Which head unit is the right one?

Here you can find Xtron's head unit recommendations in descending order. Of course, we try to offer you only the best devices, but you will also find a few cheaper variants. However, there are also cheap devices from Xtrons that we would definitely not recommend. This includes devices with less than 4 GB RAM.

Xtrons head unit recommendations for BMW

E38, E39, E46, E53

For these vehicles you replace the complete original radio. For vehicles that have an original navigation system installed, you will need to run an extension of the wiring harness to the front to connect the radio in the front, as it is factory installed in the trunk by the nav computer and there is only an on-board monitor in the front as a display.

IQ series

The IQ series is the first choice with the Snapdragon 665, 6 GB RAM and 128 GB storage or new with 8 GB RAM and 256 GB storage. The operating system is still built like those of the PX6 devices, making it compatible with other apps like Navradio and certain functions in the I-BUS app. Unfortunately, there were complications with this type of device in conjunction with a DVD drive, which caused them to be taken off the market. However, we are working with Xtrons to develop devices without a DVD drive with a 7" screen.

PQS series

The PQS series is now getting on in years, but for us it still ranks after the IQ series. With PX6 Hexa-Core processor, 4 GB RAM and 64 GB ROM, the device is not slow either. However, there were still temperature problems with the coreboard here. Unfortunately, the devices won't be around for much longer.

IX series

The IX-series is very fast with Unisoc CPU, 8 GB RAM and 128 GB ROM, but the rest of the system or the installed components couldn't convince us so far and is worse compared to the upper series. However, Xtrons has promised us to improve the system. We will also try to integrate more app features.

IA series

If it has to be cheap and not the best, we would recommend the devices of the IA series. With an MTK CPU, 4 GB of RAM and 64 GB of storage, you at least have a basis that is sufficient for everyday use. We strongly advise against cheaper devices with 2 GB RAM.

E60, E61, E63, E64, E65, E83, E84, E81, E82, E87, E88, E90, E91, E92, E93 and F models

Strictly speaking, these are just Android screens that replace the original display. Important: The sound here is fed into the original system through AUX. The original iDrive system remains completely intact and can be used as before. You expand your vehicle with an additional Android menu and can switch back and forth as you like. For cars with Combox or MULF2, the CCC/CIC has to be recoded to internal AUX to get sound directly over the harness from the Android without an additional AUX cable. In the E65, an AUX retrofit is hardly possible in some cases. Here there is only the possibility to install a CD changer emulator or an FM transmitter.

QX and QP series

In the newer E-models or F-models you drive best with devices of the QX or QP series. The QX series is only available with a 12.3" screen. The QP series is available in 8.8" or 10.25", depending on the vehicle. It doesn't really matter if you choose 6 or 8 GB of RAM, since you can hardly exhaust the working memory. A Qualcomm Snapdragon 662, 128 GB of storage and the well-known KSW software, for which there is already a large community, are installed here.

QS series

The QS series is a slimmed-down and cheaper version of the QP series. Here you have 4 GB of RAM and 64 GB of storage and a Snapdragon 455. There is also software from KSW installed. Unfortunately, these devices do not support AHD cameras. However, Xtrons does not also offer a QP version for all vehicles, but this can be partially circumvented by using another device. Please feel free to contact us if you are interested.

You want to update your device? Here you can find an overview of current firmwares. Note, however, that updates must be exactly compatible with your device and do not necessarily bring improvements. Updating the Android version to a newer one is rarely possible.