The Chromecast with Google TV is only $20 but I still wouldn’t buy it

It’s that time of year when you can get great deals on all sorts of tech, from the newly released Chromebook Plus models to smart home speakers and now, the Chromecast with Google TV. This affordable streaming device from Google is currently available at a discounted price of $20, a $10 drop from its original price of $30. This discount, offered at Best Buy, Walmart, and the Google Store, makes it an appealing option for those looking for an affordable streaming solution but, despite its reduced price, I still find myself hesitant to recommend it.

Onn. 4K Streaming Box: Superior resolution at an unbeatable price

The Onn. 4K Streaming Box with Google TV is the streaming device that you should buy right now. The main upgrade is right there in the name: 4K. That’s right, at an MSRP of $20, it offers 4K resolution instead of the HD resolution you get on the standard Chromecast with Google TV. And this price isn’t just a holiday special; it’s the standard rate, meaning that you don’t have to wait around for a deal or beat yourself up if you miss this current Chromecast Black Friday deal.

Other than the resolution differences, the user experience between the two devices is the same. The Onn. 4K Streaming Box offers the full Google TV experience that is indistinguishable from the Chromecast interface, as you can see here in our hands-on video. This similarity extends to their internal specifications as well, with both devices featuring a measly 8GB of storage.

Let’s not forget the remote. The Chromecast with Google TV remote can be hard to handle and I find myself dropping it frequently, while the Onn. remote feels better in the hand and comes with some extra buttons. It’s a better remote in my opinion. And so you can see, with these factors in mind, recommending even the discounted Chromecast over the Onn. 4K Streaming Box becomes difficult.

The Onn. 4K Streaming Box is readily available at Walmart, both in-store and online. Its ongoing $20 price tag means you can always find this 4K option for the same price as the discounted HD Chromecast. While the Chromecast is not a bad device overall, the Onn. 4K Streaming Box offers the same experience and better resolution for the same price (or less when the Chromecast isn’t discounted). We are hopeful for a new Chromecast with upgraded hardware but for now, the Onn. is a better purchase. So if you saw the Chromecast with Google TV deal and were thinking about getting one for yourself or as a gift, I would recommend taking a moment to check out the Onn. 4K Streaming Box instead.