Google TV Streamer vs Chromecast: Should You Upgrade?

The Chromecast with Google TV was a big evolution for Google’s media streamer. While it retained much of the design language of the original Chromecast series, the new device featured remote support and the full power of the Android TV-based Google TV platform. Years later, Google is dropping the Chromecast brand altogether with the new Google TV Streamer. Is it worth the upgrade, or is the Chromecast still worth keeping or finding on sale before it’s retired to the Google graveyard? Let’s dive right in and take a closer look.

While the Chromecast with Google TV offered a slight update to the outdated Chromecast design, Google stuck to the same dongle approach. This meant keeping the device out of sight and out of mind. The Google TV Streamer takes a very different path, with a more boxy form factor that’s still very flat and almost resembles a wireless charger. The result is a device that blends seamlessly into your entertainment setup, and encourages you to leave it somewhere more visible. After all, Google doesn’t want you hiding the Google TV Streamer, as this can impact its Wi-Fi performance and effectiveness as a smart home hub.

Not only does the hardware look different, it also adds a few new features. There’s now a physical button for finding the remote on the Google TV Streamer, a feature that was sorely missing from its predecessor. Alternatively, you can use a voice command or the Google Home app to find a lost remote. Another notable upgrade is the addition of an Ethernet port for more consistent network connections.

While the two devices don’t look any less similar, there is still a bit of familiarity. The remote looks quite similar to the Chromecast remote, with a few changes including a slightly longer housing, a grippy back, a customizable shortcut key, and volume keys on the front instead of the sides. Even the color scheme remains similar, with the Google TV Streamer coming in the familiar Porcelain colorway. There’s also a Hazel colorway available as a Google Store-exclusive colorway in the US, replacing the optional Sky Blue color that the Chromecast previously offered.

The Google Chromecast with Google TV was a great device, but it was also a fairly minimalist experience in terms of design. As a result, the Google TV Streamer improves on every aspect of the Chromecast with Google TV.

Starting with the hardware, the Google TV Streamer not only has a 22% faster CPU, but the RAM has also been doubled to 4GB. Even the storage has seen a massive increase, from 8GB to 32GB. This increased power not only provides for a more premium experience, but it also likely helps power the new Gemini-powered AI features.

New AI features include recommendations based on content across all your subscriptions, as well as your past viewing habits, preferences, and more. You can also create a personalized watch list using AI, and get new AI summaries that summarize shows and movies before you start watching. Plus, Google TV’s Ambient Mode now lets you use AI to generate custom wallpapers and screensavers.

Could these AI features come to the Chromecast with Google TV via a later update? It’s possible (though Google hasn’t confirmed anything yet), but weaker hardware could make the experience less than ideal.

Not only is the Google TV Streamer faster and more AI-powered than before, it’s also smarter than ever thanks to new smart hub capabilities. Not only is the Google Home panel now available directly from your TV screen, but Google’s Chromecast successor also doubles as a Thread router, offering full support for all your smart devices.

Still not enough new features? There are also some audio improvements, including Spatial Audio support for Pixel Buds.

The Chromecast with Google TV has been available since 2018, and in that time, its retail price has remained at $50, though you can often find it on sale for as little as half that. The new Google TV Streamer has vastly improved hardware and features over the outdated Chromecast, so it’s not all that surprising to hear that it costs more, though the $99.99 price tag is a significant hike that could alienate customers who previously saw Google’s media streamers as a budget solution.

Google’s new Streamer goes on sale September 24, but pre-orders will likely start earlier.

If you’re currently using a Chromecast with Google TV, you might be wondering if it’s time to upgrade. Honestly, it really depends. If your Chromecast is hooked up to a bedroom TV or something that only gets used occasionally, it might be more than good enough to meet your needs. But if you’ve noticed that your Chromecast can be a little sluggish and you use it regularly, we highly recommend upgrading.

We can tell you that we wouldn’t recommend getting a Chromecast with Google TV at this point unless you don’t plan on using it very often and find it on sale. The Google TV Streamer does everything the Chromecast can do, only better, making it a natural choice for an upgrade. It also adds a ton of new features, including a Thread router.

What if you don’t have an extensive smart home setup, or don’t necessarily care about Thread support? In that case, I’d highly recommend the Onn 4K Pro ($49.88 at Walmart), as it has much of the same functionality as this new streamer, significantly outperforms the Chromecast with Google TV, and still costs half as much due to missing extras like the Thread router.