Walmart is in the process of launching its new line of Google TV streamers and while I’m quite intrigued by the Pro model, it’s the 4K streaming device that shipped first and, just as I expected, it’s exactly the Chromecast with Google TV (4K) replacement I’ve been waiting for.
Chromecast with Google TV launched in 2020 as a solid introduction to the new experience. that has aged quite well – but Google took throughout It’s time to deliver an improved version. Google TV Streamer is a major update that fixes the problem storage and performance issues That plagued the Chromecast for a long time, but it was never a direct replacement simply because, from a hardware perspective, it filled an entirely different need.
So despite happily swapping out the other Chromecasts in my house for Google’s newer devices, one of the TVs in my house was stuck on that older hardware. The Google TV Streamer’s largest size was far from ideal behind a TV mounted in my office that, underneath, didn’t have room for a streaming box, nor did I want to deal with the associated cable management. I tried In 4K Plus at this location last year, as well as some older Walmart streaming boxes, but the need for a full HDMI cable made it all seem pretty complicated.
With that in mind, I was happy to learn that Walmart was making a 4K streaming device, something that Google TV customers have curiously been deprived of for a while.
The “Onn 4K Streaming Device,” as Walmart calls it, is a small streaming device that reminds me more of a Roku device. At one end, an HDMI socket (with a short extender in the box if it doesn’t fit perfectly into your TV), and at the other, USB-C. A power adapter is included in the box and in about a minute I was up and running. Fits behind my tv exactly where the Chromecast did without additional problems. I used the HDMI extender, but it’s so short (and, more importantly, stiff) that it didn’t seem as clunky and cluttered as alternative devices.
Beyond that, this is a pretty standard Google TV experience. The configuration uses the new flow that was launched last year, It has full Gemini support out of the box and performance is solid. It’s much faster than my Chromecast, despite only having 2GB of RAM and 8GB of storage, just like that previous device offered. I’d be concerned about those specs if this were the primary transmitter in my home, but for me, this is just a secondary device used in my office for occasional YouTube videos, live streams, etc. That’s where this hardware really feels like a perfect fit: in a secondary room. You can step up to the Onn 4K Pro or Google TV Streamer for the main living room, but even then, Walmart’s new streaming device is up to the task. I’ll be curious to see how it holds up over time.
The included remote is also very familiar, using the same one Walmart has included with its devices for years, still based on one of Google’s reference designs.
The Walmart Onn 4K streaming device is now available for $39.88 for most customers: the launch is still in progress, so your result may vary by region. But if you’ve been looking for a proper Chromecast with Google TV replacement, this is the best one I’ve tested, at least in the states.
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*Added mention of Gemini support.
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