Google·streaming
Chromecast with Google TV
Based on 41 credible posts from YouTube, Hacker News & Bluesky. 124 filtered out as bot-like or off-topic.
Medium confidenceA solid sample; expect small shifts as more owners post. How we score
Scored November 11, 2026
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Owner reviews
Overall owner mood
Owners are split: 46% of 41 reviews are positive, 34% negative, and the rest mixed or neutral. Praise centers on price & value. The most common complaint is software & ai (5 owners). Owners with 6+ months of use feel about the same (50% positive).
What owners like
Price & value praised by 4 owners (2 disagree)
“I tried a "Chromecast with Google TV" because it was so cheap, and seemed to support everything.”
What owners complain about
Software & AI raised by 5 owners (1 disagree)
“And there's no guarantee what the throughput will be after the next firmware update.”
Performance raised by 4 owners
“the CPU and storage in "smart TVs" are so underpowered that using streaming apps on them is painfully sluggish.”
Sound raised by 3 owners (1 disagree)
“But while doing so, it transcodes both video and audio, forcibly, even though it's only the audio track that's causing the problem.”
Controls & input raised by 2 owners (1 disagree)
“I was kind of forced to get a Chromecast, because they actively block independent receiver implementations, and the prevalent Cast button in Android apps is used by other inhabitants.”
What owners talk about
- Software & AI1 praise · 5 complain
- Price & value4 praise · 2 complain
- Performance0 praise · 4 complain
- Sound1 praise · 3 complain
- Controls & input1 praise · 2 complain
- Battery & charging1 praise · 1 complain
- Connectivity1 praise · 1 complain
Built from the reviews themselves — every quote links to the owner who wrote it.
Every credible owner review, most detailed first. Bots, off-topic comments, and ones that say nothing about using it are left out.
I have a chromecast with google tv plugged into mine. [...] It comes with a super minimalist remote that does volume and a d-pad and on/off and a remappable netflix button. [...]
[...] Am contemplating buying a Chromecast with Google TV, and installing SmartTubeNext on it, just so I can escape the ad barrage: - 2 ads on video start, unskippable - multiple (at least 2) 2 ad breaks during even a 10 minute video, almost always unskippable. [...]
Shittt....when you're used to a chromecast with Google tv for 3 or 4 years, and have to deal with buffering a lot of the time...so, when I got my streamer today, and plugged it in....it's a game changer. I think a majority of that is due to the fact that it was Wi-Fi 5, which is here too
[...] While one can always try to see if their "Smart TV" can actually run a streaming client app like Moonlight with adequate performance, it's so hit-and-miss I just assume I'll have to plug in a $50 Android TV streaming stick via an HDMI input. I've used the 'Google Chromecast with Google TV' and 'Amazon Fire TV Stick 4k 2nd gen' and was able to sideload the open source Moonlight client app to stream 4K HDR10+ / 60fps from my server PC at 80 to 100Mbps. [...] And there's no guarantee what the throughput will be after the next firmware update. [...]
I use Sunshine streaming from my home office gaming PC (4070Ti Super) via 1Gbps Ethernet to a "Google Chromecast with Google TV" streaming dongle running the Moonlight client in our dedicated home theater room. [...] The AVR outputs to a ceiling mounted laser projector with 150" screen. [...] The key is avoiding wifi and testing actual point to point throughput (I run a local instance of OpenSpeedTest). [...]
[...] the CPU and storage in "smart TVs" are so underpowered that using streaming apps on them is painfully sluggish. For comparison, I've used the "Chromecast with Google TV" (a $50ish at its release 4k streaming stick that uses the 'Google TV', fka 'Android TV' platform) and a Sony TV on the same platform, released the same year. The Sony UI is a lot more sluggish than the Google stick device. [...]
I have a Chromecast with Google TV, and it allows sideloading of APKs. I installed SmartTube which is a YouTube client that incorporates Adblocking and also SponsorBlock. It periodically has issues loading videos when Google change something, but the app gets updated every time within a day.
[...] Stremio is available legally on the Play Store, and I installed it on my Chromecast with Google TV/Android phone/Windows PC, it's awesome. [...]
[...] Just to try, I just logged out of my Google Chromecast with Google TV (yes folks, it may time to rebrand...), and started playing a stream from Spotify using my phone. [...]
