What you need to know
- Google has announced a cheaper version of Chromecast with Google TV.
- The new Chromecast with Google TV (HD) has a similar design to the 2020 model, but it only streams content up to 1080p.
- It costs $30 and will be available first in the United States.
Google's line of streaming device is expanding, as the company announced today Chromecast with Google TV (HD), a cheaper version of the 2020 model that promises more capabilities. And, as the name implies, the new dongle foregoes a few niceties, such as 4K support, in favor of a lower price.
The new version of Chromecast with Google TV will cost $30 and will be available in the classic Snow color in the United States. In addition, the streamer ships to 19 additional countries, including Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Spain, United Kingdom, and Taiwan.
It's slightly cheaper than the 4K model, which retails for $35, but you'll have to make some sacrifices. The major drawback is that only streams content up to 1080p at 60 frames per second. However, it does support HDR10 and HDR10+ content.
While the new Chromecast looks identical to the 4K model in every way, including the remote, it is not intended to replace the latter. "We built this product with affordability in mind and to help bring all our favorite features of Chromecast and Google TV to more people than ever," Google said in a blog post.
Aside from the lower resolution, the new Chromecast with Google TV offers all of the same features as Google's best streaming device, as well as the most recent enhancements to Google TV in general. These include Google TV's signature content curation, which learns users' viewing habits to surface personalized recommendations.
Google TV's personalized screensaver called "glanceable cards" is also in tow, displaying contextual information in ambient mode, such as Google Photos images, weather reports, content recommendations, and more. Profiles for both children and other family members are also included, ensuring that your content recommendation is not tainted by movies and shows you never intended to watch. Fortunately, Apple TV support is included in its content offering.
