Short Answer Up Front
If you're currently using an S6 and wondering if the S7 is worth upgrading to, here's the honest answer: it depends on how you use your box.
For most casual viewers who mostly watch HD content and don't have super-fast internet, the S6 is still perfectly fine and you can probably wait another generation.
For power users, sports fans, and anyone with 200Mbps+ internet, the S7 upgrades add up to a noticeably better experience — especially the 7-Day Time Shift and Gigabit Ethernet.
In this guide, we're going through every upgrade one by one, rating how much of a difference it actually makes in real use, and helping you decide whether to upgrade now or hold off.
If you want the full specs breakdown, check out our SuperBox model comparison page. We also have a detailed S7 Max review if you want the deep dive on the new model.
The 4 Real Upgrades, Ranked by How Much You'll Notice Them
SuperBox lists several improvements for the S7 generation, but not all of them feel different in daily use. Here's our honest ranking from biggest upgrade to barely noticeable:
#1: 7-Day Time Shift (Biggest Upgrade — You'll Feel This Every Day)
Before (S6): 8-hour playback buffer
After (S7): 7 full days of buffer
This is the single biggest reason to upgrade, and it's not even close.
With the S6's 8-hour window, Time Shift was basically a "pause and rewind what you're watching right now" feature. Miss something earlier today? You could go back. Miss a show last night? Gone.
With 7 days on the S7, it's a completely different experience. You can:
- Catch up on an entire week's worth of content on the weekend
- Go back and rewatch a game from 3 days ago
- Never plan ahead or set recordings for anything
- Work late and still watch your evening shows on your own schedule
If you have an irregular schedule, work shifts, or just like having the freedom to watch things whenever you want, this upgrade alone is worth the price of admission for many people.
Impact rating: 10/10 — game changer for regular viewers
#2: Gigabit Ethernet (Big Difference — If You Have Fast Internet)
Before (S6): 100Mbps Fast Ethernet
After (S7): 1000Mbps Gigabit Ethernet (10× faster on paper)
The networking upgrade is real, but how much you notice it depends on your internet speed.
If you have 100Mbps or slower internet: You won't feel this at all. The S6's port is already faster than your connection.
If you have 200Mbps+ fiber or cable: You'll notice it, especially during peak evening hours. The S6's 100Mbps port becomes a bottleneck when everyone in the neighborhood is streaming at 8 PM. The S7's Gigabit port has so much headroom that congestion rarely causes issues.
If you watch 4K or higher quality content: This matters more. High-bitrate streams can push 50-80Mbps, which is getting close to the S6's 94Mbps real-world limit. On the S7, you've got miles of headroom.
Impact rating: 7/10 — huge if you have fast internet, irrelevant if you don't
#3: USB-C Everything (Nice Quality of Life Upgrade)
Before (S6): Round DC power plug + USB 2.0 data port
After (S7): USB-C for both power and data
This one doesn't change how the box performs, but it's a nice quality-of-life improvement.
USB-C means:
- Reversible connector — no fumbling in the dark behind the TV
- Standard cable you probably already have 5 of around the house
- Travelers can use their phone charger instead of carrying a proprietary brick
- Faster data transfer from USB drives (USB 3.0 speeds via USB-C)
It's not a reason to upgrade by itself, but it's one of those things that once you have it, going back to the old round plug feels dated.
Impact rating: 5/10 — nice to have, but not a reason to upgrade alone
#4: Faster Voice Response & Updated UI (Subtle But Pleasant)
Before (S6): Voice commands take ~3 seconds to register
After (S7): Voice response under 1 second
The voice remote on the S7 is noticeably snappier. On the S6, you'd finish speaking and wait a beat before anything happened. On the S7, it's almost instant.
The updated interface is also cleaner and easier to navigate. It's not a night-and-day difference — anyone familiar with the S6 will feel right at home — but it does feel more polished.
Impact rating: 4/10 — you'll notice it, but you'd get used to either
What Didn't Change (Don't Let Marketing Fool You)
A few things are the same on both generations, and you shouldn't upgrade expecting improvements here:
WiFi 6 — Identical on Both
Both S6 and S7 use the same WiFi 6 chipset. Wireless performance is essentially identical. If you use WiFi exclusively and can't run an Ethernet cable, the networking upgrade doesn't apply to you.
Processor & RAM — Same Chip, Same Memory
The quad-core Cortex-A53 processor and 4GB of RAM are the same on both generations. General speed, app loading times, and multitasking performance are nearly identical.
Picture Quality — Identical Output
Both use the same Mali-G31 GPU and the same H.265 decoding hardware. The picture quality coming out of the HDMI port is exactly the same.
Who Should Upgrade to S7
✅ Upgrade if:
- You use Time Shift regularly and wish you could go back more than 8 hours
- You have 200Mbps+ internet and experience buffering during peak hours
- You watch a lot of sports or high-bitrate content
- Your S6 is starting to feel slow or buggy
- You want USB-C for the convenience
- You've had your S6 for 2+ years and were planning to upgrade anyway
Who Should Stick with S6
❌ Don't upgrade yet if:
- You're happy with how your S6 works
- You mostly watch HD content on a 1080p TV
- Your internet is 100Mbps or slower
- You only use WiFi (no Ethernet)
- You rarely use the rewind / Time Shift features
- Budget matters and your current box works fine
The S6 is still a perfectly capable streaming box for most people. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.
What About Resale Value?
If you're on the fence, consider this: S6 units hold their value reasonably well on the used market. Many people buy them as second boxes for bedrooms or guest rooms.
You could upgrade to S7, sell your S6 for $150-200 depending on condition, and the net cost of upgrading drops to around $200 or less. For many people, that math makes the upgrade much easier to justify.
Just make sure to factory reset it and remove any personal accounts before selling.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use my S6 remote with the S7?
Yes, the Bluetooth voice remotes are cross-compatible between generations. The S7 remote is slightly faster, but the S6 remote works fine with S7 boxes and vice versa.
Will my apps and settings transfer over?
Not automatically. You'll need to sign into your apps again on the new box. It takes about 20-30 minutes to set up a new S7 from scratch.
Is the S7 bigger or smaller than the S6?
Roughly the same physical size. The S7 is slightly slimmer and has a metal housing instead of plastic, but it fits in the same space behind your TV.
How long will software updates last for the S6?
SuperBox typically supports models for 3-4 years after release. The S6 is still well within its support window and will continue receiving updates for the foreseeable future.
If I upgrade, which S7 model should I get?
For most people upgrading from S6, the S7 Max is the sweet spot — 64GB storage and all the S7 features at a reasonable price. The S7 Pro saves $40 but only has 32GB, and the S7 Ultra adds a backlit remote and 128GB for $50 more. Our S7 Pro vs Max comparison goes into detail on this.
Final Verdict
The S7 isn't a revolutionary upgrade over the S6 — it's more of a refinement. But one feature alone makes it worth considering for many people: the 7-Day Time Shift.
If you're someone who uses that feature regularly, going from 8 hours to 7 days is a genuine quality-of-life jump that you'll notice every single day. Pair that with Gigabit Ethernet if you have fast internet, and the upgrade starts to feel like a no-brainer.
If you're a casual viewer with basic internet and the S6 works fine for you, there's no rush. The S6 is still a great box and will serve you well for another year or two.
Still deciding? Read our 30-day S7 Max review to see how it holds up with daily use, or compare all the specs on our full SuperBox model comparison page.
Ready to upgrade?