[...] I tried a "Chromecast with Google TV" because it was so cheap, and seemed to support everything. It was easily the worst experience I've had with a set-top-box: 1. [...] The remote is so curved on the bottom (literally a semi-circle) that I struggled to pick it up and the only ways to reliably pick it up successfully resulted in inadvertent button presses 3. [...] 8 buttons total. Missing buttons include a play/pause button, which is easily the most vital button for a device dedicated to playing media. Sometimes the center button acts as play pause but other times not. [...] Sometimes media playback just crashes and I need to start over. [...]
[...] I have a Chromecast with Google TV that I pack with me when we go away, and I pop it in the TV, configure wifi and I have my entire media collection right there. My phone, laptop, tablet and the wife's devices all have the client installed & configured. [...]
[...] It's still called "Chromecast with Google TV" as of today: Google TV is an app/portal/service (with somewhat ill-defined boundaries, but I generally like it on my Chromecast, as it's able to pull in recommendations from basically all available sources, unlike Apple TV, which seems to have some feud with at least Netflix); the Chromecast with Google TV is the physical device I can plug into my TV to make it display Google TV. [...]
[...] I have a Sony TV with Google TV, and a $50ish (I paid even less) Chromecast With Google TV dongle (the new kind with a remote, not the strange old Chromecast that are captive to a phone for control). [...] I think smart TVs may be better off rendered inert, offline displays for better equipment you plug into them.
Sorry for the rant, but as someone who has used Jellyfin and similar apps like Kodi, I have to say I find their code quality and general software architecture to be crap. [...] A few examples: I have installed the Jellyfin server on a Linux box, and the Jellyfin app on a playback device (Google Chromecast with Google TV, GCCWGTV). When the app detects the playback device or TV doesn't support, say, the 7.1 Dolby audio stream in the media file being played, it asks the server to transcode the media to something it supports (eg. stereo audio). But while doing so, it transcodes both video and audio, forcibly, even though it's only the audio track that's causing the problem. [...]
I bought one for my parents LG TV as it didn't support any form of casting (except YouTube) and the WebOS interface was far too clumy to use. [...] I ended up liking it so much I bought one for myself and straight up replaced the ageing Android TV on our 6 year old Philips TV. The Chromecast is much quicker, the remote is nicer and it allows us to merge controls with our soundbar, something I was never able to achieve with the standard Philips remote/software. For the relatively low price there's no better way to watch TV imo. [...]
In my home media setup (LG UQ81 TV, WiiM Amp via ARC, Xbox Series X, Chromecast with Google TV), the CEC setup almost works perfectly. [...]
[...] The TV UIs are just so slow and bloated and terrible. [...] The Chromecast with Google TV's as close to a "Pixel for TV" as we're gonna get, I think. [...] The current model is still noticeably laggy.
[...] Yet I own a Chromecast Ultra and that put me off. My usage is always going to be done via my phone and ngl if you own a Google Nest you have some form of control over the earlier Chromecasts that way. [...] Between choosing between both if you own neither though one is cheaper at launch and does more. [...]
[...] I also need to sell my Google Chromecast with Google TV 4K. [...]
I bought my Chromecast with Google TV at the beginning of this year actually, It's Definitely Worth the money in my opinion 😁 I highly Recommend it And I must say I absolutely Loved my Chromecast Remote
[...] It was a gift for a relative: a "Chromecast with Google TV." I didn't know what it really was when I bought it. [...]
The "Chromecast with Google TV" main upgrade for my use case (watching YouTube) was to introduce longer ads. For that reason I've lost faith in this product line and this rebranding (and price increase) guarantees I won't be getting one of these.
Is it any good? I have Google's own version of this, the $50 Chromecast with Google TV ( It's a piece of crap, super laggy and inconsistent and full of ads and user-hostile recommendations.
[...] I have Fire TVs and Chromecast with Google TV and Roku is just better. [...] Apple TV is overpriced and does nothing I need.
Google Photos was pretty great. [...] Search, Maps, GSuite, Chromecast, YouTube: it'd be nice if they could keep the things we use running and charge a reasonable price. Why is the Chromecast with Google TV still using such underpowered hardware?!
Chromecast with Google TV has half of the screenspace for streaming service ads. [...] I was kind of forced to get a Chromecast, because they actively block independent receiver implementations, and the prevalent Cast button in Android apps is used by other inhabitants. [...]
I've had it since launch and never had any major issues with the device. It caters to my needs and I absolutely love it.
I've had my Chromecast with Google TV since it first came out, and it's definitely gotten better over time. I didn't need it to be a pro-level streaming stick; I just wanted it to do the basics, and it does them really well. I'm genuinely pleased.
