ZDNET Key Takeaways

• The Google TV Streamer is a streaming device that sells for $100.
• The Google TV Streamer offers a beautiful picture, fast performance, and the best smart home integrations of any Google streaming device.
• It’s designed for Android users but can work with iOS, with some compromises, and there are only a few audio customization options.

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I’ve been a cord cutter for over a decade and have gone through all the major streaming device brands available, from Google Chromecast to Roku Streaming Stick to Fire Stick. As someone who owns an Apple TV 4K, an unhealthy amount of Fire TVs, a Roku TV and a Roku Ultra, and now a Google TV Streamer Working from home, it’s safe to say I’m not married to just one smart TV operating system.

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Testing the Google TV Streamer took me back to my Chromecast days in the days of Android (shout out to the Samsung Note 4, forever in my heart). Back then, streaming content with Chromecast had become second nature. So I was excited to try the Google TV Streamer.

I’ve been using Google TV on other devices recently and found the platform lacking. So I was curious to see how the new Google device would work.

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I was pleasantly surprised to find that the launch of Google TV Streamer (let’s call it Streamer) coincided with an overhaul of the Google TV user experience. If you’re unfamiliar with Google TV, its interface looks more like FireOS than Roku or Apple’s tvOS. It offers categories arranged in horizontal rows where you can resume watching content, browse apps, or explore recommendations.

Google hasn’t done much to declutter the screen of suggested and sponsored content, but it has simplified navigation, made it easier to rearrange apps, and improved the search function, especially with voice control through Google.

Like the Apple TV 4KThe Google TV Streamer widens the gap in the iOS versus Android battle, which is no surprise since its best integrations are on Google-made devices. If you’re an iPhone user, don’t expect to stream photos or videos directly from your native app to Google TV Streamer: it doesn’t support AirPlay. Instead, you need to download the Google Photos app, upload your photos, and stream them to the Streamer.

A handy feature is the remote search button. Android users can ask Google on their phone to locate the remote using voice commands, but a physical button on the back of the Google TV Streamer beeps the remote. Additionally, the Google Home app, available for Android and iOS, includes a button to ping your remote.

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Unlike the new Roku Ultra, the Google TV Streamer doesn’t offer hands-free voice control; you need to press and hold the microphone button to talk to Google. While this won’t be a big deal for most users, especially Android fans, you won’t be able to say “Hey Google, find my remote” like you can with the Roku Ultra.

I tested the Google TV Streamer with my TV speakers and a Sonos era 100 as an external speaker. Pairing with the Sonos was quick and seamless, delivering rich, accurate sound without any syncing or disconnection issues.

One thing I didn’t like about Google TV Streamer is the lack of an audio sync tool. I have a Fire TV Omni Series in my bedroom and I use a Fire Stick with a VPN for streaming foreign shows and movies, where the audio is often out of sync. I’m all too accustomed to adjusting the audio to match the video, and I appreciate that FireOS has a built-in setting for this. I was hoping Google TV Streamer would offer the same option, but unfortunately, that’s not the case.

On the other hand, one of my favorite features is something I didn’t think much about initially: the AI image generator. As a proud (and nerdy) parent, I usually set family photos as my TV screensaver, with the exception of the Apple TV 4K’s beautiful screensavers. While exploring Google TV Streamer’s capabilities, I discovered its AI screensaver generator, which was a hit.

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My kids love generative AI, although I’m careful about how they use it. They especially ask ChatGPT questions about Minecraft. The Google TV Streamer uses Gemini to generate screen savers. Gemini is not only Google’s answer to ChatGPT, but also the name of the large language models (LLMs) that power its AI chatbot and image generators.

With Halloween coming up, I thought it would be fun to add some festive images to the screensaver. So I asked the Google TV Streamer to generate generic images of jack-o’-lanterns, candy, and haunted houses. Pictures played well and the resolution looked great on my 43-inch bedroom TV.

Of course, you can’t expect perfection from an AI image generator. My kids quickly got involved, and now my Halloween screensaver is littered with questionable-looking puppies frolicking in front of houses with oddly shaped windows!

ZDNET’s purchasing advice

In the end, the Google TV Streamer is the company’s best streaming device. It’s noticeably faster, snappier than the previous Chromecast, and less buggy than FireOS on my Omni Series Fire TV. It’s not as fast and intuitive as the Apple TV 4K, but it’s the ideal streaming device for Android users and those looking for a reliable provider.

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Google Home integrations further enhance the smart home experience. The Google TV Streamer also supports Thread and Matter, allowing it to serve as a smart home hub. As someone who regularly tests smart home devices and runs Apple HomeKit, Google Home, SmartThings, and Amazon Alexa, I appreciate having a device that serves as a Matter and Thread hub.