Google has ceased production of Chromecast. Here are several good reasons to consider upgrading from the old Chromecast dongles.

Launched in 2013, Chromecast quickly became popular as an affordable entry point for those looking to dive into streaming using their smartphones.

Instead of relying on a traditional TV interface, users would open apps like Netflix on their smartphones and 'cast' the video stream to the TV via Chromecast, which established its own connection to the streaming service's servers.


Google has discontinued Chromecast
A lot has changed in the past 11 years and Google has moved away from the idea of smartphones being the primary control units for TVs.

With the introduction of the Chromecast with Google TV in 2020, followed by an HD version in 2022, Google fully embraced a dedicated TV user interface, optimized apps and a remote control.


 Three generations of classic Chromecast. Photo: FlatpanelsHD

In September 2022, Google announced the discontinuation of its remaining Chromecast dongles. Then, in August 2024, Google confirmed it would cease all Chromecast production, including the two versions running Google TV, in favor of the newer Google TV Streamer.

In May 2023, Google announced that it would stop supporting the original Chromecast from 2013. It will no longer receive bug fixes or security updates, which could lead to declining performance and potential issues with apps. Newer Chromecast versions will continue to receive support.


Why you should upgrade from Chromecast
If you are still using one of the classic Chromecast dongles (not the Google TV versions), there are several good reasons to upgrade, especially for your living room TV:

Video judder: Chromecast defaults to a 60Hz video output, which causes judder with 25/50fps content commonly used in PAL regions like Europe. While you can manually switch to 50Hz, it will not suffer from judder with 24, 30 and 60fps content in NTSC regions such as North America. In other words, they lack frame rate matching.
HD Resolution: Chromecast 1, 2 and 3 are limited to HD resolution, while only Chromecast Ultra supports 4K, HDR10 and Dolby Vision. Additionally, Dolby Atmos audio is supported only as pass-through, not decoding, meaning most streaming services will not pass through Atmos audio.
Audio: Newer streaming devices offer spatial audio, the ability to connect wireless headphones and speakers, and full support for Dolby Atmos (decoding).
The social aspect: Controlling the TV with a smartphone is not ideal for families or groups. Many of us already spend too much time staring at our smartphone screens and apps constantly vie for our attention. Watching TV should be a social experience so having a dedicated interface on the TV allows everyone to participate in controlling the viewing experience. You can still use your smartphone for text input on the TV.
Not a good travel companion: While Chromecast is easy to take on trips, it lacks support for 'captive portals' (as confirmed by Google Support), the login screens typically encountered when connecting to hotel WiFi.
Apple TV+ doesn't work: Although it is Apple's decision not to support casting to Chromecast, the fact remains that Apple TV+ does not work via Google Cast, and you would not want to miss out on Severance and Silo, would you?
Limited gaming options: Google Stadia is no longer in operation, so gaming options on the old Chromecast dongles are extremely limited. Even if you own a dedicated game console, newer streaming devices provide access to fun family games and game streaming apps that support both PC and console games such as Nvidia GeForce Now.
The app universe: Modern streaming devices offer a wider variety of apps, including apps for fitness, cooking, gaming, VPNs, social media, education and more.
Voice control: The classic Chromecast has limited voice control capabilities through an external Nest speaker. In contrast, newer streaming devices provide better voice support for turning your TV on and off, adjusting volume, searching for content and more.
Smart home integration: Newer streaming devices can serve as a hub for your smart home, allowing control over WiFi, Bluetooth and Thread. You can also select specific 'scenes' such as movie night.
 Streaming gets better when you have a full-screen user interface on your TV. Photo: Google

Better alternatives
The straightforward upgrade option is the new Google TV Streamer, which features a full TV user interface and TV-optimized apps from Google Play. It offers useful features and receives regular software updates. However, the hardware is underwhelming. You can still use the classic Google Cast feature from your smartphone. Frame rate matching works only with Netflix and the user interface has an increasing level of ads. Read ourGoogle TV Streamer review here.

For those seeking a more powerful Android-based media player, Nvidia Shield is a good choice. It boasts stronger hardware, but it is also more expensive and the Android TV version is no longer getting upgrades. You can still use the classic 'cast' feature from your smartphone. However, its frame rate matching is not very good and the user interface is also becoming more ad-heavy. Nvidia offers its own cloud gaming service, GeForce Now. Read our Nvidia Shield (2019) review here.

You could also consider switching to Apple TV 4K, which features much more powerful hardware and timely software updates (currently tvOS 18.1). Although it is more expensive, it features the best frame rate matching system among streaming devices and comes with Apple’s subscription gaming service, Arcade. Read our Apple TV 4K 2022 review here.

Roku is the most popular TV OS in the US but not very popular in other regions. The hardware is typically weak and although the software is regularly updated, the user interface is starting to feel dated. The price of entry is low due to cheap hardware but this is offset by an increasing level of ads.

 Also read: Why you shouldn't use PlayStation or Xbox for video streaming

Fire TV is the second most popular TV OS in the US and is slightly more popular than Roku outside the US. Similar to Roku, it typically utilizes weaker hardware. The software is regularly updated and the user interface feels fresher. The low entry price due to affordable hardware is offset by an increasing number of ads.