Chromecast is no longer the only Google TV add-on solution. China's Realme has today officially unveiled a Google TV stick with a remote control and support for 4K HDR10+. It will cost around $55.
Google TV via HDMI
Like the latest Chromecast, Realme's Google TV Stick can be connected to any TV through the HDMI port (and USB for power) to let you access streaming services like Amazon Prime, Apple TV, HBO Max and Netflix.
It is a certified Google TV device meaning that you get the new Google TV user experience, which is built on top of Android TV. You get full access to the full Google Play store of apps. You also get built-in Chromecast and Google Assistant voice control.
Realme's Google TV stick can be connected to your TV's HDMI port
Realme has not published full specifications but did confirm that its stick will support 4K (up to 60fps), AV1 and HEVC decoding, HDR10 and HDR10+, WiFi, and Bluetooth 5.0. It has a standard HDMI 2.0 port with one or more unspecified optional HDMI 2.1 features – probably ALLM.
Unlike Google's Chromecast stick and more capable streaming boxes, it seemingly lacks support for Dolby Atmos audio and Dolby Vision HDR.
Realme's Google TV stick has built-in Chromecast functionality
It is based on an AMLogic SoC with a quad-core ARM Cortex-A35 CPU, 2GB of RAM, and 8GB of built-in storage.
The Bluetooth-enabled remote control has a simple design and four sponsored streaming buttons.
Also read: Review: Chromecast with Google TV
The Realme 4K Smart Google TV Stick – that's the full model name – will be available soon from realme.com and partners. In India, it will cost ₹3999 which is around $55 dollars. It is the first direct alternative to Google's own Chromecast with Google TV.
