Table of Contents
Chromecast with Google TV
Casting agent
The Chromecast with Google TV is a giant leap forward for the Chromecast brand, even if it’s mostly just playing catchup to Amazon and Roku. Still, the design, features, and new user interface make this one well worth your money.
For
- Visible user interface and remote
- Google Assistant at the push of a button
- New design available in three colors
- Support for 4K HDR, Dolby Vision, and Dolby Atmos Audio
Against
- No dedicated fast forward or rewind buttons
- 8GB of storage is not enough
Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K
Fire fighter
Even though it’s over two years old at this point, we still think the Fire TV Stick 4K is the best overall streamer that you can buy from Amazon. Really the only knock on it is that you can’t access any Google services or apps, aside from YouTube.
For
- Best value in the Fire TV lineup
- Amazon Alexa at the push of a button
- Support for 4K HDR, Dolby Vision, and Dolby Atmos Audio
Against
- No official support for Google apps beyond YouTube
- 8GB of storage is not enough
For many, the battle for the top TV streaming dongle will come down to pitting the Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K vs. the Chromecast with Google TV. Both devices have push-button access to their voice assistants and support 4K UHD video and Dolby Atmos audio, as well as a $50 price tag. So which is the better option for you? That’s what we’re here to help you decide.
Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K vs. Chromecast with Google TV: Spec Showdown
It took Amazon about three years to release an updated version of the Fire TV Stick 4K, landing in October 2021. This gives it a bit of an edge in the “newness” category when compared to the Chromecast with Google TV. But you can see from the specs that there are a lot of similarities between the two.
| Chromecast with Google TV | Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K | |
|---|---|---|
| Year released | October 2020 | October 2021 |
| Dimensions | 4.7 x 1.6 x 0.5 inches | 6.4 x 2.4 x .5 inches |
| OS | Android TV OS | Fire OS |
| Voice remote | Yes | Yes |
| Voice assistant | Google Assistant | Amazon Alexa |
| Supports 4K | Yes | Yes |
| Video formats | Dolby Vision, HDR10, HDR10+ | Dolby Vision, HDR10, HDR10+ |
| Audio formats | Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby Atmos (pass-through) | Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby Atmos |
| CEC control | Yes | Yes |
| Smart home controls | Yes | Yes |
| Storage | 8GB | 8GB |
| RAM | 2GB | 1.5GB |
Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K vs. Chromecast with Google TV: Feature Parity?
Honestly, this is one of the tougher comparisons we’ve had to do in a while. Both devices are really good at what they do — providing a user-friendly interface to access thousands of apps and streaming video content at the push of a button, or the prompt of your voice. Which one you choose largely depends on whether you use Amazon’s Alexa or Google Assistant around your home. However, there are some subtle differences to point out if you’re not in a relationship with a voice assistant at the moment.
