Google TV Streamer
MSRP: $99.00
“Google replaces Chromecast with a worthy streaming platform.”
Pros
- Priced at a sweet spot
- Google TV is smoother
- Improved remote control
- Includes smart home features
Cons
- Can’t hide behind a TV
- Smart-home features a little rough
There always something about Chromecast with Google TV that just didn’t quite feel right. Underpowered. Awkward remote control. Wi-Fi-only. That’s not to say it wasn’t adequate as a streaming device. It was. Capable, even.
But with the new (if oddly named) Google TV Streamer, it really feels as if Google has rectified the sins of the past in a device that costs twice as much as its predecessor. What it did before it now does better. And it has new features that should soften the blow to your wallet, even if it still comes in at a price beneath Apple TV 4K, which we still consider to be the best streaming device you can buy.
Some of those new features feel unfinished, however. Others feel like a solution in search of a problem. And that only exacerbates my continued complaint about Google TV as a platform — it just has too darn much going on at any one time.
So what’s new in the Google TV Streamer? Is it worth an upgrade? And does it stand up against the surprise 2024 hit that was Walmart’s Onn 4K Pro? Let’s dig in.
About this review
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