The upcoming affordable Chromecast with Google TV sure looks familiar
UPDATE: What was initially tipped as an affordable sequel to the existing $29.99 Chromecast with no remote or Google TV support and then rumored to awkwardly sit between that entry-level model and the current $49.99 4K flagship at a recommended price of $39.99 is again likely to be a streaming bargain.
That's right, we're back to expecting the second Chromecast variant with Google TV to fetch "around" $30 in the US (voice remote included), as the previously speculated $40 price tag could end up being a CAD rather than a USD affair. That's good news for our readers and friends all across North America, as US and Canadian prices always differ to a degree or another. Our original post follows below.
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Unofficially, we're pretty certain one of these devices will be a long overdue sequel to 2018's "regular" third-gen Chromecast, which obviously won't carry the Nest branding, nonetheless joining Google's already expansive smart home product lineup.
Tipped for several months now to find inspiration in the design and general capabilities of 2020's high-end Chromecast with Google TV while starting at a lower price point sans 4K Ultra HD support, the 1080p-only video streamer is today pictured in a host of promotional images and even certification snapshots of a real-life unit.
These all set in stone what we could previously only suspect, as the so-called Chromecast with Google TV (HD) does indeed look identical to the aforementioned UHD model regularly priced at $49.99. We're talking everything from the external appearance of the dongle itself (rendered in a single white color, at least for the time being) to the HDMI cable attached to it, and yes, the voice remote set to be offered as standard alongside the "affordable" new Chromecast.
On the inside, the two devices will purportedly differ slightly in terms of processing power, but we highly doubt you'll be able to notice any such disparity in your day-to-day use. We also wouldn't worry about the 2 gigs of RAM likely to be found under this 1080p Chromecast's hood, which should prove more than capable of handling the "multitasking" generally associated with these types of relatively basic content streamers.
The only problem is that your 4K Ultra HD video streaming sacrifice may not save you a whole lot of money after all. That's because Google's upcoming Chromecast HD dongle is now expected to cost $39.99 in the US, up from the $29.99 list price of the admittedly inferior existing entry-level Chromecast with no Google TV and no bundled remote.
But that doesn't make the rumored $10 gap between the existing (UHD) Chromecast with Google TV and this fast-approaching (HD) Chromecast with Google TV any less... awkward and potentially damaging to the latter's mass appeal. Especially with Black Friday and Cyber Monday around the corner, when the higher-end model could well drop to $39.99... yet again.
Of course, it's not too late for Big G to reconsider the retail price of its next-gen base Chromecast digital media player... or for this $40 rumor to simply prove inaccurate. Then again, with "a lot of retailers" reportedly in possession of commercial-ready units already, a release before October 6 feels like a definite possibility, in which case it's unlikely that the starting price will be revised in time for said early debut.
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