The official Chromecast with Google TV HD is available for less than $30 in the US, which is less expensive than anticipated. This replaces the $35 basic Chromecast from 2018 that debuted and was far less functional (it lacked the Google TV part).
We should note that while this device has “HD” in its name, it actually outputs 1080p. Sure, that’s less resolution the 4K model offers – that one is $50 – but it still supports HDR output. On a smaller TV the difference between 1080p and 4K may not be all that visible.
If you’re interested, you can pick one up from the Google online store, Best Buy. and (soon) from Amazon. In Germany. the HD version is €40, the 4K one is €70. The HD Chromecast comes only in “Snow” white.
You can use this Chromecast with the popular streaming services, for live TV if you subscribe to YouTube TV as well as streaming games with Stadia (you’ll need a controller, though, as the included remote won’t cut it).
The Chromecast with Google TV HD is powered by an Amlogic S805X2 chipset with 1.5GB of RAM and 8GB of onboard storage. This can be used to install some of the thousands of Android TV apps that this supports (this runs Android 12).
This one (unlike the 4K model) supports AV1, which is gaining traction with video streaming sites (YouTube included), but is not well supported on smartphone chipsets (Qualcomm and Apple being the main culprits).
By the way, the Android 12 upgrade is almost ready, though the precise release date has not yet been decided. If you own a Chromecast with Google TV 4K or want to get one, you should be aware of this.