The $30 Google Tv Stick May Be The Budget Chromecast Successor We've Been Waiting For

12 hours ago

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ZDNET's cardinal takeaways

A caller 4K Onn streaming instrumentality was reportedly spotted astatine Walmart.
It could beryllium an affordable replacement for Google Chromecast.
You get 4K support, Dolby Atmos, and Google TV.

It's been astir 2 years since Google stopped making its Chromecast streaming stick, and if you've been looking for a suitable replacement, your reply mightiness yet beryllium here.

Walmart hasn't announced thing official, but a caller 4K streaming instrumentality (simply called Onn 4K Streaming Device) was apparently spotted astatine a Walmart store, and first reported by Android Headlines. It's not clear whether nan instrumentality was expected to beryllium disposable for acquisition yet aliases if this was an accident, but a Reddit user said they were capable to acquisition 1 and that it was mixed successful pinch a heap of older sticks without its ain value tag.

Also: Should you upgrade your Roku TV successful 2026? Only if it's to these streaming instrumentality models

According to nan Reddit post, nan instrumentality costs conscionable $30, and it supports 4K and Dolby Atmos, sound power pinch Gemini, and Google Cast. It runs connected a quad-core Cortex-A55 CPU and an ARM Mali-G57 GPU, pinch 2GB of RAM and 8GB of storage.

How does it compare?

The current 4K Roku Streaming Stick, priced astatine conscionable complete $40, has 1GB of RAM and 16GB of storage, truthful 2GB should beryllium capable for 4K viewing. In addition, video playback itself doesn't usage overmuch RAM, and astir streaming apps for illustration Disney+ and Netflix grip 4K conscionable fine.

There's nary confirmation that this instrumentality is for waste astatine all, speech from a Reddit post, but nan container specifications lucifer nan specs revealed by androidtv-guide.com, a trusted online database of method specifications and certifications.

Roku Streaming Stick and Streaming Stick Plus

Overall, this is simply a important betterment successful solution complete nan existent Onn streaming stick. For comparison, that device, currently priced astatine $20, maxes retired astatine 1080p, and has 1.5GB of RAM and 8GB of storage. There's besides a existent 4K Streaming Device, but it's much of a quadrate than a compact instrumentality (similar to nan Chromecast).

The biggest advantage of this alleged caller Onn instrumentality is that it offers 4K viewing successful a compact form, pinch Google TV alternatively of Roku, successful an affordable package.

Upgrading an older TV

When Google stopped making nan Chromecast, it near a spread for group wanting an affordable Google TV dongle. If nan specifications successful this Reddit station are accurate, particularly nan value point, nan Onn 4K Streaming Device could beryllium 1 of nan champion fund streaming options connected nan market.

If you're looking to upgrade an older TV aliases for illustration nan Google ecosystem (some apps, for example, only formed to Google TV), this mightiness beryllium your champion action available.

Also: Why I urge nan Google TV Streamer complete competing Roku and Amazon Fire models

The instrumentality mightiness officially motorboat successful May, which is erstwhile Walmart's caller streaming devices usually drop. If you want to support an oculus out, watch for nan Onn 4K Streaming Device container that says, "Google TV pinch Gemini."

I've reached retired to Walmart for comment, and I'll update pinch a response.