Context and Overview:
Over the past two years, I’ve owned a 2001 Pajero Exceed model in which I installed a Sony Double Din deck. It cost $500, plus extra for the necessary plugs to make it plug-and-play. The touch screen was terrible in comparison, and it didn’t support wireless CarPlay or Android Auto.
Recently, I had the chance to purchase a 2006 Pajero Diesel, and I decided to take a different approach.
This is when I considered trying the AliExpress unit.
The Unit:
To start, I can confidently say the unit I got from AliExpress is a far superior system. The mold they provide to fit it into the dashboard is fantastic—far better designed than I expected. You do need to transfer your hazard light switch and aircon vents, but this is a fairly simple process.
My unit came with a cooling fan, GPS, 4G antenna, and a microphone.
The touch screen usability is comparable to a mid-range Android phone. The screen quality is what you’d expect from an IPS 1280×720 display. I purchased the S10-3 model, which features an 8-core CPU, 6GB of RAM, and 128GB of internal storage. I do not recommend getting a unit with less than 4GB of RAM, as Android 12 (the underlying OS) will stutter and lag on anything lower.
Key Features:
The unit supports wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, both of which work exceptionally well, though they do drain your phone battery. It also connects perfectly to your standard radio antenna.
This is a true plug-and-play unit—there’s no wiring to figure out. You just plug it in, and it also connects to any reverse camera you might have.
Installation was straightforward. The only significant challenge, which you’d face with any double din unit, is relocating the aircon controls to the lower section. If your vehicle has climate control, this is an easy task as the cables easily stretch to fit the new location. However, the standard knob-style controls are much more of a hassle compared to the climate control option.
User Interface and Usability:
The OS launcher is well thought out and functions smoothly. For example, the theme I use includes a digital speedometer. One big advantage of this unit is the ability to download almost any Android app, and in most cases, they scale well with no odd graphical issues (though I haven’t tested every Android app). One notable exception is Netflix, which seems to zoom in slightly, cutting off part of the image.
I’ve even tested Xbox Cloud Gaming and Nvidia GeForce Now with a connected Xbox controller (obviously while parked), which worked quite well.
The unit also supports split-screen functionality, allowing you to display music and navigation simultaneously. While it’s not exactly intuitive to set up, once you know to click the two squares in the top left corner of the screen, it works well.
What I Don’t Like:
Now for some of the downsides. Keep in mind I paid around $330 AUD for this unit, which is fantastic for what you get.
First, while the touch screen works far better than any double din deck I’ve used before and is perfect for a car entertainment unit, the screen quality could be better. A 720p display isn’t bad for this size, but I would have preferred 1080p.
The external microphone is mediocre. While you can control the microphone gain in the Bluetooth menu, I’m not convinced it actually makes a difference. I will definitely upgrade to a better microphone. It’s fine for short conversations, but if you’re on a professional call, you’ll likely be disappointed.
Another downside is that the unit includes touch screen aircon controls at the bottom. Since my car doesn’t have climate control, this section of the screen is wasted. There’s no way to remove or change it, which is unfortunate. While I haven’t confirmed whether these controls work with climate control systems, I did ask the seller, and they confirmed it’s not possible to alter this. Given that it’s Android-based, there’s likely a way to fix this—I just haven’t explored it yet.
UPDATE:There is a way to remove the aircon controls this in the screen settings you need to select the model of car you have and it will change the Aircon controls to a Bluetooth symbol. It is hidden in the settings so I I’ll be sure to do an updated post entirely on this subject.
Lastly, the unit comes with two free themes, but if you want more, you’ll need to pay for them. The theme store is poorly designed; it’s hard to tell what each theme offers since there are few preview images, and the themes are not cheap. It would be nice if they added a demo mode to their theme store.
Updates:
I’ve had this unit for a while now, and it has received multiple updates, which is reassuring. I was initially concerned, as many of these types of units don’t get support post-purchase, but that hasn’t been the case here.