If you're looking to buy a new Chromecast streaming stick from Google but don't know which to pick, we're here to help, by walking you through the various options it offers.
The Chromecast brand of streaming sticks is one of the biggest names in entertainment dongles, but Google often shakes up the line-up so you might not know which to buy. For example we used to recommend the Chromecast Ultra but this is no longer supported by the company.
Currently your options are the catchily-named Chromecast with Google TV HD, Chromecast with Google TV 4K and, in some regions, the Google TV Streamer.
So what's the difference between these options, and which Chromecast should you buy? I'll walk you through those three picks so you know what the difference is.
Chromecast with Google TV (HD)
- Costs: $29.99 / £34.99
- Buy it if: You don't have a 4K TV
Google's most basic and most affordable Chromecast is the Chromecast with Google TV HD.
As the name suggests, this only lets you stream video in 1080p or HD. So the device is best suited for people who don't have a 4K TV, as you won't be needing any of the bells and whistles of the pricier alternatives.
However 4K TVs are everywhere and if you own one, but don't actually really care about watching high-resolution content (or rely on the lower-tier subscriptions of streaming services, which only let you stream in HD anyway) then you might find the HD Chromecast being the only one you need. After all, it is the cheapest!
Chromecast with Google TV (4K)
- Costs: $49.99 / £59.99
- Buy it if: You own, or will be buying, a 4K TV
The streaming stick which I imagine most people will opt for is the Google Chromecast with Google TV (4K). This is the middle sibling in terms of price, but is quite close to its pricier alternative in terms of feature set.
You can use the 4K Chromecast to watch movies and shows in... well, 4K, as the name suggests. Most TVs sold nowadays are in this resolution so if you're reading this article, you probably will be able to make the most of this dongle. That said, you'll also need to find 4K content and not all streamers support it on their standard tiers.
The Chromecast with Google TV (4K) also supports 60 frames per second video, HDR if you're watching 1080p videos and voice navigation via the remote.
Google TV Streamer (4K)
- Costs: $99.99 / £99.99
- Buy it if: You have a smart home of connected devices
The top-end Google streaming device is a way to get movies and TV shows on your telly, but it's a lot more than that.
It does do that of course, offering you 4K video in Dolby Vision and with Dolby Atmos audio if your TV or speaker support those. Its the fastest of the trio and has 32GB of space for apps and downloads.
But the Google TV Streamer (4K) also acts as a smart home hub. If you have connected devices like smart lights, cameras, thermostats or speakers, you can control them all from your TV. It connects to all devices that support Matter or Thread, which is a lot of them. It also has an ethernet port, unlike the previous options.
The TV Streamer is quite expensive, so it's only worth buying if you already have, or plan to have, a smart home. It also functions similarly to a Nest Hub, which is another Google device designed to let you control your smart home, so if you already have one of those the extra benefits you're paying for may be redundant.
