A Complete Review on Chromecast with Google TV

Chromecast with Google TV, one of the best streaming devices, is much more than a TV streaming stick with a remote. The latest home entertainment device from Google boasts a sensible interface, offers every streaming service you need, and has Google Assistant at your beck and call. Check out the complete review on Chromecast with Google TV.

Several new Android TV upgrades including the ability to use a smartphone as a remote control will keep it in the competition against Roku and Apple TV. However, the Chromecast with Google TV is available nearly at the same price as the Amazon Fire TV Stick and Roku on the market.

But, today’s complete review on Chromecast with Google TV outlines the things only Google can bring to make Chromecast with Google TV one of the best smart TV streaming devices. So, stick till the end to be guided with the review on Chromecast with Google TV.

Chromecast with Google TV

The Chromecast with Google TV is a 4K UHD streaming device that supports HDR, Dolby Vision, and Dolby Atmos. With a simple user interface and OS, it offers almost every streaming service including 6500+ Android TV Apps. Even the Chromecast remote could replace your TV remote. Check out the complete review on Chromecast with Google TV.

Review on Chromecast with Google TV

Firestickhub brings an overall review on Chromecast with Google TV, so that you can easily compare Chromecast with the Amazon Fire TV Stick. Thus, it will help you to choose the better streaming device as per your needs. Also, you can check out Fire Stick vs Chromecast to differentiate the better one.

Price and availability

Chromecast with Google TV costs ₹ 3,990 INR / $49.99 / £59 / AU$99 depending upon the country conversion rate. However, you can get it on sale at the Google Store for $39.99. Apart from that, you can get it from online retailers like Amazon, Best Buy, and so on.

Design

Similar to other TV streaming devices, the Chromecast with Google TV is also a dongle accompanied by a small remote that plugs into an HDMI port on your TV. The oval-shaped dongle will fit comfortably in your palm.

The Chromecast is pretty simple having an HDMI output at one end, and the other end has a USB-C port. As the Chromecast required more power than the TV’s HDMI port, it provides a USB cable and plug.

The remote comes with the devices, is curved at the top and bottom like Roku, and is not as minimalist as Apple TV. But you can say, it is somewhere between the Roku and the Apple TV remote. However, the Google TV remote comes in a single color, with the Google Assistant button.

There’s a circular d-pad below which you will get eight buttons Back, Home, Mute, Google Assistant, Netflix, YouTube, Power, and Input. Moreover, there are two small volume control buttons on the right side. The dongle is a grayish blue, whereas the remote is gray, and contains a light green Google Assistant button.

However, the Snow model has both the dongle and remote in white color with a black Assistant button, and the Sunrise offers a pink dongle and remote. The color doesn’t matter too much, as the dongle will likely be hidden. You can connect the Chromecast to Ethernet, same as the Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K.

Interface

There’s no difference in the Google TV interface. At the top, you will get the tabs for Search, Apps, Movies, Shows, and Library. Relevant thumbnails of content are beneath. If you have an active subscription to YouTube TV, a Live Tab displaying the current airing service will appear at the top of the menu.

Sub-categories include Top streaming services, trending videos on google, and recommended videos based on your viewing history and previously watched content on YouTube. However, the Library Tab will show either purchased or rented media from Google, and DVR media files from YouTube TV.

Just press along on the thumbnail and you can see what services are offered by streaming services. Even you can add more than one Google account so that anyone won’t be disturbed by annoying pop-up notifications on the screen. Unfortunately, currently watching the list on Chromecast with Google TV has full of bugginess to fix that seems annoying.

Performance

The Chromecast with Google TV is fast, responsive, and delivers excellent video quality. While streaming on YouTube, Disney Plus, and so on, you will get impressive details and colors. In almost every streaming, it started up in high definition, and sometimes it crashes and returns to the Home Screen of the Google TV. But it resolved itself within a minute.

Streaming services

The Google Chromecast includes all the popular streaming services like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney Plus Hotstar, YouTube, YouTube TV, Spotify, Hulu, HBO Max, ESPN, Sling, CBS All Access, Peacock, Starz, PBS, Peloton, Tubi, and more. They even it has added the Apple TV app in earlier 2021.

It allows you to stream content at 4K/60fps resolution and support HDR, HDR10, HDR10+, Dolby Vision, and Dolby Atmos audio system with Dolby Digital and Dolby Digital Plus for delivering an immersive sound. You can install the apps and services either directly from the device, or remotely send them from your smartphone’s Google Play store to Google TV.

Search

Google device would be incomplete without a search. Apart from letting you search for movies and TV shows by name and more, a Google Assistant button on the remote also allows you to ask general queries via the Google search engine.

Let’s take an example. Suppose, I have asked Google Assistant to show me restaurants near me. It returned with a list of all nearby restaurants. Selecting one of the options opens the direction on the google map on your TV and the assistant will send an overview of the direction to your smartphone. You don’t get the menu but can get the number to call.

Google’s search on Chromecast proved better than Alexa on the Amazon Fire TV Sticks in terms of sending the direction overview to your phone. Both devices pulled up a list of restaurants, and their directions overview, but only Google can send the overview to your phone.

Smart home features

Suppose you are using a lot of smart home devices like a Nest Cam, a Nest Hello video doorbell, or some other smart home security camera. Then you can simply ask Google Assistant to show the feed from those devices directly on your TV. However, all the smart home security cameras may not work with Chromecast.

Amazon also offers the same feature to its Fire TV devices. Chromecast with Google TV doesn’t support the ‘Ring and Blink’ feature which is owned by Amazon. Using Google Assistant on the Chromecast with Google TV, you can also control other smart home devices, such as smart thermostats and smart lights.

Last Words

Many people ditching their old Chromecast devices, so that they can use the remote that comes with the Chromecast with Google TV. Do bear in mind that the Google TV platform will bring more features as it matures. The reason why Google takes so much time to come out with such devices is still wondering. 

I hope this review on Chromecast with Google TV will help you to know about a few advantages over other TV streaming devices. It has an in-built Google Assistant that leverages the power of Google’s search engine. And, a Chromecast device makes it easier to beam anything on your TV. 

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