The best Head Unit for the money?

I went through 4 HUs before I settled on this one, including a unit up to $1k. Has everything one would want. Unfortunately for you, price went up $80 in a month (tariffs?)

$440 ATOTO S8 Ultra Double Din Car Stereo, 7" Android in-Dash Navigation, Wireless CarPlay & Android Auto, Dual BT w/aptX HD, Gesture Operation, VSV&LRV, Built-in 4G Cellular Modem, 4G+64G, S8G2A78UL-N

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08HNL9753

Crazy features include:
Comes with Torque
4G option (with SIM)
External GPS, Wifi/BT, 4G antennas
Full Android tablet + android auto
Optical out
Programmable Gesture control (works surprisingly well)
TPMS (not tested)
2 camera inputs (not tested)
Steering wheel control (not tested)
Integrated mic
(was) only $290

 

Mannn, I can't get behind these chinese offbrand units as a former installer. The name brand company's are $$$$, but generally they do last.

 

After coming from a decade of Sony, Pioneer, and Clarion (2nd Sony konked on me after only a few years, hence the upgrade now), and looking now at all the double DIN Kenwoods, etc Crutchfield had to offer, I just can't justify $500-$1000 for UIs that looked & felt outdated in 2015. I did try a Stinger HORIZON 10 - it was nice, but too big, and still had less features than this one, not to mention seemed to run on an Android backend but without the ability to use it.

Another benefit to the Android backend & external GPS antenna is that I can just save offline maps and don't need a phone connection. Taking that further, I can upload Garmin topo maps to something like Orux and now the thing has full navigation as well, for free. Or just do wireless Android Auto, which it also has haha

My only real gripes about this one are: 1. no volume knob, 2. no HD radio

 

really depends on one's needs. i burned through the whole touch screen phase years ago. now i prefer simple and accurate over glitzy.

if the 80-prs didn't get discontinued and go cute 'vintage' on pricing, i'd be running those indefinitely.

i'm currently eyeballing the newer pioneer's specifically because they still support network/full active modes.

specifically eyeballing the DEH-S6220BS ($160), or DEH-S7200BHS ($200), both for their cd support. the only thing the 7200 adds is an auto-eq function, that i'm not entirely sure i'd ever use.

 

Dang, had a bad run with the namebrand radios is unfortunate. I agree some of them for the price are clunky and slow. Hope this one lasts for a long time!

Offline maps is pretty cool for that.

Is HD radio big in your area? I never really ended up using it when I installed since they didn't have the hybrid channels in my area.

 

i don't even bother running an antenna anymore. last time i tried hd radio was at the fullest of the hype train. twice in 2014. my then new-car had it for the first 2 months before i gutted the radio system, and then again at the 4th month after i got the replacement car(month 3 saw the first get totaled by a stop sign ignorer).

i'm near chicago, so most radio stations were offering hd radio. but most didn't increase their broadcast quality to match, which lead to twitchy eye syndrome on my part. and then the times where there were obstructions and the signals cut in/out between hd and standard station quality was the equivalent of trying to enter american idol while being drowned..

 

The top stations I listen to have the HD band, ya. It used to be awesome - there was a 'secret' HD station that played EDM with no ads that was like HD2 or 3 of one of the standard stations, but that disappeared a couple years ago sadly

 

They work until they don't. Better to save up and at least get a pioneer or a stinger