Today marks a turning point in Google's streaming lineage. The beloved (and Award-winning) Google Chromecast with Google TV streamer has officially been discontinued, with the Chromecast series as a whole being laid to rest after 13 years. While saying goodbye to this successful line of streaming devices is hard, it's a bittersweet occasion; as Google has officially announced its successor.
The imaginatively titled Google TV Streamer picks up right where the Chromecast left off, but this time Google is going for a full-on streaming box solution rather than an HDMI dongle. Looks-wise, the new streamer carries forth the smooth, pebble-inspired aesthetics of the Pixel phones and Pixel tablets, as well as the outgoing Chromecast. Google says it designed this streamer to sit alongside your TV rather than being tucked away in a media unit, hence the slick design; however, it should also improve connectivity with other smart home devices too according to Google. On the subject of connectivity, Google has included an ethernet port for wired internet connectivity, which should lead to smoother streaming and less buffering.
The remote has reportedly undergone some changes too, with improved ergonomics, a more convenient button layout, a better grip and a customisable shortcut button. There's even a handy Google Assistant-powered "find my remote" command that helps you locate your remote if it slips between the couch cushions.
Onto the streamer itself, Google is calling this generation a "giant leap in performance". It features an upgraded processor, double the RAM of the previous Chromecast 4K and 32GB of internal memory, which should lead to faster loading times and smoother UI navigation. And if the name hasn't already given it away, this streamer is running the Google TV operating system which is a good thing in our books. App compatibility is solid on Google TV – you'll find the usual Netflix, Prime Video, Disney Plus and local streaming apps – and it's easy to use too.
This new Google TV streamer will also support HDR; Google name-dropped Dolby Vision HDR and the Chromecast with Google TV supported HDR10+, so we expect to see that here as well. It also supports Dolby Atmos immersive audio on supported streaming services, but you'll need a Dolby Atmos soundbar or AVR to fully take advantage of that feature.
Finally, it should be no surprise that Google has imbued its latest streamer with the power of its Gemini artificial intelligence. It will be able to generate content summaries, find reviews and even create a season-by-season breakdown to get you up to speed with TV shows. AI also has a hand in generating art for the idle mode, just give a voice command to Gemini to create some artwork to display on your TV when you're not using it.
The Google TV Streamer will be available in two finishes – Porcelain and Hazel (the latter appears to be a Google US store exclusive) – for $99.99 (around £80 / AU$150) on the 24th of September. Pre-orders are open in the States, however, there is no news on a UK or Australian release quite yet.
And if you're feeling nostalgic for Chromecast and fancy a trip down memory lane, Google has a charming blog post reminiscing about the seven best moments in Chromecast history.
MORE:
Read our full Google Chromecast with Google TV review
And the Apple TV 4K (2022)
And check out our picks for the best media streamers
