Can we agree that “Google Chromecast with Google TV” was terrible branding? Well, that’s over now – meet the Google TV Streamer (4K). Better? It’s less repetitive, at least. And it comes with hardware improvements: faster chipset, faster networking, smart home connectivity too.
Google says that the Streamer has a 22% faster processor, which is a bit less than what we were hoping for, considering that the Chromecast 4K model is from 2020. A more notable improvement is doubling the RAM (to 4GB) and quadrupling the on-board storage (to 32GB).
Google TV Streamer (4K) in Porcelain and Hazel (Google Store exclusive)
Also, you no longer need the silly Ethernet adapter if you want to use wired LAN, there’s a port right on the device. Even better, it’s a gigabit port (the Chromecast + adapter could only do 100Mbps). Also on board is a single USB-C port for power and (optionally) data. Now that the device is larger, we would have appreciated an extra USB port, but no luck on that one. No microSD card slot either.
The Google TV Streamer has an on-board HDMI 2.1 port and a gigabit Ethernet jack
The HDMI 2.1 port supports 4K HDR at 60fps output with HDR10(+), Dolby Vision and HLG. For audio, there are the usual Dolby standards including Atmos. We bet you’re anxious to know whether Google finally added AV1 support… it should have, as that is now a requirement, but the official specs page makes no mention of codec support.
The remote control has been slightly redesigned and now supports “find my remote”. You can push a button at the back of the Google TV Streamer and the remote will start beeping. This can be activated with a voice command too, but you need a Pixel phone or a Google Assistant-enabled smart speaker. The ergonomics of the remote have been improved, including things like adding a grippy texture on the back.
Slightly redesigned remote control
Wireless connectivity is almost the same – Wi-Fi 5 (ac) at 2.4GHz and 5GHz, plus Bluetooth 5.1. The interesting change here is the addition of Matter, which turns the Streamer into a Google Home hub. And it acts as a Thread border router too.
A new customizable button on the remote can be programmed to open whichever app you choose (e.g. launching the Google Home panel) or switching inputs. The smart home functionality includes checking Nest Doorbell cameras and controlling the new Nest Learning Thermostat.
Google Home features • Find my remote button
Google didn’t miss the opportunity to integrate its Gemini AI into the TV Streamer. The AI is used for content recommendation, which works across all your subscriptions (YouTube, Netflix, Disney+, Apple TV+, etc.). It also writes up things like full summaries and reviews of movies and shows or season-by-season breakdowns.
The Google TV Streamer (4K) is on pre-order starting today, it costs $100. You can find the Porcelain version on Amazon and Google’s online store, the Hazel colorway is exclusive to Google. Note that this will be a lengthy pre-order as the TV Streamer will only ship on September 24.
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