Google has released its latest streaming device and it's a bit different than the company's previous offerings. Dubbed the Google TV Streamer, this new media player drops the Chromecast branding used on older models. It also swaps out the Chromecast's dongle design in favor of a sleek set-top box style that's meant to rest on your entertainment console.
The Google TV Streamer has all the features we look for in a flagship streaming device, including 4K HDR support, Dolby Atmos decoding, and a handy voice remote. It also has faster performance than its predecessor, the Chromecast with Google TV, and it's built with smart home integration in mind.
Below, we've broken down everything you need to know, including pricing and key features.
The Google TV Streamer is the brand's latest 4K streaming device with an improved processor and new set-top box design. It also boasts integration with Google Home for smart device control, and leverages AI to offer personalized content recommendations.
How to buy the Google TV Streamer
The Google TV Streamer is now available to buy for $100 from Amazon, Best Buy, and the Google Store. It officially launched on September 24. Buyers can choose between porcelain and hazel color options, but the latter is exclusive to the Google Store.
The Google TV Streamer could challenge the Apple TV 4K and Roku Ultra
The Google TV Streamer is designed to compete with the best streaming devices from Apple and Roku. And it has the specs to put up a good fight.
Previous Google streaming devices, which used the Chromecast branding, had a dongle design that hung from your TV's HDMI port. But the Google TV Streamer is a slim set-top box that's meant to rest on your entertainment console and then plug into your TV with a separate HDMI cable. It also has an Ethernet port in addition to WiFi support, so you can use a wired connection if you have issues with your wireless setup.
The Google TV Streamer supports 4K playback with HDR, including Dolby Vision and HDR10+ compatibility. It also has built-in support for decoding Dolby Atmos audio. This puts it on par with the video and audio capabilities of the Apple TV 4K and Roku Ultra.
Under the hood, the Google TV Streamer has 32GB of built-in storage, which is solid but less than the 64GB you get with the cheapest Apple TV 4K. Google says this new model has a faster processor than its previous streaming devices, with a 22% increase in performance. That's good to hear since occasional lag was one of our only issues with the last Chromecast model.
Of course, the device uses the Google TV operating system (OS). Though we prefer Roku's interface, Google TV is a solid OS and the company is now using AI to curate recommendations and provide content summaries and reviews.
There's also a new ambient mode that can display screensavers, similar to a feature offered on some Amazon Fire TV devices. Smart home integration is included via support for the Matter protocol, an integrated Thread border router, and an on-screen Google Home panel to check your cameras and other devices right on your TV.
And last but certainly not least, Google has taken a lesson from Roku and carried over one of our favorite features found on that brand's devices: a lost remote chime. If you lose the Google TV Streamer's voice remote, you can press a button on the device or use the mobile app to set off a handy chime.
Should you buy the Google TV Streamer?
The Google TV Streamer is an excellent set-top box, especially for people already invested in other products and services. We love its personalized content recommendations and it can serve as a handy smart home hub for other connected devices.
However, its value largely depends on whether you prefer Google's interface and ecosystem over those offered by Amazon, Apple, and Roku. You can find more details in our full Google TV Streamer 4K review.
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