The best media streamer for 1080p TVs
I’ve been PCMag’s home entertainment expert for over 10 years, covering both TVs and everything you might want to connect to them. I’ve reviewed more than a thousand different consumer electronics products including headphones, speakers, TVs, and every major game system and VR headset of the last decade. I’m an ISF-certified TV calibrator and a THX-certified home theater professional, and I’m here to help you understand 4K, HDR, Dolby Vision, Dolby Atmos, and even 8K (and to reassure you that you don’t need to worry about 8K at all for at least a few more years).
The Chromecast With Google TV (HD) brings a wealth of streaming services and Google Assistant voice control to 1080p TVs for just $30.
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. 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 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. 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 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.
Only available in white, the Chromecast HD is identical to the Chromecast 4K model. 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). A flat, two-inch-long cable extends from one end and terminates in an HDMI plug. On the opposite end, a USB-C port provides power with the included USB-A-to-USB-C cable and wall adapter. This is a welcome inclusion, because most TV USB ports can’t provide the 1.5-amp current the Chromecast requires.
The remote is likewise the exact same as that of the Chromecast 4K. It’s a short wand with rounded ends and a large circular navigation pad near the top. In addition to the pad, there are eight buttons: Back, Google Assistant, Home, Mute, TV Input, TV Power, and dedicated service buttons for Netflix and YouTube. A volume rocker rocks the right side. An infrared transmitter on the top makes it possible to control your TV’s power and volume, and a pinhole microphone grants access to Google Assistant.
Google TV offers the same smart TV platform experience on the Chromecast HD as it does on the Chromecast 4K. This means you can access all major streaming services, including Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, Disney+, HBO Max, Hulu, Netflix, Sling TV, Twitch, YouTube, and YouTube TV. It also supports Google Cast, so you can stream your Android device’s screen or Chrome tab directly to the Chromecast.
Like all Google TV devices, the Chromecast HD features Google Assistant, accessible via voice thanks to the remote’s microphone (or any Google Assistant smart speaker set up on the same network). It’s a powerful voice assistant that can search for content, control both media playback and any compatible smart devices in your home, and provide general information like weather forecasts and sports scores. It’s very useful, though you do need to press-and-hold the Google Assistant button and speak into the remote to use it if you don’t have a linked smart speaker. While several Google TV televisions like the Hisense U8H and Sony A90K support hands-free Google Assistant, Google doesn’t offer its own first-party media streamer with a far-field microphone like Amazon does with the Fire TV Cube.
The interface is fast and responsive. Navigating the UI is fairly peppy, and most apps take only a few seconds to open. It can occasionally hiccup or feel jerky, but that happens across many media streamers. 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.
The only real differences between the Chromecast HD and the Chromecast 4K are its display resolution and high dynamic range (HDR) support. 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.
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. I tested the Chromecast HD with a TCL 55R635, and from a few feet away it still looks quite nice. 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. Video is also reasonably detailed and doesn’t have any significant fuzziness or blotchiness. An HDR test video loaded properly and sent a 1080p HDR signal to the TV.
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. 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). 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. And, in my experience, 1080p at 55 inches from a modest distance away still looks pretty good.
This doesn’t mean it’s worth giving up 4K and Dolby Vision if your TV supports them just to save $20. The Chromecast 4K will look better on any 4K TV because it can output content at the screen’s native resolution. Dolby Vision expands what HDR content you can watch on different streaming services. The Chromecast HD shouldn’t be your main media streamer unless you still have a 1080p TV.
The Chromecast With Google TV HD is an excellent media streamer for upgrading any aging 1080p TV. 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. You have to spend $39.99 on the Fire TV Stick to get volume control from Amazon.
If you prefer Amazon’s smart TV interface and Amazon Alexa, the Fire TV Stick is still a solid media streamer for 1080p TVs. 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’d like a simpler media streaming experience, the Roku Express offers access to streaming apps at 1080p for $30 using the Roku interface, but it lags behind both the Chromecast and Fire Stick with its front-of-TV design, infrared-only remote that needs line-of-site for control, and lack of HDR.
The Chromecast With Google TV (HD) brings a wealth of streaming services and Google Assistant voice control to 1080p TVs for just $30.
Sign up for Lab Report to get the latest reviews and top product advice delivered right to your inbox.
This newsletter may contain advertising, deals, or affiliate links. Subscribing to a newsletter indicates your consent to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You may unsubscribe from the newsletters at any time.
Your subscription has been confirmed. Keep an eye on your inbox!
I’ve been PCMag’s home entertainment expert for over 10 years, covering both TVs and everything you might want to connect to them. I’ve reviewed more than a thousand different consumer electronics products including headphones, speakers, TVs, and every major game system and VR headset of the last decade. I’m an ISF-certified TV calibrator and a THX-certified home theater professional, and I’m here to help you understand 4K, HDR, Dolby Vision, Dolby Atmos, and even 8K (and to reassure you that you don’t need to worry about 8K at all for at least a few more years).
PCMag.com is a leading authority on technology, delivering lab-based, independent reviews of the latest products and services. Our expert industry analysis and practical solutions help you make better buying decisions and get more from technology.
© 1996-2022 Ziff Davis. PCMag Digital Group
PCMag, PCMag.com and PC Magazine are among the federally registered trademarks of Ziff Davis and may not be used by third parties without explicit permission. The display of third-party trademarks and trade names on this site does not necessarily indicate any affiliation or the endorsement of PCMag. If you click an affiliate link and buy a product or service, we may be paid a fee by that merchant.