The Chromecast with Google TV is Google’s streaming device. It comes in two versions: one offering top quality with 4K HDR streaming and the other maxing out at 1080p — or HD as it’s known — for a lower price.
Google TV refers to the user interface, which is similar to the interface you’ll find on many televisions, like those from Philips or Sony, while the Chromecast part opens up a whole world of possibilities for your television, which I’ll get to in a minute.
I’m a big streamer. I’ve been using streaming devices since they first launched and I was a big fan of the original Chromecast devices when they first appeared back in 2013. But the TV market is different now and any streaming device that you buy needs to enhance your television rather than just duplicate the features you already have. So is the Chromecast with Google TV the best streaming device?
Chromecast with Google TV: At a glance
Chromecast with Google TV review
Like most streaming devices, setting up the Chromecast with Google TV is simple. It needs to be connected to an HMDI socket on the back of your television and plugged into the wall. Then you’ll have to connect the remote, but after that you’ll be prompted to continue setup in the Google Home app on your phone and sign into your Google account.
That will let you select some apps to get started, with the added advantage of quickly signing into services if your Google account already has passwords saved for them. Otherwise, you’re offered a QR code to scan, so pretty much all the setup is done on your phone.
The device itself is like a smooth flat pebble that plugs into the back of your TV. It’s designed to be out of sight around the back, while the remote is compact, offering a few key controls, but not an overwhelming number of buttons.
Most of the control is centred around a fourway navigator at the top with a central button for selection, but there are shortcuts to YouTube and Netflix too. The Google Assistant button is core to the experience — allowing voice control — while part of the setup process includes selecting your TV and sound system so that the remote can control volume and power.
The result is a remote that’s small but manages to give you just about everything you need, without being too overly complicated.
Chromecast with Google TV: Features
Google covers all the main streaming services, except one: Channel 4. So for those in the UK, you’ll miss out on the catchup opportunities of that service on this device.
I’ve been using the 4K version of Chromecast with Google TV and found that it offers smooth navigation through the remote, with the added benefit of being able to use Google Assistant for voice control. This extends to functions beyond your TV, like asking about the weather or controlling your smart home.
Amazon allows the same thing using Alexa on Fire TV, but if you have a Googlebased smart home, there’s a definite advantage to be had here.
Chromecast with Google TV supports the latest streaming standards like Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos, offering great quality on the 4K version — but the HD version is also worth considering. It too supports HDR, so if you have a smaller 1080p TV but still want highquality streaming, you can save a little cash by opting for that model instead.
I have found that the Chromecast with Google TV can be a little more temperamental than Amazon’s Fire TV Stick 4K Max, which feels a little faster and more powerful in operation and might be better suited to a home that already uses Alexa.
In reality, the experience in streaming services like Netflix is the same on the Chromecast as it is elsewhere: there’s no real advantage here, but the Chromecast side of this device isn’t to be looked over.
Chromecast acts like a bridge between your phone or laptop and allows you to send content to your TV. That might include apps or services not on the device itself (like the Channel 4 app on your phone), but could be a slide show or something else.
From an Android phone, you can “cast” or mirror the entire screen on your TV and if you use the Chrome browser on your laptop or computer, you can send that too.
It’s a great way to get content onto your TV that you might otherwise struggle to get onto it.
The user interface itself opens on a “For you” page with suggestions for things to watch, including picking up where you left off. You can quickly switch to TV or movies, as well as browse the apps you have installed or your library of content you’ve purchased from Google.
Good Housekeeping’s verdict on the Chromecast with Google TV
It’s simple to use, but most devices of this type are. If you’re after a streaming stick to enhance your TV experience, then Chromecast with Google TV brings access to Google content to buy (or that you’ve already bought), the Chromecast function itself, as well as Google Assistant for voice control and more.
At the same time, it’s a competitive market, and the lack of Channel 4 might just make you want to look elsewhere.
Chromecast with Google TV: Other products worth considering
Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max
Amazon Fire TV Stick Lite
Chris Hall is a freelance journalist who specialises in consumer technology, pursuing a passion that started over 20 years ago. In 2008 he took on a fulltime Reviews Editor position at technology website Pocketlint.com, before stepping up to EditorinChief in 2012. Chris led coverage over a 15year tenure, exposing him to every gadget, system and technology you’d ever want to know about.
Chris left the EditorinChief position at Pocketlint.com in 2023 having published over 4,000 articles on consumer technology. His experience covers everything from smartphones and headphones to cars and computers. Chris doesn’t just test for reviews, he lives with a lot of technology, building a smart home and looking for a simpler solution to a connected home. This is much to his family’s irritation, because everything is always changing, especially the remote controls.
As a freelance writer, Chris has contributed to The Telegraph, T3.com, TechRadar and Autocar while launching his own technology website The Disconnekt – writing news about the latest technology, guides to help people make the best choices when shopping for technology, as well as reviewing extensively.
Chris has appeared on BBC News and Sky News, BBC Radio and The Times Radio talking technology, and even once played a part on The Apprentice. Chris has also been an expert judge at the GSMA Global Mobile Awards and the Uswitch Awards.
When not writing about technology or rearranging the technology in his home, Chris can be found on his bike, trying to get lost in the Surrey hills.
