Google’s ambitions to conquer the TV market have taken a few different forms. First there was the Chromecast, an inexpensive, stripped-down dongle that turned any TV with a HDMI port into a smart TV, as long as you could use your phone to provide the content.
Then came the Chromecast with Google TV, the puck-shaped addition that had its own operating system and remote control, freeing up your phone and giving you access to a wider range of apps and services. Now we have the Google TV Streamer. Gone is the Chromecast moniker, and the dongle design; in its place is a sleek set-top box that supports 4K content.
Set-up is relatively easy. You need to download the Google Home app and set up your home in Google’s app, assuming you haven’t already done so. Out of the box, there is a software update needed, but discounting that, it takes only a few minutes to get the TV Streamer connected to your wifi before it starts the five minute process of setting up the box with all the software you need.
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You can choose your preferred streaming services, from Disney+ and Netflix to Paramount+ and Apple TV during the set-up process. They are available immediately but you can add other apps to the box too. RTÉ Player, Virgin Media Play, Now TV, TG4 Player, Canal+ and other media channels can be downloaded from the Play Store on Google TV. You can also add games and other lifestyle apps.
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There is a good range of apps here, including VPNs such as Nord VPN and ExpressVPN (good for both privacy and removing geoblocks from content). The choice is limited to what is available from the Play Store.
This may all sound fairly familiar and if you were thinking that the Chromecast with Google TV and the new Google TV Streamer essentially do the same thing, you wouldn’t be wrong. Both allow you to install apps to the device, both come with their own remote and support 4K content. All your favourite content, spanning all your streaming services, can be accessed from a single menu. And you can access your smart home devices through your TV, with the voice controls on the remote control.
But there are a couple of differences between the two.
Google hasn’t included a HDMI cable in the box, so if you don’t have a spare, you’ll be TV-less a little longer
First there is the design, with Google making the move away from the dongle design in line with its rival Roku and others. The set-top box might be preferable to a dongle device hanging off the HDMI port at the back, and the TV Streamer is still fairly low profile.
The second is the type of connections available. The TV Streamer has an ethernet port built in so you don’t need to rely on wifi to get your internet connection – good if you have a particularly temperamental signal.
More importantly, though, the larger size means Google can cram a bit more capacity in there for your apps and content sources, with 32GB of storage and 4GB of RAM, a significant upgrade over the Chromecast.
Google has tweaked the remote, too. You still have a YouTube button (a logical move) and Netflix (it’s less obvious why this is here over Disney or another service) but the volume control has moved from the side of the remote to the front, and you now have a shortcut button that you can programme to your favourite app, smart home shortcut or TV control.
If you want all your entertainment apps in a familiar interface, then the Google TV Streamer 4K is a good option, if a slightly more expensive one than we have become used to.
Good
Easy enough to get up and running, the Google TV Streamer is an inexpensive way to get all your streaming content in one place. It also fits neatly into your Google smart-home set-up, allowing you to control your light, thermostats, cameras and plugs from your TV. The Google TV Streamer is more than just an entertainment device; it is a smart-home hub.
Despite its multiple functions, the TV box is relatively small and sleek. It fits in with almost any home decor, thanks to the neutral colouring. And if you lose the remote control, you can easily find it, either through the dedicated button on the back of the streamer box, or by asking Google Assistant to locate it.
Bad
Google hasn’t included a HDMI cable in the box, so if you don’t have a spare, you’ll be TV-less a little longer. You can have it in any colour, as long as it is porcelain, aka white. Google does it in grey, too, but not in the Irish or European market.
It is more expensive than the €70 Chromecast with Google TV, at €120.
Everything else
It supports Dolby Vision and advanced HDR, alongside Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus and Dolby Atmos audio formats.
The remote control can also be paired with your TV to control volume, a handy addition that makes using the TV streamer easier to use. You aren’t limited to TV services either; there are games, news services, utility apps and other apps to download to the device so you can use it as a general hub. You can also link speakers and Pixel Buds to the device.
Verdict
A sleek addition to your livingroom that smartens up any TV.
