Why I will not be making the leap from Chromecast to Google TV Streamer

The Google TV Streamer is Google’s newest foray into the streaming world, and it changed the outgoing Google Chromecast. As anyone seeking to retire my Chromecast 4K, I considered making the plain resolution of going for the Streamer, however there have been a number of various things that gave me pause.

Whereas the Google TV Streamer looks like a wonderfully serviceable gadget, I would relatively not hop onto the primary iteration of one thing, even when it is constructing off the stable Google TV OS. What it largely comes right down to, for me at the very least, is that Google’s new streamer would not do sufficient to make me wish to depart the acquainted territory of the Apple TV 4K, my favourite streamer in the marketplace. My present plan is to choose up a more recent Apple TV 4K and put my growing old first-gen one the place my Chromecast presently is. From there, my Chromecast goes right into a field the place it’s going to keep till I get a TV arrange in my basement.

It isn’t solely Google’s fault, however there are some issues I have to see from the corporate earlier than I can totally contemplate selecting up one other streamer from it.

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Apple has higher worth to supply me

And Google floor to make up

Apple / Pocket-lint

Apple has been refining the Apple TV 4K since 2017, and the unique Apple TV dates again even additional than that. Over time, tvOS has matured into a really stable piece of software program, and it is nonetheless shocking me with new options such as 21:9 support.

That is not saying Google cannot get there or is not shut, however as anyone who has been rocking a first-gen Apple TV 4K, I do not see the worth in going for Google’s new gadget. Worth is an enormous issue right here, and at $100, it is actually not that far off from the $130 Apple TV 4K that has a number of extra options.

It is powerful to make the leap to a completely new platform when the worth is that shut, and it is even harder when you’ve gotten subscriptions via Apple that you would need to cancel and swap over to Google. I perceive that it is one thing you must sit again and take into consideration should you do not personal any streaming gadget, however that is not the case with me.

Pocket-lint’s evaluate of the Google TV Streamer paints it as underwhelming, however notes that it is an improve over a Chromecast. It is a feature-rich product that helps all the trendy HDR codecs, the audio codecs, and streams in 4K. For most individuals, it does all the things you’d need.

It would get higher over time

Timing is all the things

Google

Whereas I do not suppose the Google Streamer has a spot in my residence at this time, that does not imply it will not ever. Not like another Google merchandise that weren’t given the chance to mature, Google would not seem prone to abandon the streamer. This implies issues that Apple is forward with, like 21:9 ultra-wide help because of a late 2024 replace, might be within the playing cards for Google.

Sadly for Google, that point will not be proper now. So long as Apple presents a aggressive value with Google, I do not see a cause to ditch the Apple TV 4K. This hole may widen much more if Apple decides to return out with a streaming stick to pair with the prevailing Apple TV, however that is a dialogue for one more day. It took me some time, however I’ve come to understand the Apple interface, and I do not actually really feel like ditching it to study one thing over again.

The hope I’ve is that Google provides this gadget time to construct up an viewers, one thing that is not at all times the case with the corporate — Stadia being an example. Contemplating how Chromecast caught round for so long as it did, I’ve religion Google will preserve constructing on the inspiration of the Streamer.

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How the Google Streamer can win me over

Hope will not be misplaced

9to5Google / Pocket-lint

Earlier than I grabbed an Apple TV 4K, I had by no means owned a single Apple product, and I by no means actually thought-about getting one. What received me over was Dolby Atmos on Apple Music. I used to be on the lookout for a service that would present what my encompass sound setup was able to, and it did simply that. To place it merely, I used to be received over by Apple because of options nothing else had.

There might come a time when Google has a characteristic that I can not miss, however that is not the case proper now. I can not consider a lot the Google Streamer does that the Apple TV 4K would not. I am not an individual with a variety of model loyalty, and I am going to go together with no matter the most effective product is.

The purpose is, there is perhaps some type of characteristic added to the Streamer, one which I can not even consider in the meanwhile, which may show to be a tipping level. That is additionally a state of affairs the place the lower cost may come in useful. From the place I am sitting, there simply would not appear to be an enormous cause for me to ditch Apple and go to Google, even when I am shopping for a second gadget.

Whereas it isn’t an enormous deal for me, the Apple TV 4K having extra storage than the Google TV Streamer is an enormous promoting level for lots of people. Google may simply make up floor there with a future iteration, but it surely’s one other instance the place Apple comes forward.

I am not right here to yuck on anybody’s yum, and should you picked up the Google gadget that you just’re pleased with, then there’s nothing to fret about. I am positive it is a completely high-quality little machine that does what you ask of it. The massive factor giving me pause is the pricing, and if Google may slash it down a bit extra, or add extra options to it, then I’d give it one other look.

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