Chromecast With Google TV 4k :
I am desperate to find a way to watch 4K movies at a great price, let’s just say and because my Samsung TV runs on taen OS, I decided that it was a nono, because it is literally the worst TV operating system created and every time I use it.
I just have the sudden urge to make a hole in the TV and so a little online research made me discover the world of Android TV boxes, but very quickly.
Many of these cheap Android boxes, which promise a lot for very little don’t even work Android TV at all, they are actually running a ported version of Android mobile and are filled to the brim with malware, fearing.
The Google Chromecast with Google TV 4K, which came out almost 4 years ago, at the end of 2020, with a price of around 70 €or dollars, you traditionally see that Chromecast was just launching devices, so basically all they did was play things on your TV screen, because you accidentally pressed the broadcast button on your phone, and when you actually wanted to launch something, it wasn’t exactly reliable.
So when I found out that the new CH launches, were reinforced with a remote control and that a longer version of Android TV was installed, I was intrigued to say the least and on top of that, the online reviews describe this thing as the greatest thing that has ever happened to Android TV the box space, but is it really the case.
Let’s first take a look at what you get out of the box at the top, we have the CHASER and the remote control all packed, and ready to use and underneath you will find the power brick because you can’t just plug this thing into the USB port of your TV, it requires too much power and next to that, the incredibly long USBC cable that comes with it.
Which brings me to the first thing I really like about this USBC thing of course Google should take the piss not to use USBC, but nevertheless it’s nice to have considered the previous generations used.
Micro USB, is the worst thing that has ever graced this planet, so it’s nice to take a look at the Chromecast itself, it sports a relatively similar design to that of the previous generation, in terms of shape and the fact that it is still a dongle, but this time Chromecast has a more oval shape, and matte white is also a very welcome new color.
I really like how it looks, it’s minimalist and because of that it won’t make the setup you’re going in look like a clown show, which is always nice to know, but since it will be behind the TV for the most part.
The design doesn’t work, it doesn’t really matter what else matters.
The Chromecast remote now I’m going to set the record straight from the get-go, it’s one of the best TV remotes I’ve ever held, not the best, but it’s definitely up there, from the feel in the hand to the not-so-loud but very clickable and consistent buttons.
I can tell you that it’s a great remote control, it’s quite small, so initially I thought there was no way to like it, but everything is positioned very well on it, and it’s not just using a bunch of real estate, for fun the buttons you turned on, there really are all the buttons you will need, except for the Netflix and YouTube buttons, but of course you can remap them so that there are no problems.
You don’t have to strain your fingers to reach the power button or anything, it’s all in the center of your palm and I’ve never had that thing disconnected, or not being extremely responsive, so even if it’s not your traditional remote, it’s really nice.
But none of this would matter, if the device itself was correct, so what are we working with the Chromecast 4K and just to be precise here.
The Chromecast 4K, runs a quadcore amlogic s905 X3 processor, not to be confused with the s905 X4 that can be found in more expensive devices, and more powerful.
It has 2 GB of RAM, and 8 GB of storage space, and it can display a maximum resolution of 4K at 60 HZ, it also has Dobby vision capabilities, and Dobby Atmos, which for the price is quite crazy, one thing I would have liked to see, it would have been Wi-Fi 6.
Chromecast is running a special version of Android TV2, and it’s called Google TV which, in my opinion, looks and feels really good, it’s very fluid and fast, I rarely have lags, or slowdowns, but overall, the truth is that it’s not really much different from other Android TV devices out there in terms of software, it just looks a little more refined.
Here is where I had some minor problems problems when I first tried to watch large files, any very high bit rate content, let’s just say anything over 30 GB for a 2 hour movie, the Chromecast would have a noticeable stutter and if you are like me, stuttering while watching a 4K HDR movie, crisp is enough for you, to get your head through the nearest wall.
Now, because of this, I gave the Chromecast the factory reset, which today is equivalent to slamming something really hard and now the problems seem to have disappeared.
I don’t expect to watch 90GB movies on the Chromecast, but otherwise it’s a great little device.
what I really didn’t like was the 8 GB of storage 8 GB is laughable in 2024, but if you only use it to stream content, of course the space will still be limited, but if you really only get your essentials, and don’t plan to store movies on the Chromecast again, you will be as comfortable as a bug in a carpet.
Conclusion :
The truth is that it is not the most powerful Android box on the market, 4K content on something like streamio and Cody will work quite well.
But if you consider yourself an experienced user, and you want to watch the highest quality, highest output content files, at bitrate there, you could benefit from something in a similar price range with a little more power, like a firestick 4K Max, or you can raise the price a little and get any Android s905 X4 case.
But if you are a normal person who just likes to watch high-quality content at an affordable price, the Chromecast 4K is not only good, but in fact still absolutely great in 2024.
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