Its been 6 month I've been using GCGTV. [...]
Ironic this was uploaded this week, while I do use my Chromecast some I've been using it a lot this week while staying at a friend's! Been very sappy and responsive, works well, is easy to set up the tv controls and I love that I can just power it with a 20 watt type c brick makes it very travel friendly and I've even hooked it to ethernet though it really dosent need it
Brought our old Chromecast (with Google TV) on this trip and plugged it into the hotel TV so I can watch on a screen larger than my phone.
[...] I use it a lot to watch YouTube videos & podcasts.
The Bluetooth in my Chromecast with Google TV sucks, makes everything more leggy, stutters and randomly freezes so I've been using my external battery powered dongle that plugs into my TV's headphone jack and it works flawlessly...
Been using the Chromecast with Google TV since it came out. [...]
my 4k chromecast with google tv remotes (product cancelled a month after i bought it. thanks, google) got grippy silicone wrappers (maybe a buck or two on aliexpress) which are neon colored and glow in the dark. not only are the remotes easy to lose, they are slippery plastic for no good reason.
But yeah, I bought a replacement smart TV recently after the backlight started flaking out, and I really tried to use the built in version of Google TV the new set has, but it was so buggy and glitchy with the same apps vs. just hooking in a 4K Chromecast with Google TV. It's ridiculous.
I'd like to be able to use the Chromecast with Google TV with my Yamaha RX-A770 receiver. [...] Therefore, connecting the Chromecast with Google TV directly to a TV rather than the Yamaha RX-A770 receiver is not an option. [...]
[...] I would push the button to scroll and the Google TV would just keep scrolling as if it was possessed. It got so frustrating that I bought an Onn streaming box and it's so much better. [...]
My biggest gripe is still that the Nest Audio cannot be used as a wireless audio output for TV content played via the Chromecast with Google TV. Otherwise a great product for me!
[...] As an occasional Chromecast (with Google TV) (4K) (running Android TV) user, I think Google wins this round of botched branding. [...] Sure, Apple could have named it something memorable and unambigous like "CouchPotato" or "Bingetime" or whatnot, but that sounds more like early 2000s Apple from a branding point of view.
The claims, and the evidence
What the brand claims
No published claims on file for this product yet.
What owners report
“I have a chromecast with google tv plugged into mine. [...] It comes with a super minimalist remote that does volume and a d-pad and on/off and a remappable netflix button. [...]”
after 1 yearView on Hacker News“Shittt....when you're used to a chromecast with Google tv for 3 or 4 years, and have to deal with buffering a lot of the time...so, when I got my streamer today, and plugged it in....it's a game changer. I think a majority of that is due to the fact that it was Wi-Fi 5, which is here too”
after 42 monthsView on Bluesky“[...] Am contemplating buying a Chromecast with Google TV, and installing SmartTubeNext on it, just so I can escape the ad barrage: - 2 ads on video start, unskippable - multiple (at least 2) 2 ad breaks during even a 10 minute video, almost always unskippable. [...]”
after 1 yearView on Hacker News“I bought one for my parents LG TV as it didn't support any form of casting (except YouTube) and the WebOS interface was far too clumy to use. [...] I ended up liking it so much I bought one for myself and straight up replaced the ageing Android TV on our 6 year old Philips TV. The Chromecast is much quicker, the remote is nicer and it allows us to merge controls with our soundbar, something I was never able to achieve with the standard Philips remote/software. For the relatively low price there's no better way to watch TV imo. [...]”
Common Chromecast with Google TV problems
Problems most owners who mention them agree on, plus ones owners are split on.
- Software & AI5 owners report this (1 disagree)View on Bluesky
“The Bluetooth in my Chromecast with Google TV sucks, makes everything more leggy, stutters and randomly freezes so I've been using my external battery powered dongle that plugs into my TV's headphone jack and it works flawlessly...”
- Performance4 owners report thisView on Hacker News
“I have Google's own version of this, the $50 Chromecast with Google TV ( It's a piece of crap, super laggy and inconsistent and full of ads and user-hostile recommendations.”
- Sound3 owners report this (1 disagree)View on Hacker News
“Sure, Apple could have named it something memorable and unambigous like "CouchPotato" or "Bingetime" or whatnot, but that sounds more like early 2000s Apple from a branding point of view.”
- Controls & input2 owners report this (1 disagree)