![]() The Chromecast With Google TV HD is a better value for $10 less, though, and earns our Editors’ Choice award in the category. If you prefer Amazon’s smart TV interface and Amazon Alexa, the Fire TV Stick is still a solid media streamer for 1080p TVs. You have to spend $39.99 on the Fire TV Stick to get volume control from Amazon. For $30, it offers all the same Google TV features including Google Assistant, and outdoes the similarly priced Amazon Fire TV Stick Lite ($29.99) with a remote that can control your TV’s volume. The Chromecast With Google TV HD is an excellent media streamer for upgrading any aging 1080p TV. ![]() The Chromecast HD shouldn’t be your main media streamer unless you still have a 1080p TV. Dolby Vision expands what HDR content you can watch on different streaming services. The Chromecast 4K will look better on any 4K TV because it can output content at the screen’s native resolution. This doesn’t mean it’s worth giving up 4K and Dolby Vision if your TV supports them just to save $20. And, in my experience, 1080p at 55 inches from a modest distance away still looks pretty good. More importantly, the 1080p output is the native resolution of older HDTVs, so the signal will be as sharp as it can be on those screens. Any 4K TV will need to upscale the signal from the Chromecast HD, and you can’t effectively synthesize new details where there are none (though some upconversion algorithms attempt to do so by sharpening edges or filling in textures). While the jump from 1080p to 4K quadruples the number of pixels, the visual effect on a 55-inch TV isn’t nearly as pronounced as it is when viewing DVDs in 480p. An HDR test video loaded properly and sent a 1080p HDR signal to the TV. Video is also reasonably detailed and doesn’t have any significant fuzziness or blotchiness. While text isn’t as sharp as it is with the Chromecast 4K, it's still easily readable and doesn’t appear at all blurry. I tested the Chromecast HD with a TCL 55R635, and from a few feet away it still looks quite nice. With that in mind, the lower resolution of the Chromecast HD and the lack of Dolby Vision aren’t big problems for the intended users of the device, which can offer a good viewing experience even on newer 4K TVs. The Chromecast HD outputs video at up to 1080p60, and while it supports HDR content in HDR10, HDR10+, and hybrid log gamma (HLG), it doesn’t have Dolby Vision like the Chromecast 4K does. The only real differences between the Chromecast HD and the Chromecast 4K are its display resolution and high dynamic range ( HDR) support. And, of course, the rate of loading content will depend on your network connection and speed fortunately, the Chromecast HD has the same dual-band 802.11ac Wi-Fi as the Chromecast 4K. It can occasionally hiccup or feel jerky, but that happens across many media streamers. Navigating the UI is fairly peppy, and most apps take only a few seconds to open. This is a welcome inclusion, because most TV USB ports can’t provide the 1.5-amp current the Chromecast requires. ![]() On the opposite end, a USB-C port provides power with the included USB-A-to-USB-C cable and wall adapter. A flat, two-inch-long cable extends from one end and terminates in an HDMI plug. It’s a flat, rounded puck about the size and shape of a worn bar of soap, measuring 1.6 by 1.3 by 0.8 inches (HWD). Only available in white, the Chromecast HD is identical to the Chromecast 4K model. The Chromecast With Google TV (4K) is still a top pick for your 4K TV, but the HD version is an ideal way to keep olders TVs connected, making it our Editors’ Choice winner for HD media streamers. In fact, the only differences between the two are a 1080p resolution and the lack of Dolby Vision-both of which are no loss if used with older TVs. The HD version costs just $29.99 and offers all the same functionality as the 4K model, including HDR10 support, Google Assistant, Google Cast, and a remote that can control your TV. You don’t need a 4K media hub if your TV isn’t 4K, though, which is why Google also offers the Chromecast With Google TV (HD). The Chromecast With Google TV ($49.99) is one of our favorite media streamers, offering 4K HDR streaming and plenty of powerful features for less than $50. How to Set Up Two-Factor Authentication.How to Record the Screen on Your Windows PC or Mac.How to Convert YouTube Videos to MP3 Files.How to Save Money on Your Cell Phone Bill.How to Free Up Space on Your iPhone or iPad.How to Block Robotexts and Spam Messages.
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