Why I am lastly retiring this discontinued streame...

The Google Chromecast 4K, consider it or not, entered my family as a result of I needed to check out Google Stadia. Whereas that service was short-lived, I proceed to make use of my Chromecast to at the present time. It went from getting used primarily to play Future 2 to one thing I exploit in my bed room to stream one thing earlier than I am going to mattress.

It is served me nicely within the bed room as I did not actually ask it to do a complete lot, however it is time to transfer on to one thing else. In case you have not heard, Google discontinued the Chromecast line and changed it with the Google Streamer. It is a small gadget that works as a streaming field as an alternative of a dongle. The clear improve is to drop the Chromecast for the Streamer, however I am going a special route. I am changing the Chromecast with an Apple TV 4K. You may be questioning why I am not going from Google to Google, however the selection is a straightforward one for me.

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I want someplace to place my previous Apple TV 4K

It is not private, Google

Apple / Pocket-lint

The Chromecast nonetheless works, but it surely will not have a house as soon as I move my first-gen Apple TV 4K into the bed room after I get a more moderen mannequin for my lounge. I’ve hopes {that a} fourth-gen mannequin is coming in some unspecified time in the future this yr, and meaning I’ve to place my previous one someplace.

Since my Apple TV has a distant, a UI, and entry to a bunch of apps, it does not make any sense to eliminate it. It is nonetheless working nice, and I have never run into any main points regardless of its age. The identical goes for the Chromecast, to be honest, but it surely’ll be good to not should solid issues from my cellphone to the TV anymore. I truthfully cannot keep in mind if my Chromecast got here with a distant or not, but when it did, it is lengthy gone. This offers the Apple TV a clear benefit over my Chromecast.

I am not towards grabbing a Google Streamer, even when the reviews are mixed on it, however I do not see a necessity to purchase one thing fully new once I can simply use my older mannequin within the bed room. Consider it or not, the Apple TV 4K is the only Apple product I own, but it surely’s ok that I haven’t got a purpose to go away the ecosystem. I might positively get some extra mileage by choosing up an iPhone or iPad down the highway, but it surely’s not a urgent want for me proper now.

It is not all dangerous information for the Chromecast, nevertheless. Because it nonetheless works fairly nicely and does what it is requested to do, it will possibly discover a new house in my basement as soon as I lastly get round to establishing a TV down there.

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The Chromecast continues to be stable

Nonetheless working positive

Possibly I should not be shocked by this since my historical Apple TV continues to be alive and kicking, however the Chromecast hasn’t proven any indicators of slowing down. Though Google discontinued it in favor of one other gadget, it does not seem to be the corporate has plans to show it right into a brick. For that purpose, the Chromecast nonetheless has one thing to supply, however simply not in my primary viewing room.

It is not ever going to be in my primary viewing areas anymore, however for the basement, I can not discover a lot to complain about. I’ve a couple of Google House Mini units mendacity round that may make that house extra environment friendly, however I will cross that bridge with regards to it.

The Google Streamer little doubt has extra energy and flexibility than my Chromecast, and loads of that comes right down to it being a devoted streaming gadget as an alternative of a dongle, however I do not want any of that for a secondary viewing space. Google guarantees to nonetheless provide updates for the gadget, so it is not like I am utilizing abandonware, at the very least not but.

Whereas Stadia has been gone for years at this level, the Chromecast 4K stayed plugged into my TV. That is true endurance, and because it wasn’t even what I picked up the Chromecast for within the first place, I might say that is a win.

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Why I picked Apple over Google

I shocked myself too

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Unusually, I already had a Chromecast, two Google Properties, and even used a Pixel cellphone prior to now once I purchased an Apple TV 4K. On paper, the Chromecast after which, ultimately, a Google Streamer, would make rather more sense for me.

I went with the Apple TV 4K due to the promise of Dolby Atmos with Apple Music, and I might say it paid off. I do not use Apple Music as a lot as I used to, however what shocked me essentially the most is how the Apple TV discovered a everlasting house in my lounge. Though I am lacking out on all types of cool options with it being my solely Apple product, the best way it fully changed my sensible TV’s UI cannot be ignored.

The Apple TV 4K, despite the fact that it is one which dates again to 2017, could be very snappy. I can not think about ever having to return to my TV’s UI. Whereas the Google Streamer would signify an analogous improve, I do not see a lot of a purpose to spend $100 on a barebones streamer once I already like what I’ve.

Having a extra budget-friendly worth is interesting to folks with out a streaming field, and if you have already got some Google merchandise, it makes loads of sense to go for the Google Streamer. Each units assist Dolby Imaginative and prescient, Dolby Atmos, and 4K viewing, so it is not such as you lose out on options by picking one over the other. For lots of people, it comes down to non-public choice and what you are comfy with. For me, it is sticking with what I do know. Finally, I do not assume you possibly can go mistaken with both choice.

Each tvOS and Google TV OS have been round for some time now, and each of them have matured properly. Apple’s tvOS has gotten some cool options like 21:9 assist, so it has some benefits over Google, however that is provided that you possibly can make the most of one thing like ultrawide streaming. It makes the Apple TV extra interesting to lovers, however for on a regular basis viewing, you may discover extra similarities between the 2 than variations.

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