Chromecast with Google TV VS Apple TV 4K (2022): features, differences and prices

Rare is the television that does not come with an Internet connection and access to streaming video applications. Although the main brands offer solvent solutions, such as LG and webOS; Samsung and Tizen or Sony and Android TV, long-term support for software updates is not their strong suit. If you want the best experience, either in the most complete models or the most basic, an external media center or set top box it is the most recommended. The Chromecast with Google TV, 4K version, is one of the best sellers, but how will it get along with Apple TV 4K (2022)? We put them face to face to know their characteristics.

Features Chromecast with Google TV VS Apple TV 4K (2022)

• Design: We start with the physical appearance. The Chromecast with Google TV is formatted dongle; It is hidden behind the TV when connected to the HDMI port. The Apple TV 4K (2022) has the shape of a box, but its size is so compact that it goes unnoticed and does not bother wherever it is placed. The design can affect the connectivity options, which we will discuss later.
• Processor, RAM and storage: Apple TV 4K wins by a landslide in this section with its A15 Bionic chip, 4 GB of RAM and 64 (or 128 GB) of internal storage. Although it is a device aimed at consuming streaming content, Apple Arcade wants to make it look like we are dealing with a game console, but it still has a long way to go and Apple must make certain changes to get the most out of it. The Chromecast with Google TV is a pretty basic device compared to the Apple TV 4K: modest quad-core processor, 2GB of RAM, and 4.4GB of free user storage.
• video and sound: Both media centers can play content in high resolution 4K and in high dynamic range HDR Dolby Vision, one of the most used in streaming video services. They can also play Dolby Atmos, although on the Chromecast it’s via HDMI pass-through.
• Operating system: tvOS 16 is the Apple TV operating system, with a simple and easy-to-use interface, but it limits its possibilities, since it is very closed and there are no apps that take advantage of its power in the App Store. The Chromecast with Google TV runs Android 12, recently updated, and adds some much-desired features like frame rate matching (very unhelpful because there are hardly any apps that take advantage of it, unlike Apple TV). Nevertheless, the chromecast hardware is pretty fair and the performance after the update has been negatively impacted. And it’s a major drawback because Android TV is more open than tvOS, allowing the installation of emulators, KODI, etc., officially.
• connectivity: The latest revision of the Apple TV 4K is prepared for the future with its HDMI 2.1 and Wi-Fi 6, very important because the base version lacks Gigabit Ethernet (you have to pay 20 euros more for the top model to have it). The Chromecast with Google TV is more modest in this section, especially since its format dongle it doesn’t make it easy to add ports, as we’ve seen on Amazon’s Fire TV Stick. There are users who expand their capabilities through a USB-C hub, but Google offers the possibility of adding an Ethernet connection if a special power adapter is purchased separately.
• voice assistant: Siri on Apple TV and Google Assistant on Chromecast. Google’s development is more advanced and allows you to do/request more things, although in both cases they are usually used for similar tasks: control home automation accessories, play certain content, etc.
• Price: Apple TV has never been a mass device; It has always been relegated to the background, especially with the much cheaper alternatives from Google and some from Amazon. That is why the company has lowered the price with the 2022 model and part of the 169 euros (it is not a great reduction). The Chromecast with Google TV has an official retail price of 69.99 euros in the Google store, although it is common to see discounts at certain times of the year.

Apple TV 4K (2022) VS Chromecast with Google TV, which one to buy?

The Apple TV 4K stands as one of the best media centers out there: it’s very smooth, good image scaling, and native frame rate refresh that works properly. But its price and limited software are two big drawbacks that can make users opt for other alternatives, especially if they do not have more Apple devices.

The Chromecast with Google TV has gotten a lot of attention for its value for money and being a relatively inexpensive way to get Android TV on any HDMI-enabled TV. And although its operating system allows you to experiment more, your hardware is pretty fair and the update to Android TV 12 has made the user experience not so smooth.

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