- Affordable
- Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos support
- Slick UI
- Responsive
- Integrated Google Assistant
- Dolby Vision always on by default
- Recommendation algorithm still learning
I’m impressed. The new Google Chromecast with Google TV looked pretty good on paper, but now that I’ve been using one for the past couple of weeks, I can safely say it’s even better than I expected.
I never warmed up to the original Chromecast. Call me old school, but I like a remote control and an on-screen interface — the original Chromecasts had neither. I just couldn’t get down with my phone, tablet, or PC being the primary control for my TV watching. The $35 Google Chromecast that’s been around for 7 years was never for me, and the $70 Google Chromecast Ultra’s 4K resolution wasn’t enough to lure me in. But the new $50 Google Chromecast with Google TV is priced better, does more, and, to my surprise, I’m really into it.
That doesn’t necessarily mean the Google Chromecast with
Note: Google in September 2022 released an HD version of this Chromecast that tops out at 1080p and lacks other features like
Out of the box
The Google Chromecast with Google TV has an unnecessarily long name, even if it is technically meaningful in distinguishing what’s different about it compared to previous Chromecast versions (more on that in a minute). Fortunately, just about everything else about the device is dead simple.
It all starts with the packaging and what’s in the box. The packaging appears to be almost entirely recyclable — and there isn’t much of it. In the box is the Chromecast dongle, a remote, a small USB-A power brick, a USB-A to USB-C cable, and two AAA batteries — and folks, I love the batteries.
Yeah, you read that right. The AAA batteries Google ships with the new Chromecast have the same silky, rubbery, silicone exterior as the Chromecast dongle, remote control, and power cable. I actually giggled with delight when I shucked them from their plastic cocoon to put them into the remote. Nice touch, Google. Unboxing win.
Features and specs
As is well-known, the original Chromecast and Chromecast Ultra (
The remote control comes with power and volume buttons that control your TV. Oddly, the power button is located on the lower-left section of the compact remote, but the volume buttons on the side will feel familiar to anyone who has used a
At the top of the remote is a circle that allows you to click up, down, left, and right. Below the circle are a
The Chromecast dongle plugs directly into a TV’s HDMI port, which eliminates any concern about having a high-speed HDMI cable that will support
That brings up two of the most astounding features found in the new Google Chromecast, especially for the $50 price: Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos.
Google doesn’t publish much around the new Chromecast’s antenna, but from my experience, it has done a better-than-average job of pulling in Wi-Fi signals for steady streaming.
Setup
As easy as it is to use the new Chromecast, getting it set up takes some time. That’s true for many streaming devices today as they get more advanced. There are some hoops to jump through here that are unique to the new Chromecast, though.
If you don’t already have the
From there, the Chromecast will offer a few apps to install (any others must be installed manually at a later time), test to operate your TV’s power and volume, fetch some updates, restart a few times, set up
Here is where Google could vastly improve the
For now, users must go through the tedious process of entering usernames and passwords for all the streaming apps to which they subscribe. Frankly, this is probably the most time-consuming part of the setup.
One final and very important note: By default, the new Chromecast ships with always-on
The Google TV part
The new Google Chromecast with
If you want to explore content available on a given platform like Netflix or HBO Max, the apps are all laid out on a strip just below the “For You” section. Whether you will need/want to do so may depend on how well Google figures out your viewing preferences and habits.
Clearly, for households with several viewers, individual profile support is crucial and, not to worry, the new Chromecast does support that, just not in the way you might expect if you’re used to Disney + or Netflix’s approach.
For individual
Performance
The new Google Chromecast with Google TV performs well as a piece of streaming hardware. It does a pretty decent job of keeping up with my fast-paced clicking and scrolling, though I can certainly catch it lagging behind when I push it hard, similar to the experience I’ve had with the Amazon Fire TV Stick and Roku Streaming Stick +.
Apps and content load quickly, too. Casting is the same as it’s ever been, so no changes there. Overall, the device is perfectly capable given its $50 price. You’d have to step up to an Amazon Fire TV Cube or the new Roku Ultra to get anything substantially faster or more powerful.
To me, though, the real performance metric here is that of the
I also enjoy having my YouTube suggested videos looking exactly the same on my TV as they look on my phone. It’s the little things.
The new Chromecast also joins up with many other Google smart home devices, making it possible to look at video feeds from Google Nest Cameras and Google Nest doorbells and act as part of a whole-home audio solution. You can also control the new Chromecast using a Google Home or Google Nest speaker.
Clearly, the Chromecast with
Still, purely on its merits as a streaming device, I think the new Google Chromecast with
Our take
The new Google Chromecast with
Is there a better alternative?
The
How long will it last?
It’s difficult to imagine a scenario in which the new Google Chromecast with
Should you buy it?
Yes. The new Google Chromecast with