Last week, Google unveiled its latest streaming device, fondly named, the Google TV Streamer (4K). This new media player comes in a pill-shaped set-top box design, swapping the small dongle-type design and Chromecast branding.
Google TV Streamer offers several performance upgrades, over 800+ free channels, Gemini AI features, and more importantly, it acts as a hub for smart home devices. That’s not all, read on to know everything about the newly announced Google TV Streamer, including availability details, specs, price, comparison, and pre-orders.
Table of Contents
Google TV Streamer Design
Google has moved beyond the Chromecast and its compact design, opting for a more refined set-top box style with the new streamer. The Streamer comes in two shades: Porcelain (white) and Hazel (dark green), which will be sold exclusively through Google Stores in the U.S.
Unlike the Chromecast, which can be hidden away behind your TV, the Streamer is designed to sit between your TV and media console and could be a great addition to your home decor.
The Streamer comes with a redesigned remote control, the newer voice remote is more comfortable to hold, thanks to a textured back for better grip. The remote control is bigger in size and comes with an optimized button layout to fit hands of all sizes.
Google TV Streamer Specs
Google TV Streamer offers 22% improved performance compared to the Chromecast. According to Android Authority, the new streaming device is powered by the MediaTek MT8696 SoC, instead of Amlogic which was previously rumored.
In addition to the upgraded processor, the Streamer now features four times more storage capacity, offering 32GB, and a doubled memory of 4GB for better performance. It will be great to see the performance of the new device once it becomes available for purchase.
For better audio and video output, the device supports 4K HDR with Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos. Thanks to the pill-shaped design, there’s an Ethernet port available on the back of the device, so there’s always a secondary option to connect the device to the internet without relying on WiFi.
Google TV Streamer (4K) Technical Specs
Category | Details |
---|---|
Dimensions and Weight (US) | Length: 6.4 in Width: 3.0 in Height: 1.0 in Weight: 5.7 oz (160.7 g) |
Resolution | Up to 4K HDR, 60 FPS |
Video Formats | Dolby Vision, HDR10, HDR10+, HLG |
Audio Formats | Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus, and Dolby Atmos |
Connectivity | Wi-Fi 802.11ac (2.4 GHz / 5 GHz) Bluetooth 5.1 |
Memory | 4GB |
Storage | 32GB |
Ports | USB-C (power/data) HDMI 2.1 (Type A) Ethernet (10/100/1000 Mbps) |
Operating System | Android 14 for TV |
Colors | Porcelain Hazel (Google Store exclusive in US) |
Smart Home Connectivity Support | Matter Thread border router |
Sustainability | Google TV Streamer is made with at least 65% recycled plastic. |
Requirements | HDMI 2.1 cable is required, sold separately |
Google TV Streamer Features and Gemini AI
Google TV Streamer runs on Android 14 for TV operating system and supports a flurry of new useful features. When it comes to streaming content, there’s no better option available than Google TV, you can easily find what you want to watch with a simple voice command, such as “Where can I watch Super Mario Bros?” You’ll instantly get information on which streaming services have the movie available.
Google offers over 800+ free live TV channels and there are over 700,000 movies and TV shows available through various streaming services on the platform. Thanks to the new OS, the Streamer brings the anticipated Picture-in-Picture (PiP) mode for multitasking.
Google AI Features for TV Streamer
With the new Google TV Streamer, Gemini AI makes its first appearance on the Smart TV, offering a bunch of useful AI features to the users which includes full summaries, reviews, and even season-by-season breakdowns of content.
The ambient mode gets even better with the addition of new AI features, you can easily generate new artwork using generative AI as a screensaver. Additionally, you can ask Google Assistant to set your favorite memories as screensaver. If your TV has an OLED display, this feature will help you save some energy.
Gemini AI will also curate new suggestions for TV shows and movies as per your preferences across your subscriptions. Like previous generation Chromecast models, you can easily cast content from your other devices to your TV using Google Cast (formerly known as Chromecast).
Google TV Streamer as a Smart Home Hub
Google TV Streamer can act as your smart home hub, and easily connect Matter and Thread accessories. If you have nest cameras or any other Matter accessory, you can see the cameras’ live feed directly on your TV screen. Additionally, you can control cameras, thermostats, lights, and other smart devices directly from the Google Home panel interface.
Google keeps the Google Home panel user interface the same as we use on our Android smartphones running on the Android 14 operating system. You can customize the panel controls if you want by adding the controls to favorites.
For the time being, the feature is exclusive to the newly released Google TV Streamer and there’s no word on whether it is coming to the Chromecast or not.
Google TV Streamer Price
Google’s newest smart TV streaming device costs $99.99 in the U.S. It costs double the price of the Chromecast with Google TV (2022), priced at $49.99. However, the new device brings several new features and changes, more importantly, it can work as a smart home hub.
Google TV Streamer Pre-order
Google TV Streamer is already available for pre-orders on various platforms, including Google Store, Best Buy, and Amazon. It will be available to the public starting September 24.
Pre-order the new Google TV Streamer here:
- Best Buy (affiliate)
- Amazon
- Google Store
Google TV Streamer vs Chromecast with Google TV – Comparison
Chromecast with Google TV is officially dead! In a farewell tribute to the popular streaming stick, Google announced, “We’re ending production of Chromecast, which will now only be available while supplies last.”
The Chromecast isn’t being discontinued immediately, you can still purchase it until the stock lasts and it is priced at $49.99. So, what are the key differences between Google’s two streaming devices? Let’s find out.
Google TV Streamer is a set-top box-style streaming device, while, the Chromecast is a streaming stick, which can easily get hidden behind your TV. Thanks to the device changes, you can plug in the Ethernet cable to the streamer and there’s a dedicated button that you can press to find your lost remote. These two features are missing on the Chromecast.
The new TV Streamer can replace the Google Home Max or Google Home Hub. With the support for Matter and Thread accessories, you can easily control your smart home devices directly from your TV screen.
One of the main challenges users face with Chromecast is its limited storage capacity. The device offers only 8GB of storage, which quickly fills up after installing just 9-10 apps, leaving no room for additional apps or offline movie storage. In contrast, the new Google TV Streamer comes with 32GB onboard storage, a much-needed upgrade.
Chromecast with Google TV (4K) works perfectly fine with 2GB RAM and an Amlogic S905X3 CPU. Our team tested various streaming devices and the Chromecast is one of the best streaming sticks when it comes to performance. I’ve personally tested it for months and didn’t complain about any major issues in terms of performance.
When it comes to the new TV Streamer, then it comes with 4GB RAM and MediaTek MT8696 CPU. Google claims that the new streaming device can offer 22% improved performance.
Apart from these changes, there’s a new remote control shipping with the Google TV Streamer, which comes with a new button setup and a customizable button. The remote control coming with the Chromecast with Google TV (4K) is very slippery and Google addressed this issue, making the new remote less slippery with a textured grip on the back. Here’s a comparison between two remote controls.
If you are choosing between Google’s two streaming devices and like new additions on the Google TV Streamer or more specifically the smart home hub, then you can go with the Streamer. However, if these features aren’t essential to you, the Chromecast remains a solid option with reliable performance.
When will the Google TV Streamer be available for purchase?
Google TV Streamer is available for pre-order and will be available starting September 24.
List of Countries Where the Google TV Streamer Is Available
At the time of writing, Google TV Streamer is available for purchase in the U.S.; with broader availability expected in the coming months.
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