This isn't something you'll be actively looking at all the time, but Google did a good job of ensuring it looks nice and has all of the specs/features you could ask for in a 2021 media device. Let's start with the boring stuff first - the Chromecast's hardware. And with the 2022 holiday season upon us, you'll likely be able to find it on sale, making it even more appealing.Source: Joe Maring / Android Central (Image credit: Source: Joe Maring / Android Central) Nevertheless, if you want a cheap way to enjoy Google TV and don't care about whether you have 4K playback, the Chromecast with Google TV (HD) would be our first suggestion. But I'm still keeping my fingers crossed that Google's next streaming device is something more akin to the Fire TV Cube or NVIDIA Shield TV. Speaking of which, if you really want to "beef up" your streaming dongle, you can grab a USB-C hub (with power delivery), plug in external storage, and access it all from the Chromecast. Plus, it still does everything else that the 4K version can do, right down to including the same remote and the same amount of storage. So what if it doesn't have 4K, chances are you might not even notice the difference, especially if you're just watching some sports or perusing YouTube. You are worried about storage constraints.Īlthough I feel as though Google could have, and probably should have, released the Chromecast with Google TV (HD) at least a year ago, it's nice to see another option hit the market.You want to host content directly on the Chromecast.You want a streaming dongle for traveling.You want to add smarts to a non-smart TV.Chromecast with Google TV (HD): Should you buy it? Plus, it provides the same Roku experience that you would find on the company's more expensive streaming solutions. While it doesn't hang off the back of your TV's HDMI port, there's an HDMI cable included in the box. We would also be remiss if we didn't point out the Roku Express, which was updated earlier this year. The remote is arguably a bit better too, as there are a total of four shortcut buttons in addition to all of the TV controls you'll need and a dedicated Google Assistant button. The name is somehow even more awkward than Google's latest Chromecast, but for just $20, you're also able to stream all the 4K content you want. But I would argue that despite the various ads that Amazon constantly throws in your face, the Fire TV still feels like a more mature platform in some regards.įrom there, if you look within the realm of Android TV devices, you can't ignore the. Google's most obvious competitor here is the Fire TV Stick, which is $10 more expensive and is also "limited" to HD content. The Chromecast with Google TV (HD) is facing some pretty stiff competition, even when compared to other Android TV and Google TV devices. Chromecast with Google TV (HD): The competition Yes, you can uninstall the app manually, but at the very least, a screen during the setup process asking whether we wanted to have it installed or not would have been enough. But when you have a streaming device that's already hurting when it comes to storage, pre-installing apps doesn't make much sense. Maybe there's some undocumented partnership between Google and TikTok. Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, I was pretty shocked to see TikTok pre-installed on the Chromecast with Google TV (HD). I'm sure there are workarounds to this, but I would much prefer Google to let us do it from the built-in Settings app instead. With the plethora of streaming services out there, I would have liked to see the Netflix shortcut button replaced with a customizable one. While I absolutely adore the included remote, which will also likely work seamlessly to control your TV, I do wish Google would make a slight tweak. (Image credit: Andrew Myrick / Android Central)
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