Google TV Streamer 4K vs. Apple TV 4K - Which is Better?

Which is better: the Apple TV 4K or the new Google TV Streamer 4K? We’ll take you through the advantages of each system, some performance issues we’ve run into, and ultimately, which device we’d recommend for most people.

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🕰️Timestamps:
0:00 - Price difference and options
0:41 - Remote differences
1:41 - Google Photos integration
2:10 - YouTube integration
2:25 - Free Live TV
2:43 - Google Home integration
3:08 - Cast support
3:28 - UI design
4:18 - Performance
4:31 - AirPlay and Audio
6:05 - Apple Ecosystem integration
6:28 - Skip back automatic closed captions
7:15 - Cinematic screen savers
7:45 - Additional downsides
9:09 - Digital library differences
9:32 - Recommendations

6 Months Later, purchased all the products seen in this video. This video has no sponsor.

Any Amazon links we provide in our descriptions are in conjunction with our Amazon partnership. The channel receives a small percentage of revenue from any sales generated by viewers clicking the links.

#AppleTV
#GoogleTV
#4K
#TV
#Apple
#Google

[MonthsLater]

**Correction** Apple TV Remote has a FindMy feature using Bluetooth signal strength, but it doesn't have precision find or a speaker like AirTags and AirPods do.
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[marctyler]

Biggest problem I have with anything google/android is the amount of ads built in to everything it seems.

[marklabonte]

There is a ‘Find my’ feature for the Apple Remotes by the way— it’s in the remote section of your iPhones control center

[giannifiore]

Can’t imagine living without my Apple TV! I have one for every tv in the house. Also, just wanted to note that you can setup a photo album to play as a screensaver!

[JohnWilliams-gyyc]

$30 for an ads free streaming for a device lifetime is a deal. I'm talkin to you, Pichai, Sir. Raise the price. Don't stuff ads on people's faces. Don't be that guy.

[Max]

I love that the Google TV supports sideloading and Matter smart home devices 💯

[NateNakao]

I'm completely in the Google ecosystem with a Pixel phone, Pixel Buds, Pixel Watch, Nest Hub, Nest thermostat, Nest doorbell, and Google Home speakers, but I do have an Apple TV 4K and can't seem to find a truly compelling reason for me to switch over to the Google TV Streamer. Google Home integration is nice, but no TV UI is as responsive and uncluttered as Apple TV's. I used a Roku for years and find it laggy AF. My parents used Amazon Fire Sticks for a while, and they were even worse than Roku. I still have an Nvidia Shield to my bedroom TV, and while it's far better than Roku and Amazon Fire, it doesn't come close to the Apple TV.

[ImDepressedLol]

The biggest advantage I see to the Google streamer is that you can "still" install third party apps. I can have a custom YouTube version on my Chromecast or streamer. No ads, remove shorts if I want to. But it's not an out of the box experience if you want to go that route.

[JayDo]

I have the google streamer- had a 10% off discount so got it for $90. It does have an app grid view too, but it does still do the banner ads at the top😅. I like it a lot because of the ease of Chromecast. Also can start all of my other google home devices. Since I mostly watch YouTube, it is great

[luke.rayman]

No word about frame rate matching? For me that's actually the most important factor. I don't know about Apple but in Google TV only Netflix can change the refresh rate to 24 Hz to play movies properly. But for all other apps like Disney+ you have to change it manually in settings which is annoying. YouTube often has 30 fps or 60 fps content, so it's not a problem, but for movies with 24 fps, 60 Hz is no no for me. That's something that was never an issue for Blu-ray, where it always had this ability to stream in 24 Hz.

[clarinetchum]

Man drop 'my husband' so casually. Love that for him. Already a great channel, now it's even better.

[Infinitelight]

Free live TV. US (and wherever else) only, not available in the UK. PS: The Google streamer can be set to show apps only on the home screen.

[sekaf]

Apple does have a Find My feature on its remote. I just used it.

[kindofanmol]

You CAN disable all the recommended content and ads on GoogleTV and just have a clean only-apps layout. Its an option in the settings.

[AlvaroVazquezJr]

I would use an AppleTV, but i just can't get rid of custom apps.

My YouTube app skipped right over the sponsored segments in thai video because it has SponsorBlock built in. Stuff like that is just such a huge QoL.

[liamsz]

Thanks for mentioning the apps using the native player on the Apple TV, it’s such a headache using an app with its own player

What upsets me about max is that HBO max used the native player and it was great, now since max came around they use their own, much inferior one

[jorgemoren]

Excellent review and comparison. I watched the whole thing even tho I'm not interested on getting either. Ps. LOVED the casual mention of husband.

[RobWatkins]

Hi Josh! Nice comparison! I am ingrained in Google's ecosystem and have shunned Apple mostly because of their POV on doing business and generally "were way better than any other company" in the tech ecosystem. I am curious, occasionally, about Apple's products in a certain segment, though and your video was great in illustrating the differences. I've subscribed already and will watch more of your content. I find you hit most of the topics that I'm looking for when I watch one of your videos. Thank you.

[andreasmaximus]

I love that I see captions when I skip back on Apple TV, but I wish I could specify the time they are displayed. 10 seconds is often not enough.

[tipoomaster]

I'm curious about actual streaming performance, like how often and quickly they get to the top mbps. Apple's TV+ seems particularly challenging here, at its top bitrate it has a higher quality stream than most mainstream services, but the double edged sword with that is lesser streamers like some TVs built in Roku's struggle to get that high bitrate and it ends up looking worse than 480p for some stretches. My PS5 does much better but it still has that very low quality start of the stream unlike every other service. Not sure if an Apple TV 4K would help, or a Google Streamer would be fine here.