Google Chromecast with Google TV
The new Chromecast with Google TV doesn’t add any major services that its predecessors didn’t already have, nor is it any cheaper. For this latest version, Google has prioritised usability and performance, introducing a voiceenabled remote control for those who wish to search for content with the help of Google Assistant.
The Chromecast with Google TV is an evolution of the Chromecast Ultra that it replaces. The disc-shaped casework has been flattened out into a more oval shape, but you are likely to use the remote more than the device itself, which hangs from an HDMI port on your TV. There is a USB 2.0 on the end of its power lead, but you still need to plug it into the wall, even if you have a powered USB socket on your telly.
The voice remote is not much bigger than your palm and has shortcut buttons for Netflix and Youtube and to activate the Google Assistant voice search too.
Shout out for Google
Google TV makes its debut on Chromecast here, and despite that resulting in a mouthful of a name, we understand why Google wishes to shout about its new interface. It’s compatible with over 6500 apps on Android TV and will recommend content on the home page from more than 30 streaming services, including Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, iplayer, Youtube and more. It’s a refreshing change to see a genuinely useful content discovery tool, rather than a shop front to sell content.
The remote control is tactile and well thought out. You can teach it to control the power and volume on your TV and use it as the microphone for the Google Assistant voice searches on Google TV. As expected, the voice recognition is near flawless and a decent way of getting to what you want and quickly.
For usability and recommendations, Chromecast with Google TV is the best media streamer on the market. The platform is a bit buggy, however, and there are times when Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos content doesn’t seem to be available on apps such as Netflix and Prime Video when it should be.
Like most media streamers, it doesn’t quite cover all the best video services.
That’s not a huge problem because Google’s casting function means you can stream by using the relevant app on your phone, tablet or laptop. So, although there is no All 4 app on the Chromecast with Google TV stick, you can use the All 4 app and cast it from there instead. Since its launch, Google has closed one of the app gaps by adding the Apple TV app, enabling on-device access to both the Apple TV+ subscription service and Apple's catalogue of movies and TV shows, complete with support for Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos.
For picture quality, the Chromecast with Google TV is up there with the best video streamers at its price, including its nearest rival, the Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K. There’s almost nothing to separate the two as we watch Lost In Space in Dolby Vision. It’s a sharp, textured and well exposed picture that’s a credit to the HDR source material. Nothing is lost to the shadows in the darker corners of the image and the patches of bright light are so distinct and clear that it gives everything a wonderfully clinical feel. Colours are deep and natural and there’s no lack of detail or subtlety to the blue material on the hoods of the space suits.
Stepping down to 1080p material, the visual experience is, as expected, less stellar. Star Trek Next Generation is on the noisy side, but it’s still colouraccurate from the muted beige tones of the Enterprise decor to the bright blues of Dr Crusher’s uniform.
Dolby Atmos is the big performance addition for this Chromecast and there’s plenty of it available throughout the apps and services on the platform. Listening to In The Air Tonight by Phil Collins on Tidal, we’re impressed by the Chromecast’s sense of rhythm. It’s precise, lending an excellent sense of drive to the sound and allowing us to pick up some clear moments of detail. The electronic samples are clean and there’s a satisfying crispness to the sound when the drums finally kick in. But there’s a slight lack of fullness to the sound that robs the beats of their full texture and solidity, and Collins’s voice is missing that last bit of aching anguish.
It’s a different approach to the Fire TV Stick, which is weaker on timing but stronger on dynamics. Despite their distinct sonic characters, the two devices are equally good in terms of audio. Amazon’s streamer delivers bigger, more spacious sound but with a slight imprecision that means some effects are lost in the overall soundscape. The Chromecast picks out everything more clearly, but doesn’t quite deliver the same level of atmosphere.
Google's latest 4K Chromecast is every bit as good as the excellent Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K for picture and sound performance and better in terms of the Google TV UI and recommendations engine. The Amazon device has more native apps, but casting from your mobile or tablet takes care of almost every gap in the Chromecast's offering.
Otherwise, it’s a toss-up between the marginally cheaper Fire TV Stick or the more usable Chromecast with Google TV. Is the extra spend worth it? For some, we have no doubt that it will be.