![]() This remote, though is where the HD Chromecast beats the Roku Express (or at least past models) handily. ![]() The circle inside the navigation wheel does the trick, but I'd value that more than the included Netflix and YouTube buttons - as I never think to use those. That said, I'd love a dedicated play/pause button (which is standard on competitor remotes). It also has a button to switch your TV's input devices, which is great if your set doesn't automatically move to whatever device you're using. The Roku Express (2022) demonstrated great load times on HBO Max (8 seconds) and Sling TV (10 seconds), but Apple TV took 14 seconds. I saw the literal same load times for Netflix (18 seconds), Apple TV Plus (instantly) and Sling TV (20 seconds), while HBO Max actually took a bit longer on the Chromecast (21 seconds) than on the Fire TV Stick Lite (10 seconds). I got my stopwatch app out to put the HD Chromecast up against the Fire TV Stick Lite, and often I got shockingly similar results. I tried to measure the time it took for a broadcast or move to become stable, but the gaps were too short to measure. Loading shows and apps isn't notably slower than on the other $29 streaming devices. The Chromecast with Google TV HD (which doesn't have publicly available specs for storage, processor and memory) may be less expensive than most streaming devices, but its user experience doesn't feel cheap. Chromecast with Google TV HD review: Performance When I asked for Jordan Peele's movies, it presented the trio (Get Out, Us and Nope) he's directed, plus Candyman (2021), which he wrote and produced. It all works well enough unless you try and get clever. You'll primarily hunt for content with the remote's Google Assistant button and the search tab. Lastly, let's talk about search, which was initially its own tab and is now an icon in the right corner of the home page. Google has revamped its Live tab to serve as a hub for its live channel services, including over 800 channels from Tubi, Plex and Haystack News. Google has also added Family and EspaƱol shortcuts for even more curated content. Movies and Shows, which both used to be tabs are now shortcuts underneath your Continue watching row. Google initially had more tabs in its user interface but has now reduced them to For you, Live, Apps and Library as part of a major Google TV refresh. I wish all of the top-of-screen "On now" boxes would be tuned to your favorites, as I have no interest in whatever the Disney Channel is showing (sorry, Hotel Transylvania). This up-front placement is better than how Fire TV slightly hides its tab. Here, you can see a grid of the channels from your connected live TV service, which you can mark as favorites for viewing in the below grid. Then there's the Live tab, which is one of my favorite parts of the user interface. Both the Chromecast with Google TV and Fire TV interfaces limit you to a row of app icons, and you have to click to a different window to see all of your apps. Roku's simpler aesthetic is the best of the bunch for people who want less bells and whistles, and just want to see a grid of apps to select from. I prefer the Chromecast with Google TV HD layout over Amazon's interface, which seemingly packs more ads. The "For you" home screen - with a giant banner carousel that offers suggested programming up top, which is sometimes marked with an "Ad" sticker - is similar enough to Amazon's Fire TV home screen, but better and worse in certain ways. The Chromecast with Google TV HD also inherited its visual layout from its big brother. Chromecast with Google TV HD review: Interface ![]() The Fire TV Stick Max is more similar: a rigid rectangular dongle (with an optional extender adapter that lets it dangle if you want) that stays hidden behind your TV. I look forward to seeing if that's changed in the 2022 model once we review it. ![]() In the past, it has proven too lightweight to sit properly without adhesive, and it's so light that its HDMI cord can awkwardly lift it in the air. I prefer the Chromecast with Google TV design over that of the Roku Express, which is more of a streaming box than a dongle.
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