3. Product Review

Google Chromecast Product Review

For the last couple of years, a lot of people are deciding to ‘cut the chord’ and go to streaming services to watch video content. There are a lot of different products you can use to stream things, such as the Amazon Firestick or the Roku Express, but I am going to talk about the best and cheapest way to get video to stream on your TV (according to CNET), the Google Chromecast.

I recently bought the 3rd Generation Google Chromecast, and I love it. I was so excited when I was setting it up because I could cast directly from my phone to the TV. I no longer have to log into a laptop, connect it to the TV with an HDMI cord, and then not be able to use that laptop while I streamed something. My sister and I had been debating for a while about getting an Amazon Firestick, but we decided that the Firestick wasn’t what we wanted. So, we waited, found the Chromecast, and decided that that was what we wanted to use.

What is it?

The Google Chromecast 3rd Generation is a compact device that allows the user to stream from their phone directly to a TV. It comes with a Micro USB power cable, and the HDMI plugs directly into the TV. The Chromecast also uses a Wi-Fi connection to be able to cast content across devices, and will support Android, iOS, Mac, and Windows devices. (Google Store) I have tried all of these, and they work. I used my Android phone, my iPad, my MacBook Air, and my sister has used her Dell laptop to cast videos to our TV. 

The Chromecast works with a lot of streaming apps, like Netflix, Hulu, YouTube, and Spotify. The device also supports a 1080p resolution. 1080p is referred to as “Full HD”, so there are 1,920 columns and 1,080 rows of pixels for a total display of 2,073,600 pixels (Digital Trends).  

My Review

Pros

So far, I love my Google Chromecast. It only took me 10 minutes to set up, and most of that was waiting for the Chromecast to run an update. I really love that I can pull up a YouTube video or open Netflix on my phone, and I can be casting to my TV in seconds. It is just as fast when I used my laptop, too.  

I also have a Google Home Mini but haven’t set it up yet. I can use my Google Home to start streaming just by saying something like, “Ok, Google, cast to my TV.” I can’t wait to try this out, because that would also shorten the time it takes me to pull up something on my phone or laptop.  

The biggest plus from this, though, is that it was only $35, and it is compatible with my older TV. There is only a little bit of a lag sometimes, and that is likely because I live in a college dorm and use the public college Wi-Fi.  

Cons

I have no real issue with my Google Chromecast. The only problem that I have come across so far is that the screen cast from my phone is tricky. On my Android phone, I have the ability to screen-cast. I tried to screencast TikTok from my phone, and it worked for about 3 minutes, then it froze. I only tried this once, so I am not a pro at it, and will likely need to try a few more times before I write it off as a real con for this device.  

Some reviews I looked at said some cons were that there is no dedicated remote, and there is no app support for Amazon Prime Video (CNET). Personally, I don’t really care if there is a remote or not, and I don’t have Amazon Prime video downloaded onto my phone. I think I would like to try casting Prime Video from my laptop to see if that would work, but I don’t really watch anything on Prime Video.  

Customer Reviews

While looking through customer reviews for the Google Chromecast, there were almost no bad reviews. Most people gave the Chromecast 4 out of 5 stars, and CNET gave it 7.2/10 based on design and functionality. Below are some screenshots of customer reviews on the Google Chromecast. 

Similar Products

The 3rd generation Google Chromecast is basic in comparison to other, similar products. The Google Chromecast Ultra is a step up from the Chromecast, with 4K HDR support, the option to connect an ethernet adapter, and is around $70. (Chromecast vs Ultra, Android Central)  

Another similar product is the Roku Express. It was labeled as the Best Budget Streamer by CNET. The Roku Express does a lot of the same things as the Chromecast, but includes a remote, and is $29 at Walmart.  

The last product is the Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K, which is $50 at Best Buy. This is good for people who love Amazon or Alexa, or love 4K. According to CNET, the Firestick has “a massive selection of content with an easy-to-use menu and the Amazon Fire TV stick 4K represents excellent value for money."  

Verdict

Overall, I am perfectly happy with my Google Chromecast. I have no need for the 4K or HDR support of the Ultra, because my TV will not support it anyway. I love that I am able to control what is streaming from my phone or laptop to my TV across the room. I think that if I had a bigger and better TV, and possibly wanted something with a remote, I would think about a Roku brand. If I wanted something more expensive, the Roku will give me what I am looking for in streaming hardware. However, I am new to the TV-streaming add-ons, and since I have a Google Home already and am used to the Google Home app, the Chromecast is the perfect option for me.