Google TV Streamer 4K, Review: Improve the options on your TV

The Google TV Streamer 4K is the new Google TV-Box that we present today its analysis or review. A product that offers more options than previous Dongles of this brand.

In the Google TV Streamer 4K we find the SoC Mediatek MT8696 that we have already seen in the Fire TV Stick 4K Max 1st Gen of the year 2021. This small TV-Box offers us as Google TV 14 environment and includes a Bluetooth remote control, which integrates a microphone for Google Assistant and thus make all kinds of searches. We also have integrated Chromecast 4K to send content from our mobile and all certificates for streaming apps in 4K Dolby Vision quality with Dolby Atmos sound.

Let’s see in our review how this system behaves and what it offers compared to the rest.

Google TV Streamer 4K details

Unboxing

The new Google TV Streamer 4K comes in a plain cardboard box with the product box. Inside we find the small TV-Box, remote control, 5V 1.5A charger, USB cable and a first steps manual.

Description

The Google TV Streamer 4K has a peculiar flat design. In the rear area we find a USB-C 2.0 OTG, HDMI 2.1 connector, status LED and a remote search button. The remote control is Bluetooth and Infrared and has a microphone for Google Assistant, features volume control more accessible, microphone key, Netflix, YouTube and Favorites.

This small Box integrates a chip with Wifi 5 and Bluetooth 5.1 that has internal wifi antennas. The cooling system fulfills its function well because it hardly heats up.

• Remote : BT IR remote control with mic / Compatible with keyboard and mouse / Google TV Remote.
• USB Port: Allows USB-C 3.0 HUB, for peripherals or add Ethernet.

System and Performance

Environment and user experience

We start the Google TV Streamer 4K and the first thing we have is a configuration wizard where we can adjust the wifi, control our TV by IR, define which apps will be installed and select the type of content we want to see on the main screen. Once the system configuration is finished we get to the Google TV 14 launcher based on rows with tabs of the contents or shortcuts to the installed apps. The overall performance is smooth, we move smoothly between the most common apps and the environment in 4K resolution looks very good.

• Launcher: Replaceable / Android UI renders at 4K.
• Multitasking and access: Multitasking NOT available / Notifications on top icon.
• Languages and app store: English and others / Google TV app store.
• See our Android TV User Manual to install classic Android Apps.

System

We look at the system data and see that it only has 32-bit instructions. This TV-Box will have continuous OTA updates to improve and optimize it in the long term.

• Version: Google TV 14 (32 bit) / Kernel 5.15.149 / Model Google TV Streamer.
• Support: Google OTA support.
• Power on: Sleep mode.

Network, Storage, RAM and Ports

The new TV-Box Google TV Streamer 4K integrates on board 4 GB of RAM DDR4 and for storage we have 32 GB eMMC quite fast. In the network section has a wireless adapter Wifi 6 and Bluetooth 5.1 that give us decent results. We also have a Gigabit Ethernet adapter and a USB-C 2.0 OTG port for connecting peripherals.

• Network: Internal Wifi antenna / Range -46 dBm / Link 5G 866 Mbps / Bluetooth OK.
• Storage: Total 32 GB – Free 28 GB eMMC / SI expandable by USB.
• RAM: Total 4 GB – Free 3 GB / DDR4.
• Tutorial SAMBA on Android networks if we are going to use files from our network PC.

Power and performance

In terms of performance, the Google TV Streamer 4K features the Mediatek MT8696 SoC , a Quad Core with ARM Cortex-A55 processors up to 2 GHz and a PowerVR GE9215 GPU which is in the mid-range. This SoC has been around for a while now and could carry something more modern. In the results, as we can see, leave it at the level of a Fire TV-Box 4K Max 1st Gen and the Chromecast Google TV 4K, quite cheaper.

• CPU performance: Min. 0.5 GHz / In use 1.1 GHz / Max. 2.0 GHz.

Games and emulators

In terms of games we can run simple titles and also cloud gaming services such a NVIDIA GForce Now or with our home Sunshine server using Moonlight as a client. In the emulators section, we can get at most run some Wii titles. We will not have problems with 2D games from classic consoles with emulators like Retroarch or from KODI, the EmuELEC system can not be run, as it is not compatible.

• Games and emulators: YES Vulkan support / Basic emulators in RetroArch.
• Controls: Compatible with Bluetooth or USB Gamepads.

Power consumption and temperature

This Mediatek MT8696 SoC is manufactured on 12nm, has low power consumption, the cooling system works perfectly and temperatures are low at all times.

• Thermal: Maintains performance up to 100% / Shallow heating / 0db noise.
• Consumption: Off 0.9W / Min. 3W / In use 3.2W / Max. 6.5W.

Video and Audio Test

Playback test

In the video playback section, the Google TV Streamer 4K is compatible with most modern video formats such as h.265, VP9 with native 4K@60fps HDR resolution support, it is compatible with the recent AV1 codec for streaming services. Dolby Vision or Dolby Atmos support is available. We can also use players such as KODI or PLEX without the slightest problem by installing them directly.

• Video: 4K@60fps / HDMI-CEC Yes / Refresh Rate Yes / Dolby Vision Yes.
• Audio: HDMI 7.1 / USB Audio Yes / Dolby Atmos Yes.
• LibreELEC: This model is NOT compatible with LibreELEC or CoreELEC.
• Tutorials: Install add-on in KODI / Judder, how to fix it / Multi-channel audio / Dark video playback fix
• We recommend reading the Setup Guide of our TV to get the best picture quality.

Video and audio test results

• Maximum Bitrate: 350 Mbps.
• HW = Hardware Acceleration / SW = No Hardware Acceleration.

• Formats: Native = Full support / Core = 5.1 only / PCM = Stereo / More info.

Streaming services

We tested the streaming services to check how the most popular services work. The Google TV Streamer 4K offers maximum compatibility with all the most popular streaming services. We can watch in 4K Dolby Vision Atmos quality the contents of Netflix, Prime Video, Disney or Max.

• DRM: Google Widevine L1 / Playready,
• Audio / Video Certificates: Dolby Audio / Dolby Vision.

Streaming test results

• Multichannel audio only available through HDMI connection in streaming services, through SPDIF we will only have stereo sound.

Conclusions and purchase link

Google TV Streamer 4K review

As we can see, the new Google TV Streamer 4K is an excellent platform with Google TV to play streaming at home quite solid. It is weighed down quite a bit by the Mediatek MT8696 SoC which has enough power, but could be quite a bit better. It has also opted for a Wifi 5 adapter instead of Wifi 6, a poor decision, although luckily we have a Gigabit Ethernet connector .

We have the same set with a remote control, Bluetooth and Infrared that gives us control without complications to use Google Assistant system. It highlights the function of finding the remote by pressing a button on the back of the box.

Overall, the Google TV Streamer 4K we can say, is suitable as a TV-Box efficient and with good software, but it could have been better at the hardware level, especially considering the price it has.

Where to buy the Google TV Streamer 4K

Rating