I tried new Fire TV Stick rival – it’s a blockbuster hit except for one missing feature

Thanks to their very low price and easy ways to stream endless content, continue to rule the roost when it comes to bingeing on boxsets and watching back-to-back blockbuster movies. If you want to break the mould and try something new there is another way to watch things online with recently releasing its latest device .

The US technology giant is no stranger to offering this type of device with its first Chromecast launching all the way back in 2013.

Those have been pretty popular devices for the US technology giant, but Google has decided to ditch the Chromecast branding forever. Now the Google TV Streamer is taking things up a notch compared to its predecessors thanks to vast amounts of power and more advanced features.

The question is, is it worth the hefty £99 asking price or should you just stick to your Fire TV Stick?

Having put it to the test, there’s a lot to like about the TV Streamer. As long as you have a Google account, the set-up is super simple. Just plug it in, link up your telly via the HDMI port and input your details. You’ll need to connect the Streamer to your home Wi-Fi network.

You’ll then get the option to download all the most popular streaming apps such as Disney+, Apple TV+, Prime Video and more.

The on-screen interface looks slick with glossy graphics and a super easy way to navigate around content and settings using the iPod-style click wheel on the supplied remote.

Thanks to full smart home compatibility you can even pump up the heating, check your security cameras and turn on the lights from the home screen. That means there’s no need to reach for your phone when someone knocks at the door during your latest movie download.

It includes a remote finder which lets out a loud bleep when you lose the channel changer down the side of the sofa plus there’s a customisable ‘favourites’ button which lets you launch apps, settings and more with just one touch.

This is a Google device, so you’ll have no problems finding things to view. Just say what you fancy watching via the voice search button, and in the blink of an eye, you’ll see a list of results.

The Streamer will even show what platforms certain films or content are on and if you already subscribe – this stops those annoying times when you pay to rent a film only to find it is available on a streaming platform you pay for.

This voice search works incredibly well. It lets you find things via the name of the movie, specific genre or actor.

When something takes your fancy, content can be streamed in full 4K with HDR10 and Dolby Vision also included to boost the visuals further (as long as your TV is compatible).

Other features include 32GB of internal storage, a neat design, and that it works with the Matter and Thread standards for seamless connection to a swathe of smart devices such as lightbulbs and plugs. You can even link it to your Google Photos and turn your telly into a giant photo album.

We genuinely like the new Google TV Streamer but there is one issue if you buy it in the UK.

For some bizarre reason, there’s currently (as of December 2024) no access to the iPlayer app. Services such as Channel 5, Channel 4 and ITV can be downloaded but iPlayer is missing.

This has angered some with online forums full of users who have actually taken this device back to the shops when they realised this service isn’t accessible.

It’s unclear if the will arrive on the streamer in the future, but buyer beware if you love watching Match of the Day or Strictly as you won’t find it on this device just yet.

A recent update to the ’s status page says that the Streamer has been authorised for use but at the time of writing this review there’s still no sign of it.

If we had other gripes, it’s a bit annoying Google hasn’t copied Apple and supplied a rechargeable remote. This one needs AAA batteries.

Its design is also pretty big when compared to Fire TV Sticks (it’s more like a set-top box than a dongle) and there’s no HDMI cable in the packaging so you’ll need to buy one to connect it to your telly.

Google TV Steamer verdict

If you want a powerful alternative to Amazon’s Fire TV Stick, Google’s new TV Streamer is a solid choice. It looks good, has a premium build quality, and is packed with features to make movie night a breeze.

The voice search is superb. You have full access to all the most popular streaming apps, and it features 32GB of storage for your downloads.

Nice extras such as that remote finder feature, Matter compatibility and the ability to control your smart home from the remote all add to the appeal.

It’s also fast, offers 4K visuals and Google makes it super easy to find content via its voice search.

Other than its pretty high price, the only main thing that’s wrong is the lack of iPlayer that for some that could be a deal breaker. Hopefully this will be added soon, just beware that you’ll miss out for now.