I tried the latest version of Google to watch series and control the house from the TV

Google’s Chromecast marked a before and after in our understanding of smart TVs. Since its arrival in 2013, the Mountain View-based company has forever changed the way users could enjoy their television, having not only the content they wanted, but also applications and games that were previously unthinkable in the living room. A concept that has captivated users around the world and in Europe in particular.

Now, Google is putting on sale tomorrow the Google TV Streamer, which represents the evolution of its iconic Chromecast to be able to transport much more than series and movies to television. The ambition is clear: that the device understands better what the user wants to see, sees it better than ever and at the same time that the television becomes the true epicenter of the smart home.

Google’s new TV device is marketed at a price of $119 and aims to continue reigning as a television operating system, in addition to competing directly with the alternatives from Amazon and Apple. At EL ESPAÑOL – EL Androide Libre we have been using it in recent days to see first-hand how the evolution has been and if it is worth it.

Design change

One of the most distinctive concepts of the Chromecast is its form factor, something that Amazon replicated with the Fire TV Stick. It was a device connected directly to HDMI and the only cable it needed was the power cable. Now, it’s not like that anymore. The Google TV Streamer adopts a design designed to be placed on the TV cabinet where the console or soundbar can be located, which is a statement of intent on Google’s part. It goes further than previous generations.

Concretely, on the back we find a USB-C cable to power the device, an Ethernet port so as not to depend on WiFi and have the possibility of connecting it to the internet via cable, an HDMI 2.1 connection (cable not included) and an excellent button that is used to make the remote control ring and to know where we left it.

It is particularly interesting to have the TV Streamer connected to the Internet via Ethernet, as this will allow us to truly enjoy 4K HDR content with Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos. Yes, a warning. In my particular case, when I first connected the TV Streamer to the TV, it unconfigured my viewing settings by changing the contrast and brightness, which resulted in saturated images and having to recalibrate.

The controller has also been slightly redesigned compared to the Chromecast with Google TV. Now it is designed not only to have greater control over the content, but also to manage the home – as well as the entire TV itself. In this way we have the YouTube and Netflix buttons, the on / off button, the one to go to the main menu, the one to mute the volume, the one to raise and lower the volume, a main wheel to move around the interface , as well as a configurable button to have direct access to our favorite function.

The truth is that the general design of the TV Streamer is elegant and discreet, designed to fit into the decoration of almost any living room without attracting attention but at the service of practicality. The controller, for its part, has also gained in ergonomics, making it more comfortable to hold in hand, in addition to now having a rough surface that makes it more slippery. Of course, it still depends on two AAA batteries and it is not possible to charge its batteries like the Apple TV, nor to opt for solar solutions like Samsung.

From the series to the center of the house

The main notable change in the Google TV Streamer compared to the company’s current Chromecast is its increase in performance. Not only do we have a device to watch series and movies or send content from our smartphone, but the company has focused on a powerful training center. Applications open faster than ever and gone are the loading times that sometimes spoiled the experience.

Now it achieves this thanks to a new processor and more memory, which is accompanied by 32 GB of storage thinking that we have greater versatility of installed applications and that we do not manage files inside. And although it has a USB-C connection, it is not designed to connect a hard drive to it.

Series and movies continue to dominate the interface, I understand that this is what interests us the most. As an advantage, Google continues to bet, just like Apple, on unifying in the same interface all the content that we follow and find interesting, regardless of the difference between the applications. However, in the case of the search engine, we will have the advantage that if we associate our Google account with the platforms, we will have even better recommendations and opinions on the series and movies that we like.

We will be able to create watch lists for different members of the house, with differentiated profiles and have easy recommendations based both on our activity and on what Google’s AI determines matches our history. Using and viewing content is incredibly simple, fast and effective. It is a pleasure to use it and devour series without stopping.

However, the real magic of the new Google TV Streamer lies in the control we have over the home. This is where a before and after in smart home management is marked. It is incredibly easy to use from the TV and especially useful in situations such as seeing who is ringing the doorbell while you are using the TV.

To do this, we will now have the Google Home application with the press of a button and it will appear on the right side of the screen with the ease of controlling the lights, the temperature, viewing the security cameras or adjusting the blinds. All this without getting up from the couch, on command or better, with voice command.

The Google TV Streamer is also compatible with Matter and includes a built-in Thread edge router, a technology that lets you quickly and securely connect smart home devices like locks and motion sensors. Everything so that smart devices in the home work as a team and with faster response times.

Another interesting point is the possibility of extremely personalizing the experience of this TV with screensavers of the photos we have in Google Photos, or by adding shortcuts to our favorite content. The idea here is that the television adapts to us and not the other way around.

Should I buy it?

The Google TV Streamer is the most ambitious TV device ever designed by Google and aims to become the center of your home. It not only wants to be your most comfortable option for watching series, movies or live matches, but it also wants to be the place where you centralize your daily life.

The price of 119 dollars is significantly more expensive than the Chromecast with Google TV and 4K resolution, which until now could be purchased for 69.99 dollars. The new format thus places itself in the league of the Apple TV 4K (169 dollars) and the Amazon Fire TV Cube (159.99 dollars), more ambitious options but which exceed the barrier of 100 dollars that will make many think before paying.

The truth is that the price increase is justifiable due to its speed, features and new capabilities, however, there are many users for whom the Chromecast was the simplest, cheapest and easiest way to update a TV and have all the apps you liked. Now they will have much more, and they will have to evaluate if the jump is worth it.

In short, the Google TV Streamer is the ideal device for users who have a smart home connected to the Google Assistant and who want Gemini to adopt their recommendations and daily life in the future. It is the demonstration of how television is not just for watching content and can be used as the cornerstone of our smart home.