Google Chromecast with Google TV review: A feature-rich streaming experience

Smart TVs are popular for streaming content. But what about the old TVs that work just fine? Well, this is where streaming dongles come to the rescue. The latest in the market is Chromecast with Google TV which also bundles a remote and has an emphasis on content discovery.

This Chromecast has a sleek, pebble-shaped design with a small cable with HDMI output on one side that makes it easy to plug into the TV, without blocking other ports. The other side has a Type-C port for power - cable and plug being bundled in the box. As the overall footprint isn’t large, it can easily hide behind the TV. Unlike previous versions that were controlled using the mobile app, this one is accompanied by a remote, that has reinvented the user experience for good. The compact remote is curved at the rear and houses all necessary controls including power, TV input, volume control, voice assistant, basic navigation keys and hotkeys for Netflix and YouTube. I was able to turn on/off my TV with this remote, however, the source input button wasn’t able to map the control.

Setting up Chromecast takes about five minutes which can be done using the Google Home app or on the device itself. Once completed, the experience was flawless. This fine piece of hardware comes loaded with refined software. The user interface is segregated into various tabs – Search, For You, Movies, Shows, Apps, Library.

The ‘For You’ section suggested shows and movies based on my watching preferences. The ‘continue watching’ suggestions included content from Diseny+Hotstar as well, something which I missed on Amazon’s Fire TV Stick. Movies and shows too fetched the latest and relevant content from the apps installed on the device. And my previous purchases – such as Argo – appeared in the library for quick access.

Chromecast supports a wide list of apps, including Netflix, Hotstar, Zee5, SonyLiv, and HoiChoi, among others. As I signed into the Chromecast using my Gmail account, it automatically logged me into YouTube as well. Been using Amazon Fire TV Stick for the past many years, the Chromecast UI felt refreshing and the suggestions more relevant.

Switching to Chromecast from Fire TV Stick and Jio TV, the picture quality appeared sharp and crisp. The hardware supports 4K HDR 60 fps, which I tested extensively over Netflix. I binge-watched Red Notice, and The Witcher among others. I also streamed Shoorveer, Boston Legal on Disney + Hotstar and The Person of Interest on Prime Video, and the experience was flawless across apps. Even the audio output was superb.

The Google voice assistant picked everything correctly – not even once it fetched incorrect results. And, other than showing results for shows, it answered general questions about the India-England match score, Russia-Ukraine war and more. I was able also to use the Google Home app as a remote for typing show names or navigating. Those who have kids at home, they can create a kids profile as well. As the Chromecast belongs to the Google ecosystem, I was able to view my pictures from your Google Photos library on the TV when Chromecast was in idle mode.

Verdict: Ushering the era of streaming and mirroring on televisions way back in 2013 with the Chromecast dongle, Google lost its dominance to Amazon’s FireTV Stick, at least in India. The reason is - Chromecast could be controlled through a smartphone whereas the FireTV stick accompanied a remote. Plus, companies like Xiaomi and realme have come up with their streaming dongles and boxes as well. Although a little late to the Indian market, Google has a winner at hand. The Chromecast with Google TV (with remote control),  makes for a superb buy – after all, it’s not just about streaming but experience.