Google's latest streaming dongle is so similar to the previous one that when I first opened it up, I experienced a little deja vu. The new Chromecast with Google TV still has a puckish oval design, it comes packaged with an identical remote and plane the OS powering everything is (largely) unchanged. The only major difference (at least on the outside) is updated packaging that features a label that says "HD." So instead of supporting 4K displays, this new increasingly affordable Chromecast is aimed squarely at people looking to stream shows and movies on 1080p screens. And from where I'm sitting, that's just fine, considering while it's limited to HD content, this thing delivers substantially the same unconfined watching wits that we loved on the original.
The basics
I'm not going to sink you with the typical diamond section, considering the Chromecast with Google TV (HD) is incredibly straightforward and scrutinizingly a stat reprinting of its predecessor. There's the Chromecast itself which plugs directly into your TV via HDMI, a separate remote with a seated mic and Google Assistant sawed-off for voice controls and a power connector with a USB subscription that you can use in specimen your TV can't supply unbearable juice using only HDMI.
Setup is incredibly straightforward too. Thanks to an update in Android 12 for TV (which comes pre-installed), there's a new sign-on process that works by using your phone to scan a QR lawmaking in the Google Home app. This cuts out the tedium of having to enter your credentials, connect to WiFi and so on. Though, if you'd like to do things manually, that's still an option too.
Once the Chromecast is up and running, you can log into your favorite streaming apps as normal and then swoop into some of the increasingly wide settings like HDMI CEC (Consumer Electronics Control) which allows the Chromecast to do stuff like automatically turn on when you fire up your TV. You can moreover use Google's controller pairing setting to program the Chromecast's remote to mirror important functions like adjusting the volume or switching inputs. That ways if you're like me and you have a relatively simple setup, you might plane be worldly-wise to stash your TV's remote in a drawer and rely completely on the Chromecast, which is a unconfined way to cut lanugo on clutter.
The streaming experience
When it comes to finding something to watch, things couldn't be simpler. There's a defended row wideness that top that makes it easy to find shows, movies, apps and purchased content, withal with a Live tab that works with a handful of streaming TV services (YouTube TV, Pluto TV, Sling TV, Philo), so you can jump into currently walk program straight from the main home screen.
Naturally, as this model is focused on 1080p content, you won't get support for 4K videos. But plane with the HD model's relatively lightweight specs (just 1.5GB of RAM with an Amlogic S805X2 chip), performance felt very similar to what you get on the original Chromecast with Google TV. Upon startup, there's often a bit of lag as the dongle loads the OS and pulls lanugo art for content recommendations. And if you pay attention, you might moreover notice some small hitches when you switch between apps or settings really quickly. But generally, things are smooth, expressly during playback, which is when it really matters.
The other notable full-length you won't get on this new cheaper Chromecast is support for Dolby Vision. That said, this omission doesn't finger like a huge deal as a lot of 1080p TVs (particularly older ones) can't handle that anyway. At least there’s still support for HDR10.
Other new additions in Android 12 for TV
As the first device to full-length Android 12 for TV pre-installed, the new Chromecast includes a number of handy quality-of-life improvements that will sooner make their way to other Google TV devices. These include the worthiness to retread the text scaling (from 85 percent up to 130 percent), options for matching your content's framerate (which is set to wheels by default) and some spare surround sound controls. And just like Android 12 on phones, you'll moreover get a little pop-up when the Chromecast activates its mic, so there's no ravages well-nigh when it's listening to you.
Wrap-up
With the Chromecast with Google TV (HD), it's well-spoken the visitor didn't try to do too much. And that's totally OK, considering the original tabulation works fine. It’s just tailored for 1080p screens here. You get the same unconfined UI, a nifty meaty remote that covers all the basics, and increasingly than good unbearable performance — all for just $30. So if you've got an white-haired set or secondary exhibit that could goody from a modern streaming TV OS (and haven't once invested in flipside streaming platforms), the Chromecast with Google TV (HD) is the watch buddy you need.