Google TV Streamer vs. Onn 4K Pro

We now have two new contenders in 2024 to take the top spot for the best Google TV device you can buy. (You Nvidia Shield folks pipe down over there — that thing’s almost as old as I am.) Google TV Streamer — which replaces Chromecast with Google TV — and the Walmart-exclusive Onn 4K Pro.

These are very similar devices. Both run the Google TV operating system, which means they basically do the exact same thing in the exact same way.

It’s around the edges where you’ll find the differences. For the full rundown, be sure to read our full Google TV Streamer review, and our full Onn 4K Pro review.

Price

Price is perhaps the biggest difference between Google TV Streamer and Onn 4K Pro. The former costs twice as much as the latter — $99 versus $49. (Those are retail prices.) And that’s not to say it’s twice as good. That’s just not how this works at all.

And complicating things even further is that each device has features that aren’t in the other. You’re going to have to choose.

Winner: Onn 4K Pro, obviously.

Design

Both Google TV Streamer and Onn 4K Pro are what typically are called “set-top boxes,” a throwback to a time in which TV bodies were so deep that we’d put cable boxes on top of them. (We really do need to phase out that name.) In other words, neither is a dongle that hides behind the TV. That’s a change for Google TV Streamer, which replaces the old (and underpowered) Chromecast.

Each device also has a specific reason for this design. Google TV Streamer includes support for smart home devices, and Google says having the base out in the open helps with that connectivity.

Onn 4K Pro, meanwhile, has microphones in the body that you can use to pick up on voice commands, so you don’t need to hold down a button on the remote control first. That’s handy if you don’t have any other always-listening devices around.

The back of the devices will look fairly similar. But one standout difference is that Onn 4K Pro uses a barrel connector for power, while Google TV Streamer uses USB-C. Neither necessarily is a deal-breaker nor a huge leg up, but I did want to note the difference. When given the option, I always prefer USB-C for the relative universalness of the connection.

Winner: Neither. And I’m not going to weigh in on whether I think one looks better than the other.

Performance

Whereas it was obvious that Chromecast with Google TV was a bit underpowered, the differences between Onn 4K Pro and Google TV Streamer are much closer. The latter has an extra gigabyte of RAM. And as of the time of this writing, Google TV Streamer is running Android 14, and Onn 4K Pro is still on Android 12. (That will change at some point.)

They’re both running quad-core processors — Onn uses Amlogic SC2, and Google TV Streamer is built on a MediaTek 8696.

Here’s a look at the specs:

Which is “faster” or “smoother?” I think I’d give the Google TV Streamer a slight edge, but not so much as to disqualify the other. In any event, it’s sort of comparing apples and oranges, between the software and hardware differences.

Winner: Tie, or at least not anything I’d really worry about.

Features

This is where the rubber really hits the road. It’s the section that should most influence your decision on which to buy.

Onn 4K Pro is more along the lines of an Amazon Echo device, with its always-on microphones. Google TV Streamer doesn’t have that. On the other hand, if you have some other device that can handle the hands-free voice commands — like a Nest Hub — then that may be a moot point.

But Google TV Streamer is something that Onn 4K Pro is not. It supports the Matter and Thread smart-home protocols and is a smart-home hub. That is, it can cobble together all your disparate smart home devices and try to make some sense out of them in once place. Matter and Thread are the current future of smart-home protocols. So if you can get something that supports them, you should.

That said, it’s not really the sort of feature that’s tangible. You’re not going to turn on your TV and say, “See! It supports Matter. Look at that.” In fact, if you already have equipment at home that’s handling everything just fine, you might not notice a difference at all. For me it’s more of the sort of feature that I want to see in a new device, but not necessarily something that I personally need to have.

Other front-page features for Google TV Streamer include the new Google Home panel to show cameras and lights and other things inside the Google TV interface. There’s also new AI-generated ambient art. But those features also are coming to Onn 4K Pro and other Google TV devices. (I don’t know exactly when, but Google does say they’re coming.)

External storage is another matter. The Onn 4K Pro has a USB-A port in addition to power, which makes it simple to plug in an external hard drive to use as adapted or expanded storage. (Those are two different things in Android land.) Google TV Streamer has the lone USB-C port. Theoretically you can use an adapter to include external storage, but I don’t have one on hand, and none of the hubs I use with my MacBook Pro work; the Google TV Streamer throws an error saying it’s not getting enough power.

As far as video and audio go, both support Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos. Google TV Streamer also does HDR10, HDR10+, and HLG.

Winner: There is no true winner here. Each mostly does something different than the other. Either way, it’s close. I’d maybe give the edge to Google TV Streamer for supporting more video formats.

Remote controls

Sometimes you’ll get similar devices with two very different remote controls. This is not one of those times.

Both are very plasticky. Both have all the buttons you need. Both have the new customizable star button, and both have dedicated Netflix and YouTube buttons — the latter can be programmed to go to YouTube proper, YouTube TV, or YouTube Music. Onn has two extra dedicated buttons for Disney+ and Paramount+, which I suppose gives it a very slight leg up. It also has button for settings and to switch profiles.

And both remotes take AAA batteries and feel just fine in the hand.

And both remote have the Find My Remote capability. Press the button on the back of the Google TV Streamer, or the front of the Onn 4K Pro, and the remote starts chirping. They even make the same sounds. (Also note that there was a kerfuffle over which remote ships with Onn 4K Pro.)

Winner: Tie. I just can’t get excited about either remote.

The bottom line

For me, choosing between Onn 4K Pro and Google TV Streamer really comes down to whether you need always-listening voice control, or if you need a smart-home hub — or if you just need to save $50. It’s that simple.

If you’re good on the smart-home stuff and just want a Google TV streaming device? Get the Onn 4K Pro. If you do need a hub — or if you just want something with Google’s name on it instead of Walmart’s — then get the Google TV Streamer. Or if you just want to save some money …

Well, you know which way to go then.