The Chromecast With Google TV ($49.99) is considered one of our favourite media streamers, providing 4K HDR streaming and quite a few tough options for lower than $50. You don’t want a 4K media hub in case your TV isn’t 4K, regardless that, which is why Google additionally provides the Chromecast With Google TV (HD). The HD model prices simply $29.99 and gives the entire identical capability because the 4K fashion, together with HDR10 reinforce, Google Assistant, Google Solid, and a far flung that may keep an eye on your TV. Actually, the one variations between the 2 are a 1080p solution and the loss of Dolby Imaginative and prescient—either one of which can be no loss if used with older TVs. The Chromecast With Google TV (4K) remains to be a most sensible select on your 4K TV, however the HD model is a perfect technique to stay olders TVs attached, making it our Editors’ Selection winner for HD media streamers.
An identical Twins
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Most effective to be had in white, the Chromecast HD is the same to the Chromecast 4K fashion. It’s a flat, rounded puck concerning the measurement and form of a worn bar of cleaning soap, measuring 1.6 via 1.3 via 0.8 inches (HWD). A flat, two-inch-long cable extends from one finish and terminates in an HDMI plug. At the reverse finish, a USB-C port supplies energy with the incorporated USB-A-to-USB-C cable and wall adapter. It is a welcome inclusion, as a result of maximum TV USB ports can’t give you the 1.5-amp present the Chromecast calls for.
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The far flung is likewise the very same as that of the Chromecast 4K. It’s a brief wand with rounded ends and a big round navigation pad close to the highest. Along with the pad, there are 8 buttons: Again, Google Assistant, House, Mute, TV Enter, TV Energy, and devoted provider buttons for Netflix and YouTube. A quantity rocker rocks the precise facet. An infrared transmitter at the most sensible makes it imaginable to keep an eye on your TV’s energy and quantity, and a pinhole microphone grants get right of entry to to Google Assistant.
(Credit score: Will Greenwald)
The Identical Nice Google TV
Google TV provides the similar sensible TV platform enjoy at the Chromecast HD because it does at the Chromecast 4K. This implies you’ll be able to get right of entry to all primary streaming products and services, together with Amazon High Video, Apple TV, Disney+, HBO Max, Hulu, Netflix, Sling TV, Twitch, YouTube, and YouTube TV. It additionally helps Google Solid, so you’ll be able to move your Android software’s display screen or Chrome tab immediately to the Chromecast.
Like every Google TV units, the Chromecast HD options Google Assistant, out there by means of voice due to the far flung’s microphone (or any Google Assistant sensible speaker arrange at the identical community). It’s an impressive voice assistant that may seek for content material, keep an eye on each media playback and any appropriate sensible units in your house, and supply normal knowledge like climate forecasts and sports activities rankings. It’s very helpful, regardless that you do wish to press-and-hold the Google Assistant button and talk into the far flung to make use of it when you don’t have a related sensible speaker. Whilst a number of Google TV televisions just like the Hisense U8H and Sony A90K reinforce hands-free Google Assistant, Google doesn’t be offering its personal first-party media streamer with a far-field microphone like Amazon does with the Hearth TV Dice.
(Credit score: Will Greenwald)
The interface is speedy and responsive. Navigating the UI is moderately peppy, and maximum apps take just a few seconds to open. It will possibly sometimes hiccup or really feel jerky, however that occurs throughout many media streamers. And, in fact, the speed of loading content material is dependent upon your community connection and pace; thankfully, the Chromecast HD has the similar dual-band 802.11ac Wi-Fi because the Chromecast 4K.
1080p Is not Horrible
The one actual variations between the Chromecast HD and the Chromecast 4K are its show solution and prime dynamic vary (HDR) reinforce. The Chromecast HD outputs video at as much as 1080p60, and whilst it helps HDR content material in HDR10, HDR10+, and hybrid log gamma (HLG), it doesn’t have Dolby Imaginative and prescient just like the Chromecast 4K does.
With that during thoughts, the decrease solution of the Chromecast HD and the loss of Dolby Imaginative and prescient aren’t giant issues for the supposed customers of the software, which is able to be offering a excellent viewing enjoy even on more recent 4K TVs. I examined the Chromecast HD with a TCL 55R635, and from a couple of ft away it nonetheless seems relatively great. Whilst textual content isn’t as sharp as it’s with the Chromecast 4K, it is nonetheless simply readable and doesn’t seem in any respect blurry. Video may be fairly detailed and doesn’t have any important fuzziness or blotchiness. An HDR take a look at video loaded correctly and despatched a 1080p HDR sign to the TV.
Whilst the leap from 1080p to 4K quadruples the choice of pixels, the visible impact on a 55-inch TV isn’t just about as pronounced as it’s when viewing DVDs in 480p. Any 4K TV will wish to upscale the sign from the Chromecast HD, and you’ll be able to’t successfully synthesize new main points the place there are none (regardless that some upconversion algorithms strive to take action via polishing edges or filling in textures). Extra importantly, the 1080p output is the local solution of older HDTVs, so the sign will likely be as sharp as it may be on the ones displays. And, in my enjoy, 1080p at 55 inches from a modest distance away nonetheless seems beautiful excellent.
(Credit score: Will Greenwald)
This doesn’t imply it’s value giving up 4K and Dolby Imaginative and prescient in case your TV helps them simply to save lots of $20. The Chromecast 4K will glance higher on any 4K TV as a result of it will probably output content material on the display screen’s local solution. Dolby Imaginative and prescient expands what HDR content material you’ll be able to watch on other streaming products and services. The Chromecast HD shouldn’t be your major media streamer until you continue to have a 1080p TV.
The Chromecast With Google TV HD is a superb media streamer for upgrading any ageing 1080p TV. For $30, it provides the entire identical Google TV options together with Google Assistant, and outdoes the in a similar fashion priced Amazon Hearth TV Stick Lite ($29.99) with a far flung that may keep an eye on your TV’s quantity. You must spend $39.99 at the Hearth TV Keep on with get quantity keep an eye on from Amazon.
In case you desire Amazon’s sensible TV interface and Amazon Alexa, the Hearth TV Stick remains to be a cast media streamer for 1080p TVs. The Chromecast With Google TV HD is a greater price for $10 much less, regardless that, and earns our Editors’ Selection award within the class. In case you’d like a more practical media streaming enjoy, the Roku Categorical provides get right of entry to to streaming apps at 1080p for $30 the use of the Roku interface, however it lags at the back of each the Chromecast and Hearth Stick to its front-of-TV design, infrared-only far flung that wishes line-of-site for keep an eye on, and loss of HDR.
Chromecast With Google TV (HD)
Cons
The Backside Line
The Chromecast With Google TV (HD) brings a wealth of streaming products and services and Google Assistant voice keep an eye on to 1080p TVs for simply $30.
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