ultra.

Dolby Vision-Atmos

Most non-certified Android boxes don’t offer Dolby Vision-Atmos due to the licensing requirements and I’m happy to see that the Z12 Ultra includes this.  Some will complain about the high price of this unit and this license fee is probably one reason for that.

Formuler Launcher MYTVOnline 3 Integration

I’ve always held the opinion that you shouldn’t bother purchasing this device unless you’re going to use the launcher and IPTV app that comes with it.  The launcher allows for some customization but displaying your favorite IPTV channels, movies and TV shows on the home screen is a huge benefit in my opinion.  Users can quickly launch their favorite media directly from the launcher.

3rd Party Launchers Supported

In the past, Formuler blocked 3rd party launchers such as Projectivy but not this time!  I’m happy to see that we can use 3rd party launchers on the new Z12 Ultra but again, I wouldn’t suggest this device if you want to go this route.

Formuler Z12 Ultra Remote Control App

The Formuler Z12 Ultra comes with an application that allows for many adjustments to remote control features.  You can check your battery level, setup hotkeys, find your remote, setup IR control, setup volume control, and control the backlight.  I really like the remote control that comes with the Z12 Ultra except for one annoyance that I cover below in what I dislike about this device.

Backwards
One thing is for certain, Formuler provides a great remote. Feels good in the hand and has some weight to it. Most all others I have tried feel cheap.

But that is an opinion. As with all things YMMV

See this discussion among TROPOINT Patrons here

Good Download Speeds

Download speeds aren’t the fastest we’ve seen on a streaming device but still more than enough to stream 4K content.

My biggest concern with this device is how bad the VPN speeds are diminished.

The following download/upload tests were done with the Formuler Z12 Ultra being connected to my ASUS RT-AX86U WiFi 6 Router.  I’m using Surfshark for the VPN tests.  I’m measuring speeds with the Analiti application that I installed through the free TROYPOINT Toolbox.  For some reason, Analiti can’t be installed on this device through the Google Play Store.

Gigabit Speeds

VPN Off: 515 Mbps Download & 434 Mbps Upload

VPN On: 60 Mbps Download & 42 Mbps Upload

WiFi Speeds

VPN Off: 263 Mbps Download & 174 Mbps Upload

VPN On: 50 Mbps Download & 37 Mbps Upload

VPN Router Speeds

This test was done on the same router as above measurements (ASUS RT-AX86U WiFi 6 Router) with Surfshark VPN integrated.

Gigabit Speeds: 293 Mbps Download & 198 Mbps Upload

WiFi Speeds: 223 Mbps Download & 187 Mbps Upload

Here’s a video that shows how to run a VPN off router for whole-home protection with blazing fast download/upload speeds.  This is the same setup that I used in the VPN router speed test.

Best WireGuard VPN Router Setup Video

Android 12

I’m happy to see that Formuler isn’t running the dreaded Android 14 on this device!  Many would think that including one of the latest versions of Android would be a good thing but that doesn’t apply to streaming devices.

Regular Updates

Formuler prides itself on releasing new features through timely updates and squashing bugs in those as well.  There are only a handful of non-certified Android box manufacturers that push out regular updates and Formuler is one of them.  You can count on Formuler to support the Z12 Ultra for a long time to come.

What I Dislike

Here’s a list of items that I dislike about the Formuler Z12 Ultra.

Programmable Volume Button

Yes, you can adjust the volume on your television with a volume button on the remote but it’s on the side of the remote which I absolutely hate.  They still have a volume button for the box itself on the face of the remote and I wish that button was used instead.  Maybe they can provide a future update that would allow us to use the volume buttons on the face of the remote.

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anon7
Is there not a way to control the tv volume without using the side buttons on the BT3? It only controls the formuler box volume and not the TV. I tried the STB mode with CEC and it worked but was very laggy. Was more so hoping it would work similar to the ONN remotes?

TROYPOINT Patrons may read this discussion here

No AI Upscaling

This is a big one!  Formuler really needs to embrace AI upscaling which uses artificial intelligence to enlarge low-resolution videos, creating new pixels to add detail and sharpness.  I never noticed much of a different with this on other devices that support it but I’m definitely coming around.  After using the UGOOS AM9 and BuzzTV PowerStation 6 for a long period of time, there is no doubt that my low res videos are much clearer when AI upscaling is enabled.  I especially notice this in my IPTV applications where most streams are delivered at 720p quality.

MYTVOnline 3

I’ve gone back and forth regarding Formuler’s IPTV app over the years.  I still like TiviMate better than MYTVOnline 3 but that’s my personal preference and some don’t agree with that.  The entire Formuler lineup has always revolved around their IPTV application and if you don’t like it, you probably don’t need to spend this much money for a streaming device like this one.

brenildo
Daang, I really like the “mytvonline 3” iptv app. I am considering on getting this formuler just because of that. I really wish there was a work around to install this app on other android boxes.

See discussion among TROYPOINT Patrons regarding this here

Not Many Video/Audio Settings

In addition to no upscaling options, there aren’t many settings for Display/Audio like we see on other streaming devices.  This is a huge negative as if you’re going to spend this much money on a streaming device, it should allow for additional tweaks.

