I love finding deals on devices that pull double duty, as it feels like it’s stretching my dollar even further. That’s why Google’s discounted TV Streamer (4K) caught my attention this week. It’s not just a powerful streaming device but also a great smart home hub — one you can currently grab from Amazon, Walmart, Best Buy, and Google for around $84 ($16 off), which is just $5 shy of its lowest price to date.
Google’s latest set-top box is a clear upgrade over the company’s prior streaming dongle, the Chromecast with Google TV. It continues to run on the company’s intuitive Google TV software and supports both Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos, while offering access to a wide array of streaming apps. However, under the hood, it packs twice as much RAM and four times the amount of storage. The included remote also features a new customizable shortcut button, and you can now use the box itself to ping your remote when you can’t find it.
But what truly sets the streaming device apart is what it does beyond streaming. It doubles as an excellent smart home hub with support for Matter, Thread, and Google Assistant voice controls via the remote. It also features a built-in ethernet port for reliable connectivity and a new smart home panel, which lets you control compatible smart home devices, such as lights and thermostats, directly from your screen. You can even use it to view live camera feeds on your TV and pull up a livestream when someone rings your video doorbell.
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