Google’s 4-year-old base mannequin Chromecast is getting an enormous improve. Immediately, Google made that rumored Google TV pivot official and launched the “Chromecast with Google TV (HD).” The unique 4K, $49.99 model of the Chromecast with Google TV was introduced in 2020, and now once you go to take a look at within the Google Retailer, there is a “display screen decision” choice for “4K” (nonetheless $49.99) or the brand new “HD” model for $29.99.
In order that’s one retailer itemizing with two completely different sizes, which communicates that these two gadgets have solely minor variations. They give the impression of being the identical, they’ve the identical distant, they usually run the identical software program. Google TV is Google’s new model of Android TV and represents a significant improve in capabilities for the Chromecast. The preliminary variations have been dead-simple streaming sticks that have been solely capable of obtain content material from a telephone and had no UI themselves. The Chromecast with Google TV is a full TV OS, with a house display screen, Play Retailer entry, person accounts, and scrolling lists of apps, video games, and content material. In case you aren’t interested by any of that, the Google TV nonetheless acts precisely just like the Chromecast did once you press a Chromecast button in an app. It might nonetheless obtain a media stream, activate the TV, and begin taking part in, all without having to seek out the distant.
Similar to the 4K model, the HD Chromecast with Google TV helps 802.11ac (aka Wi-Fi 5) and makes use of a USB-C port for energy. Google hasn’t posted a full spec sheet however confirms the dongle solely has 1.5GB of RAM, whereas the 4K model has 2GB. Earlier studies of this indicated that it used an Amlogic S805X2 SoC (12nm, 4 Cortex A35 cores), which might give it the attention-grabbing wrinkle of supporting Google’s new AV1 video codec, one thing that’s lacking from the 4K model.
It is onerous to count on this to be solved within the low-cost model, however storage is a significant downside for the Chromecast with Google TV This needs to be an Android gadget, nevertheless it solely has 8GB of storage, which is nowhere close to sufficient even should you obtain zero apps. Updates for the packed-in purposes can shortly refill the gadget, and customers consistently must cope with full storage issues. That is earlier than they even contact the Play Retailer and the attract of third-party Android video games or apps. Hey, Google, how a couple of quietly up to date 4K mannequin with extra storage and AV1 help?
Google wanted to do that if it needed to be aggressive with Roku, which sells an identical streaming stick, distant, and OS setup for $30. The previous Chromecast could not compete with that. The brand new HD Chromecast is on the market proper now on the Google Retailer.
