On a modern phone, you don't think about video codecs. On a KitKat device, you do. The stock video player on Android 4.4.2 often struggles with MKV, FLV, and AC3 audio codecs. MX Player introduces . This acts as a bridge between the hardware (your phone's GPU) and the software, allowing smooth 1080p playback without draining your battery in 20 minutes.
: One of the final professional versions to support the Android 4.2+ minimum API. MX Player 1.10.43 mx player apk for android 4.4.2
VLC 3.0.20 generally performs better for newer codecs on old hardware compared to MX Player 1.26.6. On a modern phone, you don't think about video codecs