Should you buy a Chromecast in 2024?

When the original Chromecast was released in 2013, it was something of a revelation. You did need a phone or computer to control it, but it was a low-cost media streamer able to compete with products two or three times the price. It’s so popular that some homes are likely to have one hooked up to every TV.

Google recently announced a replacement for the Chromecast, the Google TV Streamer, shipping September 24. But does that make the Chromecast with Google TV irrelevant?

Why you might still want a Chromecast

It’s still loaded with useful features

The major reason is price. While $100 for a Google TV Streamer is reasonable given its specs, a 1080p (“HD”) Chromecast is just $30, and even the 4K model is $50. If you’ve got multiple TVs you need to upgrade, Chromecasts are by far the more cost-effective solution. They’re even competitive against Roku and Amazon’s cheapest streamers.

Likewise, while the Google TV Streamer is relatively compact, Chromecasts are even more so. They’re small enough that you can fit both the dongle and remote in a sling bag. For frequent travelers, they’re salvation when a hotel’s TV doesn’t have native Google Cast support. Their size comes in handy at home, too — since they’re meant to hang from an HDMI port, they’re perfect for wall-mounted TVs or cluttered entertainment centers.

Crucially, there’s nothing fundamental missing on Chromecasts. You’re still getting the Google TV platform, including support for Google Assistant voice commands, and automation via the company’s smart home technology. All models support standards like HDR10, HDR10+, and Dolby Atmos, and the 4K version adds Dolby Vision into the mix. Your movies will look and sound just as good on a 4K Chromecast as on a Google TV Streamer.

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Why you might want a Google TV Streamer instead

Google’s latest and greatest will help you get to what you want, faster

Only the Google TV Streamer supports Gemini, Google’s generative AI. In theory this should not only improve recommendations, but make it possible to catch up on the events of a series before jumping in mid-season. This won’t be a selling point for everyone — but if you ever change your mind, Gemini simply isn’t coming to Chromecasts.

The Streamer is superior in other ways as well. Its processor is about 22% faster, and its storage is increased from 8 to 32GB, so it should operate smoothly while offering room for more apps. It also serves as a Matter hub and Thread border router right out of the box, so it’s an ideal beginning point for a smart home.

One small thing is that the Streamer has a built-in Ethernet jack. You can get an Ethernet adapter for Chromecasts, but that’s slower than the Streamer’s 1Gbps port, and buying that adapter puts you most of the way towards a Streamer’s pricetag anyway. The Streamer is an obvious choice for anyone with unreliable Wi-Fi.

The greatest issue for some shoppers may be software support. While Google says it will continue to update Chromecasts, we don’t know for how long, or what kind of feature parity there will be with the Google TV Streamer. At some point in the next few years, though, Google will inevitably decide that Chromecasts are too old to justify any manpower, so you may be forced to upgrade if you encounter bugs or compatibility obstacles.

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Should you buy a Chromecast in 2024?

It’s worth thinking about, depending on your situation

If price counts and you don’t need Matter, Thread, or Ethernet compatibility, absolutely. A Chromecast remains one of the cheapest entry points into media streaming, and you probably won’t notice any issues with performance or storage unless you’re subscribed to an unhealthy number of online services. I own two Chromecasts and have no real complaints.

In fact, I’d recommend buying one before the end of 2024 if you have any interest. Production is winding down, so once Google and other vendors run out of their current inventory, you’ll be out of luck unless you can find something used on eBay or Facebook Marketplace.

That said, anyone with the budget (and shelf space) for a Google TV Streamer should go that route. The extra speed and storage will improve your experience, and even if you don’t care about Matter or Thread now, it could become majorly important as you expand or overhaul your smart home setup. You’ll also get longer software support from Google, so there should be less worry about having to buy a replacement streamer in two or three years.

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FAQ

Q: Why isn’t Gemini on Chromecasts?

It could be that Google simply wants people to buy newer, more expensive hardware, but it’s likely a matter of performance. While most Gemini commands need to be processed in the cloud, current-gen Chromecast specs date back to 2020 — the product isn’t well-equipped for the local end of things.