MikeN
Also noted that Troy missed one item that should be installed ( No idea why this isn’t installed by default) – Market app > Audio Optimiser

See this discussion among TROYPOINT Patrons here

Formuler Z12 Ultra Freezing Up & Rebooting

Some TROYPOINT Patrons are reporting that their units are freezing up and rebooting automatically.  This is a huge problem and will hopefully be rectified in a future update.  For anyone experiencing this, I suggest doing a factory reset.

NoleNation
Is anybody else having issues with the new Formuler 12 Ultra box. Mine keeps rebooting. After I go in any app it just freezes up then reboots about a minute later.

Bigkountry
I have two Z12 Ultras. One works flawlessly and the other doesn’t. The one that has issues reboots while watching it. The remote tends to go unresponsive and locks me out for minutes at a time. Is anyone else experiencing any of these issues. I have sent it back and am ordering a new one tomorrow. I would love to know if anyone else has had these issues.

Regards,

Big Kountry

Johnc
Hello, I’am having the same issues. Mine will freeze up at any given time or will just not respond with the remote. This unit shuts down by itself for no reason. This is my second unit and not happy with it at all. Will be returning the unit.

TROYPOINT Patrons may read this discussion here

Formuler Z12 Ultra Specs

• Realtek RTD1319C CPU
• Mali-G57 MC1 GPU
• 128GB eMMC Internal Storage
• 4GB DDR4 RAM
• Wireless: 6E AX 2×2 (Tri-band)
• Ethernet: Gigabit (1000M)
• USB 3.0: 1
  USB 2.0: 1
• Micro SD Card: 1
  Optical S/PDIF: 1
• Bluetooth: 5.2
• AV1
• Widevine Level 1
• Dolby Vision/Dolby Atmos
• BT3 Backlit Remote Control
• Android 12

Decoder

Video Decoder: Dolby Vision, 4K@60fps, AV1, H.265 (HEVC), AVS, H.264 (AVC, MVC), Real, MPEG-1/2/4, VC-1
Audio Decoder: Dolby Atmos, MPEG-1 Layer 1/2/3 (2-CH), MPEG-2 Layer 1/2, HE-AAC v1/v2
DRM: Widevine L1, L3

Power input

Power rating : 12VDC / 1A
Power Consumption : Max. 12W
Standby Power : Max. 0.5W (Ultra low power)

Optional

ATSC USB Tuners:

• Hauppauge WinTV-HVR-955Q (2040:b123)
• Hauppauge WinTV-HVR-955Q (2040:b150)
• Hauppauge WinTV-dualHD (2040:026d)

VB-T USB Tuners:

• Hauppauge WinTV-dualHD (2040:8265)
• Geniatech MyGica T230 Black (0572:689A)
• Geniatech OEM T230 White (0572:c68a)
• Xbox One Digital TV Tuner (045E:02D5)

Dimensions

Length: 135mm
Width: 100mm
Thickness: 24mm
Color: Black / Rose gold

Licenses

If you’re a Netflix user, you don’t want this device as it isn’t licensed.  The Formuler Z12 Ultra is built off Android Open Source Project (AOSP) which may be a good thing due to Google aiming to start cracking down on sideloading on certified devices.

Bob9
Just now setting up my Z12, why can’t this thing have a useable Netflix app without the hassle of using the mouse curser?

Seems for this amount of money, it should be on the level as the Nvidia box.

I’m debating on sending it back, but I do love the remote better than the Nvidia and I could use the Netflix app on my TV instead of the mouse version. Just wondering why the degraded version of some of the apps…

PapaS

Not a certified Google device.

TROYPOINT Patrons may read this discussion here

Android 12?

Some will complain that this doesn’t come with  newer version of Android, however I think that’s a good thing.  Due to all of the problems we’ve seen recently with the release of Android 14, this may be a great move on Formuler’s part.  Besides, what do you really get on streaming devices with new Android operating systems? It seems like they break more than they fix as they release new Android operating systems on these streaming devices.

Formuler Z12 Ultra Price

The price for this new Android TV box is $229.99.

TROYPOINT no longer suggests purchasing these streaming devices through Formuler resellers due to numerous complaints over the past few months.

This may be purchased through Amazon USA at the following link.  The great thing about using Amazon to purchase is that you can easily return it for a full refund if you don’t like it.

Buy Formuler Z12 Ultra

Formuler Z12 Ultra Summary

There are many TROYPOINT Patrons who’ve used this device and I truly appreciate their feedback.  Many times, their use-case is different than mine which brings a new perspective to my review.  When reading the comments from Patrons, they are more negative than positive.

One big concern are the multiple complaints about the Formuler Z12 Ultra freezing up or rebooting automatically.  This is terrible.  

At this time, I just can’t recommend purchasing the Formuler Z12 Ultra.  The price is high and they aren’t keeping up with the competition when it comes to AI upscaling and Display/Audio settings.  If they could fix these issues in an update I will gladly revisit this review and update accordingly.

I rate the Formuler Z12 Ultra 3.8 out of 5 stars.  

What are your thoughts regarding this new Android TV Box?  Are you excited to see a new model released by Formuler?  Tell us in the comments below.