Google has launched its first piece of streaming hardware since its $50 Chromecast With Google TV debuted four years ago, and initial reviews are in for the new premium gadget.
We're still conducting our review, but we aggregated five test drives from notable tech publications to summarize the industry's thoughts on Google’s new TV Streamer.
The first thing most reviewers seemed to notice was the size of the new $100 gadget — as Google did away with the discreet, behind-the-set, dongle configuration for Chromecast in favor of a rubberized set-top.
Also Read: Google TV Streamer Gets Official Price, Release Date
The new device is noticeably larger and intended to sit in front of your TV set.
Still, most reviewers said that it was more like a “smaller ornament” than a large, unsightly piece of tech.
Early reviews also commented positively on the redesign of Google’s remote, which is slightly larger and saw several buttons shifted for ease of use.
It didn’t change much, but users seem to agree that the new shape is more ergonomic.
Also integrated into Google TV Streamer’s remote is the ability to bind shortcuts, which the company suggests connecting to its smart-home features.
Some said that this was a bit redundant, given that smart-home adjustments are accessible from the quick settings sidebar, but most agreed it was a generally useful feature to have.
One reviewer recommends binding the shortcut key as an input switcher.
Regardless of whether you decide to keep it as a shortcut, reviewers largely agreed that the smart home features were nice to have — even if they’re sloppily integrated in some cases.
Through the smart-home tab, you can control your smart lights, climate control and even watch live feeds from your security cameras right on your TV.
But, as one reviewer noted, feeds for some of Google’s latest-generation Nest cameras are heavily compressed when displayed on screen.
The same reviewer noted that he could not interact with or toggle the power for his cameras from the streamer. He also experienced a “seven-second or so delay” from his Nest camera.
The new Google streaming device also allows users to customize their home further by using AI features (very similar to Google’s Gemini web tool) that can generate custom images to display.
Most users agreed that while this was a fun feature — although it didn’t have the capability to generate moving images — it remained largely unused.
Perhaps most importantly to viewers, though, was the increased quality-of-picture and efficiency of the device.
Every reviewer agreed that, in terms of performance, the Google TV Streamer is far superior to its predecessor.
One speculated that this was due to a MediaTek MT8696 SoC processor inside the box, although Google hasn’t publicly confirmed much about the device’s specs.
According to Google’s estimate, the Streamer allows for 22% faster CPU performance than the legacy Chromecast.
This seems like a consensus shared by most users — not quite as powerful as rivals like the Nvidia Shield, but a worthy successor to the Chromecast.
All agreed that the Streamer was by far Google’s best crack at set-top boxes. Most seemed resolved that, despite some minor nitpicks, it’s a good set-top box for most consumers.
Read the reviews here:
