It’s not surprising that Google wasn’t about to let Roku and Amazon have all the streaming market to themselves. The previous-gen Chromecast might not have caught fire with the public, but the new and heavily upgraded Google TV Streamer 4K might be ready to step in the ring with the big boys. It’s also 25% off right now at Amazon, so a $75 buy is there for the taking for anyone ready to give it a go.
The new Streamer handles 4K HDR with Dolby Vision, supports Dolby Atmos passthrough, and runs on faster hardware than its predecessor, which sounds like a baseline expectation but wasn’t always a given with Google’s streaming hardware. Those days of diminished expectations are gone with this model, which runs 22% faster than the Chromecast and has twice the memory. App switching, interface loading, and storage are among the much-needed improvements that come with the Streamer 4K.
Tons of Freebies
Beyond your paid subscriptions, the Google TV Streamer pulls in 800-plus free channels through Pluto TV, Tubi, and similar services directly from the interface. That’s a reduction in the monthly spend for anyone who’s been paying for a streaming service just to have background content. The more useful addition is the unified watchlist: If you flag something interesting on your phone, in a browser search, or in a mobile app, it gets added to your TV queue automatically. That cross-device continuity is something Roku and Fire TV still don’t handle as cleanly.
Video comes through in 4K HDR with Dolby Vision for compatible content, which is now standard for the category but still worth confirming at this price point. On the audio side, connecting compatible Dolby Atmos speakers or a soundbar gets you genuine 3D spatial audio rather than resampled stereo. The combination holds up well on Apple TV+ and Netflix content where both tracks are routinely available.
Ready for Smart Home
The Streamer 4K’s redesigned remote adds a home panel shortcut that lets you dim lights, check a live camera feed, or manage connected devices without leaving what you’re watching. It’s a more native smart home integration than Fire TV’s Alexa shortcuts or Roku’s companion app approach. The customizable button opens any app or the home panel in a single press, and if you set the remote down somewhere inconvenient you can make it ring from the app to find it.
At $75 right now at Amazon, the Google TV Streamer 4K sits in a comfortable spot. It’s not the cheapest option in the category, but it may well be the most capable midrange streaming device of them all, and the one best positioned for wherever smart home integration heads over the next few years.